setting alpha on part of an object?

Eh ... sorry but I don't agree. By setting Flag 32 you are disabling z-order on that object. Logically if you set the Flag back to 0 the z-ordering is re-enabled.

To demonstrate for ryan ... ( note that the plane and the cube are created at the same point ). Excuse the code ... thrown together .. press space to toggle z-order.

Graphics3D 640,480,16,1
AmbientLight 255,255,255

fx = 0
t$ = "Z order ON"
light = CreateLight()
pivot = CreatePivot()
camera = CreateCamera( pivot ) : PositionEntity camera, 0 , 5, -10
plane = CreatePlane()
EntityColor plane, 100,100,100
EntityAlpha plane,.5
cube = CreateCube() 
PointEntity camera, cube

s = GetSurface( cube , 1 )
For v= 0 To CountVertices( s ) - 1
	If ( v Mod 4 ) = 0
		r = Rand(64,200)
		g = Rand(64,200)
		b = Rand(64,200 )
	EndIf
	VertexColor s , v, r, g, b, .75
Next
EntityFX cube, 2

While Not KeyDown(1)

	TurnEntity cube,2,0,1
	RotateEntity pivot, 0,1,0
	
	If KeyDown(57)
		fx = 1-fx
		EntityFX cube , 32*fx+2
		If fx = 0 
			t$ = "Z order ON"
		Else
			t$="Z order OFF"
		EndIf
		Delay 500
	EndIf

	RenderWorld()
	
	Text 0,0,t$
	
	Flip	

Wend