Adobe releases Substance 3D Sampler 5.1
Adobe has released Substance 3D Sampler 5.1, the latest version of its material authoring and 3D capture software.
The update adds a new Auto Tiling filter to generate tileable textures from source images automatically, a new Fold Remover filter, and the option to flatten layers in the layer stack.
An ‘all-in-one-digitization software’ for real-world objects
Originally known as Substance Alchemist, Substance 3D Sampler started out as tool for creating 3D materials from real-world sources: primarily reference photos.
Subsequent updates added toolsets for creating HDRI-based lighting setups and 3D models, the latter via an AI-assisted photogrammetry toolset.
Adobe now describes it as all-in-one tool for creating “digital twins” of physical assets.
Scans can be exported in Substance 3D .sbs and .sbsar formats, in the case of materials and environment lights, as bitmap textures, or in a range of 3D formats, including USD.
Substance 3D Sampler 5.1: new Auto Tiling filter
The main new feature in Substance 3D Sampler 5.1 is the new Auto Tiling filter.
As the name suggests, it generates tiling textures from source images, automatically identifying patterns in the image and repeating them. It is intended primarily for fabric textures.
New Fold Remover filter, and updates to Equalize and Clone Stamp
The release also adds a new Fold Remover filter, which automatically removes folds and wrinkles from the source image when creating a material.
The Clone Stamp filter gets a new blending algorithm, and the option to scale, rotate or mirror the area of the image being cloned, as shown in the video above.
The Equalize filter has been updated to reduce color bleeding when working on non-grayscale texture channels, as shown in this video.
Flatten layers to reduce computation times for materials
Other changes include the option to flatten layers in the layer stack destructively, reducing computing times, but also reducing the scope to make future changes to the material.
There are also a number of workflow improvements, including the brush size automatically updating in response to changes in texture resolution when working in the 2D View.
Extended support for HP Z Captis scanners
Support for the HP Z Captis material scanner, originally introduced in Substance 3D Sampler 5.0, has been extended.
The update makes it possible to generate Roughness maps, as well as the existing Color, Normal, Height and Opacity maps.
Workflow improvements include automatic physical size detection of the material being scanned, and the option to make textures square while previewing them.
The functionality is only available with Adobe’s Teams, Enterprise or University subscription plans, and is currently only available on Windows. You can see a list of current limitations here.
Price and system requirements
Substance 3D Sampler is compatible with Windows 10+, RHEL 8.6/9.4+ Linux and macOS 12.0+.
The software is available subscription-only. Since the previous release, the price of Adobe’s Substance 3D subscriptions has risen: you can find current pricing in this story.
Read a full list of new features in Substance 3D Sampler 5.1 in the online release notes
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