🌄 Public Beta – Version 1.7.0 (Beta 2)

Here we go again—round two! This second beta for version 1.7.0 irons out the initial hiccups from Beta 1 and packs in even more refinements. As always, your feedback is crucial, so dive in, break it, and let me know what else you find!

And yes, we're closing in on half a million downloads—almost 500k! Absolutely wild. Thanks again, everyone, for your amazing support.

Join the community on Discord – espens-shaderpacks

What's Improved in Beta 2

Major Fixes and Improvements

• Performance Recovery
  Fixed a major oopsie from Beta 1 where some experimental SSAO settings slipped through, causing significant performance hits. SSAO is now back to being efficient and reliable!

• Dimension Compatibility Restored
  Addressed critical issues that broke rendering in the Nether and the End dimensions. Adventure away, interdimensional travelers!

• CurseForge is Here!
  Good news—CurseForge download is now officially available and live. Check it out if that's your preferred platform!

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Recap: New Features from Beta 1

Enhanced Distant Horizons Support

• Fully overhauled backend integration for smoother distant rendering.
• Stability and visual improvements for expansive vistas.

Held Items Now Emit Light

• Holding torches or glowstone lights your surroundings dynamically—perfect for caves and building sessions.

Optional Pixelated Effects

• Nostalgia mode activated: pixelate your world for some retro charm.

Slick Motion Blur

• New cinematic motion blur—adds fluidity and depth to movement.

Improved Underwater Fog

• Simplified, efficient, and visually superior underwater effects—clearer and richer underwater exploration.

Cleaner Water Reflections

• New clarity-enhancing settings for pristine reflective surfaces, enhanced by SSR.

Revamped Volumetric Mist

• Improved visuals and performance—optimized for gameplay clarity, lighting, and more options coming soon.

Rewritten Fog Density System

• Fog visuals are now simpler, more stable, and visually consistent even at extreme distances.

Square Highlights (Experimental)

• Optional Minecraft-authentic highlights, available as a beta setting.

Volumetric Self-Shadowing

• Adds extra realism and depth to mist and fog environments.

Extended Shadows (Fake Shadow Drawing)

• Enhanced shadow coverage option, ideal for distant LoD views—choose between real and simulated shadows.

Skybox & Nametag Enhancements

• Skybox rendering now supported.
• Nametag stability and rendering greatly improved.

Tons of Under-the-Hood Tweaks

• Countless minor fixes, tweaks, and code optimizations for overall stability and polish.

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Dive in, enjoy, and keep the feedback flowing! Beta 2 brings 1.7.0 even closer to prime-time, thanks entirely to your testing and support. Let's keep pushing forward to 500k!

– Espen