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Rethinking Voxels
Modrinth Shader

Rethinking Voxels

[WIP] A gameplay shaderpack based on complementary reimagined that has coloured block light with sharp shadows

Minecraft product info

Important product information

Compatibility, Minecraft versions, loaders, and external source data.

Type

Shader

Access

Free

Latest version

r0.1-beta9

Downloads

11 398 294

Loaders / Platforms

iris optifine

Minecraft versions

1.19.2 – 1.21.10

Categories

colored-lighting shadows

Description

Detailed information

# Rethinking Voxels This shader is an edit of [Complementary Reimagined](https://www.complementary.dev/reimagined) that aims to be decently fast (when compared to path tracing shaders) while having block lights cast sharp shadows. ### Notes The lighting system is not perfect. Occasional sudden brightness changes are a side-effect of the way it works and cannot be completely removed without hurting performance or removing sharp shadows from light sources. To do the latter, disable `Per-Pixel Lighting` in the `Rethinking Voxels Settings`. This shader is developed on Iris, using an AMD graphics card on linux, and it is also tested on an NVidia graphics card on linux. While it usually works on other platforms, bugs that appear only there are not caught by my testing and hence they take longer to fix. To use this shader pack, the Iris shader loader is required. Beta 18d and older versions also work on OptiFine. ### Contact If you need support, please join the [shaderLabs discord server](https://discord.gg/8wT5KxF4TZ), where this shader has a channel (#rethinking-voxels-gri573). ### Partnership I have entered a partnership with Ember, a Minecraft server hosting provider. This is because Ember hosts the complementary SMP server and has provided a better hosting experience / customer support than the previous hosting service, and because they reached out asking about it. If you need to host a Minecraft server and wish to support Rethinking Voxels' development at the same time, do check them out! Using the promotional code `RETHINKING` in a first-time purchase will redirect 70% of the first month's fee to me as well as give you a 10% discount. [![banner with text: Ember host - use code RETHINKING for 10% off](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/cached_images/394d7c1de5f4581320d26006966f7e09984c10ce.png)](https://billing.ember.host/aff.php?aff=13) ### Media Video by youtube user iambeen that showcases rethinking voxels beta 18d (with custom settings), compared to the original reimagined: <iframe width="1920" height="768" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xrnRubNmz5U" title="An Incredible Edit Of One Of The Best Minecraft Shaders" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Developer

gri573

Profile and data retrieved from Modrinth

Open on Modrinth

Product gallery

Project images

Screenshots and images from the original Modrinth page.

Global Illumination

Light can bounce multiple times

Modern Room

Stained glass tints lighting

Revamped Skylight

Using Global Illumination for skylight causes shadows to look more natural and less flat than vanilla's floodfill skylight

Entity Shadows

All light sources (not just the sun) can be blocked by entities

Cave lighting

This screenshot shows the overall visuals in a cave, dominated by GI

Specular Highlights

Blocklight can produce highlights on smooth surfaces. This screenshot features the Patrix resource pack.

Volumetric Lighting

Blocklight can scatter in the air

Shadow Demo

This image showcases the shader's ability to have occluders cast sharp shadows

Change log

Project versions

Published versions and original Modrinth files.

r0.1-beta9 Current Beta 19.06.2025

r0.1-beta9

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.1 1.20.4 1.21.1 1.21.2 1.21.3 1.21.4 1.21.5 1.21.6 1.21.7 1.21.8 1.21.9 1.21.10
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix compile error on unbound profile - fix pixelated blocklight - fix apparent light desaturation on some light source types (and reduce number of false positives in unknown light detection)
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7.92 MB

r0.1-beta8 Beta 12.05.2025

r0.1-beta8

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.1 1.20.4 1.20.6 1.21 1.21.1 1.21.4 1.21.5
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- updated to complementary r5.5.1 - fixed grainy modded emissives - fixed excessive noise in reflections (still a little noisy)
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7.93 MB

r0.1-beta7b Beta 12.04.2025

r0.1-beta7b

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21 1.21.1 1.21.4 1.21.5
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- Fixed GI ambient brightness being too low - Improved unknown light detection - Changed reflection strength with custom PBR - added dynamic resolution reflection rendering
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7.93 MB

aprilfools_2025 Alpha 01.04.2025

april fools version 2025

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21.1 1.21.4 1.21.5
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- made everything faster - absolutely no drawbacks, I promise
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0.01 MB

r0.1-beta7a Beta 23.03.2025

r0.1-beta7a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21 1.21.1 1.21.4 1.21.5
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fixed resourcepacks adding extra grass on top of grass block lacking SSS and waving on that extra grass - fixed normals blowing up with custom PBR at high map strength
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7.93 MB

r0.1-beta7 Beta 22.03.2025

r0.1-beta7

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21 1.21.1 1.21.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fixed GI sampling distribution - this caused a brightness change which was rebalanced by renaming the previous "correct" GI setting to "subtle" and the previous "intense" one to "correct" - fixed GI blowing up sometimes - changed reflectiveness of metals with resourcepack PBR to schlick fresnel - fixed candles not emitting any light
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7.93 MB

r0.1-beta6a Beta 23.01.2025

r0.1-beta6a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21.1 1.21.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix pixelated shadows - properly handle pixelated shadows in the blocklight upscaler
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7.93 MB

r0.1-beta6 Beta 23.01.2025

r0.1-beta6

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.4 1.21.1 1.21.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- changed light falloff to 1/r² by default - added setting to revert light falloff to 1/r - fixed (reworked) interactive water waves - added 1.21.4 light sources - updated to complementary r5.4
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7.93 MB

r0.1-beta5 Beta 14.07.2024

r0.1-beta5

Supported Minecraft versions
1.20.1 1.20.4 1.20.5 1.20.6 1.21
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- update to complementary r5.2.2 - vastly improve GI - thanks to GitHub user `jwapobie` for doing most of the improvements - improve ghost afterimage on moving objects - the issue is not fully fixed, but should be bearable now - fix sunlight shadows from ACL-based connected glass - reduce flickering and borders between LOD levels - this fixes the world-aligned squares following the player near light sources that illuminate surfaces at grazing angles - improve blocklight upscaling and filtering - add interactive water - improve light discovery - add specular blocklight highlights
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0.53 MB

r0.1-beta4-fix2 Beta 15.06.2024

r0.1-beta4-fix2

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.20.1 1.20.4 1.20.5 1.20.6 1.21
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix SDF calculations for real - this reduces noise in shadows as well as light leaking
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0.53 MB

r0.1-beta4-fix1 Beta 13.06.2024

r0.1-beta4-fix1

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.20.1 1.20.4 1.20.5 1.20.6 1.21
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix most noise from blocklight
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0.52 MB

r0.1-beta4 Beta 12.06.2024

r0.1-beta4

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.20.1 1.20.4 1.20.5 1.20.6
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- update to Complementary r5.2.1 - improve dark corners and rings around objects - add slider for blocklight resolution - improve modded light support (needs iris 1.7 or later) - more closely match per-block lighting to per-pixel lighting - reduce flickering of handheld lighting when player voxelization is off
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0.52 MB

r0.1-beta3 Beta 31.03.2024

r0.1-beta3-fix1

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.20.1 1.20.2 1.20.3 1.20.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- Change raytracing algorithm from voxel RT to SDF raymarching - this allows raytracing against dynamic shapes such as custom models or entities - add single-sample soft shadow approximation - remove denoising and accumulation as they are no longer needed - remove option to disable "trace to all lights" - add maximum light trace count setting - add options to disable entities, the player and foliage in raytracing - remove end game of life - add world-space reflections
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0.47 MB

r0.1-beta2 Beta 27.11.2023

r0.1-beta2

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
## Change Log - fix stripes on far-away objects - fix some unstable lighting - add light source size multiplier (for sharper shadows) - add iris required screen - (untested) add modded light support - fix dark screen edges when looking around while holding items - fix blocky water - fix incorrect texture coordinate clamping leading to slightly broken subvoxel models in some cases (this caused the weird dots on torches) - add french translation (thanks to github user MsNeyla) - fix ghosting on block breaking particles - fix gi breaking after very long times - fix item iPBR - fix items held by allays not emitting any light - fix primed TNT not emitting any light
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0.58 MB

r0.1-beta1 Beta 06.11.2023

r0.1-beta1

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- tweak denoiser - add lights for dropped and held items, as well as entities - groundwork for entity velocity support in reprojection (once iris starts supporting it) - add per-material blocklight colour and brightness settings
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0.56 MB

r0.1-alpha10 Alpha 27.10.2023

r0.1-alpha10

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- hard-code some light colours (settings for individually adjustable light colours will come in a future update) - improve denoiser
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0.59 MB

r0.1-alpha9c Alpha 22.10.2023

r0.1-alpha9c

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- increase default voxel volume size - fix lower profiles being broken - remove "potato" and "very low" profiles as they don't make sense for rethinking voxels (use complementary instead) - change some rethinking voxels settings between different profiles
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0.59 MB

r0.1-alpha9b Alpha 14.10.2023

r0.1-alpha9b

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix compile error with GI turned off
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0.64 MB

r0.1-alpha9a Alpha 13.10.2023

r0.1-alpha9a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix random bright spots and light discoloration and crashes - fall back to vanilla blocklight outside of voxelisation range
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0.59 MB

r0.1-alpha9 Alpha 12.10.2023

r0.1-alpha9

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- add global illumination - tweak denoiser - fix "trace all lights" option crashing the game
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0.59 MB

r0.1-alpha8 Alpha 11.10.2023

r0.1-alpha8

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- add per-block lighting - add volumetric blocklight - reduce amount details getting lost in denoising - stop denoising from completely turning itself off sometimes when it shouldn't - fix some issues in movement
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0.59 MB

r0.1-alpha7 Alpha 05.10.2023

r0.1-alpha7

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- improved ghosting - increased light discovery speed - added conway's game of life to the end - added fractal night sky option - fixed denoiser sometimes turning off in unaccumulated areas - fixed some lights not casting light in all directions when they should - groundwork for radiance cache - treat all light sources as opaque in the voxel data so rays can actually hit them - automatically select only some parts of light source blocks as emissive when emissives are not based on the resource pack
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0.58 MB

r0.1-alpha6 Alpha 02.10.2023

r0.1-alpha6

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- add option to check calculate contribution of all visible light sources at every pixel every frame - hopefully fix two compile errors on some hardware - tweak light source colours to be more saturated - add options to disable denoising and accumulation known issue: setting voxel resolution to 32x32x32 doesn't work
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0.58 MB

r0.1-alpha5 Alpha 01.10.2023

r0.1 alpha5

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.4 1.20 1.20.1 1.20.2
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- rewrote most of the blocklight calculation pipeline - more aggressive denoising algorithm - resource packs with custom models now work correctly as long as the models stay within the blocks - improved performance in most cases (especially the worst ones) - updated to reimagined r5.0.1 - removed all mod support
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0.58 MB

r0.1-alpha4 Alpha 10.06.2023

r0.1-alpha4

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4 1.20
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- improve reprojection to no longer produce artefacts in movement - actually fix "translucent" hand problem - turn off debug view
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0.37 MB

r01-alpha3 Alpha 08.06.2023

r0.1-alpha3

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4 1.20
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- add light block (`minecraft:light`, not block light emitters in general) support - fix incomplete pipeline in nether and end (nether is still largely broken because of light overflow near lava lakes, but that is a bug in the pipeline, not a caused by the missing pipeline) - fix "iris required" screen showing wrong text - fix some shader option menus - fix "translucent hand" issue
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0.37 MB

r0.1-alpha2 Alpha 07.06.2023

r0.1-alpha2

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4 1.20
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- reimplement and improve handheld lights - update to reimagined r2.2
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0.36 MB

r0.1-alpha1b Alpha 05.06.2023

r0.1-alpha1b

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
- fix compile error on AMD windows
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0.35 MB

r0.1-alpha1a Alpha 02.06.2023

r0.1-alpha1a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
## DISCLAIMER this version is an alpha release. it is expected to contain many bugs. ## hotfix - fix shading with basic PBR support or per-pixel lighting - fix a compilation error with default settings ## changes - rewrite the lighting code: - increase maximum amount of lights at any given location from 3 to 64 - bump openGL version from 330 to 430 for compute shader support (this breaks MacOS compatibility) - merge shadow volume blocklight shadow mode and basic light propagation - add accurate ray tracing (off by default) - this allows custom models and mobs to be handled correctly by the ray tracer - add denoising - remove global illumination (or not implement it again yet) - remove interactive water waves (the setting still exists, but does not work) - Change versioning scheme - I would like to publish a full release eventually
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0.35 MB

r0.1-alpha1 Alpha 02.06.2023

r0.1-alpha1

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris
Show changes
## DISCLAIMER this version is an alpha release. it is expected to contain many bugs. ## note There are currently 3 primary files in this version. they are identical and only made it onto the download page by mistake ## changes - rewrite the lighting code: - increase maximum amount of lights at any given location from 3 to 64 - bump openGL version from 330 to 430 for compute shader support (this breaks MacOS compatibility) - merge shadow volume blocklight shadow mode and basic light propagation - add accurate ray tracing (off by default) - this allows custom models and mobs to be handled correctly by the ray tracer - add denoising - remove global illumination (or not implement it again yet) - remove interactive water waves (the setting still exists, but does not work) - Change versioning scheme - I would like to publish a full release eventually
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0.35 MB

18d Beta 14.04.2023

[Last OptiFine-Compatible Version] Beta 18d

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3 1.19.4
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix shader compilation on Iris 1.6
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0.34 MB

18c Beta 11.03.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 18c

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- updated to reimagined r2.0.3
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0.34 MB

18b Beta 10.03.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 18b

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix volumetric block light - fix light shafts in caves when moving across block boundaries
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0.34 MB

18a Beta 09.03.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 18a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix compile error with generated normals - fix normals on entities with half-res blocklight shadow mode - fix GI flickering in some cases
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0.34 MB

18 Beta 06.03.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 18

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- update to reimagined r2.0.2 - attempt to rebalance a couple of things including GI (not done yet) - fix light colour detection - fix M1 crash
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0.34 MB

17b Beta 23.02.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 17b

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- add more modded light sources - address some more issues with GI
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0.31 MB

17a Beta 21.02.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 17a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix hard edges in lighting on non-block-grid-aligned surfaces with GI enabled - fix compile error in gbuffers_block with block light shadow modes other than half-res
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0.31 MB

17 Beta 14.02.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 17

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix compile errors - with per-pixel shadows - without light shafts - add global illumination - fix trapdoors sometimes blocking light when they shouldn't
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0.31 MB

16a Beta 07.02.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 16a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- Fix Half-Res blocklight shadows on block entities - Fix Half-Res blocklight shadows with pixelated shadows
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0.31 MB

16 Beta 06.02.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta16

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- rename `Pixel Perfect Blocklight` option to `Blocklight Shadow Mode` - add `Half Res` blocklight shadow mode - fix flashing when moving the camera very fast - fix ladder and repeater/comparator cuboid size - add block.properties entry for modded light sources that uses the fallback blocklight colour - improve wrong-looking shadows at noon - fix compile error on some platforms - add more modded light sources
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0.31 MB

15 Beta 29.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 15

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- reworked light source sorting algorithm (less flickering, better performance) - added some modded light sources - fixed end nebulae
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0.31 MB

14a Beta 27.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 14a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- Tweak interactive water waves - Fix flickering and low performance on some platforms
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0.3 MB

14 Beta 25.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 14

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- Interactive water waves - more aggressive TAA - fix some cases of incorrect VL in caves
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0.3 MB

13a Beta 21.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 13a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix instant light propagation being impossible to turn on
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0.3 MB

13 Beta 21.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels Beta 13

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- rename Advanced Light Propagation to Light Propagation Mode - add primed TNT and TNT minecart to light sources - entity light sources have more accurate positions - lights can update instantly with advanced light propagation mode (enable in shader settings -> voxelisation settings -> voxel-related performance settings. Not supported on MacOS, older graphics cards and optifine) - fix some compile errors
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0.3 MB

12 Beta 15.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels beta 12

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix some overly aggressive workarounds (cave sunlight fix, occlusion bleeding fix) - better support for modded blocks - add volumetric blocklight smoothing
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0.3 MB

11a Beta 12.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels beta 11a

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- fix volumetric blocklight with advanced light propagation - fixes related to subsurface scattering - internal preparations for new features
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0.3 MB

11 Beta 12.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels beta 11

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- Rework sun shadows - fixes
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0.3 MB

10 Beta 10.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels beta 10

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
- the ray tracer now respects offsets of cross model blocks - added distance field acceleration to ray tracing (only enabled with pixel perfect sun shadows) - fixed several cases of blocklight flickering
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0.28 MB

9 Beta 08.01.2023

Rethinking Voxels beta 9

Supported Minecraft versions
1.19.2 1.19.3
Loaders / Platforms
iris optifine
Show changes
Initial Modrinth version, based on commit `92f32f38`. Changes compared to beta8 (on complementary discord server): - fixed black lines in block light with advanced light propagation, without pixel perfect shadows. - fixed (unintentionally) glowing entities. - added translucent light tint slider.
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0.28 MB