Alpha to coverage

{{refimprove|date=February 2013}}

{{short description|Multisampling computer graphics technique}}

Alpha to coverage{{cite web |last=Golus |first=Ben |date=21 October 2021 |title=Anti-aliased Alpha Test: The Esoteric Alpha To Coverage |url=https://bgolus.medium.com/anti-aliased-alpha-test-the-esoteric-alpha-to-coverage-8b177335ae4f |accessdate= |website=Medium |format=}}{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=April 2025}}{{cite web |url=https://www.semanticscholar.org/topic/Alpha-to-coverage/2037914 |title=Alpha to coverage | Semantic Scholar |format= |accessdate=}}{{cite web |url=https://developer.oculus.com/blog/common-rendering-mistakes-how-to-find-them-and-how-to-fix-them/?locale=es_ES |title=Common Rendering Mistakes: How to Find Them and How to Fix Them | Oculus |format= |accessdate=}} 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.{{cite web

| url=http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb205072%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#Alpha_To_Coverage

| title=Configuring Blending Functionality (Windows)

| publisher=Microsoft Developer Network

| quote=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

| accessdate=2013-01-27}}

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.