How to make a custom entity support transparency like "prop_physics"?

[ravo10]

Currently I can only get "prop_physics" entities with my model attached to it support propper transparency...

Like this works:
local ent = ents.Create("prop_physics")
ent:SetModel("models/mymdl/my_mdl.mdl")
-- .....

...This dosen't (I don't know what to define in the scripted entity...):
local ent = ents.Create("my_scripted_ent")
ent:SetModel("models/mymdl/my_mdl.mdl")
-- ....

The model applied to my own scripted entity:

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/350606/53226e67-5c97-46f1-aeda-9644162126c9/000.jpg

The model applied to the "prop_physics" entity:

https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/350606/2ace89d6-0742-4285-9440-08d56fa329ed/001.jpg

[mcNuggets]

RENDERMODE TRANSCOLOR
Color(255, 255, 255, 100)

Draw the model clientside also.

Also set rendermode to RENDERGROUP_BOTH (I think this is needed)

[ravo10]

Thanks! You got me on the right track. Got it working.

Here is what I did. I need animation also some time in the future maybe... So it is almost working on the clientside... Do you know why the animation on the clientside runs like maybe 2-5 frames and the jumps back to the start? It is working fine on the serverside entity!

shared.lua
ENT.Type = "anim"
ENT.Base = "base_entity"
ENT.AutomaticFrameAdvance = true
ENT.PrintName = "Custom Entity!"
ENT.Author = "ravo Norway"
ENT.Spawnable = true
ENT.AdminSpawnable = true
ENT.Category = "RAVO-NORWAY"

-- Pre-cache
util.PrecacheModel("models/my_custom_entity/my_custom_entity.mdl")

init.lua
AddCSLuaFile("shared.lua")
AddCSLuaFile("cl_init.lua")

include("shared.lua")

util.AddNetworkString("startAnimation")

function ENT:Initialize()
    -- Sets what model to use
    self:SetUseType(SIMPLE_USE)
    self:SetModel("models/my_custom_entity/my_custom_entity.mdl")

    self:SetRenderMode(RENDERMODE_TRANSCOLOR)
    self:SetColor(
        Color(
            255,
            255,
            255,
            100
        )
    )

    -- Physics stuff
    self:PhysicsInit(SOLID_VPHYSICS)
    self:SetMoveType(MOVETYPE_VPHYSICS)
    self:SetSolid(SOLID_VPHYSICS)

    -- Init physics only on server, so it doesn't mess up physgun beam
    if (SERVER) then self:PhysicsInit(SOLID_VPHYSICS) end

    -- Make prop to fall on spawn
    local phys = self:GetPhysicsObject()
    if (IsValid(phys)) then phys:Wake() end
end
function ENT:Think()
    -- Fast animation
    if SERVER then
        self:NextThink(CurTime())
        return true
    end
end

function ENT:Use(activator, caller)
    self:Open(activator)
end

-- --- -
-- Animation
local function fireAnimation(self, activator, animationName)
    self:ResetSequence(animationName)

    net.Start("startAnimation")
        net.WriteTable({
            Name = animationName,
            Parent = self
        })
    net.Send(activator)
end

function ENT:Open(activator)
    fireAnimation(self, activator, "open")
end

cl_init.lua
include("shared.lua")

function ENT:Draw()
    self:DrawModel()
end

hook.Add("OnEntityCreated", "OnEntityCreated:MyCustomEntity001", function(ent)
    if (
        ent:IsValid() and
        ent:GetClass() == "my_custom_entity"
    ) then
        local ghostEnt = ClientsideModel(ent:GetModel(), RENDERGROUP_BOTH)

        ghostEnt:SetPos(ent:GetPos())
        ghostEnt:SetParent(ent)

        ghostEnt:Spawn()
        ghostEnt:Activate()

        -- Alpha settings
        ghostEnt:SetRenderMode(RENDERMODE_TRANSCOLOR)
        ghostEnt:SetColor(
            Color(
                255,
                255,
                255,
                200
            )
        )

        -- -
        ent:CallOnRemove("CallOnRemove"..ent:EntIndex(), function()
            if ghostEnt:IsValid() then
                ghostEnt:Remove()
            end
        end)
    end
end)

-- Animation
net.Receive("startAnimation", function()
    local animationData = net.ReadTable()

    local parent = animationData.Parent
    local animationName = animationData.Name

    for _,MaybeGhostChild in pairs(parent:GetChildren()) do
        if string.match(string.lower(MaybeGhostChild:GetClass()), string.lower("C_BaseFlex")) then

            if not parent:IsValid() or not MaybeGhostChild:IsValid() then return end

            -- OK; Set
            MaybeGhostChild:ResetSequence(animationName)

            break
        end
    end
end)

[mcNuggets]

Set the base to "base_anim".

Shared =
ENT.AutomaticFrameAdvance = true

Serverside =
function ENT:Think()
    self:NextThink(CurTime())
    return true
end

These two should make animations working for your entity.

[ravo10]

Okay thanks I will try it out one day I got time