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Render Queue


1. Overview

Render Queue is a batch-render management console. Its purpose is collect what you want to render into one list → configure format and post-processing → render everything with one click.

render-queue-01

It solves several pain points of REAPER's native rendering:

  • Want to render multiple regions or items with different formats or loudness settings? The native dialog forces you to change and click repeatedly.
  • Want to produce both a "WAV 48 kHz for the engine" and an "OGG for preview" in one go?

Render Queue wraps this into a three-column window: left column picks assets → middle column queues them → right column configures parameters, with output path + naming + START RENDER at the bottom. The configuration is saved automatically with the project and is still there the next time you open it.

About parameter scope: the render parameters here correspond almost one-to-one with REAPER's own Render panel, but trimmed to the actual needs of game-audio rendering. If you find a REAPER-native option that is essential and missing here, use REAPER's own Render panel for that render and contact the extension author — the missing option may be added to the interface.

This manual only covers the Render Queue window. Quick Render (one-click rendering of selected items) is a separate feature and is not covered here.


2. Opening the tool

Menu path:

Extensions → Mantrika Tools → Render queue

Or use the Action List (search "Render Queue"):

Action nameFunction
mantrika : Synergy - Render QueueToggle the Render Queue window on/off

The window is a standalone floating window; you can drag, resize, close, and reopen it. It restores its previous state when reopened.


3. Interface overview

render-queue-02

The workflow runs left to right, then bottom:

AreaWhat it does
Left column: Asset BrowserPick the assets you want to render (regions / items) and add them to the queue
Middle column: Render QueueSee what is currently queued; create multiple queues to split different configurations
Right column: ConfigConfigure format, sample rate, and post-processing for the current queue (or a single item)
Bottom: Output & NamingSet output folder, file-naming rules, then press START RENDER

4. Fastest getting-started flow (four steps)

1. In the left column, choose a Source Type (for example, "Master Mix - Regions") → the list shows all regions.
2. Select the ones you want and click [Add Selected]; they appear in the middle-column queue.
3. In the right column, set Format / Sample Rate / any post-processing you need (fade, loudness normalization...).
4. Set the output folder at the bottom → click START RENDER (or press Enter).

The rest of this manual explains each column in detail.


5. Left column: Asset Browser (picking assets)

5.1 Source Type — decide what to render

The Source Type: dropdown at the top determines which kind of assets the list grabs. There are four types, each with its own color dot:

render-queue-03
OptionColorWhat it renders
Master Mix - RegionsCyanRender each region through the master bus
Via Master - Mirror ItemsOrangeMirror items through the master bus
Via Master - Selected ItemsPurpleThe items currently selected in the project, through the master bus
Via Master - Selected MirrorsPinkSelected named Mirror items through the master bus

The most common choice is Master Mix - Regions: draw regions around each sound in the project, and this list lets you render them all as separate files in one go.

5.2 Search and refresh

  • Search box (placeholder Search (e.g. drums NOT kick)): type keywords to filter the list. Supports logic such as AND, NOT, OR (for example, drums NOT kick = contains "drums" but not "kick"). Click the x on the right to clear the search.
  • refresh button: rescans the assets in the project.
    • If there are more than 150 assets, auto-refresh is disabled to avoid lag, and the button tooltip changes to Auto-refresh disabled (too many items, >150) — click manually to refresh.

5.3 Adding to the queue

After selecting assets, send them to the middle-column queue in one of three ways:

MethodDescription
Select → click bottom buttonThe button text changes with state: when items are selected it shows Add Selected (N); when nothing is selected it shows Add All to Queue (adds the whole filtered list).
Drag and dropDrag assets directly from the list to the middle-column queue area.
Double-clickDouble-click an asset to jump to its position on the timeline, useful for confirming it is the right one before adding it.

The bottom label Source Available: N shows how many assets are available for the current type; Deselect All clears the current selection.

Two cases where the button is grayed out:

  • Requires New Queue: the selected asset type does not match the type already locked by the current queue (each queue holds only one Source Type; see §6.2). Create a new queue first.
  • Already Added: the selected assets are already all in the current queue.

6. Middle column: Render Queue (lining up)

6.1 What is in the queue

The top of the middle column shows the title Render Queue, and Queue Pending: N items shows the current queue's pending count in real time.

render-queue-04

When empty, the queue shows:

Queue is empty
Drag from Asset Browser or use Add button

Each entry shows the asset name plus a colored dot indicating its type. Three buttons at the bottom:

ButtonFunction
Deselect AllClear selection inside the queue
Remove ItemRemove the selected entry (grayed out when nothing is selected)
Clear AllEmpty the entire queue (grayed out when the queue is empty)

6.2 Multiple queues — split configurations with tabs

Above the queue title is a row of tabs. Each tab is an independent queue, up to 5. This is the core workflow:

One queue = one configuration + one Source Type. Want to produce both "WAV for the engine" and "OGG for preview" at the same time? Open two queues, configure each separately, and one START RENDER renders both.

Tab operations:

OperationBehavior
Click tabSwitch to that queue (right-column config switches with it)
Dot on tabShows that queue's enabled state; click it to toggle. Disabled queues are not rendered
Right-click tabMenu: Enable / Disable, Rename, Delete
[+] buttonCreate a new queue (grayed out when 5 queues already exist)

Each queue locks to the Source Type of the first asset added; afterwards only assets of the same type can be added (this is why the left column shows Requires New Queue).


7. Right column: Config (parameters)

The right column is the render parameter panel. The title changes depending on the current selection:

  • Nothing selected: <Queue name> Queue Settings (default Main Queue Settings) — edits configuration for the whole queue.
  • Single entry selected: title becomes the entry name + Settings, and an Override switch appears (see §7.1).
  • Multiple entries selected: title shows [N items selected] and the config form is disabled (multi-selection does not support config changes).

The button in the top-right corner opens Presets (see §8).

7.1 Override — special settings for a single entry

By default all entries in a queue share the queue's configuration. If one entry needs different settings:

1. Click that entry in the middle column (single selection)
2. The right column shows □ Override Queue Settings
3. Check it → the config form unlocks, and changes affect only this entry

The switch is orange = not overridden (follows queue), green = overridden (independent); overridden entries show [Override] in their title.

Note: output path and naming rules are always queue-level. Override only covers format / post-processing parameters.

7.2 Basic Options

ItemDescription
FormatOutput format: WAV / OGG Vorbis / OGG Opus / MP4 (H.264/AAC). Choosing a format reveals its detail panel below (for example, bit depth for WAV).
Sample RateSample rate, 8000 ~ 192000 Hz
ChannelsChannels: Mono / Stereo / 4 / 6 / 8
Render SpeedRender speed mode (Full-Speed Offline / 1x Offline / Online / Offline idle, etc.)
ResampleResampling algorithm, from Point Sampling to r8brain free (highest quality, fast)
DitherDither master / Noise shape (noise shape requires dither to be enabled first)

7.3 Advance

ItemDescription
2nd Pass RenderTwo-pass render (second pass is useful for precise loudness/limiting, or works particularly well for game-audio loop material)
Use hardware sample rate for FXProcess FX at the hardware sample rate

7.4 Postprocess

Each item is a checkbox + parameters; unchecked means no effect:

ItemParametersDescription
Tail[ ] msAppend a tail length at the end of each render (default 1000 ms)
Normalize[value] [LU/dB] [type▼]Loudness normalization. Type options: LUFS-I / LUFS-M max / LUFS-S max / Peak / True Peak / RMS-I; LUFS types show LU, others show dB
Limiter[value] dB [Peak/True Peak▼]Limit to the specified ceiling (default -0.1 dB)
Fade In[ ] ms [curve▼]Fade in. Curves: Linear / Fast Start / Fast End / Slow Start/End / Sharp Curve
Fade Out[ ] ms [curve▼]Fade out; same curves as Fade In
Trim leading silencethreshold [ ] dBCut leading silence below the threshold (default -60 dB)
Trim trailing silencethreshold [ ] dBCut trailing silence

8. Presets

Click the button in the right column to open the Queue Preset Manager, where you can save a full configuration for reuse.

render-queue-05
OperationHow
Save presetType a name in Enter preset name... → click Save
Apply presetClick a preset row; the configuration is applied to the current queue immediately
Set defaultClick Default on a row (click Unset to remove). A default preset is automatically applied to new queues
Delete presetClick the at the end of a row

When there are no presets, the list shows No presets saved yet.


9. Bottom: Output & Naming + rendering

9.1 Output path

  • Output Path input box + Browse button. Clicking Browse opens a quick picker:
    • ⌂ Current Project Folder (Same as .RPP) — use the folder where the project file is located
    • ⧉ Open System Dialog... — open the system folder picker
    • Below that, recently used paths (or No recent paths if none)

9.2 Naming pattern and wildcards

  • Naming Pattern input box (default $region) determines the output file name.
  • Click Wildcards to open a panel listing available tokens by category (Region / Item / Time / Project info, etc.); click one to insert it into the naming box.
  • The panel also lets you choose a separator (Separator:None / _ / -) and ↺ Reset to Default to restore the default pattern for the current Source Type.

Example: $region → output file name is each region's name; $project_$region → project name + underscore + region name.

9.3 START RENDER

The large button at the bottom triggers rendering:

SituationButton textRender scope
No entry selectedSTART RENDER 🔵All enabled queues, fully rendered
Entry/entries selectedRENDER SELECTED / RENDER SELECTED (N) 🟠Only the selected entries

Extra tips:

  • Press Enter — same as clicking START RENDER.
  • Hold Shift and click the button (or Shift+Enter) — even if entries are selected, forces rendering of all enabled queues (the button tooltip also notes this).
  • Before rendering starts, focus is handed back to REAPER, and REAPER's own render progress window shows the progress.

9.4 Two switches

SwitchFunction
Auto hide windowAutomatically hide the Render Queue window when rendering finishes (on by default)
Import backImport the rendered files back into the project after rendering

The status text on the far right (Ready / Selected: ... / Ready - N tasks pending) shows the current state and pending count in real time.

9.5 Render settings menu ( to the right of the button)

render-queue-06

The small triangle to the right of START RENDER opens global switches:

SwitchDescription
Auto Close REAPER Render DialogAutomatically close REAPER's render dialog when rendering finishes
Auto Overwrite Existing FilesIf the output file already exists, delete the old file before rendering. ⚠️ Aborting a render after this is enabled will lose the original file.
Auto Sync Wwise Replace (Windows only)After rendering, automatically set the output folder as Wwise Replace's watch folder and refresh (only works when all outputs are in the same folder)

When Auto Overwrite is enabled, the tool checks whether the target files can be deleted before rendering; if any file is locked by another program, rendering is aborted and you are told which file — close the program that has it open and try again.


10. Typical workflows

Workflow A: render all regions in the project as separate WAV files

1. Draw regions around each sound in the project
2. Left column Source Type = "Master Mix - Regions" → list shows all regions
3. Click [Add All to Queue] to add them all
4. Right column: Format = WAV, Sample Rate = 48000, Channels as needed
5. Naming box = $region, output = [Current Project Folder]
6. START RENDER (or press Enter)

Workflow B: produce two formats from the same batch

1. Queue 1: add assets, configure WAV 48 kHz (for the engine)
2. Click [+] to create Queue 2, add the same assets, configure OGG (for preview)
3. Keep both tab dots enabled
4. Do not select any entry, then START RENDER → both configurations render in one pass

Workflow C: same configuration for the whole batch, but one entry needs special treatment

1. All entries follow the default (for example, normalize to -23 LUFS)
2. Single-click the special entry → check □ Override Queue Settings (turns green)
3. Change only that entry to -16 LUFS / add a fade-out
4. START RENDER → that entry uses its own settings, the rest use the queue settings

Workflow D: save a common configuration for reuse

1. Set format / sample rate / post-processing to your usual values
2. Click ☰→ type a name → Save
3. Click that preset's Default to make it the default
4. From now on, every [+] new queue automatically loads this configuration

11. Troubleshooting

SymptomCauseFix
Left-column list is emptyNo assets of the current Source Type exist; or project has no regions / no items selectedSwitch Source Type; or create regions / select items in the project first, then click
Add button shows Requires New Queue and is grayed outSelected asset type differs from the type locked by the current queueClick [+] to create a new queue, then add that type of asset
Add button shows Already AddedSelected assets are already all in the current queueNormal; nothing to do
Clicking does not auto-updateMore than 150 assets; auto-refresh disabledClick manually each time
START RENDER is grayed out and unclickableNo renderable entries, or all queues are disabledAdd assets to the queue; check that tab dots are enabled
Right-column config cannot be changedMultiple entries selected (multi-select disables config), or single entry selected but Override not checkedDeselect to edit queue config, or check Override on a single entry
Rendering aborts with a "file in use" messageAuto Overwrite enabled, but the target file is locked by another programClose the program using that file (player / engine), then render
Window disappears after renderingAuto hide window is on (default behavior)Uncheck it if you prefer the window to stay open
Worried about losing config changes(Not possible) configuration is saved automatically with the projectClosing, reopening, or switching projects preserves the settings