shader_transparent_generic (Xbox)

Edit

The shader_transparent_generic tag is used in the Xbox version of the game for a large number of materials, such as jackal shields, teleporters, control panels, Cortana, and more. Instances of this shader 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 supports this shader. While Guerilla and Tool allow creating these tags and building them into maps, they are invisible in the PC port and all of its derivatives like MCC.

Replication

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.

Structure and fields

This tag inherits fields from shader which are not shown here. See the parent's page for more information. The following information is unique to the shader_transparent_generic tag.

Field Type Comments

numeric counter limit u8

shader transparent generic flags bitfield(8)

Flag	Mask	Comments
alpha tested	`0x1`
decal	`0x2`
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`
fade when perpendicular	`0x1`
fade when parallel	`0x2`

framebuffer fade source enum

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

pad(2)

lens flare spacing f32 (world units)

lens flare

Reference^?

lens_flare

extra layers Block^?

Field	Type	Comments
shader	`Reference^?` shader

maps

Block^?

Maximum: 4

Field Type Comments

flags bitfield(16)

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

pad(2)

map u scale

f32

Default value: 1

map v scale

f32

Default value: 1

map u offset f32

map v offset f32

map rotation f32 (degrees)

mapmap bias

Fraction: f32

Maximum: 1

map

Reference^?

bitmap

u animation source enum

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

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

f32 (seconds)

Default value: 1

u animation phase f32

u animation scale

f32 (repeats)

Default value: 1

v animation source enum

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

v 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`

v animation period

f32 (seconds)

Default value: 1

v animation phase f32

v animation scale

f32 (repeats)

Default value: 1

rotation animation source enum

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

rotation 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`

rotation animation period

f32 (seconds)

Default value: 1

rotation animation phase f32

rotation animation scale

f32 (degrees)

Default value: 1

rotation animation center

Point2D (2)

x: f32
y: f32

stages

Block^?

Maximum: 7

Field Type Comments

flags bitfield(16)

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

pad(2)

color0 source enum

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

color0 animation function enum

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

color0 animation period f32 (seconds)

color0 animation lower bound

ColorARGB (4)

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

color0 animation upper bound

ColorARGB (4)

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

color1

ColorARGB (4)

alpha: f32
red: f32
green: f32
blue: f32

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

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 b 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 c 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 c 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 d 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 d 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`

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

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 cd function enum

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

output ab cd mux sum 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 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

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 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 b mapping alpha 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 c 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 c mapping alpha 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 d 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 d mapping alpha 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`

output ab alpha 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 cd alpha 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 cd mux sum alpha 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 mapping alpha 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`

This information was partially generated using Invader tag definitions.

Acknowledgements

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

Kavawuvi (Invader tag definitions)
MosesOfEgypt (Tag structure research; Replication techniques)