Online Material Library

MadMapper includes an integrated Public Material Library that allows users to browse, download, publish, and share generative visual effects with the global community.

MadMapper Materials are generative visual assets built using GLSL shader code (specifically the ISF - Interactive Shader Format). Because they are mathematically generated in real-time by your GPU, they are resolution-independent and highly optimized for live performance.

 

Accessing the Library

To access the community repository, navigate to the top menu bar and select Tools > Library.

This opens the Library in the advanced toolbar. From there, select Public to view the lists of widely available Materials, Laser Materials, 2D FX, 3D FX, Line FX, and Laser Line FX from the MadMapper community.

From here, you can click the star icon to add an item to your Favorites, or click Install + Add to Project to place it directly into your Media Bin.

Creating and Authoring Materials

If you are comfortable writing GLSL code or modifying existing shaders, you can create your own custom materials directly within MadMapper's built-in Code Editor, or use MadAI to generate them with a few simple prompts.

There are three primary ways to create your own Materials directly inside MadMapper:

  1. Use MadAI: Quickly generate a new Material with a few simple text prompts.

  2. Duplicate and Modify: Duplicate an existing Material and edit it in the Code Editor.

  3. Create from Scratch: Build your own Material from a blank template using the Code Editor, referencing the MadMaterials Documentation and GLSL Shader Function References.

Using MadAI

Note: MadAI will only work with Materials, 2D Surface FX, and Laser Materials. More details for MadAI prompting are available in the Mad AI Extension documentation.

Open the Code Editor by going to Tools > AI / Code Editor. With the Code Editor open, click the + icon and select what you would like to create.

 

From there, you can choose a template or select Using MadAI.

 

You will be provided with a default material and a text field to start prompting MadAI to create your vision.

 

 

Type in your prompt and click Send.

 

 

MadAI will process your request, return a newly generated Material, and keep your saved prompts in the History tab.

 

 

If you click on the Code tab, you can view the underlying GLSL code that was generated.

 

 

From here, you can make manual changes to the code, add your author name, or return to the MadAI tab to continue prompting and refining your content.

Before sharing a custom material with the world, it is best practice to embed your name and authorship details directly into the code's metadata:

  1. Select your custom material in the Media Bin.

  2. Open the material editor to view the source code.

  3. At the very top of the code, locate the JSON header block (enclosed in /* ... */).

  4. Add or modify the "CREDIT" field to include your name or studio. For example: "CREDIT": "Your Name"

After you have created a new material, you can find it in your Library under the Project > Custom tab.

 

 

Duplicating an Existing Material

To modify a pre-existing Material, select it in your Media Bin, right-click, and choose Open in Editor.

Note: Some core Materials are read-only and must be duplicated before they can be modified.

 

Click on the three dots (...) in the editor and select New Material from [Material Name].

 

 

This will prompt you to name the new material and will place the editable copy into your Media Bin.

 

From here, you can modify the code to your liking.

 

Warning: Code Ethics and Copyright When duplicating and modifying existing shaders, it is crucial to respect the intellectual property and licensing of the original author. Many shaders are released under specific open-source licenses that dictate how the code can be adapted, shared, or used commercially.

  • Maintain Original Credits: As a general courtesy and ethical standard, always retain the original author's name, contact information, and any license headers within the code comments.

  • Add, Don't Erase: If you heavily modify someone else's work, add your name as an editor or contributor (e.g., "CREDIT": "Original by [Name], Modified by [Your Name]"), rather than deleting their attribution.

  • Comply with Licenses: Legally and respectfully comply with any usage restrictions embedded in the original code before performing with it publicly or publishing it back to the community library.

 

For more advanced users, you can add a vertex shader by clicking the + icon next to the Fragment shader code block.

New Material from Scratch

Similar to the methods above, click the + icon in the Code Editor to create a new material. Select From Empty Template, and you will be provided with a clean slate containing a working JSON header structure. If you would like to learn more about programming your own MadMapper Materials, please see the MadMaterials Documentation, #included Libraries, and the GLSL Shader Functions Reference.

 

 

Publishing to the Community

Once your material is finalized and credited, you can contribute it back to the MadMapper community.

From the Library > Project > Custom tab, select your created Material and click Publish.

 

 

You can now choose to publish your Material either Privately or Publicly:

 

Backing Up Private Custom Materials

Not every custom material needs to be shared or uploaded. If you are developing proprietary visual effects, generative branding, or specific shaders for a client, you do not need to publish them to the Online Library. Instead, you can opt to publish to your own Private library, or back the files up yourself manually. 

Note: To back up a private custom material locally and ensure it stays with your show, you must rely on MadMapper 6's workspace structure. Custom materials used in your show are automatically stored inside your project's local folder. Simply back up the [YourProjectName].madproject folder to an external drive or cloud storage. This ensures your proprietary shader code is safely archived without ever being published to a public server.

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