That was exactly what I tried to achieve. I think that the black is not completely black grin

Code:
#include <acknex.h>
#include <default.c>


MATERIAL* mtlTransp = { // transparent black
  effect = "
  Texture TargetMap; // source bitmap
  sampler2D smpSrc = sampler_state { texture = <TargetMap>; };
          
  float4 process_transparent(float2 Tex: TEXCOORD0): COLOR 
  {
    float4 Color = tex2D( smpSrc, Tex.xy);
    if (Color.r <= 0.004 && Color.g <= 0.004 && Color.b <= 0.004)
    {
       Color.a = 0;  
    }
    return Color;
  }

  technique Transp {
    pass p1 {
      AlphaBlendEnable = false;  
      PixelShader = compile ps_2_0 process_transparent();
    }
  }   
  ";
}

//
ENTITY* player_ent;
//
//
//===  Problem Area  ======================================================================
//
// declare workspace bmaps and view and controllers
//
BMAP*  mm_overlay      = "#256x256x32";	// actual FINAL bmap INTENDED for use as panel.bmap
														// in visible mini_map panel with OVERLAY set ON
BMAP* mm_overlay2      = "#256x256x32";   // Processed BMAP
//
VIEW*  mm_stage1 = { pan=90; tilt=-90; arc=135; bmap="#256x256x16"; flags=ISOMETRIC;	}
//
BMAP*  mm_overlay_butt = "#256x256x32";	//normally "mm_overlay_art.TGA"
PANEL* mm_stage2 = { button(0,0, mm_overlay_butt,mm_overlay_butt,NULL,NULL,NULL,NULL);	}
//
PANEL* mini_map =	{ alpha=75;		flags= SHOW | OVERLAY; /*| OVERLAY; */ 				}
//
// START minimap render processes
//
void mini_map_startup()
{	
	mm_stage2.bmap  		= mm_stage1.bmap;		//render stage1 onto background of stage2
	mm_stage2.target_map = mm_overlay;			//render stage2 output to BMAP 'mm_overlay'
	mini_map.bmap 			= mm_overlay2;			//apply BMAP 'mm_overlay' as background of mini_map
	//
	wait(1);		// //PAUSE to allow renderchain to initialise in correct order (it APPEARS)
	set(mm_stage1, SHOW);	set(mm_stage2, SHOW);
	//
	while(1)
	{	if(player_ent!=NULL)
		{	
			// keep mini-map aligned in top-right corner
			mini_map.pos_x = screen_size.x - mini_map.size_x;
			//
			// move stage1(view) around to it follows the player
			vec_set(mm_stage1.x, player_ent.x);		mm_stage1.z = 1000;
		}
		wait(1);
		//bmap_fill(mm_overlay, COLOR_BLACK, 100);		// as per Heelx's suggestion... no change
		bmap_process(mm_overlay2, mm_overlay, mtlTransp);
}	}
//
//
//=========================================================================================
//
//
void mm_overlay_butt_startup()		// FABRICATE an SAMPLE overlay-artwork for DEMO ONLY
{	wait(1);		var x,y, xx,yy, tmp, fmt=bmap_lock(mm_overlay_butt,0);
	var opaque = pixel_for_vec(COLOR_BLACK, 100, fmt);
	var border = pixel_for_vec(COLOR_BLUE,   50, fmt);
	var clear  = pixel_for_vec(COLOR_WHITE,   0, fmt);
	var center = mm_overlay_butt.width/2;
	for(x=0; x<mm_overlay_butt.width; x++)		for(y=0; y<mm_overlay_butt.height; y++)
	{	pixel_to_bmap(mm_overlay_butt, x,y, opaque);
		if			(sqrt(pow(x-center,2)+pow(y-center,2))<(center-3))
		{	pixel_to_bmap(mm_overlay_butt, x,y, clear);						}
		else if	(sqrt(pow(x-center,2)+pow(y-center,2))<(center-0))
		{	pixel_to_bmap(mm_overlay_butt, x,y, border);						}					}
	bmap_unlock(mm_overlay_butt);
}
//
//
void main()		// nothing in MAIN is important, it is just to create a DEMO environment.
{
	video_mode = 7;		wait(1);				level_load(NULL);		wait(1);		sun_light=25;
	vec_set(camera.x, vector(-100,-500,500));	vec_set(camera.pan, vector(75,-45,0));
	draw_textmode("Times",0,32,100);
	//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	//
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(000,000,-100), NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(51,51,2));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(400,000,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(1,51,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(000,400,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(51,1,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(-400,000,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(1,51,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(000,-400,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(51,1,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(175, 175,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(27,1,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(-175,-175,0), NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(27,1,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(175,-175,0), 	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);	
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(1,27,10));
	you = ent_create(CUBE_MDL, vector(-175,175,0),	NULL);	set(you, LIGHT);
		vec_fill(you.blue, 15);		vec_set(you.scale_x, vector(1,27,10));
	//
	// Create Player Entity
	player_ent = ent_create(SPHERE_MDL, nullvector, NULL);	set(player_ent, LIGHT);
		vec_set(player_ent.blue, COLOR_GREEN);	vec_fill(player_ent.scale_x, 2);
	//
	// Create Other Entities
	ENTITY* blob[4];
	blob[0] = ent_create(SPHERE_MDL, vector(250,250,0), NULL);	set(blob[0], LIGHT);
	blob[1] = ent_create(SPHERE_MDL, vector(-250,250,0), NULL);	set(blob[1], LIGHT);
	blob[2] = ent_create(SPHERE_MDL, vector(-250,-250,0), NULL);set(blob[2], LIGHT);
	blob[3] = ent_create(SPHERE_MDL, vector(250,-250,0), NULL);	set(blob[3], LIGHT);
	//
	//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	//
	while(1)
	{
		//move entity about
		player_ent.x += (key_d-key_a)*time_step*15;	player_ent.x=clamp(player_ent.x,-375,375);
		player_ent.y += (key_w-key_s)*time_step*15;	player_ent.y=clamp(player_ent.y,-375,375);
		//
		//move blobs about randomly
		int i;	for(i=0; i<4; i++)	
		{	vec_set(blob[i].blue, COLOR_RED);	vec_fill(blob[i].scale_x, 2.5+random(1));
			blob[i].x += (random(10)-5)*time_step*5;
			if((abs(blob[i].x)-250)>50)	blob[i].x = sign(blob[i].x)*300;
			if((abs(blob[i].x)-250)<-50)	blob[i].x = sign(blob[i].x)*200;
			blob[i].y += (random(10)-5)*time_step*5;	
			if((abs(blob[i].y)-250)>50)	blob[i].y = sign(blob[i].y)*300;
			if((abs(blob[i].y)-250)<-50)	blob[i].y = sign(blob[i].y)*200;						}
		//
		wait(1);
	}
}


Last edited by 3dgs_snake; 11/28/12 09:27.