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RenderMonkey or FX Composer?

by Jason "fireVein" Culwell · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 01/24/2006 (2:11 am) · 16 replies

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to get some feedback on the different tools used to write shaders. I have nVidia FX Composer, and was looking into RenderMonkey. So, basically, which one do you guys think is better; i.e. which has a better workflow and ease of use? Any pros or cons that I should know about? I'll definitely download RenderMonkey to check it out myself, when I get the time(dial-up sucks).

Thanks for any info! Its greatly appreciated.

-Jase

Torque Owner Jason "fireVein" Culwell

About the author

http://www.microdotproductions.com - I am a self taught programmer that has been hacking away at code for a little over 10 years now. I am a very passionate and persistent programmer, and gamer. I love challenges and problem solving.

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Torque Owner Westy

01/24/2006 (2:53 am)

FX Composer get my vote, even if it is for quickly debugging a shader.

Torque 3D Owner J.C. Smith

01/24/2006 (6:07 am)

I prefer Rendermonkey myself. FX Composer feels like Im programming on the C=64 with a dissassembler. =P

Torque Owner Vashner

01/27/2006 (12:49 am)

We need someone to write an exporter for one of those for TSE.

Torque Owner Vincent BILLET
Default Studio Name

01/27/2006 (2:20 am)

RenderMonkey ge my vote too. It uses one code for Vertex and one code for Pixel shaders. So it's really easy to translate effects builded with it to TSE.

Torque Owner Chris Byars
Ion Productions

01/27/2006 (3:47 am)

There is a Rendermonkey ---> TSE resource around here somewhere.

Torque Owner Dave

02/23/2006 (5:40 am)

Rendermonkey fan here too

Torque Owner Chris Byars
Ion Productions

02/23/2006 (5:53 am)

Rendermonkey to TSE importing

Torque 3D Owner Guimo

04/27/2007 (3:10 pm)

NVidia FXComposer is a tool for creation of DirectX FX files. In case you havent use them, an FX file is a simple but powerful structure that can be used to describe a material with fallbacks to any shader version. So you can create gold.fx, crystal.fx etc and render your object using that effect.

Rendermonkey is more focused to independent Pixel/Vertex shader creation. You can create FX files but its not its strength. The architecture of TGEA is more akin to Rendermonkey so this may be your selection in order to write shaders for Torque.

That said... I really prefer FXComposer.

Luck!
Guimo

Torque Owner Ivan Mandzhukov
Liman3D

12/06/2007 (1:34 pm)

The question is not RenderMonkey vs FX composer.
The question is RenderMonkey vs Shaderworks.
They both have TGEA HLSL 'style', the shader port is easy.

Torque 3D Owner Marc Dreamora Schaerer
Gayasoft

#10

12/06/2007 (3:31 pm)

Did Shaderworks get HLSL support? because GLSL is pointless as TGEA is DX based as is its material and shader system.

Torque Owner Shaderman

#11

12/07/2007 (5:04 am)

According to a tutorial I found it should have HLSL support. I wonder where to get that old (free) version though. Any ideas?

Torque Owner Ivan Mandzhukov
Liman3D

#12

12/08/2007 (9:50 am)

Give me email where to send it.
Shaderworks is freeware, but the its developper is now working in Activision, his site does not have the download link.

Torque Owner Shaderman

#13

12/08/2007 (9:51 am)

Shaderman AT gmx DOT net

Thanks.

Torque Owner Ivan Mandzhukov
Liman3D

#14

12/08/2007 (11:50 am)

Done.

Torque Owner Shaderman

#15

12/08/2007 (11:52 am)

I know :) Thanks, I owe you something.