Spritecook Generate Sprites

SpriteCook Generate Sprites

Use this skill for still-image generation. Pair it with spritecook-workflow-essentials for credits, manifests, safe downloads, and shared defaults.

Requires: SpriteCook MCP server connected to your editor. Set up with npx spritecook-mcp setup or see spritecook.ai.

Tool

generate_game_art

Generate game art assets from a text prompt. Supports both pixel art and detailed/HD styles. Waits up to 90s for the result and returns download URLs.

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | prompt | string (required) | - | What to generate. Be specific about subject, pose, and view angle | | width | int | 64 | Width in pixels (16-512) | | height | int | 64 | Height in pixels (16-512) | | variations | int | 1 | Number of variations (1-4) | | pixel | bool | true | True for pixel art, false for detailed/HD art | | bg_mode | string | "transparent" | "transparent", "white", or "include" | | theme | string | null | Art theme context, e.g. "dark fantasy medieval" | | style | string | null | Style direction, e.g. "16-bit SNES style" | | aspect_ratio | string | "1:1" | "1:1", "16:9", or "9:16" | | smart_crop | bool | true | Auto-crop to content bounds | | smart_crop_mode | string | "tightest" | Use "tightest" by default. Use "power_of_2" only when explicitly requested | | model | string | null | Optional generation model. Call list_generation_models for current options and costs. | | mode | string | "assets" | "assets", "texture", or "ui" | | resolution | string | "1K" | "1K", "2K", or "4K" | | quality | string | "medium" | GPT-Image-2 quality tier: "low", "medium", or "high". Higher quality costs more credits. | | colors | string[] | null | Hex color palette, max 8 | | style_asset_ids | string[] | null | Owned asset IDs to use as ambient style guide images, max 10 | | reference_asset_id | string | null | Asset ID to use as one specific visual/context reference | | edit_asset_id | string | null | Asset ID to edit/modify with the new prompt |

Referenced assets must belong to the user's account. style_asset_ids can be combined with either reference_asset_id or edit_asset_id. Do not combine reference_asset_id and edit_asset_id.

If the user provides local image file paths for these references, use spritecook-upload-assets first and pass the returned asset IDs into the appropriate reference field.

Reference Roles

• Use style_asset_ids for style guide images: ambient style, palette, proportions, rendering, and art-direction context. This is the normal choice when generating a new related asset that should match an existing collection, such as giving three existing buildings as style guides before asking for a new building type. SpriteCook already treats these images as style references; mention them in the prompt only when the user wants a specific trait called out.
• Use reference_asset_id when one specific asset is the source or context for the prompt, such as make a building in a similar style to this one, give me just the door sprite, or use this character as the visual reference.
• Use edit_asset_id when the user wants a direct modification of one existing asset, such as make this roof red, remove the sign, or change the helmet color.

list_generation_models

List available still-image generation models, pixel-art support, reference-image limits, supported quality options, and SpriteCook credit costs per image. Call this when choosing a model or when the user asks what models/costs are currently available.

list_character_workflows

List guided pixel-art character perspectives, default animation ids, source-view/prep requirements, frame counts, and credit estimates.

Perspectives and preset animations:

| Perspective | Defaults | Presets | |-------------|----------|---------| | platformer | idle, walk, jump | idle, walk, jump, run, attack, hurt, death | | isometric | idle, walk_down, walk_right | idle, idle_back, walk_down, walk_right, jump_back, jump_front, run_down, run_right, attack, hurt, death | | topdown | idle, walk_up, walk_right, walk_down | idle, idle_back, idle_right, walk_up, walk_down, walk_right, attack, hurt, death |

generate_character

Generate a base pixel-art character with SpriteCook's recommended character settings: 64x64, transparent background, 1K square, tight smart crop, and the perspective-specific character prompt rewrite. Returns a job response; when complete, the first generated asset is the character_id.

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | prompt | string (required) | - | Character description | | perspective | string (required) | - | platformer, isometric, or topdown | | model | string | null | Optional generation model. Call list_generation_models for current options and costs. | | quality | string | "medium" | GPT-Image-2 quality tier: "low", "medium", or "high" |

generate_character_animations

Generate preset and/or custom animations for a base character asset.

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | character_id | string (required) | - | Base character asset id returned by generate_character | | perspective | string (required) | - | Same perspective used for the base character | | animation_ids | string[] | perspective defaults | Preset ids from list_character_workflows | | custom_animations | object[] | null | Custom animations with { id, label, prompt, source_view, output_frames } | | bg_removal_provider | string | "basic" | basic or photoroom |

Custom animations use the custom prompt as the final animation prompt and skip preset prompt enhancement. source_view defaults to front_idle; if another source view needs prep, SpriteCook uses the matching workflow prep dependency for that perspective.

Example custom animation:

{
  "label": "Spin Attack",
  "prompt": "Spin in place with a quick sword slash, looping cleanly.",
  "source_view": "right_walk",
  "output_frames": 8
}

check_character_animation_run

Check a guided character animation run by id. Returns run status, item statuses, generated asset ids, prep state, failures, and credits.

Working Style

• Be specific about subject, pose, camera/view angle, and key materials.
• Call list_generation_models when current model names, pixel-art support, quality options, or credit costs matter.
• When the user asks to use a saved preset, use list_presets and get_preset_settings first, then map the returned prompt, style, model, size, color, and reference guidance into generate_game_art.
• Use list_character_workflows, generate_character, and generate_character_animations when the user wants a directly usable animated character set.
• Default to pixel art unless the user asks for HD, detailed, smooth, realistic, or high-res output.
• When the user wants the same character or item in multiple outputs, generate one canonical still asset first and reuse that asset ID.
• Use style_asset_ids for follow-up generations that should keep the same visual style, especially when a preset returns settings.reference.styleAssetIds.
• Use reference_asset_id when the prompt depends on one specific visual/context reference asset.
• Use edit_asset_id when directly modifying one existing SpriteCook asset.
• Do not generate multiple independent still variations when the real goal is one consistent character plus later animations.
• Prefer smart_crop_mode="tightest" unless the user explicitly asks for "power_of_2".

Consistency Rules

• For a motion set like idle, walk, attack, or hurt: generate the base character once, then animate that exact asset_id separately for each motion.
• For asset variations that should stay recognizably the same design, prefer edit_asset_id for direct modification or style_asset_ids for style guidance over a brand-new unreferenced generation.
• Only skip a reference when the user explicitly wants different designs to explore.

Pixel Art vs Detailed Art

Pixel art (pixel: true, default):

• Crisp hard edges, no anti-aliasing, visible pixel grid
• Automatic pixel-perfect post-processing for clean grid alignment
• Best for retro games, indie games, and 8-bit/16-bit projects

Detailed/HD art (pixel: false):

• Smooth gradients, fine detail, anti-aliased edges
• Higher fidelity output without pixel grid constraints
• Best for HD 2D games, concept art, and marketing assets

Choose based on the game's art direction. When the user does not specify, default to pixel art.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: SpriteCook
• Source: SpriteCook/skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.