Here you can find links to various utilities and tools used by Screaming Brain Studios. The only rules or requirements that I follow are: They must be currently available for download, either for free or commercially. I will not be linking to any pirated software or illegal downloads of paid software.
Graphics Programs
FREE
GIMP – GNU Image Manipulation Program. A powerfully flexible tool that almost rivals Photoshop, if not outpaces it in many ways. There are a lot of things that can only be done with GIMP that Photoshop is not capable of.
ImageMagick – Console-Based Image Manipulation Suite. While not the easiest program to use, especially if you have little command line experience, it is capable of a massive number of different operations unavailable in even the most modern software, like Photoshop.
G’MIC – GREYC’s Magic for Image Computing. Often considered a companion to ImageMagick, this free plugin suite for GIMP comes with hundreds of different filters and functions.
Graphics Gale – Animated Graphic Editor. Very similar to Aseprite, and mostly used for pixel art work. Includes features like selective color erasing, palette swapping, and color replacement.
PAID
Photoshop – Advanced Image Editor. Adobe Photoshop may be one of the most well known Image Manipulation and Photo Editing tools out there, and has most of (but not all) the same features you can find for free in GIMP.
Aseprite – Animated Sprite Editor. A rather affordable solution for pixel art work, including features like onion skinning, pixel rotation, layers, and animation sequencer.
Backdrop Designer – Background and Scenery Painting Tool. An incredibly affordable and flexible tool for creating plants, trees, scenery, parallax backgrounds, and pixel art.
PD Howler – Digtal Painting and Animation Tool. Includes hundreds of useful brushes for organic forms and landscapes, as well as rotoscoping and animation tools.
Noise Generators
FREE
NoisiBoi – Noise Texture Generator. A simple and easy utility for generating random grayscale noise textures. Also has the ability to export Normal Maps in addition to grayscale.
Noiser – Procedural Noise Generator. A freeware tool for generating different types of noise algorithms or terrain textures.
Spacescape – Space Skybox Generator. Uses a series of noise generation algorithms and layering to create starfields and nebulae that can be exported directly as skyboxes to use in your favorite game engine.
Noise Maker – Browser-based Seamless Noise Generator. A very simple to use Perlin noise tool that can generate and export seamless image files.
LibNoise Designer – Noise Texture Generator. A visual tool that utilizes the LibNoise Library, making it easy to produce many different types of Noise and can export polar-warped textures for spheres.
Texture Creation
FREE
Tilemancer – Procedural Tile Creator. A node based environment for creating procedurally generated tiles and graphics. No longer in development, but still available for download.
SPARTAN Tile Generator – Procedural Tile Creation Tool. No longer in development, but incredibly useful for making pixel art tile-sets or procedural tiles for platformers and top-down games.
Pixel Composer – Node-Based VFX Compositor. Similar to Tilemancer in the way it works, but focuses on working specifically with pixel art graphics and animations.
gwTerraNoise – Procedural Terrain Generator. Uses a similar node-based environment to Tilemancer, but with a focus on creating natural looking terrain heightmaps.
sTile – Procedural Texture Generator. An older, freeware program that can produce psychedelic or kaleidoscopic textures using various functions and modifiers.
NeoTextureEdit – Procedural Texture Editor. An open-source, graph-based texture editor that can run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Great for anyone who needs a multi-platform solution.
Material Maker – PBR Materials Authoring Tool. Not only can you create procedural textures, but you can also paint directly onto 3D objects using various brushes.
TextureLab – Procedural Texture Editor. Another open-source tool for creating all kinds of different materials and textures. Also supports direct export to Unity.
Terrain Creation
FREE
PlanetGen – Fractal Worldmap Generator. This tool is used to make randomly generated planet surfaces, complete with spherical warping for texturing 3D spheres.
Textures for Planets – Planet Surface Generator. An extremely flexible and customizable tool for generating hundreds of different types of planet surfaces, complete with land features and color palettes.
Wilbur – Height Map Editor. Used to create detailed terrain textures and height maps using a number of specialized filters and functions.
L3DT – Terrain Map and Texture Tool. Includes tools for creating heightmaps and textures for different types of terrain and landscapes that can be exported to a large number of different formats.
Fractal World Generator – Browser-based Terrain Generation Tool. A very simple interface for generating different terrain seeds that can be exported and mapped to 3D spheres.
Planet Map Generator – Browser-based Map Generation Tool. A capable terrain generator that can render maps in different projections, such as Mercator or Mollweide with a number of preset terrain textures.
PAID
Bryce 7 – 3D Terrain Generator. A very old, surprisingly useful piece of software for creating all kinds of 3D landscapes and environments.
3D Modeling
FREE
Blender – Open-Source 3D Graphics Toolset. One of the most popular free 3D programs available, Blender comes in handy for making both 3D and 2D graphics. Especially when it comes to doing isometric work.
Wings 3D – Open Source 3D Modeling Toolset. In development for over 20 years, this is a capable tool useful for creating anything from low-poly scenery to complex character models.
Anim8or – 3D Modeling and Character Animation Suite. First released in 1999, support has continued for several decades. Great for making retro computer graphics, low poly models, and artwork.
PAID
Crocotile 3D – Tile-Based 3D Modeling Tool. Crocotile 3D is great for simple low-poly 3D models, but can also be used to create entire maps and levels for games. Uses lots of keyboard shortcuts, but well worth the price.
Mapping
FREE
Tiled – Tile-Based Map Editor. This is a personal favorite of Screaming Brain Studios, used to create standard, isometric, or even hexagonal maps using your own tile-sets. Most tile-set packs from Screaming Brain Studios also contain *.tsx Tile-sheets for Tiled.
LDtk – Level Designer Toolkit. A free 2D level and map editor from the creator of Dead Cells. Has support for importing Aseprite files and can export to Tiled Map Editor.
PAID
MapForge – A powerful, easy-to-use map designer for tabletop games, digital dungeons, and tile-based maps with tons of built in effects and included assets. There is a limited free version for those who don’t want to purchase a license, but the paid version is quite affordable.
Utilities
FREE
GIFcam – Animated Screen Capture Tool. Incredibly useful for recording simple GIF animations from a specified area on your screen. Limited only by its ouput format, you can only export GIFs.
Greenshot – Advanced Screenshot Tool. Easily capture perfectly sized screenshots of program windows, custom sized regions, or repeatable captures. This is the go-to screenshot tool used by Screaming Brain Studios.
Sprite Cutter – Sprite and Tile Sheet Splitter. A browser-based utility for splitting tile or sprite sheets into individual images.
Advanced Renamer – Batch File Renaming Tool. Incredibly flexible software used to rename many files at once. You can specify numerical tags or counters, time or dates, and rename entire folders full of files.
Gradient to Image Maker – Browser Based Gradient Tool. Useful for creating gradients with specific color values and allows you to export an image file containing the gradient.
Angry Tools Gradient Generator – Browser Based Gradient Tool. Allows you to create and export gradients in various formats, including image files, CSS, or Hex/RGB.
FastStone Photo Resizer – Batch Image Resizing Tool. While also capable of renaming large numbers of files similiar to Advanced Renamer, this tool is also capable of converting or resizing a large number of image files at once.
Unavailable
These are tools used or licensed by Screaming Brain Studios that are no longer commercially available or supported by their creator, as well as the year they were last released. Some websites are still active, but it is no longer possible to acquire new licenses or copies of these tools.
World Creator 1.5 – Isometric Rendering Engine. Specialized software for creating isometric graphics. (2003)
World Creator 3 – Isometric Rendering Engine. Specialized software for creating isometric graphics. (2017)
Maze Maker – First-Person Rendering Engine. Used to produce graphics in a first-person perspective. (2016)
Bryce 5 – 3D Terrain Generator. Used for advanced height map creation and terrain generation. (2001)
tree[D] – Low Poly Tree Generator. Used to create low poly procedural tree models. (2004)
Random Noise Generator – Seamless Noise Generation Tool. Used to produce random grayscale noise. (2007)
Infinity Textures – Advanced Texture Creation Tool. Used to create procedural textures and animations. (2002)
Paint Shop Pro 6 – Bitmap Graphics Editor. Early photo manipulation suite similar to Photoshop. (1999)
Genetica – Procedural Texture Creation Tool. Used to make textures and animations. (2013)
Wood Workshop – Procedural Wood Texture Generator. Specializes in the creation of wooden textures. (2022)
Button Maker 1.5 – Button and Interface Generator. Used to create buttons and user interface graphics. (2004)
Button Maker 2.5 – Button and Interface Generator. Used to create buttons and user interface graphics. (2013)
Illusionae – Procedural Texture Generator. Used to create abstract noise and seamless textures. (2002)
Image Styles – Texture Creation Tool. Used to create seamless textures and animations. (2004)
Texture Processor – Texture Creation Tool. Used to create seamless textures and animations. (2001)
MaPZone – Procedural Texture Generator. Predecessor to Substance Designer or Adobe Substance. (2007)
ZPaint – Button and UI Creation Tool. Used to produce embossed buttons and interface graphics. (2006)
Dreamlands – Heightmap Generator. Used for creating terrain heightmaps and geometry. (2013)
GForge – Seamless Terrain Maker. Used to create seamless, tileable terrains in multiple formats. (1996)
Fractal Terrains 2 – Terrain Generator. Used for realistic terrain simulation and planet surfaces. (2005)
werkzeug1 – Procedural Authoring Tool. Used for producing audio/visual demos and textures. (2004)
werkzeug3 – Procedural Authoring Tool. Used for producing procedural textures and models. (2007)
Seamless Factory – Seamless Texture Creation Tool. Used to create seamless textures. (2004)
Forrester – Procedural Tree Generator. Used to create low poly models of different trees. (2012)
Texture Studio – Texture Extraction and Correction Tool. Used to create seamless textures. (2005)
ReprojectImage – Image Projection Tool. Used to convert images into projections for environment maps. (2018)
Terragen Classic – Procedural Terrain Generator. Used to create landscapes, skyboxes, and terrain tiles. (2009)
Vue 4 – Terrain and Scenery Tool. Used to create procedural landscapes and environments. (2005)
Kamyan Graphics Factory – Procedural Graphics Tool. Used to generate noise, fractals, and textures. (1996)
Toymaker T2 – Texture Creation Tool. Used to design textures and terrain maps. (2009)