feat: add Extended Translucency

[ArcEarth]

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Hi, everyone, I am super excited to contribute to this great project! Please correct me if I got anything wrong :) I am a little constraint on time so may reply to things late.

Adding a new feature to control translucent material's opacity. The core changes is all in the HLSL side, where cpp changes just provide 3 setting variables.

Vanilla: Anisotropic Fabric model:

Settings UI:

Future work:

• Allow per geometry to override the settings (Not sure about how to do this right now, using a used flag?)

[doodlum]

This looks really interesting. It would be best to include this as an option in the JSON configs for True PBR like we did with the glints PR https://github.com/doodlum/skyrim-community-shaders/pull/413 that way different materials can have different translucency types, rather than every alpha effect getting this. Otherwise random translucent objects could look incorrect which would cause issues. True PBR actually has fabric models too, so could maybe implement that without even needed new config options. You would however need to convert assets to PBR to be able to test the model.

@Jonahex is in charge of all that

[ArcEarth]

👍 I'll be working on the new nif flags, thanks for the reference!

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum The settings are now detected from ExtraData node in the mesh's NIF. I find this being much stable than reusing a shading flag.

Also, I kept the option to apply this effect to everything, so that existing assets can be improved from this feature immediately. People can use the setting to make it only apply to the opt-in mesh with the extra data :) Similarly, mesh can opt-out by setting the extra data to 0.

One future improvement is to make some TESForm based selection like using KID or alkies.

Besides, added another option 'Stregth' to the setting, which is essentially the blending weight (alpha) of this effect.

[doodlum]

Looks really good so far. Just a few minor performance related things and I think then it's probably good to go.

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum @Jonahex @FlayaN The new update make use of the cbuffer on slot 7 with immutable buffers that never update/map-unmap after creation. And we only have 5 of them in total. This design can avoid the expensive GPU resources update and synchronization and should be very performant. (DX11 will create new GPU buffer when mapped to write, if the current constant buffer is in use with the GPU, which looks like a common case in the codebase: the same constant buffer seems reused for different geometries and mapped to CPU to udpate before the draw) Wondering if you like the design or prefer merging this into the per-geometry buffer? And anything else I should address?

[doodlum]

@doodlum @Jonahex @FlayaN The new update make use of the cbuffer on slot 7 with immutable buffers that never update/map-unmap after creation. And we only have 5 of them in total. Wondering if you like the design or prefer merging this into the per-geometry buffer? And anything else I should address?

It is probably fine for now. Soon we will probably scrap all additional constant buffers. State switching and updates need to be minimised but it only matters when it affects a significant number of calls.

So two more things: Use fake enums in HLSL where possible, like we now do with shader flags. Link to any references used in the code.

[doodlum]

Please see https://github.com/doodlum/skyrim-community-shaders/blob/dev/package/Shaders/Common/Permutation.hlsli

[ArcEarth]

Please see https://github.com/doodlum/skyrim-community-shaders/blob/dev/package/Shaders/Common/Permutation.hlsli

Updated for the refactored light flag :)

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum Anything else to be addressed before we can merge? :)

Beside, wondering if we have some detail about the mod release process, if I or the team should upload the feature mod?

Also, the raw Lighting.hlsl edit can be release as a replacer for the current stable version of CS (without settings or nif settings), wondering if we should release it now or release it with the next version?

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum @FlayaN @Jonahex Mind to re-review this :)

[doodlum]

@doodlum @FlayaN @Jonahex Mind to re-review this :)

I will just busy atm

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum Back to Skyrim after Oblivion Re :) This feature now just use 2 extra bit in Permutation::ExtraFeatureDescriptor, nolonger spawning extra graphs objects.

[doodlum]

Nice, I'll review very soon. Ideally I'd have something I can use to test to see the feature works as stated, if anything just to show authors how to use it.

[ArcEarth]

This effect currently applies for any translucent materials by default, you can see the effect when you change the settings.

Nif meshes can opt-in or opt-out of this effect with ExtraData AnisotropicAlphaMaterial. I added the extra data for one leg in Outfit studio:

The testing equipment I am using is from Cosplay Pack Here is a prebuilt mesh with the extra data edit (it may be clipping depending on body slide settings). ExtendTranslucencyTest.zip

Let me know if you have any questions or need any file for testing ;)

[coderabbitai[bot]]

Walkthrough

This update introduces a new "Extended Translucency" feature to the rendering pipeline. It adds shader utilities, configuration, and runtime logic for handling advanced translucency effects, including anisotropic alpha materials. The implementation includes new shader code, configuration files, global integration, feature registration, buffer updates, UI controls, serialization support, and integration with the rendering pipeline via hooks.

Changes

File(s)	Change Summary
features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/ExtendedTranslucency/ExtendedTranslucency.hlsli	Added shader header with material model constants and functions for view-dependent alpha handling.
features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.ini	Added configuration file specifying version for the new feature.
package/Shaders/Common/SharedData.hlsli	Added ExtendedTranslucencySettings struct and integrated it into the shader feature data buffer.
src/Feature.cpp	Registered ExtendedTranslucency in the feature list.
src/FeatureBuffer.cpp	Included ExtendedTranslucency settings in the feature buffer data aggregation.
src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.cpp, src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.h	Implemented and declared the ExtendedTranslucency feature class, with UI, serialization, and hooks.
src/Globals.cpp, src/Globals.h	Declared and initialized a global pointer for ExtendedTranslucency.
src/State.h	Added ETMaterialModel flag to the ExtraFeatureDescriptors enum.
src/Features/TerrainHelper.cpp	Added a comment about updating texture slot constants if changed.

Sequence Diagram(s)

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant UI
    participant ExtendedTranslucency
    participant State
    participant Shader

    User->>UI: Adjust translucency settings (ImGui)
    UI->>ExtendedTranslucency: Update MaterialParams
    ExtendedTranslucency->>State: Update global feature descriptor
    State->>Shader: Pass updated settings via buffer
    Shader->>Shader: Use new alpha/material model logic in rendering

Suggested reviewers

• doodlum

Poem

In the world of glass and light,
A rabbit tweaks translucency just right.
With sliders and hooks,
And shader-bound looks,
Fabrics and rims now shimmer so bright!
🐇✨

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Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between b368cac9b08a9722aac883f800788a6cc5984012 and 1754485d3acdf4226594b40e77bd242520e32e83.

⛔ Files ignored due to path filters (1)

• package/Shaders/Lighting.hlsl is excluded by !**/*.hlsl

📒 Files selected for processing (11)

• features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/ExtendedTranslucency/ExtendedTranslucency.hlsli (1 hunks)
• features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.ini (1 hunks)
• package/Shaders/Common/SharedData.hlsli (2 hunks)
• src/Feature.cpp (2 hunks)
• src/FeatureBuffer.cpp (2 hunks)
• src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.cpp (1 hunks)
• src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.h (1 hunks)
• src/Features/TerrainHelper.cpp (1 hunks)
• src/Globals.cpp (3 hunks)
• src/Globals.h (2 hunks)
• src/State.h (1 hunks)

🚧 Files skipped from review as they are similar to previous changes (11)

• features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.ini
• src/Features/TerrainHelper.cpp
• src/FeatureBuffer.cpp
• src/State.h
• src/Globals.h
• package/Shaders/Common/SharedData.hlsli
• src/Feature.cpp
• src/Globals.cpp
• features/Extended Translucency/Shaders/ExtendedTranslucency/ExtendedTranslucency.hlsli
• src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.cpp
• src/Features/ExtendedTranslucency.h

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[github-actions[bot]]

✅ A pre-release build is available for this PR: Download

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum Fixed minor issues found by AI, and added support for UI refactoring.

[github-actions[bot]]

✅ A pre-release build is available for this PR: Download

[ArcEarth]

@doodlum Here is a AIO package for testing. Please let me know if the one drive link does not work. https://1drv.ms/u/c/4a6ce604809201e9/ESNyIC6EYvNHhJIY5kGgS_gBW5_wM9zYivn5Mra5CzLfkw?e=uC4VTD

[ArcEarth]

@alandtse @doodlum Sorry for pinging, wondering if there are anything I can do to help the review process? I will need to travel around mid-June, and may not access the game for a month >_< Will be helpful if I can make changes before it :)

[alandtse]

Please also sync with the latest.

[doodlum]

@alandtse @doodlum Sorry for pinging, wondering if there are anything I can do to help the review process? I will need to travel around mid-June, and may not access the game for a month >_< Will be helpful if I can make changes before it :)

I am ill with COVID

[ArcEarth]

@alandtse Synched to the latest. Everything is still working. Sorry for replying late, was busy preparing my moving >_< @doodlum Hope you get a quick recovery! The community cannot go without you :)

[github-actions[bot]]

✅ A pre-release build is available for this PR: Download

[jiayev]

nice, also consider adding feature desc

[ArcEarth]

😂 Glad to see it's merged! Thank you a lot! 🎊 I'm travelling but will prepare the mod page and docs once I get a working pc ;)

[alandtse]

If you can get the link for the unpublished nexus page, we can update the link inside CS to cover it. We also can put in a short description if you provide some details.

[ArcEarth]

@alandtse That's amazing! Btw, I have already added the NexusURL/description in the feature's header file, following format in CS UI rework PR 😉 Let me know when you have a release schedule, I'll be preparing the mod page for it (hope i can find a PC soon 😭)

[alandtse]

Ahh I remember now. We also simplified the format so all you need now is modid but this should be fine too.

[alandtse]

@ArcEarth we've had a bug report https://github.com/doodlum/skyrim-community-shaders/issues/1230. We'd appreciate it if you did take a look. We're also on Discord if you're willing to join and we can speak there directly in the developers-only channel.