For these two days I worked at home to use my desktop PC instead of my laptop, the former being able to run Substance Painter (smoothly, even). I opened the program and was completely lost at first, but on entry a window pops up with a link to tutorials by Allegorithmic themselves. I started off here and watched the following tutorial:
https://tutorials.allegorithmic.com/courses/06b7361bcd1b5895ecbcf7b31055a603/youtube-Qk_YRkDsJrQ "Getting started with Substance Painter".
It might be intimidatingly long, but it's more like a class than just a video you watch. It asks you to download some assets and then teaches you how to open them in Substance. After you've opened the asset, you'll learn how to use the different tools and settings and how they can be put to work.
Suffixes
If you're planning to texture a model using Substance, make sure to make both a high poly and a low poly version to generate normal maps. Make sure to use name conventions: name all the parts in the low poly version with the suffix _low at the end, and _high for the high poly. This way you'll be able to use "Match by mesh name" on the baking window in Painter.
Tileable textures
When using tileable textures, go to Properties - Fill > Projection and choose Tri-Planar projection.
Making worn edges
Importing a texture or alpha
Very basic hotkeys cheat sheet
Alt + Rmouse Zoom
Alt + Lmouse Rotate
Alt + MIDmouse Pan
Ctrl + Alt + Rmouse Select part of model (like a clipping mask)
Shift + Rmouse Move light source around
C Toggle through channels
M Full Material view
Tileable textures without seams
Will be updated later
https://tutorials.allegorithmic.com/courses/06b7361bcd1b5895ecbcf7b31055a603/youtube-Qk_YRkDsJrQ "Getting started with Substance Painter".
It might be intimidatingly long, but it's more like a class than just a video you watch. It asks you to download some assets and then teaches you how to open them in Substance. After you've opened the asset, you'll learn how to use the different tools and settings and how they can be put to work.
Notes
Always bake textures before starting.- Texture set settings > Bake Textures
- Add a high poly model in Normal > High Definition Meshes
- Check all except Thickness (note to self; find out why, isn't explained in tutorial)
- Bake textures and let 'er rip.
Suffixes
If you're planning to texture a model using Substance, make sure to make both a high poly and a low poly version to generate normal maps. Make sure to use name conventions: name all the parts in the low poly version with the suffix _low at the end, and _high for the high poly. This way you'll be able to use "Match by mesh name" on the baking window in Painter.
Tileable textures
When using tileable textures, go to Properties - Fill > Projection and choose Tri-Planar projection.
Making worn edges
- Duplicate layer
- Fill > select a brighter value so you have one darker and one lighter layer
- Layers > right click on lighter layer > Add Black Mask (Black masks are transparent)
- Layers > Add effect > Add Generator
- Generator > (latter) MG Mask Editor
- Alt + Lmouse on the layer icon to mask the entire thing (you'll see black with white edges)
- Curvature > slider up to 1
- Curvature drop down > play with the lower sliders
- Press M to return to material mode
- -----------(OPTIONAL)-----------
- Add a black mask to the layer
- Add Effect > Add Generator
- Generator > MG Metal Edge Wear
Saving a material
- Layers > Add a folder icon in the top right
- Drag and drop the layers you've used in the folder
- Name the folder after the material you want (i.e. base metal, worn metal, wood etc.)
- Right click on folder > create Smart Material
- The material can now be selected from the Smart Materials in the shelf.
Adding a grainy effect
- Layers > Add effect > Filter
- Properties - Filter > Filter > MatFinish Grainy
- Tweak Grain intensity
Importing a texture or alpha
- Shelf or File > Import Resources
- Select the files you want to import
- Tag the files that are about to be imported. You can shift click here to select multiple assets at once. Go to the undefined button and select whether it's a texture or alpha, etc.
- Import assets to "name of project".
Very basic hotkeys cheat sheet
Alt + Rmouse Zoom
Alt + Lmouse Rotate
Alt + MIDmouse Pan
Ctrl + Alt + Rmouse Select part of model (like a clipping mask)
Shift + Rmouse Move light source around
C Toggle through channels
M Full Material view
Tileable textures without seams
- Properties - Fill
- Projection dropdown > Tri-planar projection
Will be updated later