# Aseprite Live

This MCP server lets an AI agent edit a running Aseprite session or process files headlessly. Use it for sprites, tilemaps, art checks, and Unity export.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 8
- Author: oaktreegames
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/oaktreegames/aseprite-live-mcp
- Updated: 2026-07-29
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/aseprite-live

## What it does

Aseprite Live connects an AI agent to an open Aseprite editor, including documents that have not been saved yet. Edits are kept as separate undo steps, and the server can work with in-editor dialogs. Its headless mode processes `.aseprite` files on disk through `aseprite --batch`, so no editor window is needed.

The toolset covers drawing operations, isometric shapes, tilemaps, animation work, and art QA. It can export a sprite sheet for Unity with a generated `.meta`, apply per-slice pivots, and compare animation frames. The server also reports when its own version is out of date.

Python 3.10+ and Aseprite 1.3+ are required. Live editing needs a running Aseprite instance; headless processing does not.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)
- Environment variables: `ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND`, `ASEPRITE_PATH`, `ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL`, `ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND=<ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND> --env ASEPRITE_PATH=<ASEPRITE_PATH> --env ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL=<ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL> --env ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=<ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK> --transport stdio aseprite-live -- uvx aseprite-live-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from aseprite-live-mcp <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add aseprite-live --env ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND=<ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND> --env ASEPRITE_PATH=<ASEPRITE_PATH> --env ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL=<ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL> --env ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=<ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK> -- uvx aseprite-live-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from aseprite-live-mcp <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "aseprite-live": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "aseprite-live-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND": "<ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND>",
                "ASEPRITE_PATH": "<ASEPRITE_PATH>",
                "ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL": "<ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL>",
                "ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK": "<ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from aseprite-live-mcp <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "aseprite-live": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "aseprite-live-mcp"
            ],
            "env": {
                "ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND": "<ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND>",
                "ASEPRITE_PATH": "<ASEPRITE_PATH>",
                "ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL": "<ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL>",
                "ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK": "<ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from aseprite-live-mcp <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND=<ASEPRITE_MCP_BACKEND> -e ASEPRITE_PATH=<ASEPRITE_PATH> -e ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL=<ASEPRITE_RELAY_URL> -e ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK=<ASEPRITE_MCP_NO_UPDATE_CHECK> aseprite-live uvx aseprite-live-mcp
```
Replace <…> with your own values. uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from aseprite-live-mcp <command>

## When to use it
- draw a sprite and export it as PNG
- assemble a tilemap from a tileset
- compare animation frames for visual changes
- export a sliced sprite sheet with Unity metadata
- build isometric game-art primitives

## Example prompts
- Create a `.aseprite` file, draw a gold coin, and save it as `coin.png`.
- Lay out a tilemap from this tileset, then check the row placement.
- Prepare this sprite sheet for Unity, slice it, and assign a pivot to each slice.

## Similar
- [Pascal 3D Editor](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/pascal-3d-editor.md) — MCP server · ★ 25085
- [Unity-MCP](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/unity-mcp.md) — MCP server · ★ 4523
- [mcp](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/sceneview-mcp.md) — MCP server · ★ 1348
- [Gearboy MCP Server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/gearboy-mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 1219
- [ChiR24-unreal_mcp_server](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/chir24-unreal-mcp-server.md) — MCP server · ★ 975
- [Nova3D](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/nova3d.md) — MCP server · ★ 733

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md