Game Development Community

TSE Shader Encryption

by James Sun · in General Discussion · 06/02/2004 (3:15 am) · 2 replies

While seeing (hoping, actually:P) that TSE is just around the corner, I am wondering if Garage Games can add a feature to support for encryption of shader (FX/HLSL) files. I am aware that in order for the FX/HLSL to work, the shader files are supposed to be in its original script form, but I am wondering if there is anything that can be done to some how support encrypted shader files to prevent propriotary shader and algorithm to be exposed to the public. Any form of encryption would be nice, as long as it is not blatently open like it is now.
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Torque Owner George McBay
#1
06/02/2004 (9:38 am)
I don't work for or speak for GarageGames but what you're asking for is useless. Even if you did encrypt the shaders as files, sooner or later you're going to have to pass them to the lower level API -- D3D, OpenGL, whatever -- and at this point the shader code can easily be grabbed by using wrapper DLLs, other similar hook methods, or just commonly available DirectX/Shader debuggers.

In any case, what exactly are you worried about? Do you honestly have shader code running whose construction wouldn't be obvious (even without seeing the code) to someone familiar with shader programming? Are you using some secret technique that isn't covered, in some permutation, in any of the Game Gems, ShaderX, or GPU Gems books?

Associate Kyle Carter
#2
06/02/2004 (11:17 am)
I have to agree with George here.

If you wanna write it, go for it. But I certainly hope you won't let such trivialities get in the way of making a good game. :)