The #SpookNodes2025 Stickfigure Contest!

By Ralph (Developer) 77 Comments

It’s spooky time and you know what that means, time for a spooky contest! This year we will just go back to the spooky basics – making a spooky stickfigure! Read all the spooky details below.

🎃 The Winners!

Well, the hallow has been weened and the decor has been taken down (see you next year, spiderbro), and we’re into Christmas season (I don’t make the rules). With that being the case, it’s time to announce the winner of #SpookNodes2025!

We had some good submissions – some funny, some cute, and one unfortunately late submission which was a high contender for placing in the top three (rip Scott). But in the end (and in no particular order) here are the three winners!

Congratulations to all winners, and thanks to everyone who participated! I’ll contact winners on the Activity section of the website since you all have accounts.

We’ll be doing something through the Christmas season soon, keep checking in!

🎃 The Rules

The basic premise: make a Halloween character! Either realistically-scary, cartoony-spooky, or whatever – as long as it is clearly Halloween-based.

  • Only one (1) submission per person, if you submit a new entry only your latest submission will count. The entry itself can consist of a character with multiple angles (front/side) or slight variations if applicable. But generally, it’s still just one character/submission.
  • The character can not be an existing IP (aka not Michael Myers, not Dracula, not Freddy Fazbear, not an official SCP, etc).
  • The character can be your own existing OC, but Halloween-ified (significant edits required if based off of an existing OC, lack of edits deducts points).
  • The character can be inspired from generic themes (like werewolves, vampires, Minecraft (a new horror mob), FNAF (a new animatronic), etc) – or it can be a completely unique concept.
  • The character can be a humanoid, a 4-legged beast, a creepy sea-monster, a giant SCP-like creature, etc.
  • The character must clearly be Halloween-centric.

🎃 Judging & Prizes

On Halloween, three winners will be chosen based on a combination of the following criteria merged into some sort of total score: idea execution, concept uniqueness, visual aesthetics, actual spookiness, and ease-of-use. Generally speaking, whichever three are considered “the best”.

☝️ Note, ease-of-use is important. The figure should be made well, not overloaded with nodes, easy to control, and if it consists of multiple parts – it should be submitted neatly assembled in a Movieclip file. The naming of limbs/files should be clean as well.

These winners will be awarded $50 each through a method of their choice and live forever in Stick Nodes infamy. Oh and probably get a website badge too (Mansion of Mayhem winners still heated).

🎃 How to Submit & Deadline

The deadline to submit is the end of October 28th, giving me time to gather the final entries and upload to the website. Submissions will be through the standard stickfigure-submission process, just make sure to include the #SpookNodes2025 hashtag. If you do not include that hashtag, your entry will not be considered for the contest.

☝️ It is highly recommended you submit with a custom thumbnail that really visually sells your creation! However, be sure to clearly show what is being downloaded as well (typical thumbnail rules apply). Do not go heavy with any post-editing. Figures will be judged on their actual file, not the thumbnail.

Okay, get to work! Also boo, lol got you.

New Version (4.2.0 – 4.2.3) – The ̶C̶o̶n̶n̶e̶c̶t̶o̶r̶ “Joint” Update

By Ralph (Developer) 197 Comments

So update 4.2.0 was originally intended to be released on 4/20 for obvious reasons, but due to extreme feature-creep and wanting to make “connectors” as fleshed out as possible right away, it took another…five months.

My bad.

Since you’ve waited long enough, here’s the changelog.

Changelog 4.2.3

  • A couple miscellaneous crashes fixed
  • Flipping (joined figures) is reverted to old method. To do the new join-anchor-axis-flip method, long-press the button
  • Shape fidelity improved to export-quality only when on Creation Screen
  • Fixed undo/redo of Sprite rotation (when joined)
  • Fixed visual glitch with camera-locked figures (with joins)
  • Fixed visual glitch with add-tweened-frame (with joins)
  • Fixed visual glitch with scaling (with joins)
  • Added the toggle for “Preserve visual angle” to the Connector pasting button
  • When undo/redo-ing multiple flips and/or multiple pushing, it is reduced to just one event. This will likely eventually be applied to other similar repeated events in a future update

4.2.3 (October 11) – Is it out yet: ✅Google Play, ✅App Store, ✅Amazon

Changelog 4.2.2

A quick patch fixing reverse gradients.

  • Fix reverse gradient bug that Gigan caused

4.2.2 (September 27) – Is it out yet: ✅Google Play, ✅App Store, ✅Amazon

Changelog 4.2.1

  • Fix bug regarding flipping gradients on static segments
  • Fix visual glitch with transparency background in Create Sprite menu
  • Fix node-digging which did not keep Movieclip/Sprite nodes prioritized if already selected
  • Misc additions to be revealed later 🙂

4.2.1 (September 26) – Is it out yet: ✅Google Play, ✅App Store, ✅Amazon

Changelog 4.2.0

  • New segment: Connectors! These segments stay attached between two nodes
  • Trapezoids can now be curved, have toggle-able rounded-ends, and have easier thickness control
  • General Smart-Stretch improvements (combined with Connectors this allows for new possibilities for figure creation)
  • New node options for “Angle Lock” and “Drag Lock”, which keep a node on a specific axis
  • New node option for “Floaty” next to the “Stretchy” toggle – changes the way stretchy nodes tween
  • Stickfigure rotation is displayed via a line on the main node, and can be set directly now via the menu
  • Added some new options in “App Settings”, check the enable/disable list
  • Added a “screen padding” value in “App Settings”, to adjust the UI so it is not hidden behind your phone notch
  • Android: The “Keep App Alive” notification is now a toggleable option and needs to be turned on
  • The UI generally has been refreshed with new icons, compacted, and slightly rearranged (calm down)
  • Changes to how nodes are selected, by tapping consecutively in an area of a cluster of nodes each node will be selectable, and once selected, that node will stay selected upon the next time you touchdown on the screen to drag it
  • Changes to the behavior of the UI/menu, it attempts to remember your position so as you select different figures and navigate around, the menu will seem to not “jump around” as much

4.2.0 (September 24) – Is it out yet: ✅Google Play, ✅App Store, ✅Amazon

Watch the launch trailer by @arcionek here, as it recaps a true real-life story of how this update came to be!

Connectors

Connectors at face-value are pretty self-explanatory. They are a special type of segment that will always keep its endpoints connected between two nodes. They also have a draggable midpoint node for your convenience. Other than that, they behave like any other segment – and can be any shape, size, or color. You can even have Connectors connected to other Connectors!

Trapezoid Updates

Trapezoids (for you non-freedom folk, these are known as trapeziums) are now the more powerful version of segments! With the ability to have rounded tips, curves, and easier thickness-control, this allows creators much more versatility when trying to create certain designs on their figures.

Angle Lock, Drag Lock, and Floaty Nodes

Some new node options are available that should help in specific use cases. Check in the menu for new Angle Lock and Drag Lock properties.

Angle lock, as the name suggests, keeps the node at a particular angle no matter how the parent node moves. It can be relative to the main node (absolute) or relative to the nearest non-static parent (this is useful in certain rigging circumstances when utilizing Smart-Stretch).

There’s also a new option for stretchy nodes, Is Floaty. This toggle changes the way that particular node tweens, as shown in the video below.

Rigging

Combining the power of Smart-Stretch and Connectors (and sometimes the new angle-lock options mentioned above) unlocks the possibility for some really crazy creations. Not limited to but including things such as inverse-kinematics, 3D parallel backgrounds, and bezier curves!

To be fair, there is a steep learning curve when attempting more advanced rigs like these, whereas assembling a simple “arm contraction = muscle pump” type of rig is more doable once you understand the basics of the new Smart-Stretch options.

A guide by our resident rigger arcionek will be available this weekend, showcasing some of the potential for rigging. Otherwise, a good way to learn is to just mess with everything yourself. There are new toggles under the “Smart-Stretch” menu, play around with them and get a feel for what they can do.

Oh, also, the app ships with a new default figure, _Stickfigure (IK), so you can mess with the inverse-kinematics version of the Default right away!

Node-Digging

Changes were made to the way nodes are selected. When in a cluster of nodes, it’s often difficult to get a certain node selected. Now, via repetitive tapping, all nodes in the area will cycle through being selected as the app “digs” through the cluster. (Prior to this, only the “top”-most two nodes would keep cycling between being selected.)

Once a node is selected, it will also stay selected on the next touch-down, so you can adjust and drag it easier.

The image to the right shows how the nodes in the cluster are all being selected one by one, simply by tapping in the area.

Screen Padding

Apparently iPhone users were having a bad time, due to the notch on the screen taking up a lot of space. There’s no way to “fix” this other than to simply push out the menu so it’s not blocked by the notch or the rounded corners. Find the setting for this in the “App Settings” window, among other new options added in this update.

The Most Sigma Beta-Testers

Shouts out to the beta testers in the super-secret, cool-kids-only Discord server. I’d name names but I won’t as to not forget anyone and also privacy. But they the real MVPs. Without their constant nagging and ruthless abuse of the new rigging system, this update would have been out five months ago and just had some new trapezoid features and that’s about it.

Mansion of Mayhem

The 10th anniversary celebratory collab, Mansion of Mayhem, is 99% finished, and is going to launch on September 28th with a premiere on Youtube. It’s gonna be pretty neat. You should make sure you’re there.

Stick Nodes: Mansion of Mayhem – Winners Announced!

By Ralph (Developer) 26 Comments

Watch the full collab here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8tVbxtY8Sc

Ah yes, what a prestigious event…just perfect to celebrate ten years of noding!

Oh, by the way, if you’re here after having just seen the Default with a full head of hair in the app and are full of questions, maybe you should check out the above link wink emoji.

First off, thank you to everyone who participated. There was something over 200+ entries (I think, ask Squi) and due to the soft time limit on entries, the pruning process had to be even stricter – else this already-90-minute video would have been entering into Titanic waters (I’m referencing the length of the movie, not…not the fact that it ended up, like – you know…whatever just nevermind).

The Winners

And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the winners of the various categories!

I will be reaching out soon, but feel free to DM me on X first with your name (if it’s not obvious) and payment method. Preferably Paypal, Steam gift, or a gift card if in the USA.

Please understand – choosing winners was extremely difficult! Arguments could be made for a lot of different entries winning different categories. Lots of factors are considered, including the amount of “Stick Nodes” vs post-editing, humor, entertainment value, etc. Also I could have easily taken some of the honorable mentions and moved them to the runners-up list but let’s be honest, I ain’t trying to go broke. The real winnings are the friends we made along the way!

Winners

In total there are four main winners, each taking the number one spot for Best Animated, Best Visuals, Most Entertaining, and Most Creative. These four main winners receive $100 and a slot on the Stick Nodes splash screen if they do not already have one.

Runners-Up

Then there are the four runners-up – these entries were really great but just didn’t make the cut to win first place in either of the aforementioned categories. The runners-up receive $50 each…and a hearty handshake!

Honorable Mentions

I could honestly do a small writeup on every entry that made it into the collab, as they were all some combination of visually appealing or generally fun and entertaining in their own unique ways, but I’m just gonna name a few here, don’t feel bad if yours isn’t mentioned! For example, I could mention the classic unique comic-book style of Sherlock., or the fun Mario/Madness takes from Nakovich and Firefunk 128, but, I ran out of time!

Credits

As with past events, there was a whole team involved in the creation of Mansion of Mayhem, there’s no way such a massive collab could be accomplished without them!

Happy 10th Birthday Stick Nodes!

Remember, this collab was to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Stick Nodes, which is absolutely crazy. There was also a whole video dedicated to that fact last month, did you watch it – Stick Nodes 10th Anniversary Celebration! – check it out now if you haven’t!

So, what’s next? Well, more Stick Nodes updates of course. Maybe some smaller event(s) for Halloween and Christmas (possibly regarding the new connector feature and its rigging potential). And then eventually, another collab! Believe it or not the central theme is already chosen and it’s already being planned!