What a sprite origin point is and why you need to move it
A sprite origin point is the invisible anchor that PNGTuber Plus uses to position your character on screen. By default, it sits at the top-left corner of your image file. When you move this origin point, you tell the software where to treat as the "center" of your character — usually the feet, the center of the body, or wherever makes sense for how you want them to appear during your stream.
You need to move the origin point when your character appears in the wrong place on your canvas, floats too high, sits too low, or doesn't line up with your background. Without adjusting it, a character designed with lots of transparent space above the head will hover awkwardly instead of standing on your stream floor.
The origin point is separate from the character's position in the scene itself — moving the origin point changes where the software thinks your character is, while position settings change where it appears. This distinction matters because the origin point affects how animations and movements look relative to everything else.
Key Takeaways
- The origin point is the anchor PNGTuber Plus uses to position your character, and it defaults to the top-left corner of your image file.
- You move the origin point by right-clicking the sprite in the Sprites panel, selecting "Edit Sprite", and dragging the crosshair to the correct location on your character preview.
- The best origin point location is usually at the character's feet or center of the body, depending on how you want them to move and interact with your scene.
- After you move the origin point, you may need to adjust the character's position in the scene to account for the new anchor location.
Opening the sprite editor in PNGTuber Plus
Start by opening PNGTuber Plus and locating the Sprites panel on the left side of the main window. This panel shows all the character images you have imported into your project. Find the sprite whose origin point you want to move.
Right-click directly on the sprite thumbnail or name in the Sprites panel. A context menu will appear with several options. Select "Edit Sprite" from this menu. The sprite editor window will open, showing a preview of your character image with a crosshair overlay.
The crosshair marks the current origin point location. If your character has a lot of empty space above the head or to the sides, you will see the crosshair sitting in that empty area rather than on the character itself. This is the default behavior and why adjustment is usually necessary.
Locating and dragging the origin point crosshair
In the sprite editor window, you will see your character image displayed with a small crosshair (usually a plus sign or circle with crosshairs) overlaid on top. This crosshair is the origin point. Click and drag this crosshair to move it to the location where you want your character anchored.
The most common target location is the center of your character's body or the base of their feet. If you are building a character that stands on a floor, placing the origin point at the feet makes positioning intuitive — the character will stand where you place them rather than floating above or below the intended spot.
As you drag the crosshair, watch the preview update in real time. You will see the character's position shift relative to the crosshair. Drag until the crosshair sits exactly where you want the anchor to be. There is no penalty for being slightly off — you can always come back and adjust again.
Confirming the new origin point location
Once you have positioned the crosshair where you want it, look for a "Save" or "explore" button in the sprite editor window. Click this button to confirm the new origin point. The sprite editor will close and return you to the main PNGTuber Plus window.
Your sprite in the Sprites panel will now use the new origin point as its anchor. If you have already placed this character in your scene, you may notice it has shifted position — this is expected because the anchor location changed. The character's position setting in the scene still points to the same spot on your canvas, but the character itself is now anchored differently.
Adjusting character position after moving the origin point
After you move the origin point, check how your character appears in the main scene. If the character is now in the wrong place, you will need to adjust its position settings. Select the character in your scene (not in the Sprites panel, but in the canvas or scene list), then look for position or transform controls.
In PNGTuber Plus, this is usually done through the Inspector panel or by dragging the character directly on the canvas. Drag the character to the correct location on your stream background. The origin point anchor will move with it, so the character will now sit where you intend.
If you have multiple instances of the same sprite in your scene, moving the origin point affects all of them at once. You will need to reposition each instance individually if they were placed before the origin point change.
Testing animations and movements with the new origin point
Once you have repositioned your character, test any animations or movements you have set up. Play through your animations in the preview to make sure the character moves smoothly and stays in the correct position relative to your background and other elements.
Pay special attention to animations that involve vertical movement — jumping, bowing, or reaching. With the origin point now at the feet or center instead of the top-left corner, these movements should feel more natural and stay grounded where you expect them to.
If an animation still looks off, you can return to the sprite editor and fine-tune the origin point further. There is no limit to how many times you can adjust it, so treat this as an iterative process until the character looks right in motion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I move the origin point for multiple sprites at once?
No, PNGTuber Plus requires you to edit each sprite individually. Open the sprite editor for one sprite, adjust the origin point, save, then repeat for the next sprite. If you have many characters with similar layouts, moving the origin point for the first one gives you a reference for where to place it on the others.
What happens if I move the origin point and forget to reposition the character in the scene?
The character will appear in a different location on your stream because the anchor has moved. Go back to the scene, select the character, and drag it to the correct position. The origin point change itself is not reversible without editing the sprite again, but repositioning the character is quick.
Should the origin point always be at the character's feet?
Not necessarily. If your character is designed to rotate or spin, the origin point works better at the center of the body. If your character is a floating object or head-only design, the center makes more sense than the feet. Choose the location that makes the most intuitive sense for how the character will move and interact.
Can I see the origin point location while my stream is live?
No, the origin point is invisible during streaming. It only appears in the sprite editor. What viewers see is the final positioned character on your canvas. The origin point is a behind-the-scenes tool that affects positioning and animation behavior, not something visible to your audience.