From 45a97a75a41cb68f0aba335b0e56583127c8897b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: stm <14291421+stephanmeesters@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:18:11 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] perf: Render ground-aligned particles without sorting

---
 Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp | 8 +++++++-
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
index bd7f2c9a84e..5ce77276110 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
@@ -926,8 +926,14 @@ void PointGroupClass::Render(RenderInfoClass &rinfo)
 	DX8Wrapper::Set_Shader(Shader);
 	DX8Wrapper::Set_Texture(0,Texture);
 
+	// TheSuperHackers @perf stephanmeesters 27/06/2026
 	// Enable sorting if the primitives are translucent and alpha testing is not enabled.
-	const bool sort = (Shader.Get_Dst_Blend_Func() != ShaderClass::DSTBLEND_ZERO) && (Shader.Get_Alpha_Test() == ShaderClass::ALPHATEST_DISABLE) && (WW3D::Is_Sorting_Enabled());
+	// However, do not apply sorting for ground-aligned (i.e. non-billboard) particles.
+	// This is for performance reasons and because ground-aligned particles do not generally benefit from back-to-front sorting.
+	const bool sort = Billboard &&
+	                  Shader.Get_Dst_Blend_Func() != ShaderClass::DSTBLEND_ZERO &&
+	                  Shader.Get_Alpha_Test() == ShaderClass::ALPHATEST_DISABLE &&
+	                  WW3D::Is_Sorting_Enabled();
 
 	IndexBufferClass *indexbuffer;
 	int	verticesperprimitive;/// lorenzen fixed

From 8ab6dd2a184c64885752b9cf3c3b1406ccabaf62 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: stm <14291421+stephanmeesters@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:01:36 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Clarify bugfix comment, add info comment for volumetric
 particles

---
 Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp | 8 +++++---
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
index 5ce77276110..01885bdb162 100644
--- a/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
+++ b/Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WW3D2/pointgr.cpp
@@ -926,10 +926,10 @@ void PointGroupClass::Render(RenderInfoClass &rinfo)
 	DX8Wrapper::Set_Shader(Shader);
 	DX8Wrapper::Set_Texture(0,Texture);
 
-	// TheSuperHackers @perf stephanmeesters 27/06/2026
+	// TheSuperHackers @bugfix stephanmeesters 30/06/2026
 	// Enable sorting if the primitives are translucent and alpha testing is not enabled.
-	// However, do not apply sorting for ground-aligned (i.e. non-billboard) particles.
-	// This is for performance reasons and because ground-aligned particles do not generally benefit from back-to-front sorting.
+	// However, do not apply sorting to ground-aligned particles. This improves performance and resolves rendering
+	// artifacts caused by clipping between ground-aligned particles and billboard particles.
 	const bool sort = Billboard &&
 	                  Shader.Get_Dst_Blend_Func() != ShaderClass::DSTBLEND_ZERO &&
 	                  Shader.Get_Alpha_Test() == ShaderClass::ALPHATEST_DISABLE &&
@@ -1841,7 +1841,9 @@ void PointGroupClass::RenderVolumeParticle(RenderInfoClass &rinfo, unsigned int
 		DX8Wrapper::Set_Shader(Shader);
 		DX8Wrapper::Set_Texture(0,Texture);
 
+		// TheSuperHackers @info stephanmeesters 30/06/2026
 		// Enable sorting if the primitives are translucent and alpha testing is not enabled.
+		// Volumetric particles that are ground-aligned must have sorting enabled.
 		const bool sort = (Shader.Get_Dst_Blend_Func() != ShaderClass::DSTBLEND_ZERO) && (Shader.Get_Alpha_Test() == ShaderClass::ALPHATEST_DISABLE) && (WW3D::Is_Sorting_Enabled());
 
 		IndexBufferClass *indexbuffer;