What does "NPS" stand for?
"NPS" stands for "Nookkin's Paint Shop" which was the original name of the program. It was later renamed to "NPS" for brevity. The official name of the program is "NPS Image Editor", though it's acceptable to refer to it as "NPS" as long as there is no ambiguity with other entities such as the National Park Service to which NPS Image Editor has no relation.
Why did you make it?
For fun, mostly. I started working on the program when I was 13 and first learning how to write code. My continued work on NPS Image Editor is what led me to pursue a computer science degree (and then kept me sane throughout college programming classes). At this point I kept developing the image editor as a way to set myself apart from other graduates, and then simply because it was quite a lot of fun.
Do you use it yourself?
Yes. I use it for screenshot editing, randomly painting for fun, and of course I heavily use the color picker when working on websites.
Why should I use NPS instead of Microsoft Paint?
NPS Image Editor provides you with the familiar simplicity of Microsoft Paint while offering far more functionality, including support for transparency, filters, custom brush shapes, and more. It's optimized for pixel art and simple image edits.
If you're editing screenshots, for example, you can easily blur or block out confidential data in a professional manner (instead of scribbling it out with a pencil), while retaining the ease of use of keyed selection mode (aka MS Paint's "transparency"). And yes, you can still resize the whole image by dragging the corners!
Why should I use NPS instead of Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET, or other image editors?
These programs provide a powerful set of features but lack the Microsoft Paint-like simplicity when it comes to pixel art and screenshot editing. The most obvious difference is how they handle resizing an image (requiring the use of a dialog vs. dragging the corners) and selection (treating it as part of the active layer vs. needing separate tools to create and move it).
I love the color picker but have no use for yet another image editor. Is there any way to just install the color picker?
You can access the color picker directly from the Start menu without opening the image editor. There is unfortunately no way to truly separate the two, but the footprint is so small (under 20 MB) that it shouldn't be an issue on modern systems.
What is "Legacy" exactly?
NPS Image Editor started out as a VB6 application for Windows 95. As devleopment tools changed, I tried to keep it compatible with older systems to an extent but had to drop support for the oldest ones. With the 4.x "Pyrite" release I had to drop anything below Windows 10. At the same time I had gotten into replaying games from my childhood (on Windows 98 and XP) so I did my best to port many of Pyrite's features to run on .NET 2, and that's how Legacy was born. So this is a back-port of present-day NPS features that can run as far back as Windows 98.
This website was an old design I created sometime around 2009 but never released (since I went straight to the Metro-style site in 2012ish). I decided to revive it to showcase the Legacy release.
In case this isn't obvious... if you're running Windows 10 or 11, you should be using the mainstream version of NPS Image Editor, not this one.
You can read more at Legacy comparison.
What are the system requirements?
NPS Image Editor for Legacy Systems requires a Windows PC running Windows 98 or greater. It requires .NET Framework 2 and Internet Explorer 6.
What are "Standalone" releases?
A "standalone" release is identical to the normal NPS release but is configured to run from a single folder without installation. This allows you to run NPS Image Editor from a flash drive, or from your desktop if you do not have administrator privileges. "Uninstallation" is as simple as deleting the folder.
The main disadvantages of running standalone releases are complexity of getting it running and keeping it updated. For example, you will need to manually download an entire package and manually update the files that changed (or migrate your settings). You also still need .NET Framework to run it. Thus the standalone install is not recommended for most users unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Can I run multiple versions of NPS Image Editor on the same system?
The full installer versions are designed to only have one version installed on your system at a time. Automatic updates may overwrite the older version if you update a newer version, and your user configuration can cause issues across versions (such as if a newer version removed or changed the format of something). With that in mind, having multiple simultaneous versions installed is not supported and you should only do this at your own risk.
The legacy version is treated as a separate product, with its own set of installation folders, so you can install it on the same system as the mainstream version.
You can have as many portable copies as you want on the same system, but will not be able to run them simultaneously if they are from the same major version (since trying to launch another copy will open a new instance instead). These will not update themselves so there is no risk of overwriting old versions.
Why are you offering NPS for free? Will this always be the case?
I believe that some of the best things in life are free – software included. That being said, my main goal with NPS is to provide a high-quality piece of software for as many users as possible, and making it free makes achieving that goal easier. Another advantage of keeping the software free is simplicity: I don't need to worry about piracy, license enforcement, or extra installer complexity.
I plan to keep NPS Image Editor a free piece of software throughout its lifetime. At most, I may offer paid support or enhancements at some nebulous point in the future, but the main application will always remain free.
Is NPS ad-supported?
No – ads detract from the value and elegance of an application. As previously stated, my goal with NPS Image Editor is to have fun while making a quality product, not make money.
Does the installer come packed with adware?
No, for the same reason. The installer contains only the files necessary for the operation of NPS Image Editor.
I feel bad not paying – can I donate?
Yes, and your donation will certainly be appreciated! Working on NPS costs me time (and in some cases money), so donations will help offset these costs. You can go here to make a secure donation via PayPal. Keep in mind that donations are 100% voluntary and will not give you any additional functionality.
Where can I get the source code?
At this point, NPS Image Editor is proprietary (but free) software and the source code is not available. I do plan on eventually releasing the source code but don't have a specific timeframe.
How can I help you with NPS?
- Recommend the software to others. Get the name "NPS Image Editor" out there. (Just don't spam others, please.)
- Write a review of NPS on your blog or in a video. Be sure to send me a link when you're done!
- Test the software and file meaningful bug reports.
- Provide constructive criticism and suggest features you would like to see. That's how future versions of NPS are made better.
- Use NPS as part of your daily life. It's not just an image editor. Several people I know find the standalone NPS color picker to be very useful when writing HTML pages, for example, even if they do not use NPS itself for image editing.
Can I redistribute NPS Image Editor?
You may distribute the NPS installer within your circle of friends, family, and coworkers. Likewise, you are encouraged to link to either the NPS Image Editor website or official Facebook page to spread the word!
You may not host the NPS installer on a publicly-accessible website or include it on software anthologies without my explicit permission. It goes without saying that you may not make money from distributing NPS Image Editor.
Does NPS Image Editor support layers?
Yes, as of version 3.2! See the blog post for more details.
What is a .npsd file?
NPSD is NPS Image Editor's format for storing multi-layer documents. See the NPSD file format specification if you are interested in writing software that can read and write to it.
Can NPS Image Editor save to .psd, .xcf, or other multi-layer formats?
Not yet, unfortunately. Saving to those formats requires supporting all of their features.
Why is the installer blocked as an unrecognized program?
NPS Image Editor is not signed because code-signing certificates cost significant amounts of money (at least $100 per year), and since I make no money from NPS, there is currently no incentive for me to pay. I will sign the installer and all related executables once I get a code-signing certificate for a paid application or when NPS gains enough popularity to justify the investment. For now, you will need to allow the unsigned program to run; scan it with your anti-virus tool if you don't trust it.