PSD export problems (Designer)

[Pixel Mush]

Hi there I am having some difficulty getting my PSD files to correctly import into 'Kestrel Moons" animation program "Creature". 

http://www.kestrelmoon.com/creatureforum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=456

That is a link to the conversation I am having with the developer who has been trying to help me get my files to properly import to creature. The PSD does not import at all into Creature and when he imported it into gimp it only imported 1 of 6 layers. That program also has a new function to import spine json files into creature. But it requires a .atlas file to be created as well which designer doesn't create (unless I am doing something wrong). This is a quote from the developer of creature when asked if I should contact you (affinity);

 

"Yes that sounds like a good idea. I will still like to eventually get the PSD import working though; that will be the most straightforward process.
Actually, do you mind asking them why for example in Gimp, your PSD only shows 1 layer? It will be great to find out how to make PSD export work from Affinity into Gimp first; if it does work then chances are it will also work in Creature.
If the layer encoding issue can be solved, then it will be the easiest and more straightforward way to get a PSD directly into Creature. I wonder if this is a PSD versioning issue?

For now, you will have to export out the character into one big atlas and assemble them manually first. But please keep me posted on the PSD import issue."

 

I have tried exporting all three versions of the psd (preserve, editability, final cut x). Tried multiple resamplings with no luck. Maybe I am missing something? 

 

This is another quote from the developer when he imported it into GIMP instead of creature;

 

"Thank you for your submission. Indeed this is a very strange sample, it does nothing as you described. After I did some debugging, I found out that the reader could not recognize the layer information which Affinity exported as for PSD. However, when I added an extra dummy transparent layer into your psd and saved it out from Gimp, Creature could import the psd correctly.

Do you mind on your side trying to add an extra layer ( right now your PSD only has 1 layer ) into it and see what happens? I have attached back your test with one extra dummy layer added in. Please check your PM and give it a go. The modified PSD file I am sending back to you in the PM loads for me.

I am not sure yet if this is an issue with the Affinity exported PSD or the reader itself. This is the first time I have encountered a PSD import error like what you showed me; then again almost all the users importing in PSD are using Photoshop or Gimp.

If this is a PSD file format encoding issue, I suggest for now you export from Affinity, then use Gimp to open up the PSD and export out again. More investigation will be required but as of right now, I can tell you that PSD import works from the following programs for Creature: Photoshop, Gimp, Pixelmator. This sounds like a work around and I apologise for that; however PSD is a closed format so we all have to reverse engineer around it to make the loading code work. It's not a trivial task in itself but yes, more investigation will be required.

Update: I think it might have something to do with the layer encoding for Affinity's export. I exported out from Gimp with 1 layer and it worked."

 

While he did get the PSD to read in Creature with the GIMP work around it only gave him 1 of 6 layers. But when I open the PSD back into affinity designer it shows all the layers? Any suggestions or feedback would be highly appreciated.
 

EDIT;

This is from the developer as well;

"Hello,

Ok I am doing more investigation for you on this PSD matter since it also bugs me a bit.
Try this online PSD viewer:
https://www.photopea.com/

It opens my own character PSDs just fine. But when I put your test.psd into it, it throws and error: "16 Bits/Channel not supported!"
This feels like an Affinity PSD encoding issue.
Can you please post this question over to the Affinity forums? Keep me updated on the progress."

 

EDIT 2;

I changed to 8 bit, and now it does import, but it multiplies the same image for every layer. So I have 6 of the same layer rather than the 6 unique layer images.

 

EDIT 3;

This is from the developer; 

"Hello,

So slightly good news.

First download this file:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqbrmal0jhri6 ... 5.psd?dl=0

Watch my recorded video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/x15jf163bd0m7oa/psd.mp4?dl=0

What I did was I opened up your psd in Gimp, and then simply re-exported it out as a new psd. This psd imports correctly it Creature."