Disguise Designer

Disguise Designer is production software for visualising, mapping, sequencing and controlling content within a digital replica of a production environment. It is best suited to teams bringing projection, live visuals and virtual production workflows together. Its breadth is compelling, but production work requires the paid Pro plan.

Overview

Designer supports pitch creation, experience design, camera fly-throughs, content validation and technical setup testing. A real-time 3D view lets teams plan against the production environment rather than treating content, surfaces and show control as separate tasks. That joined-up approach is useful for complex productions; it is likely excessive if the job is only basic playback or mapping.

Founded in 2010, Disguise is headquartered in London. Designer's Starter and Pro editions draw a sharp line between offline development and server-connected production.

Key features

Visualisation and mapping

The visualiser represents a production environment in real time and supports different codecs, resolutions and colour spaces. Mapping tools cover shaped LED screens, projectors, UV mapping, dynamic blends and large projection canvases. This range suits productions with varied surfaces and projection layouts, though it is most valuable when those mapping needs are part of a wider show workflow.

Playback and rendering

Playback supports NotchLC, ProRes, HAP and uncompressed codecs, along with 2D plates, image sequences and local or remote HTML5 content. RenderStream integrates with Unreal Engine, Notch, Unity, TouchDesigner and Volinga NeRFs. The format and renderer coverage gives teams several ways to bring content into a production, rather than constraining work to a single rendering pipeline.

Timelines and control

Multi-Edit allows simultaneous project editing by multiple users, while Multi-Transport can run several timelines in response to external cues. Designer also supports DMX, SMPTE timecode, MIDI, OSC, FreeD and tracking systems including Blacktrax, Ncam, Mo-Sys and Stype. These capabilities are a strong fit for coordinated, cue-driven productions; teams that do not need collaboration or external control may have little reason to pay for the production tier.

Plugins and requirements

The plugin framework, available in both editions, supports web-powered widgets, Python scripts and connections to third-party systems. The user guide specifies 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and DirectX 11; the listed platform coverage also includes macOS and web. Buyers should confirm their target setup against the stated system requirements before committing.

Pricing

Designer Starter: free. It includes full core functionality for learning, training, testing, pre-visualisation and project development without connecting to Disguise servers. Starter instances can run sessions together. This is a useful no-cost route for developing projects, but it gives up server connections, live show programming and the production-ready workflow.

Designer Pro: $159 a month, billed $159/month. It adds the full production-ready version, live show programming, real-time editing, multi-user collaboration, and connections to Disguise servers and other Pro instances. Choose it when a project needs those production functions; otherwise Starter covers offline development without a monthly charge. A 14-day trial is offered.

Platforms

Designer is listed for macOS, web and Windows. The user guide's system requirements specify Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, and DirectX 11, so Windows users should check their system against those requirements.

Who it's for

Designer is aimed at production teams that need to plan content against a 3D environment and connect mapping, playback, timelines and control. Its integrations and collaboration tools are especially relevant when a show uses external cues, tracking or multiple render systems. It is a weaker fit for individuals seeking only a simple media player or a narrow mapping utility.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Broad mapping and playback support helps accommodate complex surfaces and varied content formats.
• Pros: Timeline collaboration and extensive control integrations suit multi-person, cue-driven production workflows.
• Pros: Starter provides core development and pre-visualisation tools without a fee.
• Cons: Starter cannot connect to Disguise servers, so live production calls for the $159/month Pro plan.
• Cons: The stated Windows system requirements are specific, which may require setup checks for teams planning across the listed platforms.

Alternatives

Virtual Production Software and Projection Mapping Software are useful starting points for comparing tools by production focus.

• Zero Density Reality offers a free Open Studio License Program for eligible SOHO, academic or self-learning use, with approval required; consider it if that eligibility-based free program and its Linux platform coverage suit your needs.
• Pixotope has a feature-limited free Discovery plan with HD configuration and no licensing step; consider it if that free entry point fits your requirements.
• SMODE offers a free non-commercial Community license with Full HD input, output, content and export, as well as a €300 a year Compose FHD plan; consider it if those terms suit your use.
• PIXERA has a free demo license for building and saving projects, with a watermark on four outputs that prevents live production; consider it for project development rather than live use.
• ARFX Infinite Studio is another listed alternative.
• Assimilate Live Looks costs $89 a month on an automatic recurring subscription that includes support and updates during the subscription; consider it if that subscription model fits.
• Notch offers an Indie plan at $279 a year for 1080p non-commercial export and a VFX plan at $117 a month with 16K x 16K export; consider it if those export limits and terms match your work.
• Aximmetry offers a Broadcast & Film lifetime license for $5,990, paid once; consider it if a perpetual license is preferable to a monthly plan.

Verdict

Choose Disguise Designer if your production needs a shared environment for 3D planning, mapping, playback and show control, especially when collaboration and external integrations matter. Its main advantage is how much of that workflow it brings together; the main reason to look elsewhere is that server-connected production requires a $159/month Pro subscription, while narrower tasks may not need Designer's breadth.