The guide assumes that the reader has a basic familiarity with Crocotile 3D and Substance Painter, possesses knowledge of Texture Sets and Color ID maps, and intends to implement these within Crocotile 3D for export to Substance Painter.

If you're all set, let me introduce you to Woody from PlayStation 1. Woody is here to help you with your learning and show you how to easily create Texture Sets and Color ID maps in Crocotile 3D, which you can then export to Substance Painter!

Texture Sets correspond with Tilesets.

Woody looks a bit dull in his current state, sporting a monotonous gray appearance with just a single tileset assigned to his entire mesh. With only one tileset in use, he's left with just a single Texture Set. Let's bring some life to Woody by assigning three distinct Tilesets: one for his head, another for his body, and yet another for his feet.



That's better! Now Woody has three distinct Tilesets. Each Tileset is a Texture Set. Let's save Woody as an object and import him into Substance Painter!



With three distinct Tilesets, Woody sports three distinct Texture Sets. Tilesets correspond with Texture Sets.

Let's come back to Woody in Crocotile. For the clarity of demonstration, he looks much livelier than before.



For the brevity of demonstration, only Woody's face and hat will be Color IDed. The process, however, is universal.



Let's begin with the creation of a Transparent Tileset.



This Tileset will be used and exported as a Color ID Map.



The next step is to select each tile you want to have the same color. In this case, it is desired that the face tiles be the same color.



Apply the Color ID Map tileset to the selected tiles.



Woody lost all color in his face! Not for long.



Pay attention to UV islands in the UV section. They cover the area that has to be colored. Luckily, Crocotile offers convenient functions that streamline the whole process into 3 clicks (6, if you want to be pedantic).



Before coloring, however, you probably want to select a color. The color is selected in the Painting section.




With the desired color selected, select every UV island as well. Now, it is very important that you follow the next three steps in order.



Step 1: Right Click -> Paint -> Fill solid.



Step 2: RC -> P -> Trace selected.



Step 3: RC -> P -> Add padding



How much padding do you need? At the very least 1 pixel. You can do more to be safe and if you have enough space. But at least 1 pixel padding is a must! 2 or more pixels to be on a safe side.




After all is done, Woody is blue in his face. Don't be so blue, Woody! You'll get a nice red hat!



The exact same process was applied to the hat. This should cheer Woody up!



Let's give him his old expression back. Now that the Color ID Map is complete, we can safely change the Tileset of the tiles back to normal.



Glad to see your smile back, Woody! However, I see something that makes me frown...



Despite following the process precisely, there is a gap within Color ID Map! Just two pixels long, but in Substance Painter it will be wider than football goal posts! This has to be fixed.




In the Tileset tab, select the area containing the colored spot with a gap in it:



Go to the Painting section. Use "Color Picker" if needed to get the color.



Use "Pencil" to close the gap.



With all looking fine and dandy, it is time to export the Color ID Map tileset.



Back to Substane Painter Woody! Let's give him some color.



Import the Color ID Map tileset as a texture to the desired project:



Go to the Texture Set settings, scroll down, click "Select id map".



Select the model's ID map:



That's all there is to it! Or are there also certain things to keep in mind?.. Well, yes there are!

Assigning multiple colors to a tile will result into blur:

Crocotile 3D view:



Substance Painter view:

Otherwise, there will be blur:

Crocotile 3D view:


Substance Painter view:

Otherwise, edges will bleed.

Crocotile 3D view:



Substance Painter view:

All the suggestions stated above were followed.

Crocotile 3D view:



Substance Painter view:



Note: it's okay for padding colors to touch. It is not okay for UV tiles to touch.

Special thanks to Crocotile 3D Discord members alex, Auz, and coreymill! Without their help, I might not have had enough patience to figure the information presented in this guide out.

THANK YOU!