Makesprite is a new open source web app published last summer by Chris McCormick, that helps you generate game sprites using generative AI.

Have you ever had a vague idea for a game but found your inspiration running low? Or perhaps you already have a prototype but haven’t decided on the design direction? That sounds like a job for generative AI!

Chris McCormick is also known for creating Jsfxr, a popular tool known for its simplicity in creating complex 8 bit sound effects for games. Jsfxr has also been featured as one of the many prizes of past editions in both js13kGames competition and Gamedev.js Jam.

Using DALL-E 3, Makesprite takes your prompt and generates an image after a few seconds. You can use it much like you would use DALL-E directly, but the page provides several prompt suggestions to get you started. There is no server, as it calls the API directly from the client, sending the prompts pretty much unchanged. Makesprite added value is in its processing of the generated images and automatically identifying individual sprites.

Besides splitting the individual sprites, Makesprite can automatically identify and remove the background from the image. If it can’t identify the background, of if it misses some spots, you can manually select which parts of the background to remove. In my experience, Makesprite sometimes seemed a bit too eager, occasionally removing more of the image than intended.

Is AI useful beyond the prototype?

I was impressed by DALL-E’s ability to generate highly detailed and cohesive designs. But does this mean Makesprite could replace game artists altogether? I find it unlikely – after all, there are already over 30,000 free asset packs on itch.io, yet skilled game designers remain essential for creating fresh, original games. There’s more to game design that a sprite sheets!

It’s worth noting that most of the generated sprites aren’t exactly “production ready”. I found Makesprite helpful for establishing the vibe I wanted for my game – once I spent some time fine-tuning the prompt, that is. However, be prepared to review all your creations closely for oddities like floating stairways that lead nowhere, or surprise extra limbs on characters. You’ll likely have to re-draw most of the sprites pretty much from scratch.

So what do you think? Is generative AI already in your game dev toolkit? Give Makesprite a try.