Adobe has recently unveiled Substance 3D Sampler 4.4, which represents the most recent iteration of its renowned software designed for material authoring and 3D capture. This update introduces three novel features that leverage Adobe’s Firefly generative AI toolset.
The newly integrated capabilities, namely Text-to-texture, Text-to-pattern, and Image-to-texture, enable users to effortlessly generate materials, patterns, and tileable textures derived from textual descriptions and reference images.
It is important to note that these features are currently in the beta stage and exclusively accessible to subscribers of Adobe’s services.
The Text-to-Texture Algorithm: Generating Tileable Textures from Text Prompts
Adobe initially unveiled Substance 3D Sampler 4.4 in beta during the month of March. At that time, the software introduced a solitary cutting-edge AI capability known as Text-to-texture.
This feature functions by producing tileable textures based on uncomplicated textual directives, subsequently generating four distinct variations of the texture for user selection.
Following the creation process, the texture may be transformed into a comprehensive Physically Based Rendering (PBR) material utilizing Substance 3D Sampler’s established Image to material mechanism.
It is noteworthy that Sampler automatically appends Adobe’s Content Credentials to assets derived via Firefly, denoting through metadata that such assets are the product of artificial intelligence technology.
Utilizing the Image-to-Texture Process for Creating Textures Based on Reference Images
In addition to the aforementioned features, the final release introduces two additional AI functionalities: Image-to-texture and Text-to-pattern.
Image-to-texture allows for the generation of textures using a reference image rather than a text prompt, enabling users to exert more precise control over the generated results.
The output produced is consistently a square, tileable texture, even if the reference image itself lacks tileable characteristics or possesses a non-square aspect ratio.
Similarly, Text-to-pattern operates in a manner analogous to Text-to-texture, creating a square tiling pattern based on a textual description. The resulting pattern can be utilized as an input for either the existing Pattern filter or Cloth Weave filter.
Current State of Newly Introduced AI Features and Their Restrictions on Access for Steam Users
All three of the recent AI features remain officially in the beta phase, even within the ultimate version. These features necessitate an Adobe account, thereby restricting access solely to individuals with Substance 3D subscriptions, and not to those holding the previous perpetual license acquired through Steam.
At the beginning of the year, Adobe terminated the Steam version. However, they previously assured users that they would continue to receive complimentary updates until the closing months of 2024.
Pricing and Requirements
Substance 3D Sampler 4.4 is confirmed to be compatible with operating systems such as Windows 10+, CentOS 7.0+/Ubuntu 20.04+ Linux, and macOS 11.0+. Notably, the software has transitioned to a subscription-based model for acquisition.
For Windows and macOS users, access to Substance 3D Sampler 4.4 is facilitated through Adobe’s Substance 3D Texturing subscriptions, which cost $19.99/month or $219.88/year; or Substance 3D Collection subscriptions, which cost $49.99/month or $549.88/year.