You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


A world built from stylized materials is not quite like the everyday world we see around us. It’s just a little larger than life; it pops out just a little more. Such projects aren’t intended to be a picture-perfect representation of the real world; rather, these stylized worlds present an exaggerated perspective of reality. Large details tend to be somewhat emphasized; small details are treated with a lighter touch. The ensemble can be remarkably striking.

This style has notably proven popular with mobile games, which impose their own set of technical constraints. Such specific needs require specific materials – and so the Substance Source team are today releasing a collection of 100 parametric materials aimed at creating stylized projects, and mobile games in particular.

Yet we understand that, just as no two games are precisely alike, no two specific stylized looks are completely identical. For this reason, we’ve ensured that these assets are highly customizable; their style is somewhat generic, and designed in a modular way, in order to better offer new creative possibilities while respecting artists’ workflows. All materials are parametric, and available as usual in SBS and SBSAR format.

The creation of materials to dress stylized universes differs radically from the research of photorealism. A stylized form implies a certain direction and artistic standpoint in the representation of surfaces, which requires specific choices in terms of a texturing workflow – and which imposes specific constraints.

This, then, was the starting point of this project: to find a solution to the challenge of offering stylistic flexibility, while respecting the technical constraints imposed by targeting mobile devices.

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Our goal: to increase productivity and to offer extra creative freedom to artists with materials dedicated to texturing games for mobile devices.

The first point of consideration is the aesthetics involved: moving away from strict photorealism introduces endless stylistic possibilities. The addition of a stroke effect, for instance, or the use of a color gradation approach can radically influence the perception of volumes and surfaces. Our entire material library could essentially be reproduced in stylistic form – dozens of times over, even, if we were to do so for each specific style we might consider. Of course, in practical terms this would take a few years.

(But, y’know… That’s something we’re actually thinking about… It’d be, like, pretty tricky… But keep your eyes open, just in case.)

For now, our approach is that it’s more efficient to make our stylistic materials customizable, to allow artists to personalize their look as required.

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To kick things off, Substance Source is providing a starter selection of stylistic materials, with a wide range of assets in each category. This selection includes atlases to create natural, manufactured, and fantasy-style surfaces.

And – excellent news – we’ve been working on ways to help with this, by defining sets of parameters allowing generation of heaps of variations in a single click, to provide detail on surfaces whether at the pattern level or in terms of depth of color.

Each stylized game can boast its own distinctive graphic universe, and so each one should be able to use Substance materials without altering its stylistic approach.

The materials were conceived as modular bricks allowing alteration of parameters in terms of color, surface aging, patterns, and many other factors – but each brick is also designed to be combined with every other brick.

Whether materials or atlases, all our stylized assets remain Substance materials – that is, each one is completely parametric. Each parameter can produce an inexhaustible wellspring of variation; this tremendous flexibility is invaluable when bringing diversity to otherwise homogenous surfaces.

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The random seed functionality makes each individual asset a mini-library of stylized material. It’s no longer necessary to make dozens of versions of the same material manually, depending on factors such as level of damage or time of year. As long as you have a single SBSAR file, you’re good to go.

And if, by any chance, you can’t find a parameter that you need, you can insert it directly in the graph yourself. Like most of the assets in the library, each item is available in .sbs format, granting you access to its entire node graph. This allows you to avoid starting out on the material creation process from scratch – moreover, it’s an invitation to go further searching for your individual style by adding your own noodles to the figurative dish.

As mentioned previously, when creating this collection of materials, we envisaged that they would ultimately be used in the creation of games for mobile devices. This imposed significant technical constraints. While console video games can rely on comfortable resources in terms of computing capacity, the mobile gaming world is constantly battling to optimize the few resources available from your phone or tablet.

Optimized to offer an optimal visual result from 256 to 8K, the collection of stylized PBR materials available on Substance Source has been modeled to make the most of resources.

Where multiple maps are required to achieve a satisfying photorealistic result we’ve deliberately combined additional surface information in the color map.

This color-based approach provides much more detailed color PBR maps that include details from the normal and height maps, potentially reducing the number of maps needed to achieve certain stylistic effects.

In addition, we’ve added extra functionality to each Substance material – namely, the ability to incorporate light information directly into the texture. Each material has a set of parameters dedicated to baking the light information into the texture; this allows you to control the orientation and the way the light acts on the material, and so to further optimize performance if necessary by eliminating some runtime compute.

Is this merely a technical optimization? No, it’s more than this – the ultimate goal here is the versatility of the adaptation of the assets, so that they can slot into the workflow of artists within the domain of stylized art.

Our ambition is to allow quick testing and retouching, as well as faster iteration on creative projects.

Our goal is to smoothly insert these tools into the existing artist pipeline by allowing a fast back and forth process between different tools. Rapidly paint your materials on your 3D blocking in Substance Painter and then ‘paint over’ the result in Adobe Photoshop in any order you like.

We can’t wait to see what you’ll create!