diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
index d5d4527148..1a6b152a30 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void Actor::Reset()
 	m_bTextureWrapping = false;
 	m_BlendMode = BLEND_NORMAL;
 	m_bClearZBuffer = false;
-	m_bZTest = false;
+	m_ZTestMode = ZTEST_OFF;
 	m_bZWrite = false;
 	m_CullMode = CULL_NONE;
 }
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ void Actor::SetRenderStates()
 	DISPLAY->SetTextureWrapping( m_bTextureWrapping );
 	DISPLAY->SetBlendMode( m_BlendMode );
 	DISPLAY->SetZWrite( m_bZWrite );
-	DISPLAY->SetZTest( m_bZTest );
+	DISPLAY->SetZTestMode( m_ZTestMode );
 	if( m_bClearZBuffer )
 		DISPLAY->ClearZBuffer();
 	DISPLAY->SetCullMode( m_CullMode );
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ void Actor::HandleCommand( const ParsedCommand &command )
 	else if( sName=="blend" )			SetBlendMode( sParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="zbuffer" )			SetUseZBuffer( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="ztest" )			SetZTest( bParam(1) );
+	else if( sName=="ztestmode" )		SetZTestMode( sParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="zwrite" )			SetZWrite( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="clearzbuffer" )	SetClearZBuffer( bParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="backfacecull" )	SetCullMode( bParam(1) ? CULL_BACK : CULL_NONE );
@@ -884,6 +885,20 @@ void Actor::SetCullMode( CString s )
 	else	ASSERT(0);
 }
 
+void Actor::SetZTestMode( CString s )
+{
+	s.MakeLower();
+	
+	// for metrics backward compatibility
+	if     (s=="1")				SetZTestMode( ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS );
+	else if(s=="0")				SetZTestMode( ZTEST_OFF );
+	
+	else if(s=="off")			SetZTestMode( ZTEST_OFF );
+	else if(s=="writeonpass")	SetZTestMode( ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS );
+	else if(s=="writeonfail")	SetZTestMode( ZTEST_WRITE_ON_FAIL );
+	else	ASSERT(0);
+}
+
 void Actor::CopyTweening( const Actor &from )
 {
 	m_current = from.m_current;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.h b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
index 5000dbca88..1237d01593 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
@@ -297,8 +297,10 @@ public:
 	void SetBlendMode( CString );
 	void SetTextureWrapping( bool b ) 	{ m_bTextureWrapping = b; } 
 	void SetClearZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ m_bClearZBuffer = b; } 
-	void SetUseZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ SetZTest(b); SetZWrite(b); } 
-	virtual void SetZTest( bool b ) 			{ m_bZTest = b; } 
+	void SetUseZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ SetZTestMode(b?ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS:ZTEST_OFF); SetZWrite(b); } 
+	virtual void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode ) { m_ZTestMode = mode; } 
+	virtual void SetZTestMode( CString );
+	void SetZTest( bool b ) { SetZTestMode(b?ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS:ZTEST_OFF); }
 	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b ) 			{ m_bZWrite = b; } 
 	virtual void SetCullMode( CullMode mode ) 	{ m_CullMode = mode; } 
 	virtual void SetCullMode( CString );
@@ -387,10 +389,11 @@ protected:
 	//
 	// render states
 	//
-	bool	m_bTextureWrapping;
+	bool		m_bTextureWrapping;
 	BlendMode	m_BlendMode;
-	bool	m_bClearZBuffer;
-	bool	m_bZTest, m_bZWrite;
+	bool		m_bClearZBuffer;
+	ZTestMode	m_ZTestMode;
+	bool		m_bZWrite;
 	CullMode	m_CullMode;
 };
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
index ee86ed9bf6..77313ea7f7 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ void ActorFrame::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 	}
 
 PropagateActorFrameCommand( SetDiffuse,			RageColor )
-PropagateActorFrameCommand( SetZTest,			bool )
+PropagateActorFrameCommand( SetZTestMode,		ZTestMode )
 PropagateActorFrameCommand( SetZWrite,			bool )
 PropagateActorFrameCommand( HurryTweening,		float )
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
index 8284f81942..d0dfeff187 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/ActorFrame.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void SetDiffuse( RageColor c );
 	virtual void SetDiffuseAlpha( float f );
 	
-	virtual void SetZTest( bool b );
+	virtual void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode );
 	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b );
 	virtual void FinishTweening();
 	virtual void HurryTweening( float factor );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
index 88e5edd47c..ebc691e8c5 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay.h
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ public:
 	virtual bool IsZTestEnabled() const = 0;
 	virtual bool IsZWriteEnabled() const = 0;
 	virtual void SetZWrite( bool b ) = 0;
-	virtual void SetZTest( bool b ) = 0;
+	void SetZTest( bool b ) { SetZTestMode(b?ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS:ZTEST_OFF); }
+	virtual void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode ) = 0;
 	virtual void ClearZBuffer() = 0;
 	void SetZBuffer( bool b ) { SetZWrite(b); SetZTest(b); } // shortcut
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
index dcc9ae7201..a09f6341d6 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.cpp
@@ -1045,10 +1045,17 @@ void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZWrite( bool b )
 	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZWRITEENABLE, b );
 }
 
-void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZTest( bool b )
+void RageDisplay_D3D::SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode )
 {
 	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZENABLE,      D3DZB_TRUE );
-	g_pd3dDevice->SetRenderState( D3DRS_ZFUNC,		  b ? D3DCMP_LESSEQUAL : D3DCMP_ALWAYS );
+	DWORD dw;
+	switch( mode )
+	{
+	case ZTEST_OFF:				dw = D3DCMP_ALWAYS;		break;
+	case ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS:	dw = D3DCMP_LESSEQUAL;	break;
+	case ZTEST_WRITE_ON_FAIL:	dw = D3DCMP_GREATER;	break;
+	default:	ASSERT( 0 );
+	}
 }
 
 void RageDisplay_D3D::ClearZBuffer()
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
index 516f6c0bcc..ef60c807f4 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_D3D.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ public:
 	bool IsZTestEnabled() const;
 	void SetZWrite( bool b );
 	void SetZTest( bool b );
+	void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode );
 	void ClearZBuffer();
 	void SetCullMode( CullMode mode );
 	void SetAlphaTest( bool b );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.h
index 84da350bab..6639efb4d8 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_Null.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public:
 	bool IsZWriteEnabled() const { return false; }
 	bool IsZTestEnabled() const { return false; }
 	void SetZWrite( bool b ) { }
-	void SetZTest( bool b ) { }
+	void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode ) { }
 	void ClearZBuffer() { }
 	void SetCullMode( CullMode mode ) { }
 	void SetAlphaTest( bool b ) { }
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
index 4f7fca354e..da03bc7b0a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.cpp
@@ -1480,13 +1480,16 @@ void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZWrite( bool b )
 	glDepthMask( b );
 }
 
-void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZTest( bool b )
+void RageDisplay_OGL::SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode )
 {
 	glEnable( GL_DEPTH_TEST );
-	if( b )
-		glDepthFunc( GL_LEQUAL );
-	else
-		glDepthFunc( GL_ALWAYS );
+	switch( mode )
+	{
+	case ZTEST_OFF:				glDepthFunc( GL_ALWAYS );	break;
+	case ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS:	glDepthFunc( GL_LEQUAL );	break;
+	case ZTEST_WRITE_ON_FAIL:	glDepthFunc( GL_GREATER );	break;
+	default:	ASSERT( 0 );
+	}
 }
 
 void RageDisplay_OGL::SetTextureWrapping( bool b )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
index c2f8d8a20d..a2e458c877 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageDisplay_OGL.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ public:
 	bool IsZTestEnabled() const;
 	void SetZWrite( bool b );
 	void SetZTest( bool b );
+	void SetZTestMode( ZTestMode mode );
 	void ClearZBuffer();
 	void SetCullMode( CullMode mode );
 	void SetAlphaTest( bool b );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/RageTypes.h b/stepmania/src/RageTypes.h
index ec5a14ca11..8d95fbdf92 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/RageTypes.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/RageTypes.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 enum GlowMode { GLOW_BRIGHTEN, GLOW_WHITEN };
 enum BlendMode { BLEND_NORMAL, BLEND_ADD, BLEND_NO_EFFECT, BLEND_INVALID };
 enum CullMode { CULL_BACK, CULL_FRONT, CULL_NONE };
+enum ZTestMode { ZTEST_OFF, ZTEST_WRITE_ON_PASS, ZTEST_WRITE_ON_FAIL };
 
 
 struct RageVector2