`newxog_volume`

newxog_volume is a point entity available in Black Mesa. This is volumetric xog (Xen Fog) (a. k. a. screenspace fog) brush entity that creates a fog transition, making spaces appear deeper than they are.

Xog volume example.

The texture that use level designers to mark this entity.

Note:This entity have trigger_once functions but they are not in FGD and never work.

Tip:Use tools/tools_xogvolume texture for your xog volumes to quickly distinguish them from triggers while level creation.

Tip:In addition to using this entity as a fog in certain areas, it is also great for use for func_water_analog, since func_water_analog haven't itown fog in it's volume.

Important:This entity doesn't affects optimization, this entity for visual effects only.

Important:This brush entity uses bbox brush volume to render and not brush volume itself.

An example.
Xog brush volume in Hammer. Xog in the game.

Warning:Xog use expensive gbuffer, that means that with this entity your scene rendering at least 5 times, which makes your level very expensive, considering that XenEngine uses 32-bit architecture and DirectX 9 rendering. In large quantities, xog entities can greatly heat up your computer and also cause large FPS drops (depending on difficulty of your map and how your area open). Use wisely.

Represented by class CNewXogVolume.

← Black Mesa Level Creation

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Keyvalues

Enabled (Enabled) <choices>: Enable/Disable this Entity.

Determines is this entity enabled or disabled on spawn.

0: Enabled
1: Disabled

Shape Type (xogtype) <choices>: Determines shape type that use xog volume, BBOX or Ellipsoid.

0:0: LocalVolume BBOX
1:1: LocalVolume Ellipsoid

Examples
BBOX Ellipsoid

colorMode (colormode) <choices>: Determines color mode.

0:0:StaticColor
1:1:1DGradTexture
2:2: CubeGradTexture

Texture name Grad Texture (texname) <string>: Xog gradient texture name. The default is xen/effects/xen_sky_6_blurred_32.

colorTop (colortop) <color255>: Xog top color. This is the main color of xog that uses if Enable Height Blend KV is disabled.

Examples
colorTop - 255 0 0. colorBottom - 0 255 0. colorTop - 0 0 255. colorBottom - 0 255 0. colorTop - 255 0 255. colorBottom - 0 255 0.

Note:Top and bottom colors blending in xog center, for example with red and green colors the center of xog will be yellow.

colorBottom (colorbottom) <color255>: Xog bottom color. Requires enabled Enable Height Blend to be working.

Examples
colorTop - 255 0 0. colorBottom - 0 255 0. colorTop - 255 0 0. colorBottom - 255 255 255. colorTop - 255 0 0. colorBottom - 0 255 255.

distStart (diststart) <float>: distStart

Xog start draw distance.

Examples
distStart - 10. distEnd - 100. distStart - 70. distEnd - 100. distStart - 200. distEnd - 100.

Bug:Numbers lower than 1 cause xog graphics issues.

Bug examples
Black Mesa - `bm_c1a2c`. As you can see, the fog is drawn through the geometry and models (with exception of viewmodel). Black Mesa - `bm_c1a2c`. As you can see, the fog is drawn through the geometry and models (with exception of viewmodel).

distEnd (distend) <float>: distEnd

Xog end draw distance.

Examples
distStart - 10. distEnd - 100. distStart - 10. distEnd - 700. distStart - 10. distEnd - 2000.

Bug:Numbers lower than 1 cause xog graphics issues.

Bug examples
Black Mesa - `bm_c1a2c`. As you can see, the fog is drawn through the geometry and models (with exception of viewmodel). Black Mesa - `bm_c1a2c`. As you can see, the fog is drawn through the geometry and models (with exception of viewmodel).

Note:The difference in values of distStart and distEnd should be not too big, otherwise the fog will be unsmooth.

distDensity (distdensity) <float>: distDensity

Density of xog entity, only values from 0 to 1 works.

Examples
0 1

opacityOffsetTop (opacityoffsettop) <float>: opacityOffsetTop

Offsets top color of xog.

Examples
opacityOffsetTop - 0.0. opacityOffsetTop - 0.5. opacityOffsetTop - 2.0.

opacityOffsetBottom (opacityoffsetbottom) <float>: opacityOffsetBottom

Offsets bottom color of xog.

Examples
opacityOffsetBottom - 0.0. opacityOffsetBottom - 0.2. opacityOffsetBottom - 1.0.

htZStart (htzstart) <float>: htZStart

Height that xog starts rendering at.

Examples
htZStart - 80. htZEnd - 0. htZStart - 90. htZEnd - 0. htZStart - 90. htZEnd - 10.

htZEnd (htzend) <float>: htZEnd

Height that xog stops rendering at.

Examples
htZStart - 0. htZEnd - 80. htZStart - 0. htZEnd - 120. htZStart - 0. htZEnd - 400.

htZColStart (htzcolstart) <float>: htZColStart

Height that xog color starts rendering at. Results depend on htZColEnd value.

Examples
htZColStart - 0. htZColStart - 50. htZColStart - 150.

htZColEnd (htzcolend) <float>: htZColEnd

Height that xog color stops rendering at. Results depend on htZColStart value.

Examples
htZColEnd - 400. htZColEnd - 100. htZColEnd - 190.

noise1ScrollSpeed (noise1scrollspeed) <vector>: Layer one, speed at which noise moves trough xog volume (X Y Z).

Examples
noise1ScrollSpeed - 1 0 0. noise1ScrollSpeed - 0 1 0. noise1ScrollSpeed - 0 0 1.

noise1Tiling (noise1tiling) <vector>: Layer one, tiling speed at which noise moves trough xog volume (X Y Z).

Examples
noise1Tiling - 10 1 1. noise1Tiling - 1 10 1. noise1Tiling - 1 1 10.

noise2ScrollSpeed (noise2scrollspeed) <vector>: Layer two, speed at which noise moves trough xog volume (X Y Z).

Examples
noise2ScrollSpeed - 1 0 0. noise2ScrollSpeed - 0 1 0. noise2ScrollSpeed - 0 0 1.

noise2Tiling (noise2tiling) <vector>: Layer two, tiling speed at which noise moves trough xog volume (X Y Z).

Examples
noise2Tiling - 10 1 1. noise2Tiling - 1 10 1. noise2Tiling - 1 1 10.

noiseContrast (noisecontrast) <float>: Contrast of xog.

Examples
0.1 1.0 3.0

noiseMultiplier (noisemultiplier) <float>: Multiplier of xog.

Examples
0.1 1 10

Enable Height Blend (enablevol_height) <choices>: Enable/Disable this heightbased xog.

Determines bottom color and blending is disabled or enabled.

0: Disabled
1: Enabled

Examples
Enable Height Blend - No. colorTop - 255 0 0 255, colorBottom - 0 255 0 255. Enable Height Blend - Yes. colorTop - 255 0 0 255, colorBottom - 0 255 0 255.

Base:

Name (targetname) <string>: The name that other entities use to refer to this entity.

Parent (parentname) <targetname>: Maintain the same initial offset to this entity. An attachment point can also be used if separated by a comma at the end. (parentname [targetname],[attachment])
Tip:Entities transition to the next map with their parents
Tip:phys_constraint can be used as a workaround if parenting fails.

Origin (X Y Z) (origin) <coordinates>: The position of this entity's center in the world. Rotating entities typically rotate around their origin.
Note:Hammer does not move the entities accordingly only in the editor.

Pitch Yaw Roll (X Y Z) (angles) <angle>: This entity's orientation in the world. Pitch is rotation around the Y axis, yaw is the rotation around the Z axis, roll is the rotation around the X axis.
Note:This works on brush entities, although Hammer doesn't show the new angles.

Classname (classname) <string> !FGD: Determines the characteristics of the entity before it spawns.
Tip:Changing this on runtime still has use, like making matching an entry in S_PreserveEnts will persist the entity on new rounds!

Spawnflags (spawnflags) <flags> !FGD: Toggles exclusive features of an entity, its specific number is determined by the combination of flags added.

Effects (effects) <flags> !FGD: Combination of effect flags to use.

Flags

BaseTrigger:

[1] : Clients (Survivors, Special Infected, Tanks )

[2] : NPCs (Common Infected, Witches )

[4] : func_pushable

[8] : Physics Objects

[16] : Only player ally NPCs

[32] : Only clients in vehicles

[64] : Everything (not including physics debris)

[512] : Only clients *not* in vehicles

[1024] : Physics debris

[2048] : Only NPCs in vehicles (respects player ally flag)

[4096] : Disallow Bots

Inputs

TurnOn <void>: Turn xog on.

TurnOff <void>: Turn xog off.

BaseTrigger:

Toggle: Toggles this trigger between enabled and disabled states.

Enable: Enable trigger

Disable: Disable trigger

TouchTest (in all games since ): Triggers either the OnTouching or OnNotTouching outputs for whether anything is touching this entity.

StartTouch (in all games since ) !FGD: Behave as if the !caller entity had just entered the trigger volume. Accepts non-physical entities.

EndTouch (in all games since ) !FGD: Behave as if !caller had just exited the trigger volume.

DisableAndEndTouch (only in ()): Disables this trigger and calls EndTouch on all currently-touching entities.

Base:

AddContext <string>: Adds to the entity's list of response contexts. See Context.

AddOutput <string>: Assigns a new keyvalue/output on this entity. For keyvalues, some rely on extra necessary code to be ran and won't work if its simply just changed through this input. There is a strict format that must be followed:

// Format of changing KeyValues: "AddOutput [key] [value]"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,targetname new_name"

// Format of adding an Output: "AddOutput {targetname}:{inputname}:{parameter}:{delay}:{max times to fire, -1 means infinite}"
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:SetParent:!activator:0.0:-1"
// Arguments can be left blank, but the empty blank should still be contained.
//// Raw text:
"OnUser1" "!self,AddOutput,OnUser1:ClearParent::0.0:-1"

ClearContext: Removes all contexts from this entity's list.

ClearParent: Removes this entity from the the movement hierarchy, leaving it free to move independently.

FireUser1 to FireUser4: Fires the respectiveOnUseroutputs; see User Inputs and Outputs.

Kill: Removes this entity and any entities parented to it from the world.

KillHierarchy: Functions the same as Kill, although this entity and any entities parented to it are killed on the same frame, being marginally faster thanKillinput.

RemoveContext <string>: Remove a context from this entity's list. The name should match the key of an existing context.

SetParent <string>: Move with this entity. See Entity Hierarchy (parenting).

SetParentAttachment <string>: Change this entity to attach to a specific attachment point on its parent. The entity will teleport so that the position of its root bone matches that of the attachment. Entities must be parented before being sent this input.

SetParentAttachmentMaintainOffset <string>: As above, but without teleporting. The entity retains its position relative to the attachment at the time of the input being received.

Use !FGD: Same as a player invoking +use; no effect in most cases.

DispatchResponse <string> !FGD: Dispatches a response to the entity. See Response and Concept.
DispatchEffect <string> (removed since ) !FGD: Dispatches a special effect from the entity's origin; See also List of Client Effects. Replaced by the particle system since .

RunScriptFile <script> (in all games since ) (also in ): Execute a VScript file from disk, without file extension. The script contents are merged with the script scope of the receiving entity.

RunScriptCode <string> (in all games since ) (also in ): Execute a string of VScript source code in the scope of the entity receiving the input. String quotation may be needed when fired via console.
Bug:In Hammer, using string arguments will corrupt the VMF file's structure, making the file unviewable for the next Hammer session.
Fix:Remove the string argument manually with a text editor.
Note: Backtick characters ` are replaced with quotation marks at runtime, allowing quotation marks to be used when normally not possible.

CallScriptFunction <string> (in all games since ) (also in ) !FGD: Calls a VScript function defined in the scope of the receiving entity.

TerminateScriptScope (only in ) !FGD: Destroys the script scope of the receving entity.

SetLocalOrigin <coordinates> (in all games since ) !FGD: Send this entity to a spot in the map. If the entity is parented to something, it will be offset from the parent by this amount.

SetLocalAngles <angles> (in all games since ) !FGD: Set this entity's angles.

Outputs

BaseTrigger:

OnStartTouch: Fired when a valid entity starts touching this trigger. !activator is whatever touches the trigger.

OnStartTouchAll: Fired when a valid entity starts touching this trigger, and no other entities are touching it. If there are any other entities touching the trigger when a new one begins to touch, only OnStartTouch will fire.

OnEndTouch: Fired when a valid entity stops touching this trigger.

Warning:This includes entities which are deleted while inside the trigger. In this case !activator will be invalid.

OnEndTouchAll: Fired when all valid entities stop touching this trigger.

OnTouching (in all games since ): Fired if something is currently touching this trigger when TouchTest is fired.

OnNotTouching (in all games since ): Fired if nothing is currently touching this trigger when TouchTest is fired.

Base:

OnUser1 to OnUser4: These outputs each fire in response to the firing of the like-numbered FireUser1 to FireUser4 Input; see User Inputs and Outputs.

Bugs/Limitations

Xog incorrect work with $translucent

Xog all time fully rendering through everything with material shader parameter $translucent. This happen because of game can't tell the depth of scene because of the transparency.

No $translucent. Behind the wall placed xog volume and some models with small room.
With $translucent. Now player see everything, but only what in xog.

Similar issue happen if use $alphatestreference incorrectly.
This problem also applies to brushes which not have $translucent, but which parented to brushes that have this parameter. Similar will happen if brush with $translucent is part of your brush entity. Same will happen if you use overlays/decals on brushes with $translucent.

Metal speaker is overlay that use $alphatest, but xog fully visible anyway, because overlay pasted on the transparency window.

This issues does not happen if replace LightmappedGeneric to ShatteredGlass or UnlitGeneric, so, you can use one of them for glass or transparency surfaces when it's needed.

In some cases use $alphatest if it'll give similar to $translucent resualts.

Xog incorrect work with $alphatestreference and $allowalphatocoverage

$alphatestreference is a material shader parameter that specifies the threshold alpha channel value at which the surface should be transparent instead of opaque, default "0.5". $allowalphatocoverage creates translucent steps based on alpha values. Both have one and same problems with gbuffer. For examples used this texture with this alpha channel.

Diffuse texture.
Alpha channel.

Here xog placed behind wall with the texture. We can see the circle part of that have alpha channel part which is invisible due to $alphatest, with enabled xog we see that the invisible part doesn't show through itself xog.

Xog volume disabled.
Xog volume enabled.

If use very low numbers you will see resualts like in the pictures.

Xog volume disabled.
Xog volume enabled.

You can't escape this problem, only minimize effect with $alphatestreference 0.1 or if paint alpha correct channel.

Motion blur blurring viewmodel xog layer

For some reason Motion blur blurring viewmodel xog layer, you can notice this when you just rotate camera. This issue happen even if xog behind other objects.

An example.

Xog incorrect work with `-tools`

If you don't use Full Screen - xog will incorrectly applying to screen.

An example.

Xog volume doesn't work with 3D Skybox

Don't use xog volumes in your 3D skyboxes, none of them will work at all.

An example. We see that xog volume works fine, but 3D Skybox don't draw it.

Xog doesn't refract by refract shader and fully draw through

Unlike deferred lighting, xog doesn't refract by refract shader, also fully draw through.

An example.

If model with refraction behind wall with refraction - this cause issues like this.

The magnifying lamps behind the wall with refraction. This wall doesn't show magnifying lamps to escape issues, but xog break this.

Similar issue with cloak material shader parameter.

An example with npc_human_assassin.

`newxog_volume`

Contents

Keyvalues

Flags

Inputs

Outputs