Alpha to coverage

Alpha to coverage^[1]^[2]^[3] is a multisampling computer graphics technique, that replaces alpha blending with a coverage mask. This achieves order-independent transparency for when anti-aliasing or semi-transparent textures are used. This particular technique is useful for situations where dense foliage or grass must be rendered in a video game.^[4]

Alpha to coverage is a sub-pixel version of screen-door transparency, a technique which uses a dithering pattern to simulate transparency with only fully opaque and fully transparent pixels.^[5]

Alpha to coverage multisampling is based on regular multisampling, except that the alpha coverage mask is ANDed with the multisample mask. Alpha-to-coverage converts the alpha component output from the pixel shader to a coverage mask. When the multisampling is applied each output fragment gets a transparency of 0 or 1 depending on alpha coverage and the multisampling result.

References

^ Golus, Ben (21 October 2021). "Anti-aliased Alpha Test: The Esoteric Alpha To Coverage". Medium.^{[better source needed]}
^ "Alpha to coverage | Semantic Scholar".
^ "Common Rendering Mistakes: How to Find Them and How to Fix Them | Oculus".
^ "Configuring Blending Functionality (Windows)". Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved 2013-01-27. Alpha-to-coverage is a multisampling technique that is most useful for situations such as dense foliage where there are several overlapping polygons that use alpha transparency to define edges within the surface
^ Enderton, E; Sintorn, E; Shirley, P; Luebke, D (2011). "Stochastic Transparency" (PDF). IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. 17 (8): 1036–1047. doi:10.1109/TVCG.2010.123. ISSN 1077-2626.

External links

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[urlAnti-aliased_Alpha_Test:_The_Esoteric_Alpha_To_Coverage_|_by_Ben_Golus_|_Medium-1] Golus, Ben (21 October 2021). "Anti-aliased Alpha Test: The Esoteric Alpha To Coverage". Medium.^{[better source needed]}

[urlAlpha_to_coverage_|_Semantic_Scholar-2] "Alpha to coverage | Semantic Scholar".

[urlCommon_Rendering_Mistakes:_How_to_Find_Them_and_How_to_Fix_Them_|_Oculus-3] "Common Rendering Mistakes: How to Find Them and How to Fix Them | Oculus".

[4] "Configuring Blending Functionality (Windows)". Microsoft Developer Network. Retrieved 2013-01-27. Alpha-to-coverage is a multisampling technique that is most useful for situations such as dense foliage where there are several overlapping polygons that use alpha transparency to define edges within the surface

[5] Enderton, E; Sintorn, E; Shirley, P; Luebke, D (2011). "Stochastic Transparency" (PDF). IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. 17 (8): 1036–1047. doi:10.1109/TVCG.2010.123. ISSN 1077-2626.

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See also

References

External links