Lechat's Shader Pack

A performance-focused Minecraft shader pack with multiple quality profiles, dynamic lighting, and customizable water effects. Designed for flexibility across a wide range of hardware configurations.

Please note that the project is in beta version, graphics may not be what you expect, and some bugs can remain !

Feel free to contact me on Discord (@lechat87) if you encounter any bugs !

Overview

This shader pack delivers a balanced visual experience with five distinct performance profiles. From minimal-impact POTATO mode for low-end systems to feature-rich ULTRA mode for high-end setups, each profile is carefully tuned to provide optimal visuals without sacrificing playability.

Key highlights include profile-based fog and water systems, dynamic day/night lighting cycles, and extensive customization through the shaders.properties configuration file.

Features

Technical Features

• Multiple Performance Profiles: Five preset configurations (POTATO, LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, ULTRA) tailored to different hardware capabilities
• Profile-Based Fog Settings: Each profile has optimized fog parameters, with POTATO mode offering a clean no-fog aesthetic
• Profile-Based Water Features: Adjustable wave height and reflection intensity scaled per profile
• Customizable Settings: Fine-tune your experience via the shaders.properties configuration file
• Optimized Codebase: Fixed syntax errors and optimized lighting calculations for stable performance
• Balanced Brightness: Consistent lighting levels across all performance profiles

Visual Features

• Dynamic Lighting: Realistic day/night cycles with smooth transitions
• Water Effects: Animated waves with adjustable height and reflective surfaces
• Atmospheric Effects: Configurable atmospheric scattering per profile
• Underwater Rendering: Fixed underwater view with improved visibility
• Tone Mapping: Realistic color grading for natural-looking scenes
• Clean Aesthetic: Bloom disabled intentionally for a crisp, uncluttered look

Performance Profiles

Profile Details

POTATO

• Disabled fog for maximum visibility and performance
• Basic water rendering without wave animation
• Minimal post-processing overhead
• Ideal for achieving high frame rates on limited hardware

LOW

• Light atmospheric fog for depth
• Simple wave animations
• Reduced effect complexity
• Good balance for budget GPUs

MEDIUM

• Standard atmospheric scattering
• Moderate wave height and reflection
• Full feature set at reduced intensity
• Recommended for most modern systems

HIGH

• Enhanced atmospheric effects
• High wave height with water refraction
• Improved reflection quality
• Suitable for dedicated gaming GPUs

ULTRA

• Maximum visual fidelity
• Reduced fog density for crystal-clear long-distance views
• Extreme wave height (2.0x) with full reflection intensity (1.0)
• All advanced features enabled
• Requires high-end graphics hardware

Water Effects

The shader pack features a sophisticated water rendering system with profile-scaled parameters:

Wave Height Scaling

• POTATO: 0.5x (minimal animation)
• LOW: 0.6x (basic movement)
• MEDIUM: 1.0x (standard waves)
• HIGH: 1.5x (pronounced waves)
• ULTRA: 2.0x (extreme wave height)

Reflection Intensity

• Adjustable from 0.3 (subtle) to 1.0 (maximum reflectivity)
• Profile-tuned for optimal visual balance
• Dynamic based on viewing angle and lighting conditions

Additional Water Features

• Underwater View Fixes: Improved visibility and color correction when submerged
• Smooth Transitions: Seamless blending between above and below water
• Surface Reflections: Environment mapping for realistic water surfaces
• Refraction Effects: Light bending at water surfaces (HIGH and ULTRA profiles)

Installation

1. Download the shader pack ZIP file
2. Place the ZIP file in your Minecraft shaderpacks folder:
   • Windows: %appdata%/.minecraft/shaderpacks/
   • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/shaderpacks/
   • Linux: ~/.minecraft/shaderpacks/
3. Launch Minecraft with OptiFine or Iris/Oculus installed
4. Navigate to Options > Video Settings > Shaders
5. Select the shader pack from the list
6. Click Done to apply

Requirements

• Minecraft 1.16.5 or newer (recommended)
• OptiFine HD U G5 or newer, OR
• Iris Shaders / Oculus (for Fabric/Forge mod loaders)
• OpenGL 4.0 compatible graphics card (minimum)

Configuration

In-Game Settings

Access shader settings through: Options > Video Settings > Shaders > Shader Options

Select your desired performance profile from the dropdown menu. Changes apply immediately without requiring a game restart.

Advanced Configuration

For advanced users, edit the shaders.properties file located in the shader pack directory:

shaderpacks/
  Lechats-Shaders/
    shaders/
      shaders.properties  <-- Edit this file

Key Configuration Options

Tips for Best Performance

• Start with the POTATO or LOW profile and increase settings gradually
• Monitor your frame rate using the F3 debug screen
• Reduce render distance before lowering shader quality
• Close background applications for improved performance
• Update your graphics drivers to the latest version

Troubleshooting

Low Frame Rates

• Switch to a lower performance profile
• Reduce Minecraft render distance
• Disable V-Sync in video settings

Visual Artifacts

• Ensure your graphics drivers are up to date
• Try switching between OptiFine and Iris/Oculus
• Reset shader settings to defaults

Water Not Rendering Correctly

• Verify you are using a compatible Minecraft version
• Check that your GPU supports the required OpenGL version
• Try resetting the shader pack configuration

License

This shader pack is provided as-is for personal use in Minecraft. Redistribution or modification should respect the original licensing terms of any included code libraries.