**This datapack is a "vanilla+" cave generation datapack that aims to be faithful to the underground vanilla experience, and is originally inspired by the Minecraft Live 2020 Caves & Cliffs showcase.** ## Cave Generation Features

🚣 Cave Lakes

- **large, Minecraft Live 2020 style aquifers** will generate in many areas - larger caves will sometimes support large aquifers to **allow boating to be feasible** - underwater magma has been redistributed to better help underwater exploration especially in more open spaces ![a stone-based dripstone cave lake with a smooth shoreline and light pouring in from the entrance above](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/01245d32915af2f52d7afbab93d49a58d39187cc.png) ![a chestboat parked along the the stony shore of a pancake cave lake transitioning towards a dripstone cave biome](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/c3f7c4188862c52e3c80f68c276436df8d3bc950.png)

🥞 Pancake Caves

- a type of [cheese cave](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Cave#Cheese_cave) that is much wider than they are tall, and often very smooth in appearance - pancake caves come in many sizes, but can rarely become very massive, spanning past higher render distance ranges - pancake caves, under the right aquifer generation conditions, will sometimes relatively replicate the Minecraft Live 2020 "giant cave lake" boating scenery ![a moderately sized pancake cave, much wider than tall, scattered with pillars and an entrance in the distance](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/27af4f0a956ef50b94cb5f41dcf7f9a443de3753.png) ![a smaller pancake cave, much wider than tall (not much taller than a player), with scattered glow lichen illuminating the space](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/48723204d27bd53f2de8ca0008543d0e744341bd.png)

🍜 Udon Caves & Cave Rivers

- a type of [spaghetti cave](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Cave#Spaghetti_cave) that is often much wider than vanilla spaghetti caves, and with very slow elevation change - **udon caves that align with aquifer generation can often create "cave rivers"** ![an udon cave river running through a larger cavern with a mineshaft sprawled out](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/c5da4c28f9d27169548ae1c74a06d3c45bcf8c71.png)

👷 Noodlier Noodles

- in addition to existing [noodle caves](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Cave#Noodle_cave), another group of noodle caves will generate that are slightly roomier, and will sometimes stretch more horizontally ![a slightly roomier noodle cave variant transitioning to dimly lit areas](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/1c53b389af5034d09f51dc8ddd8a01330b21a7f1.png)

🔥 Classic Cave & Ravine Changes

- the classic "[cave carver](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Cave#Carver_caves)" type caves (pre-1.18) have slightly more unique shapes to them and are a little more prevalent - regular caves can be a little larger, especially in width - **ravines can be a little longer, a little wider, curve a little more, and also generate in deepslate, down to lava level** - this makes them feel more in-line with Minecraft 1.18+ cave generation ![a deepslate-embedded lava level ravine with another cave carver intersecting, and a lava spring pouring out of the wall](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/ebfe8310e5f14391b4e0b560d3aecceecae956a8.png) ![a slightly wider than tall stone-based carver cave](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/00829da8dc6a4edc09d2974a57a1d610db5fea47.png)

💡 Glow Lichen Redistribution

- glow lichen will generate more often in scattered patches compared to single isolated pieces - this also brings more contrast between spaces that are brighter and others that are darker - glow lichen will generate much more in dripstone caves - this creates an overall 'glow' to the dripstone in some patches, simulating bioluminescent speleothem growth - glow lichen will also generate more in some aquifers ![a dripstone cave lake, with patches of glow lichen illuminating some of the speleothems, as well as parts of the lake in patches of kelp](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/63893a1e56157ff28fd1be1421724e8359a93b24.png)

🌿 Lush Cave Warm Waters

- lush caves use the warm ocean color for any water ![a lush cave lake intersected by a ravine, colored by turquoise warm waters and inhabited by glow squid](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/1779b1b92902f4623bac35d5f30086b45cd4a650.jpeg)

🪸 Aquifer Greenery

- **aquifers will generate with some patches of kelp** - this can bring some life to underwater cave explorations, supplementing some of the underwater magma and glow lichen - kelp will generate significantly more in dripstone caves ![the view from the bottom of a dripstone lake with deep blue water and kelp columns stretching toward the surface, with the faint silhouettes of the surrounding cave visible](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/e515b34205d47c8f5265d6db36d5126b0f1d2abf.png)

🟫 The Return of Dripstone Patches

- occasional small dripstone patches will generate randomly in any cave, like in Minecraft 1.17

⛏️ Mineshaft Generation & Loot

- mineshafts generate 1.5 times more often compared to vanilla - **mineshaft loot will include loot that may be helpful to water-related caving adventures**

Loot Changes & Additions

- gear randomly enchanted with mending, unbreaking, depth strider, aqua affinity, or respiration, depending on the item: turtle shells, iron boots - extended (8:00) potions of water breathing - lanterns, instead of iron ingots - rebalanced enchanted books equivalent to level 15 enchanting with some mending mixed in - some other default Mineshaft loot is reduced to help inventory management

🔮 Unique Amethyst Geodes

- **geodes will generate with a wider variety of sizes and shapes** - generation will sometimes relatively replicate the Caves & Cliffs Part II Trailer geode scene ![a very large, more uniquely shaped interior of an amethyst geode](https://cdn.modrinth.com/data/55yjTUnX/images/e72ff1166432321d9d74e9059179dc20c75d6448.png)

💎 Boosted Large Ore Veins

- large copper and iron ore veins are a little more prevalent than before

## Questions & Answers

What inspired this?

The name, Perlinescent Caves, is inspired by the word "pearlescent", and "Perlin" noise that is a staple of world generation. This pack is the culmination of over 3 years of exposure to learning more about game development, discussions around it, and the considerations of ideas that go into vanilla Minecraft. Individual ideas stood out for a while, starting originally with the desire to have more variation in geode generation, and materialized when I started up a Minecraft server with some friends.

What was taken into consideration while designing the content?

Everything was centered around trying to maintain the base vanilla experience and principles. The highlight of the pack, cave lakes, were by far the most iterated on, primarily to find the right balance between aesthetics and functionality. It's easy to get cave lakes to generate, but it was a real challenge to get them to generate in a way that respects cave accessibility. What good are cave lakes/rivers, if it's extra difficult to traverse the underground because its too flooded and always getting in the way? Some aspects of this pack were to help give places for cave lakes/rivers to exist (pancakes and udon caves), some were to help spice up the aesthetics (kelp generation), and some were to help with traversibility (Mineshaft generation & loot, and extra noodles).

How faithful is this to the base vanilla generation and vibe?

Most major caves you can find in the base vanilla game are respected-- that is, are in the same locations, and will be mostly or exactly the same shape, but overlapped with either cave lakes, or have additional caves intersecting them, or both. So you can use known seeds to put a new layer of paint over them.

How long did it take to make?

The first ideas were made (January 2023). However, the vast majority of the work done came in a few shorter, large bursts of energy that often lasted a couple to few weeks with hours-long days of hyperfocus, with months-long lulls between. This pack has gone through over 400 iterations, and making datapacks was learned from scratch.

Can this be backported?

Yes, but not at the current time. Backports to Minecraft 1.19, and 1.18 will be done at an unknown time, likely in the next few months, and will be posted here. A backport to any version prior to Minecraft 1.18 is not possible with the way this was developed, and will not be considered. The pack/mod for 1.20.x will be posted shortly, hang tight.

Will this pack be maintained for future versions of the game?

Yes, this pack will be **prioritized** as the game updates to newer versions, both major and minor.

Is this compatible with--?

For packs/mods that affect terrain/cave generation, the answer will generally be at least semi-compatible. If it has custom underground biomes, some features may not generate. Some may still generate different cave shapes and cave lakes/rivers. However, I won't be able to always provide answers to every specific case. Try making a copy of a world and testing it out before committing to it.

Can I make a video on this, and/or post about it?

Please do! If making a video, please link to this Modrinth page.

Do you take feedback?

I would love your feedback! If you have any dislikes, please be mature and constructive. Please reach out to me on my Patreon, or my social media linked there. I would also love to see screenshots of your adventures-- feel free to tag me!

## Other Remarks Thank you for your interest in this! I hope you have a magical time playing with it ^_^ Thank you to everyone that expressed excitement for some of the features in this, has advocated for my work, given any feedback, and/or supported me on Patreon!

Datapacks

Curated by

Alex's Caves X Woodworks/FD