Stencil buffer.
 

Why can't we touch the stencil buffer in GS2? :(

I wanted to do reflection effects for players in water, among many other things..

This can probably be interesting but could you explain a little bit more what you want to do and how?

You would enable writing to the stencil buffer by doing a generic function, like
graphicsEnable(STENCIL_BUFFER);

then, you would, in most cases, clear the stencil buffer before you start using it.
graphicsClear(STENCIL_BUFFER);

Following, since you're in stencil mode, any showimgs, anything that would normally be drawn to the draw buffer is now drawn to the stencil buffer. You set an operation using
setStencilOp(STENCILOP);
and could choose from the following operations:

NPC Code:

---

STENCILOP_KEEP

STENCILOP_ZERO

STENCILOP_REPLACE

STENCILOP_INVERT

STENCILOP_INCR

STENCILOP_DECR

---

Finally, after creating a proper stencil buffer, you could then test against it when drawing images:
stencilTestFunc(STENCILTEST);

NPC Code:

---

STENCILTEST_NEVER

STENCILTEST_LESS

STENCILTEST_LESSEQUAL

STENCILTEST_EQUAL

STENCILTEST_GREATER

STENCILTEST_GREATEREQUAL

STENCILTEST_NOTEQUAL

STENCILTEST_ALWAYS

---

Setting a reference value could just be something like
stencilSetReference(int);

Could be used for tons of stuff.. Parallax scrolling backgrounds, reflections of sky images in water, reflections of players in water.. Tons of very interesting uses if it's put to good use.

If you've ever used the stencil buffer in an OpenGL application, you'd be familiar with how to use it and you'd see a bunch of potentional, too :D

Not to mention this could be used to clip images against bounding boxes, for minigames and such.. I really ****ing need that, especially since clipping showpolys is slow compared to taking advantage of the stencil buffer.

Bump. :D

This sounds interesting, should do something with it.

u cud use it to fulfil my dream~

I've been wanting reflections for so long :(

Graal needs way more special effects. It can add so much atmosphere!

I've always wanted a lake and a fence.

Stencil buffer plz <3

Also, render-to-texture support while we're at it! If I'm not mistaken in the technique you use for certain GUIControls, it's nothing more than adapting your GUIDrawingPanel's.

I guessing this would be more efficient than having an extra image/NPC, rotating it, and lowering the alpha?

Hell yes!

Hell yes

So graal will go from basically Zelda 3 with upgrades to to pretty much the four sword adventures? Effects wise. I vote yes.

Would be nice if graal could compete with other 1-man team indie games someday.