alpha test in max viewport??

konstruct · Aug 2008

I`ve been messing with alpha planes for what feels like ages now and I know alpha sorting is a no go with the max view port.

With that said, I was wondering if anyone knew if alpha test, I.E. 1 bit alphas sort properly, and if they do- how would one set up the shader??

thanks in advance.

Eric Chadwick · Aug 2008

Possible with an FX file I think, check out Shader FX.
http://www.lumonix.biz/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1217140563

konstruct · Aug 2008

DAGH will the alpha planes madness ever end?!?!?

I`ve been messing a bit with .fx files and have yet to find any documentation on alpha test stuff. I guess its onto to shaderFX. but ONLY cause it has Clowards stamp of approval :P

thanx for the new lead Eric-

CrazyButcher · Aug 2008

in the normal directx sdk you will find all "state" switches.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb172254(VS.85).aspx

while this refers to c++. the same keywords are used in .fx (just stripped the prefix)
so inside an .fx in the "pass" you would do

technique DefaultTechnique
{
    pass P0
    {
        // state
        AlphaTestEnable = True;
        AlphaRef = 0;
        AlphaFunc = Greater;
...

in that case alpha values greater 0 will pass the test

konstruct · Aug 2008

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH Butcher!. that shit totally worked. I had to tweak some values, but dang! whats more I`m a little blown away I actually got it to work. I would have had no idea where to find that info so thank you a billion times.

Sage · Aug 2008

Crazybutcher, you need to remember artist normally don't read microsofts sdks. LOL Thanks for sharing that bit of information I always wondered how the hell to enable alpha test. I'm glad you like game art smarty pants.

Thanks for sharing.

Alex

CrazyButcher · Aug 2008

I just posted the sdk link, in case someone wants to know where to find the "source" information, and konstruct said he couldnt find information. didnt mean to sound lecturing.

MoP · Aug 2008

Hehe, I think Sage was being a little excited in his over-appreciativeness. Nobody can complain about being shown where the information is, and I don't think you sounded lecturing at all, just helpful!

Sage · Aug 2008

Crazy I was excited and pleased that's all.

Noren · Aug 2008

" I`ve been messing with alpha planes for what feels like ages now and I know alpha sorting is a no go with the max view port."

Polygons are sorted in order of creation. At least in Max 8.
So as a hack you can detach all of the masked polies/elements and attach them in the order you want them to be sorted. That's what I recall at least.

konstruct · Aug 2008

yeah I`ve always heard that too, but wouldn't that be super contextual? like if you had two planes, attached them in order on a Z axiz. when looking down the Z axis they would draw properly, but then when looking down the (-)Z axis the back plane would draw in front of the one now in front. right?

alpha test in max viewport??

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