Skip to main content

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Here are some frequently asked questions users may have when using the shader.

For visual issues, check Known Issues.

Shader Related

User Related

Compatibility

Is this shader open-source?​

Yes, our shader is open-source under the MIT License.
We want users to explore how the shader works and allow contributions from the community.

With the MIT License, you generally do not need to ask for permission to use or modify it.
For more details, please check Terms of Service.

Where can I use this shader?​

You can find a full guide for downloading and installing the shader in Download & Install.

Do I need to compile the shader?​

No — the shader comes precompiled so you can get started quickly.
However, the engine may automatically recompile shaders due to updates or internal changes.
This usually takes around 4–5 minutes, depending on your system as our shader is huge.

You can avoid recompilation by only copying the _c file of the shader which is the main compiled shader file.

Which features are the most expensive?​

From our testing, Parallax Occlusion Mapping (POM), Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO), and Fur are the most performance-intensive features.
Inverted hull Outlines can also be tiny bit costly because it uses a geometry shader instead of a simple vertex-based method due to the lack of multi-pass support in S&box. Fur already uses a geometry shader which can have a big impact if not used properly.

Most of expensive features are gated with a toggle called Enable Expensive Features. And, they'll only show up when you enable it. So, Performance impact varies depending on model complexity and how the features are used.

How can I optimize usage?​

You should only enable the features you actually need.
Most of our shader features are lightweight, except for heavy features such as POM, SSAO, and Fur.
These are high-load features that can heavily impact performance if used improperly.

For POM and Fur, we already include Distance Culling to avoid rendering them at far distances.
For SSAO, we use the engine's built-in SSAO system, which is controlled by the engine's post-processing settings, so there is not much we can optimize on our side. And, you also should avoid using many shading modes at the same time as they get expensive as more as you do..

How can I make a shader like this myself?​

We plan to provide a template shader to help developers get started faster.
It will include a full lighting pipeline, basic texture setup, and basic toon shading.
From there, you can expand it with your own features or study our shader code for reference.

Will this shader receive more features in updates?​

Yes. At the time you are reading this, our shader is currently at version 1.0.
However, we are heavily limited by the current 32 texture slot limit for next updates.
We will have to wait for that limitation to improve. In the meantime, we will continue improving and polishing the existing features.

How do I understand sliders without context?​

This is one of the main limitations of the current Material Editor system, which lacks many advanced UI features.
We recommend checking the documentation for features you are unsure about. Sorry about that.

Why are the controls so simple?​

The current Material Editor in S&box is limited.
It does not currently support dropdowns or advanced UI elements as we said.

Because of this, most controls are implemented using sliders.
We may improve this in the future when Material Editor 2.0 becomes available, or by creating a custom solution ourselves.

Why are the material thumbnails very dark?​

You should not worry about this.
The shader is still working correctly and it should not affect the final appearance of your material in-game.

Can I make money using this shader?​

Yes, you can.
Our shader is licensed under the MIT License, which gives users the freedom to use it commercially.
You can sell models, textures designed for the shader, and other related content. We would love to see what the community creates with it.

Can I use this shader outside of S&box?​

No — this shader is built specifically for S&box.
If you are using Unity, we recommend LilToon or Poiyomi, which heavily inspired this shader and are much more mature within the Unity ecosystem.
You are free to port the shader to other engines if you want, but it is not officially provided outside of S&box.

One or more features are broken! What do I do?​

If something is broken, please report it in our Discord server.
Issues may happen due to engine updates, breaking changes, or bugs on our side.
We will do our best to investigate and fix them as quickly as possible.

Is this shader compatible with the latest releases and staging?​

Unlike Unity and many other engines, S&box does not currently use versioned releases and updates very frequently.
Our shader is designed to stay compatible with the latest builds whenever possible.
However, engine breaking changes can still happen. If you encounter issues, please let us know.

Can I directly use settings from LilToon or Poiyomi?​

Mostly yes — especially with LilToon, since we heavily inspired that shader.
For converting settings, check Shader Translation Guide.

If you still have questions, feel free to join our Discord server and ask directly.