shader_transparent_generic

The shader_transparent_generic tag is a powerful transparent shader used for jackal shields, teleporters, control panels, Cortana, and more.

Instances of this tag were replaced with shader_transparent_chicago and shader_transparent_chicago_extended when the game was ported to PC, but these shader types cannot fully replicate original appearances. Only the original Xbox version of the game and H1A in MCC support this shader; it is invisible in the Gearbox PC port.

Replication using a Chicago shader

For H1CE and H1PC, most of these shaders can be accurately recreated using extra layers and/or 4x4 "tint" bitmaps for recoloring the output of the shader.

Some other shaders will need small 256x4 gradient tint bitmaps that are animated to slide back and forth to tint the shaders output a blend of two different colors.

The most complex of the shaders can only be recreated using very large animated bitmaps that have had all their output pre-computed for each frame of the animation, however these can't be timed properly and are inefficient.

The Refined project attempts to recreate classic Xbox visuals by improving transparent shaders using these techniques.

	Function/global	Type
	`(rasterizer_active_camouflage_multipass [boolean])` Toggles whether or not transparent shaders are shown through active camouflage. If disabled, shaders like glass or lights will not be visible through a camouflaged unit.	Global
	`(rasterizer_model_transparents [boolean])` Toggles the rendering of transparent shaders in models. For example, the Warthog's windshield.	Global

Function/global

Type

(rasterizer_active_camouflage_multipass [boolean])

Toggles whether or not transparent shaders are shown through active camouflage. If disabled, shaders like glass or lights will not be visible through a camouflaged unit.

Global

(rasterizer_model_transparents [boolean])

Toggles the rendering of transparent shaders in models. For example, the Warthog's windshield.

Global

Structure and fields

Field Type Comments

numeric counter limit uint8

shader transparent generic flags bitfield

Flag	Mask	Comments
alpha tested	`0x1`
decal	`0x2`	Makes the shader render with a slight depth bias toward the camera to prevent Z-fighting. Use this flag for light planes that will be placed at very small offsets from the surface behind them. Avoid using shaders with this flag where they're placed behind greates or embedded within geometric details, as it will sometimes sort incorrectly against them when viewed at a distance.
two sided	`0x4`
first map is in screenspace	`0x8`
draw before water	`0x10`
ignore effect	`0x20`
scale first map with distance	`0x40`
numeric	`0x80`

first map type enum

Option	Value	Comments
2d map	`0x0`
first map is reflection cube map	`0x1`
first map is object centered cube map	`0x2`
first map is viewer centered cube map	`0x3`

framebuffer blend function enum

Option	Value	Comments
alpha blend	`0x0`
multiply	`0x1`
double multiply	`0x2`
add	`0x3`
subtract	`0x4`
component min	`0x5`
component max	`0x6`
alpha multiply add	`0x7`

framebuffer fade mode enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`	The faces do not fade by viewing angle.
fade when perpendicular	`0x1`	The faces fade out when viewed edge-on.
fade when parallel	`0x2`	The faces fade out when viewed flat to the camera.

framebuffer fade source enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
a out	`0x1`
b out	`0x2`
c out	`0x3`
d out	`0x4`

lens flare spacing

float

Unit: world units

lens flare TagDependency: lens_flare

extra layers

Block

HEK max count: 4

Field	Type	Comments
shader	`TagDependency`: shader

maps

Block

HEK max count: 4
Max: 4

Field Type Comments

flags bitfield

Flag	Mask	Comments
unfiltered	`0x1`
u clamped	`0x2`
v clamped	`0x4`

map u scale float

map v scale float

map u offset float

map v offset float

map rotation

float

Unit: degrees

mapmap bias

float

Min: 0
Max: 1

map TagDependency: bitmap

u animation source enum^?

u animation function enum

Option	Value	Comments
one	`0x0`
zero	`0x1`
cosine	`0x2`
cosine variable period	`0x3`
diagonal wave	`0x4`
diagonal wave variable period	`0x5`
slide	`0x6`
slide variable period	`0x7`
noise	`0x8`
jitter	`0x9`
wander	`0xA`
spark	`0xB`

u animation period

float

Unit: seconds
Default: 1

u animation phase float

u animation scale

float

Unit: repeats
Default: 1

v animation source enum^?

v animation function enum^?

v animation period

float

Unit: seconds
Default: 1

v animation phase float

v animation scale

float

Unit: repeats
Default: 1

rotation animation source enum^?

rotation animation function enum^?

rotation animation period

float

Unit: seconds
Default: 1

rotation animation phase float

rotation animation scale

float

Unit: degrees
Default: 360

rotation animation center Point2D

Field	Type	Comments
x	`float`
y	`float`

stages

Block

HEK max count: 7
Max: 7

Field Type Comments

flags bitfield

Flag	Mask	Comments
color mux	`0x1`
alpha mux	`0x2`
a out controls color0 animation	`0x4`

color0 source enum

Option	Value	Comments
none	`0x0`
a	`0x1`
b	`0x2`
c	`0x3`
d	`0x4`

color0 animation function enum^?

color0 animation period

float

Unit: seconds
Default: 1

color0 animation lower bound ColorARGB

Field	Type	Comments
alpha	`float`
red	`float`
green	`float`
blue	`float`

color0 animation upper bound ColorARGB^?

color1 ColorARGB^?

input a enum

Option	Value	Comments
zero	`0x0`
one	`0x1`
one half	`0x2`
negative one	`0x3`
negative one half	`0x4`
map color 0	`0x5`
map color 1	`0x6`
map color 2	`0x7`
map color 3	`0x8`
vertex color 0 diffuse light	`0x9`
vertex color 1 fade perpendicular	`0xA`
scratch color 0	`0xB`
scratch color 1	`0xC`
constant color 0	`0xD`
constant color 1	`0xE`
map alpha 0	`0xF`
map alpha 1	`0x10`
map alpha 2	`0x11`
map alpha 3	`0x12`
vertex alpha 0 fade none	`0x13`
vertex alpha 1 fade perpendicular	`0x14`
scratch alpha 0	`0x15`
scratch alpha 1	`0x16`
constant alpha 0	`0x17`
constant alpha 1	`0x18`

input a mapping enum

Option	Value	Comments
clamp x	`0x0`
1 clamp x	`0x1`
2	`0x2`
1 2	`0x3`
clamp x 1 2	`0x4`
1 2 clamp x	`0x5`
x	`0x6`
x 1	`0x7`

input b enum^?

input b mapping enum^?

input c enum^?

input c mapping enum^?

input d enum^?

input d mapping enum^?

output ab enum

Option	Value	Comments
alpha discard	`0x0`
alpha scratch alpha 0 final alpha	`0x1`
alpha scratch alpha 1	`0x2`
alpha vertex alpha 0 fog	`0x3`
alpha vertex alpha 1	`0x4`
alpha map alpha 0	`0x5`
alpha map alpha 1	`0x6`
alpha map alpha 2	`0x7`
alpha map alpha 3	`0x8`

output ab function enum

Option	Value	Comments
multiply	`0x0`
dot product	`0x1`

output bc enum^?

output cd function enum^?

output ab cd mux sum enum^?

output mapping color enum

Option	Value	Comments
color identity	`0x0`
color scale by 1 2	`0x1`
color scale by 2	`0x2`
color scale by 4	`0x3`
color bias by 1 2	`0x4`
color expand normal	`0x5`

input a alpha enum

Option	Value	Comments
zero	`0x0`
one	`0x1`
one half	`0x2`
negative one	`0x3`
negative one half	`0x4`
map alpha 0	`0x5`
map alpha 1	`0x6`
map alpha 2	`0x7`
map alpha 3	`0x8`
vertex alpha 0 fade none	`0x9`
vertex alpha 1 fade perpendicular	`0xA`
scratch alpha 0	`0xB`
scratch alpha 1	`0xC`
constant alpha 0	`0xD`
constant alpha 1	`0xE`
map blue 0	`0xF`
map blue 1	`0x10`
map blue 2	`0x11`
map blue 3	`0x12`
vertex blue 0 blue light	`0x13`
vertex blue 1 fade parallel	`0x14`
scratch blue 0	`0x15`
scratch blue 1	`0x16`
constant blue 0	`0x17`
constant blue 1	`0x18`

input a mapping alpha enum^?

input b alpha enum^?

input b mapping alpha enum^?

input c alpha enum^?

input c mapping alpha enum^?

input d alpha enum^?

input d mapping alpha enum^?

output ab alpha enum^?

output cd alpha enum^?

output ab cd mux sum alpha enum^?

output mapping alpha enum^?

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following individuals for their research or contributions to this topic:

Kavawuvi (Invader tag definitions)
MosesOfEgypt (Tag structure research)

shader_transparent_generic

Replication using a Chicago shader

Related HaloScript

Structure and fields

Acknowledgements