VertexLitGeneric

VertexLitGeneric is a vertex shader available in all Source games. It is the shader most commonly used to render models, and supports a variety of effects. Do not use this on world geometry, else you may encounter lighting bugs.

Supported Parameters

Basics

$basetexture <texture>

$basetexture defines albedo texture.

$detail <texture>

Detail texturing.

$decaltexture <texture> (only in )

Use a 2nd UV channel for high-resolution decal support.

Adjustment

$color2 <RGB matrix>

Color tinting.

$basetexturetransform <matrix>

Transform $basetexture's alignment, scale, rotation and position.

$allowdiffusemodulation <boolean> (in all games since )

Prevents the model's material from being tinted by $color2 or rendercolor.

$seperatedetailuvs <boolean> (in all games since )

Todo: Confirm use of texcoord1 for detail texture

$desaturatewithbasealpha <float> (in all games since )

Use the base alpha to desaturate the base texture. Set to non-zero to enable, value gets multiplied into the alpha channel before desaturating.

$notint <boolean> (only in ) (also in )

Prevents the model's material from being tinted by $color2 or rendercolor.

Transparency

VertexLitGeneric support a few different methods for transparency, each for different purposes

$alpha <boolean>

$alpha Cheaply scales the opacity of an entire material.

Confirm:Does this work in any engine branch? It does not in .

$alphatest <boolean>

$alphatest is a Cheap transparency using a binary opacity mask.

$nocull <boolean>

$nocull disables backface culling optimization.

$translucent <boolean>

$translucent is a expensive translucency using a full Alpha mask, for very fine gradients.

Note:Add material sorting issues

$additive <boolean>

$additive alike $translucent perform full Alpha mask, however it add colors instead of performing a multiplication. This renders in a always brighter material.

$distancealpha <boolean> (in all games since )

$distancealpha is a vector-like edge filtering.

Lighting

$bumpmap <texture>

Normal map.

$lightwarptexture <texture> (in all games since )

1 dimension Per-texel color modification via a warp texture.

$halflambert <boolean>

Use Half-lambertian shading.

$selfillum <boolean>

Determines whether the surface is self-illuminated independent of environment lighting.

$emissiveblendenabled <boolean> (in all games since )

Advanced flowing self-illumination, used on the Vortigaunts in Half-Life 2: Episode Two .

$lightmap <texture> (only in ) (also in )

Pre-baked lightmap; subject to limitations.

Reflection

$envmap <texture>

Specular reflections.

$phong <boolean> (in all games since )

Diffuse reflections.

$rimlight <boolean> (in all games since )

Constant rimlight based on phong and the ambient lighting.

Effect

$compress <texture> (in all games since )

Wrinklemaps for character faces.

$stretch <texture> (in all games since )

Wrinklemaps for character faces.

$flesh <boolean> (in all games since )

The flesh effect used for Alyx in Half-Life 2: Episode Two.

$treeSway <boolean> (in all games since ) (also in )

Vertex manipulation to give the effect of trees swaying in the wind.

Technical Workarounds

$flashlightnolambert <boolean> (in all games since )

Tell projected textures such as the flashlight to ignore the surface normal of the model. Useful for models with $nocull such as foilage. Otherwise, lighting the face with a flashlight from behind will not affect it. Default 0.

$lowqualityflashlightshadows <boolean> (in all games since )

Force low quality flashlight/projected texture shadows for faster performance.

$allowfencerenderstatehack <boolean> (in all games since )

Fence render hack for cascade shadow maps, allows shadow maps to work properly with fences.

$disablecsmlookup <boolean> (in all games since )

Disable cascade shadow map lookup/filtering, useful on dense foilage.

$noshadowpass <boolean> (only in )

Allows turning off the shadow pass of this material.

$nodeferredlight <boolean> (only in )

No deferred light input.

$modelglobalnormal <boolean> (only in )

Use global light direction as normal for all model vertices.

Cloak

VertexLitGeneric natively supports the Spy cloak effect from Team Fortress 2 . Combine it with a sine wave proxy for the full effect.

$cloakpassenabled <boolean>

Enables cloaking effects.

Warning:Enabling this on static props causes a heavy performance penalty, even if the cloak effect itself isn't being used!

$cloakfactor <normal>

0.00 = fully visible,
1.00 = fully invisible.

$cloakcolortint <RGB matrix>

Colors the refraction effect. Default " [ 1 1 1 ] ".

$refractamount <float>

How strong the refraction effect should be when the material is partially cloaked. Default 2.

Caveats

Mapbase

VertexLitGeneric materials in Mapbase should have the shader SDK_VertexLitGeneric.

See also

• Materials for models
• EyeRefract, the shader for modeled eyes.
• Teeth, the shader for modeled teeth.