Video2dsprite

Video2dsprite (Grok Build only)

Convert a base 2D character image into dense animation sprites using Grok Build's native video tools.

base still → image_to_video (in-place motion) → extract frames → chroma key → sample/normalize → strip / grid / GIF

Platform gate (read first)

| Runtime | Supported? |

| --- | --- |

| Grok Build (xAI) | Yes — requires image_gen / image_edit + image_to_video (or reference_to_video) |

| Codex / Claude / other agents | No — they lack Grok video tools. Tell the user this skill is Grok Build only and offer $generate2dsprite instead |

If image_to_video is missing from the tool list, stop and explain. Do not fake motion with code-drawn frames.

This skill is an optional denser-motion path. It does not replace $generate2dsprite:

| Use $generate2dsprite when… | Use $video2dsprite when… |

| --- | --- |

| Crisp pixel sheets, fixed grids, identity-critical heroes | User wants denser intermediate poses / smoother feeling loops |

| Attack/cast body sheets, prop packs, engine atlases | Experimenting with video-sourced run/walk/idle motion |

| Production default for most game sprites | User explicitly asks for video → frames → sprites |

Video softens pixels, drifts identity, and leaves chroma fringes. Always QC; for production heroes, prefer $generate2dsprite unless the user wants the video look.

Parameters

Infer from the user request:

• subject: character / creature description, or path to existing still
• action: run | walk | idle | attack | custom motion phrase
• view: usually side (side-scroller). topdown is harder — warn and keep camera locked
• duration: 6 (default) or 10 seconds
• frame_counts: which denser sets to export, default 8,16,24,48
• cell_size: output sprite cell, default 128
• anchor: feet (default for side locomotion) | center
• bg: solid #FF00FF (required for chroma)
• name: output slug
• out_dir: working folder (default ./sprites/video2dsprite/<name>/ or project-relative)

Agent rules

• Grok-only. Refuse on non-Grok runtimes with a short explanation + $generate2dsprite alternative.
• Still → video, never text-to-video alone. Stage frame 1 as a clean still (image_gen or image_edit from a reference). Then call image_to_video.
• In-place motion. Prompt for run/walk in place facing a fixed direction. No camera pan, no background scroll, no scene change. Subject stays roughly centered.
• Solid magenta background on the base and preserved in the video prompt (#FF00FF / pure magenta). Required for flood-fill chroma.
• Do not invent art with PIL/Canvas. Base art comes from image_gen / image_edit or a user/local still. Scripts only postprocess.
• Do not put experimental outputs into the game unless the user asks to integrate.
• Prefer one locomotion cycle for game use. Dense sample across a full 6s multi-cycle clip is fine for previews; for engine sheets, optionally re-sample a single cycle (12–16 frames) after visual QC.
• Report absolute paths of video, cleaned frames, strips, and preview GIFs when done.

Workflow

1. Plan

Pick the smallest useful run:

• Side-view run/walk loop → this skill
• Multi-action hero kit → still use $generate2dsprite per action; only use video for locomotion if requested
• FX / projectile / prop packs → $generate2dsprite, not video

Create:

<out_dir>/
  base/
  video/
  frames-raw/
  frames-clean/
  sprite/          # default 8-frame set + denser x16/x24/x48
  prompt-used.txt
  pipeline-meta.json
  README.txt

2. Build the base still

Options:

• A. Existing sprite: open with image tools / read image, composite onto solid #FF00FF if needed
• B. New character: image_gen with solid magenta background, full body, side view, centered
• C. Match reference: image_edit from user reference onto magenta, preserve identity

Base requirements:

• Full body visible, generous magenta margin
• Side view for run/walk (profile or 3/4 side), feet near bottom third
• Same art style as the rest of the project when a reference exists
• No text, UI, watermark, or second character

Save as <out_dir>/base/<name>-base.png.

Write the exact image prompt into prompt-used.txt.

3. Animate with image_to_video

Call Grok image_to_video:

• image: path to the base still
• duration: 6 (default) or 10
• resolution_name: 480p unless user asks 720p
• prompt: one short present-tense shot (see references/prompt-rules.md)

Mandatory motion constraints in the prompt:

• Subject runs/walks in place (treadmill style)
• Camera locked — no pan, zoom, or orbit
• Background stays flat solid magenta
• Identity, costume, palette stable for the whole shot
• Single continuous action only

Copy the returned video to <out_dir>/video/<name>-<duration>s.mp4.

If video tools are unavailable, stop (platform gate).

4. Extract + chroma + sample (local script)

Run the processor (ffmpeg + Pillow + numpy):

python skills/video2dsprite/scripts/video2dsprite.py process \
  --video <out_dir>/video/<name>-6s.mp4 \
  --out-dir <out_dir> \
  --name <name> \
  --frame-counts 8,16,24,48 \
  --cell-size 128 \
  --body-height 100 \
  --foot-y 118 \
  --fps 0

Notes:

• --fps 0 = extract every decoded frame (use source fps)
• Magenta flood-fill from corners + despill
• Even sampling for each count in --frame-counts
• Feet-normalized cells, horizontal strip, grid, loop GIF per count

Optional: only re-sample denser sets from existing cleaned frames:

python skills/video2dsprite/scripts/video2dsprite.py sample \
  --clean-dir <out_dir>/frames-clean \
  --out-dir <out_dir> \
  --frame-counts 16,24,48 \
  --cell-size 128

5. QC

Visually check:

• [ ] Preview GIF loops without huge pops
• [ ] Magenta gone (no solid pink blocks); fringe acceptable or re-key
• [ ] Feet stay on a stable baseline (no hop from bad crop)
• [ ] Identity roughly stable (face/clothes not morphing every frame)
• [ ] Action is in-place (not sliding out of frame)
• [ ] For game use: pick one count (often 16 or 24) or cut one true cycle

If identity drifts hard or pixels are too soft, fall back to $generate2dsprite for production sheets and keep the video set as motion reference only.

6. Deliver

Report paths only (unless user asked to wire into a game):

• Video: video/*.mp4
• Dense sprites: sprite/x16|x24|x48/
• Strips / grids / GIFs: sprite/run-strip-N.png, run-grid-N.png, run-preview-N.gif
• Meta: pipeline-meta.json

Do not modify game code unless requested.

Defaults

• Duration: 6s
• Action: side run in place, facing right
• Export counts: 8, 16, 24, 48
• Cell: 128², body height ~100, feet at y≈118
• Background: #FF00FF
• Prefer image_to_video over reference_to_video (compose multi-ref with image_edit first if needed)

Tradeoffs (tell the user once)

Pros: denser intermediates → often feels smoother than 4–8 discrete gen poses.

Cons: softer pixels, identity drift, chroma fringe, multi-cycle 6s clips are not a single perfect loop, heavier assets.

Rule of thumb: 8→16→24 usually gains smoothness; 48 is often diminishing returns; 145 raw frames are for sampling, not all for runtime.

Resources

• references/prompt-rules.md — base still + video prompts
• references/pipeline.md — folder layout, ffmpeg, sampling strategy
• scripts/video2dsprite.py — extract, chroma, normalize, export

Relationship to other skills

• $generate2dsprite — primary sheet pipeline (Codex + Grok when image gen exists)
• $generate2dmap — maps; not used here
• $video2dsprite — Grok Build exclusive motion densification path