Sliced Images are split into nine areas. When a Sliced image is scaled, all areas of the image are scaled, except the corners. This allows you to scale an image without distorting its corners. This works particularly well with sprites that have rounded corners that you want to be able to stretch into rounded rectangles. In the following image, the first shape represents the original image's proportions, the second shows the shape scaled horizontally with an Image Type of Simple, and the bottom shape is set to Sliced. The Sliced rounded rectangle has maintained its rounded edges, whereas the Simple one has become distorted. Note that Preserve Aspect Ratio is not selected on either of the scaled images.
Sliced Image Type Example in ...
