Today, the Substance team releases the first Signature Series collection of 2019, introducing 15 new materials created exclusively for Substance Source by gaming veteran and Senior Material Agent for PlayStation Visual arts Service Group, Javier Perez. Each material is fully customizable and shares a theme that ties back to one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments: the conquest of space.
Despite the appeal of working with digital scenes above the Earth, making realistic digital 3D space vehicles and habitats is a daunting prospect for even the most experienced artist. The real-world composites needed to make space accessible are highly complex in their makeup and look, forcing artists hoping for photorealistic recreations to start from scratch. Perez’s collection offers a head start for anyone looking to create digital scenes featuring man-made objects that exist in space, from spacecraft to satellites to modern-day space stations and beyond.
“As a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. The environment of space always captivated me, and even as life took me in a different direction my love for it remained,” said Perez. “When I was approached to create my own Signature Series release, I wanted to share my enthusiasm for space exploration and offer something that artists of all levels could appreciate.”
The 15 materials that comprise Perez’s collection fall into three distinct, and yet connected categories: “Living Quarters,” “Space Station” and “Space Shuttle.” Like all materials in the Substance Source library, each of Perez’s materials are full tweakable, and each serves a different purpose for artists looking to create a scene in space. All materials were procedurally created specifically for this collection and take their inspiration for real-world images and reference points connected to NASA missions.
The materials under the Living Quarters banner feature unique and detailed shapes and forms, and include everything an artist would need to create the functional and rugged look of an astronaut’s habitat, including reinforced walls and built in storage to combat the effects of zero gravity. The Space Station materials offer slightly softer edges, mixing in cloth and hi-tech polymers like those found onboard the International Space Station (ISS). As in real-world space exploration, everything serves a purpose, and combinations of materials can be used to mimic the sophisticated and often fragile feel of living in space.
The third set includes materials inspired by the Space Shuttle. Although NASA’s shuttle was retired in 2011, its inspiration lives on for artists, astronauts and space agencies around the world. The materials found in this category can help recreate the complex and unique look of the shuttle, from its distinct heat-resistant tiles to the massive and well-worn engines. Artists can also use the materials to create replicas of modern spacecraft or create something original capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of space. All materials are available now.
Perez brings nearly a decade of game design experience to his collection, with a resume that includes blockbuster hits like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Planetside 2 and many others. His connection with Substance goes back several years, and includes both tutorials and a presentation at Substance Days 2018.
To celebrate the release of the collection, two materials – “Space Station Cargo Rack” and “Thermal Insulation Panel” – are available now at no additional cost for Substance subscribers. Perez’s new collection joins the ever-growing Substance Source library, which now features nearly 1,750 ready-to-use materials available to download. Perez will also join Allegorithmic product manager Wes McDermott on Wednesday, March 20, to offer a deep dive into the making of the collection while offering tips on how best to use them.
Pricing/Availability
Access to Substance Source is available through a monthly subscription. Subscribers receive 30 Substance Source material downloads per month, along with Substance Designer, Substance Painter and Substance B2M for $19.90 (Indie) or $99.90 (Pro). Professional users and teams can also buy the entire Substance Source library, along with one year of updates, for $4990. Enterprise and education pricing is available upon request. Students and teachers can request a license at no cost.
