In second year we had a lectures where substance was demonstrated live. After seeing how it worked and how it was used I really wanted to learn how to use it but never got round till I started Level 3. Subsequently finding out that Algorithmic the company that made substance offered it for free to students meant that I had to include it into my level 3 proposal.
Substance Painter is the reference 3D Painting app with never before seen features and workflow improvements to make the creation of textures for 3D assets easier than ever. It is acknowledged as the most innovative and user-friendly Texture Painter out there. – Steam Store
Substance is texture painting software that utilises Physic Based Rendering (PBR) it is a huge development from the traditional way of texturing of 3D models. Creators used to have to unwrap each model by hand and then paint on to the now flat layer. This process was time consuming as you had to make sure you were painting on to the right area when it was re-wrapped. Substance skips this overcomes this by allowing users to paint onto the 3d model and updates the texture live to the unwrapped image. Another feature is that there is a quick and easy methods of baking out all the maps required for the model, e.g. normal map to distinguish height, ambient occlusion and thickness to tell light how to react with the surface of the model. It also allows you to change the quality that you will be rendering and working with. Another of the key features is that Substance painter features masks called smart masks. These masks allows user to quickly apply things like rust and dirt that follows real world physics due to the maps baked out. The creator can create a story with a model depending on how it is textured and then the different weathering effects.
Recently a few AAA games have been created using substance as their texturing programme. These games are Uncharted 4, Forza 6 and Black Ops 3. Alls these games feature physic based graphics that react to react to environment around then such as lighting, weather and the material properties themselves.
Substance painter is part of the future of 3D modelling as it completely redesigns the way models are textured and the possibilities this opens in video games and film. I am going to use 3D modelling as it will improve my production pipeline drastically due to it efficient processes.
References
http://store.steampowered.com/app/454510/