ICE vs SDK

[markraz]

I'm curious, does anyone here have experience with both ICE and the XSI SDK?
Hypothetically.......... if someone has strong C++ skills, is there still an advantage to using ICE?

[Bullit]

The base nodes are C++ i think. except for performance when it matters why you would code instead of using ICE? There are instance when those that know well to code can be faster than connecting nodes but that would need hybrid node/code , for example being able to code in nodes.

Btw Fabric Engine will get a dual appraoch soon with nodes besides KL, i don't know how far and revolutionary they will go, but coding in nodes will be revolutionary i think.

[Hirazi Blue]

I don't think you can really compare the two. Coding in C++ would give you a lot more "freedom" than ICE (and a lot more work/hassle too, sadly), as the latter is more of a fixed set of presets you can plug together for maximum effect. But if you can get the effect you want using ICE, coding it from scratch in C++ would be somewhat "silly". Doing the part of your "stuff" in ICE that can be done in ICE, is obviously way more efficient, and explicitly coding the part you can't use ICE for always remains to be a option.
;)

[csaez]

ICETrees are embedded in the scene, there's no need to pass plugins for every custom effect/deformer (unless you're using custom nodes, but that's sdk anyway ;) ).