Transparency on/off

raingriffin · Post by **raingriffin** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:04 am

I've tried and have proof of the fact that alleg's engine (or at least part of it) supports SEMI-TRANSPARENCY and full transarency, through the use of PNG textures on models.

Recently i tried it out with a simple cube and the result is good enough but there's a slight problem:

It works on the 3d model rendered in the ship selection screen inside the base but it doesn't work outside the base.

Thus the question: are there two render engines? Is there a flag that denies the handling of transparency during rendering of outside poly scenes?
Or has the transparency flag been disabled somehow in that case?

As Imago assured me some time ago, Alleg has now the capability (after the recent porting) to handle alpha channels. My PNG test demonstrated
(right pic or it didn't happen... follow the background TF logo through the cube, it's hard to notice if you don't look for it but it's there, if you could see it revolving it'd be obvious) that this is true, and it not only allows full transparency of black but it works on the overall opacity (alpha) of the whole texture.

I'd very much like to have it working in the main game too. Or at least i'd like to know why we can't restore this capability. It'd be very nice to have semi or full transparency in game, at least on visual account.

If i had any clue of how to handle alleg's code i'd try it myself but i do not have the right tools to delve deeper into this.
So if anyone has a clue, pm me.
Thanks.

Zero_Falcon · Post by **Zero_Falcon** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:36 am

Alleg supports alpha channels?

I didn't know that...

Andon · Post by **Andon** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 7:18 am

Haphazardly, apparently.

Rain: To emphasize your point: It doesn't work in game:

raingriffin · Post by **raingriffin** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 9:18 am

a small detail i feel free to add is: transparency works in the targetting view as it does within base. So Spin was probably right and the render works differently in these two instances that with the main engine.

@zero falcon
Yes Alleg does, also, if your interest is more in the direction of reticles and huds, you will have less problems there than with the models proper. Wabbit is doing a splendid work in that sense.

Solamnus · Post by **Solamnus** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:05 am

is that the borg cube of doom?

raingriffin · Post by **raingriffin** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:10 am

nope, just a test texture on one of the quickest alleg models ever

Zero_Falcon · Post by **Zero_Falcon** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:17 am

raingriffin wrote:QUOTE (raingriffin @ Feb 14 2011, 05:18 PM) @zero falcon
Yes Alleg does, also, if your interest is more in the direction of reticles and huds, you will have less problems there than with the models proper. Wabbit is doing a splendid work in that sense.

`rc

Malicious Wraith · Post by **Malicious Wraith** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:04 am

This should inspire a new faction.

Quick, to the drawing boards! There must be a cube faction! (Added fun for all the math geeks.)

raingriffin · Post by **raingriffin** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:08 am

TwoWeeks for a new cube faction! +1

TurkeyXIII · Post by **TurkeyXIII** » Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:17 pm

At least you won't have any hitbox debates!