Touchdesigner is a node based real time visual programming software. It is often used within interactive spaces as you are able to use live feed of sound or even visual input as triggers.
So why would you use touchdesigner?
Touchdesigner allows a user to create very complicated setups that can be used as interactive exhibitions, or even live visuals at an event. By using sound, colour, or visual input, a unique visual output can be created.
Much like Houdini, it works with the same channels. That being CHOPS, SOPS, and TOPS to name a few. The reason it is so similar to Houdini is because it was initially created by the same company. This is why the software appears similar but really the biggest similarity is the proceduralism. The proceduralism allows you to quickly create changes that can then be eradicated later down the line. With Touchdesigner however, you are able to see these changes very quickly. Even when using mass amount of data within pointclouds, or instancing. Of course there are limitations, as there are no dynamic operators, you cannot create calculations that require a non procedural workflow. This being said it absolutely has it’s own place within the interactive world, as is industry standard for events.
Let’s take a look at an example of a Touchdesigner file and see how the workflow differs from Houdini.
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