8.03 For externally compiling effects, use the -fxo command line option. P If a compiled effect file (*.fxo) exists and is newer than the given effect script (*.fx) from the material definition, the compiled effect will be loaded. This speeds up material loading. It also makes it unnecessary to include the shader compiler (d3dcompiler_42.dll) in the published version when only compiled effects are used.
The .fxo file format has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of an effect. It's just a different form of presentation - namely compiled code instead of human readable code.
