From 137d97c1904a57a373f9eea1e820efc418bfd7aa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: mchughalex <25671999+mchughalex@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:31:00 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] render: keep showcase staging fully inert while no showcase
 frame is live

---
 src/skate3_app_common.cpp       | 8 ++++++++
 src/skate3_native_scene_gpu.cpp | 9 +++++++--
 2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/skate3_app_common.cpp b/src/skate3_app_common.cpp
index b7e6390..fb0b3c1 100644
--- a/src/skate3_app_common.cpp
+++ b/src/skate3_app_common.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ extern const rex::PPCImageInfo eawebkit_PPCImageConfig;
 extern "C" REX_FUNC(__restgprlr_19);
 
 // Defined in skate3_native_scene.cpp; toggled by the showcase hotkey below.
+REXCVAR_DECLARE(bool, skate3_native_render_capture_hotkeys);
 REXCVAR_DECLARE(bool, skate3_native_render_scene_showcase);
 // Defined in skate3_native_scene.cpp; the freecam hotkey below toggles it,
 // and while it captures input the guest input system is gated off.
@@ -728,6 +729,13 @@ void Skate3BaseApp::OnCreateDialogs(rex::ui::ImGuiDrawer* drawer) {
                         });
   rex::ui::RegisterBind("bind_skate3_showcase", "Ctrl+Shift+B",
                         "Graphics build-up showcase", [] {
+                          // A capture/recording tool, not a player feature:
+                          // like the capture hotkeys, the bind is inert
+                          // unless the diagnostics cvar opts in (the F12
+                          // Showcase Setup window still starts runs).
+                          if (!REXCVAR_GET(skate3_native_render_capture_hotkeys)) {
+                            return;
+                          }
                           REXCVAR_SET(
                               skate3_native_render_scene_showcase,
                               !REXCVAR_GET(skate3_native_render_scene_showcase));
diff --git a/src/skate3_native_scene_gpu.cpp b/src/skate3_native_scene_gpu.cpp
index d83da93..e92bb9c 100644
--- a/src/skate3_native_scene_gpu.cpp
+++ b/src/skate3_native_scene_gpu.cpp
@@ -8417,8 +8417,13 @@ bool RenderScene(const NativeGuestOutputRenderContext& context, void* /*user_dat
       constants[34] = item.unlit ? 1.0f : 0.0f;
       // tint.a < 0 marks dynamic-entity items for the showcase dyn layer
       // (ps_main clips them until the bit reveals); the solid-color
-      // early-out only ever reads tint.a > 0.
-      constants[35] = item.dyn_entity ? -1.0f : 0.0f;
+      // early-out only ever reads tint.a > 0. Staged only while a showcase
+      // frame is live (nonzero split rows) so normal rendering never
+      // carries the marker at all.
+      constants[35] = (item.dyn_entity && (g_r.showcase_rows[0] != 0.0f ||
+                                           g_r.showcase_rows[1] != 0.0f))
+                          ? -1.0f
+                          : 0.0f;
     }
     constants[36] = scene.cam_pos[0];
     constants[37] = scene.cam_pos[1];