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InstaMAT is finally leaving early access with its 2025 release scheduled for 22nd July. This means it’s an excellent time to look at the breakthrough new features slated for this release, from AAA quality terrain generation, artist-friendly curve painting tools, layer references, and a massive improvement to the real-time viewport with raytracing. Packed with over hundreds of additions and improvements, InstaMAT 2025 continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible for generative 3D asset creation for all industries, from games to VFX.
Studios face mounting pressure to deliver expansive, visually stunning games on tighter schedules, all while supporting multiple platforms from high-end PCs to mobile devices. InstaMAT streamlines 3D asset texturing with scalable generative workflows for faster game development.
In the fast-paced world of game development, speed and scalability are paramount. A key bottleneck in this process is the asset pipeline—creating, texturing, and optimizing thousands of 3D assets like environments, props, and characters. Traditional workflows, reliant on manual texturing and iterative adjustments, are too slow to meet modern demands. InstaMAT, developed by Abstract, revolutionizes this process with its procedural, scalable workflows, enabling studios to streamline asset creation and move from concept to play faster than ever.
The Challenge of Modern Asset Pipelines
Game development has evolved dramatically. Open-world titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Elden Ring feature thousands of unique assets, each requiring detailed textures and platform-specific optimizations. With increasing production complexity AAA production targets become increasingly difficult to meet while staying with the budget. Meanwhile, indie studios and mid-sized teams must compete with AAA quality on leaner budgets. The asset pipeline, which encompasses modeling, texturing, baking, and optimization, often consumes weeks or months, with repetitive tasks draining resources. Scaling a single asset category, such as environmental props, into dozens of variations (e.g., different wear levels or materials) is labor-intensive. Additionally, ensuring assets perform across diverse platforms without sacrificing fidelity requires complex, manual adjustments.
These challenges highlight the need for scalable, automated workflows that maintain creative flexibility while reducing production time. InstaMAT addresses this need with its intuitive layering and node-based systems, designed to scale across asset categories and automate repetitive tasks, empowering teams to deliver high-quality games efficiently.
InstaMAT’s Scalable Workflows
InstaMAT is a breakthrough generative asset design and texturing tool that transforms production pipelines by prioritizing scalability and automation. Its layering and node-based workflows allow developers to create, iterate, and optimize assets at scale, seamlessly integrating with game engines like Unreal Engine and Unity. Unlike traditional tools that require manual edits for each asset variation, InstaMAT enables teams to build flexible, reusable systems that adapt to entire asset categories and automate complex processes.
Layering Projects for Category-Wide Scaling
InstaMAT’s layering system offers a non-destructive, artist-friendly approach to texturing, resembling familiar layer-based image manipulation and compositing tools but tailored for 3D assets. Designers can stack effects such as base materials, wear patterns, decals, or dirt in layers, adjusting parameters to create variations without starting from scratch. This system is ideal for scaling textures across an entire asset category, such as props, vehicles, or architecture.
For example, a single layering project for a set of sci-fi containers can define a base metal texture, procedural scratches, and dirt masks. By tweaking layer parameters (e.g., rust intensity or polish level), artists can generate dozens of unique boxes, machinery and other props from one template. These layers are resolution-independent, ensuring textures scale from high-res consoles to lightweight mobile platforms. The result is a unified, visually consistent asset category produced in a fraction of the time.
Node-Based Projects for Workflow Automation
For technical artists and larger teams, InstaMAT’s node-based system provides powerful automation capabilities. This workflow lets users build custom pipelines by connecting nodes that define material properties, texture maps, or optimization steps. Once created, these graphs can automate repetitive tasks across hundreds or thousands of assets, streamlining production.
For instance, a node graph for environmental rocks can automate the creation of normal maps, ambient occlusion, and diffuse textures, with parameters for size, erosion, and moss coverage. Applying this graph to a library of rock models generates unique variations instantly, each optimized for specific platforms. Nodes can also tap into powerful geometry processing technology from InstaLOD (Abstract’s end-to-end asset optimization and creation software) to automate LOD (level of detail) generation, ensuring assets are game-ready without manual intervention.
In the following video, you see how the layering project for sci-fi containers was used in a node-based workflow, simply by dragging the project into the workspace. This enabled the artist to build on the project to add more procedural logic and functionality, such as performing an automatic retopology, uv-unwrapping and baking. The result is an end-to-end asset pipeline that enables dramatic cost-savings whenever applied.
Integration and Optimization
InstaMAT’s workflows integrate with Abstract’s ecosystem, including InstaLOD for automatic retopology and asset optimization, Polyverse for cloud-based asset management and RSX Engine for real-time collaboration. Textures created in InstaMAT are exported in standard PBR formats (e.g., base color, metalness, roughness), ensuring compatibility with major engines. Projects and materials are instantly be uploaded to Polyverse for cloud-based execution, shared collaboration, and organization between project members, while assets can be optimized and processed in the cloud making it a versatile solution for large and small teams alike.
Use Case: Scaling a Sci-Fi Prop Library with InstaMAT
Imagine a mid-sized studio developing a sci-fi shooter with a sprawling space station environment. The art team needs to create 200 unique props—crates, panels, and terminals—with varied textures (e.g., clean, rusted, battle-damaged) optimized for PC, console, and mobile platforms. Traditionally, this would require weeks of manual texturing and optimization, with artists painstakingly crafting each variation. With InstaMAT, the studio streamlines the process:
Step 1: Layering Project Setup
Artists create a layering project for crates, defining a base metallic texture with layers for paint, scratches, and decals. Parameters like rust intensity and decal placement are adjustable, allowing one project to generate 50 unique crate textures.
Step 2: Scaling Across Categories
The team adapts the layering project for panels and terminals, reusing shared layers (e.g., rust, dirt) while adding category-specific effects like holographic displays. This scales the workflow to cover all 200 props with consistent quality.
Step 3: Pipeline Automation
Leveraging InstaLOD nodes in InstaMAT for automatic retopology, baking and LOD generation; technical artists build a node graph to automate asset processing: low-poly generation, texture map generation (normal, roughness, metalness), texture application, and LOD creation. Using InstaMAT Pipeline to process all 200 props in a single batch, creating both texture LODs (4K/2K/1K for PC, 2K/1K/512 for mobile) and geometry LODs (100%/50%/25% polygon reduction) with platform-specific settings.
Step 4: Project Syncronization
InstaMAT integrates with Polyverse to provide all project members with up-to-date assets and workflows. Using Polyverse Sync, all assets are syncronized across all artists’ and developers’ workstations ensuring consistent versioning and material updates across the entire development pipeline.
Step 5: Collaborative Iteration
Using RSX Engine’s real-time collaboration functionality, the team reviews the props under different light conditions, in difference scenes while tweaks material shaders collaboratively, finalizing the prop library in days.
The outcome is a visually diverse, optimized prop library completed in a fraction of the usual time. The studio delivers a polished game on schedule, with assets that perform seamlessly across platforms, enhancing player immersion.
In the following video, you can see how it all comes together. With RSX Engine, running in a browser, the props are directly downloaded from Polyverse and a scene is assembled collaboratively with other users. The props can be reviewed with full interaction using component logic of the game project. Next, you can review the prop library, using the Polyverse web application.
How Game Developers benefit from InstaMAT
InstaMAT’s scalable workflows address critical industry needs:
- Efficiency: Layering projects reduce manual work, enabling rapid iteration and scaling across asset categories.
- Automation: Node-based pipelines eliminate repetitive tasks, freeing artists to focus on creativity.
- Cross-Platform Support: InstaLOD technology integration ensures assets are optimized for any platform, from VR to mobile.
- Accessibility: Free Pioneer Licenses make InstaMAT accessible to indie and student developers alike, leveling the playing field with larger AAA studios.
As games grow in scope and complexity, InstaMAT empowers developers to build richer worlds faster, without compromising quality. Its procedural approach not only accelerates production but also fosters creativity, allowing teams to experiment with bold designs and deliver unforgettable player experiences.
Get Started with InstaMAT
Ready to streamline your asset pipeline? Sign up for a free Pioneer License or request an evaluation to explore InstaMAT’s full feature set. Join the Abstract Community forum to share workflows, learn from peers, and stay updated on the latest tools. From concept to play, InstaMAT is your partner in crafting the next generation of games.
About Abstract
Abstract is a deep-tech company pioneering 3D and AI technology. Its products empower game developers, VFX and film, enterprise, XR, and metaverse industries to deliver efficiently with massive cost savings. InstaLOD converts CAD to 3D, optimizes geometry and automates 3D pipelines, InstaMAT introduces generative materials and scalable texturing, Polyverse enhances cloud-based asset management and 3D data processing as a service, while RSX Engine enables real-time collaboration and cloud synchronization when building 3D applications and games. Abstract is driving breakthrough innovation in 3D and AI across industries.
