Embody¶
Create at the speed of thought¶
Embody puts your ideas on screen as fast as you can describe them. Describe a network in plain language and watch it appear. Want to try a different direction? Spin up a new approach in seconds. Branch off the one that works. The tool keeps up with you, instead of the other way around.
Embody is three tools working together — forward velocity, lateral velocity, and the substrate that makes both possible.
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Envoy — Forward Velocity
An embedded MCP server with 47 tools that lets Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf talk directly to your live TouchDesigner session. Say what you want — operators, connections, parameters, extensions, fixes — and watch it happen. Idea → network in seconds.
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Embody — Lateral Velocity
Tag any operator and Embody externalizes it to files on disk that mirror your network hierarchy. Try a new direction, branch off a good one, restore yesterday's state — all in seconds. Externalized files are the source of truth, so every project opens already in flow.
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TDN — The Substrate
TouchDesigner networks exported as human-readable JSON. The format is what lets your AI agent see what's on screen, what lets you diff one attempt against another, and what lets a network rebuild itself from text. TDN is what makes the rest of this possible.
What You Can Do¶
You and your AI assistant, in the same session, with full context of your live network:
| Capability | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| Build entire networks from a sentence | "Build me a noise-driven particle system." | |
| Try a different approach in seconds | "Actually, make it react to audio instead." | |
| Read & set any parameter | "Set the noise frequency to match the audio input." | |
| Write extensions | "Create an extension class that manages scene transitions." | |
| Debug errors | "Why is my render chain producing a black output?" | |
| Compare attempts side by side | "Show me what changed between this version and the last one." | |
| Inspect anything | "What parameters are non-default on this operator?" | |
| :material-annotation: | Document networks | "Add annotations to group and label these operators." |
| Run tests | "Run the test suite and fix any failures." |
You describe what you want. The AI works with your live network — operators, connections, parameters, hierarchy — with the whole picture. The result is a network you can read, revert, and rebuild from text.
Key Features¶
| Feature | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Externalization | Tags COMPs and DATs, keeps external files in sync — auto-restores from disk on project open | |
| Envoy MCP Server | 47 tools connect AI assistants to your live TD session | |
| TDN Format | Export/import operator networks as diffable JSON for code review and snapshots | |
| Keyboard Shortcuts | Double-tap Left Ctrl to tag, Ctrl+Shift+U to save — minimal friction | |
| Parameter Tracking | Automatically detects parameter changes and marks COMPs dirty | |
| 41 Test Suites | Comprehensive automated testing framework | |
| Structured Logging | Multi-destination logging with file rotation, ring buffer, and MCP access |
Requirements¶
- TouchDesigner 2025.32280 or later (Windows / macOS)
- A git repository is optional. Embody works in any project folder; if you happen to use git, every change is also a clean diff for free.
Quick Start¶
- Download the Embody
.toxfrom the release folder - Drag and drop it into your TouchDesigner project
- Enable Envoy to connect AI assistants to your session
- Tag operators by pressing Left Ctrl twice on any COMP or DAT
- Save with Ctrl+Shift+U — on next project open, everything restores from disk automatically