Complementary Shaders 1.21.6 → 1.21.5

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Minecraft Shaders

Review

How to install

Changelog

Complementary Shaders 1.21.6 → 1.21.5 is a popular Minecraft shader pack for Java Edition. It makes the game look better by adding many cool effects. It has a special look with quality detail and performance. When it comes to unique visual style, very few shader packs come close to what it can offer. Just like BSL shaders and others, this shaderpack can refine your graphics. 

Complementary shader improves the visuals of Minecraft to a great extent. It makes lighting, shadows, reflections, and water effects look better. These changes make the game feel more natural and fun. The shader pack also lets you change settings. You can adjust things to fit what you like and what your computer can handle. One of the best things about Complementary Shader is its balance of quality as well as performance. The developers made the shaders work well on various computers, including older ones. This means more players can enjoy better visuals without the game slowing down.

Complementary Shaders come with two different visual styles; these are Complementary Shaders Unbound and Complementary Reimagined. The only difference between these two styles is the default settings.  The Complementary Shader Unbound style is for people who want a more realistic look. The Reimagined style keeps Minecraft’s unique look but makes it better. Since being created in 2020, it has gotten over 30 million downloads – quite impressive, right? 

To download and install this shader pack, you will need the following:

  • A computer or device capable of running shaders.
  • A compatible version of Minecraft such as 1.19, 1.20, and 1.21.6
  • An installer Minecraft tool such as Optifine or Iris.
  • Basic knowledge of how to install mods and shaders in Minecraft.

Some alternatives of Complementary Shaders will be explained below:

  • Sildur’s Shaders: This adds numerous changes to Minecraft’s visuals. These could be advanced effects like volumetric lighting; bloom; and ambient occlusion. 
  • BSL Shaders: These give a good mix of detail and performance. They improve Minecraft’s graphics with realistic lighting; shadows; and textures. 
  • Bliss Shaders: It has been created to make Minecraft look peaceful. They use soft, vibrant colors; gentle shadows; as well as a calming feel.

In conclusion, complementary shaders give Minecraft players a way to make their game look better with amazing graphics as well as realistic effects. There are two visual styles to choose from – Complementary Shaders Unbound and Complementary Reimagined. Such makes it perfect for different game profiles. Also, these shaders work well on many devices. Always remember their disadvantages as mentioned earlier.

Features

Complementary Shaders can be described as giving Minecraft a new look! It makes everything appear cooler brighter, more vivid, and realistic while making your game fun and smooth to play. It does this:

  • Bright and Natural Light
    The world glows with beauty, much like a sun-filled day in the real world.
    Shadows appear soft and cozy while the sun or moon moves across the sky.
  • Cool Water Effects
    Water shimmers and ripples as it does in a lake or pond.
    Scuba dive! It’s a world of underwater that’s bright and clear.
  • Amazing Skies
    You can look up and see the fluffy clouds fluttering by!
    Sunsets and sunrises are vibrant and magical. At night the moon and the stars shine brightly.
  • Runs Smoothly
    Even if your system isn’t the most powerful This shader is well.
    You can alter the settings until it is ideal for your particular setup.
  • Atmospheric Fun
    Misty fog makes mountains and forests appear more mysterious.
    Sunlight rays beam through windows and trees creating a dreamy look.
  • Beautiful Colors
    The colors are more vibrant and thrilling, yet it still feels similar to Minecraft.
    You can change the color or soft everything appears If you wish!
  • Shiny Blocks and Textures
    Certain blocks are cool, particularly shiny ones such as diamonds and gold!
    It’s great with the help of special resource packs as well.
  • Rain and Snow Upgrade
    Rain makes everything appear like it’s shiny and wet. It’s also perfect to jump in the puddles!
    Snow appears delicate and soft as real snowflakes.
  • Easy to Use It
    It is compatible with a variety of modifications and resources packs which means you can enjoy your preferred way of playing.
    It is easy to modify the settings and you can adjust the game appear exactly how you want it to.

Gallery

Comparison

How to Install BSL Shaders?

To use Complementary Shaders in Minecraft 1.21.5, download the shader pack, install Iris or OptiFine, and activate it in your video settings. This pack enhances lighting, shadows, and sky colors for a more immersive experience. Need help? Our full guide walks you through each step.

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Complementary Shader Links

Please note the following information:

  • Some shaders have not been updated for version 1.21.6 of Minecraft. However, all shaders have been tested and are confirmed to work correctly in Minecraft 1.21.6.
  • All download links are original and sourced from the creator. We do not host or modify any files. Our role is solely to provide direct links to our users, ensuring security and quality.
  • Additionally, browse the best shader packs for Minecraft, grouped by category for easier navigation.

We have compiled helpful installation guides to ensure correct installation of this shaderpack in your Minecraft. Follow these guides for a seamless installation experience.

Before Installing

Backup Guide

It is strongly advised to create a backup of your Minecraft map before updating the game to new versions to ensure the safety of your progress.

Locate the Folder

Locate your Minecraft installation folder. The default location for the Minecraft folder varies depending on your operating system:

  • Windows: %appdata%.minecraft
  • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft
  • Linux: ~/.minecraft
Make a Copy

Once you’ve found the Minecraft folder, make a copy of it and paste it into a different location, such as an external drive or a backup folder on your computer.

Save and Restore if Necessary

The copied Minecraft folder will serve as your backup. If anything goes wrong during the mod installation process or if you want to revert to the original state, you can replace the modified Minecraft folder with the backup.

Java Installation Guide

Optifine and Forge require Java to be installed on your computer in order to work properly with Minecraft.

Download the Java installer

Visit the official Java website here: On the website, click on the “Download Java” button.

Run the installer

Once the installer is downloaded, locate the file and double-click on it to run it.

How to Install Complementary Shaders with OptifineRECOMMENDED

install icon
OptiFine Loader
Required 1.8.8+
  • Support Forge / Vanilla
  • Shaders Compatibility
  • Extra Features
  • FPS Boost
  • Optimized Textures

Step by Step

Download Optifine:

Download the appropriate version for your Minecraft.

Install Optifine

Once the Optifine file is downloaded, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install it

Download Shaders:

Download the Shader package that is compatible with your Minecraft version.

Launch Minecraft with OptiFine

Open the Minecraft launcher and select the newly installed OptiFine profile to launch the game.

Locate the Shaders option

Once in the game, navigate to the “Options” menu, then select “Video Settings,” and click on “Shaders.”

Install Shaders

In the Shaders menu, you’ll find a “shaderpacks” folder button. Copy the downloaded shader pack’s zip file into this folder.

Enable the shader in Minecraft

You should see the installed shader pack listed in the in-game Shaders menu. Select it to enable the shader.

How to install Complementary Shaders with Iris & Sodium?ALTERNATIVE

install icon
Iris Loader
Required 1.16.2+
  • Support Fabric / Quilt
  • Performance Boost
  • Shaders Compatibility

Step by Step

Download Iris:

Download the latest version of the Iris installer.

Install Iris

Locate the downloaded Iris Installer and open it.

Choose installation type:

  • Iris Install: Select this option if you don’t plan on using any other mods alongside Iris.
  • Fabric Install: Opt for this option if you intend to use Iris with Fabric and other mods. The Iris jar files will be copied to the mods folder within the .minecraft directory.
Download Shader:

Download the Shader package that is compatible with your Minecraft version.

Launch Minecraft

Launch the Minecraft launcher. Choose the profile you decided to install in the previous step.

Install Shaders

Navigate to Options > Video Settings > Shader Packs within the game.

Drag and Drop

You can directly drag and drop the BSL shaders zip file into the Minecraft window to install a shader pack.

Complementary v5.4

  • Added special light shaft behaviour for the new Pale Garden biome
  • Advanced Colored Lighting related changes:
  • Added Advanced Colored Lighting support to the new Creaking Heart and Open Eyeblossom
  • Added 24 and 32 chunk options for Advanced Colored Lighting
  • Added an error message when the player is too far away from the world origin for Advanced Colored Lighting to work, or when Shadow Distance setting is set lower than the Advanced Colored Lighting distance
  • Tweaked light cast from end portals to be more dominant over other lights
  • Tweaked orange stained glass light tint and orange candle light color (if Colored Candle Lighting is enabled)
  • The Ultra profile now sets Advanced Colored Lighting to 16 chunks of instead of 12 chunks
  • IntegratedPBR Changes:
  • Added extra glow to the new Open Eyeblossom, eyes of Creaking, and Creaking Heart
  • Added the usual PBR properties for the new pale garden blocks and foliage
  • Added a fade out effect for snow layers that are far away and higher than the player to mitigate aliasing
  • Added glowing functionality to target blocks when they are powered
  • Added specular properties to sponge, wet sponge, and target block
  • Tweaked redstone torches to no longer look pink in newer Minecraft versions
  • Tweaked candles to have a more noticeable light gradient
  • Tweaked the “Glowing Armor Trim” IntegratedPBR option to be less intense and not apply to netherite trim material (any other materials on netherite armor will still glow)
  • Slightly tweaked reflections on leaves and iron golems
  • Azalea bushes now use a moss-like material to mitigate some bad looking situations
  • Removed the lightmap tweak specific for deepslate and tuff blocks
  • Fixed torches having incorrect lighting on their wood bits in newer Minecraft versions
  • Fixed some entities losing their IntegratedPBR properties when taking damage
  • Fixed reflective held items having temporal artifacts when moving around (Iris exclusive feature)
  • Pixelation related changes, all thanks to Junder-2 and Nestorboy:
  • Added “Pixelated Blocklight” option that makes light cast from light source blocks pixelated
  • Added “Pixelated Edge Shadows” option that makes Minecraft’s vanilla ao pixelated
  • Improved the “Pixelated Shadows” option to work on much more surfaces and more consistently
  • Improved the look of Colored Light Fog in situations that have bright light sources close to the camera
  • Improved the behaviour of Scene Aware Light Shafts near large glass structures
  • Improved blending of Reimagined cloud shadows when Double Reimagined Clouds option is enabled
  • Improved detection of custom skyboxes on Iris
  • Added an option to disable World Outline on entities
  • Changed the “Light” blocks so that they no longer have their own light color or light fog with ACL
  • Slightly tweaked Distant Light Bokeh to give sharper results
  • Distant Light Bokeh option is now enabled by default
  • Slightly increased the default Intensity value of Colored Light Fog from 0.60 to 0.65
  • Light shaft multiplier settings no longer affect underwater light shafts
  • Fixed Connected Glass ACL Feature being broken in Iris 1.8+. With the added bonus of it being more precise in Iris 1.8+ than before
  • Fixed a game crashing issue regarding some AMD graphics cards
  • Fixed the sky brightness and color changing too quickly around early sunrise and late sunset
  • Fixed vanilla sun being cut off below a certain height near the horizon in Iris 1.8 to 1.8.4
  • Fixed clouds looking extra noisy when entities are behind them. This fix is enabled when Cloud Quality and Detail Quality are both set to High or above
  • Fixed some modded items having insanely bright handheld lighting
  • Fixed reflective held items looking too noisy when using custom PBR resource packs
  • Fixed incorrect shadows inside boats in newer Minecraft versions or when RP Support is changed
  • Tiny changes related to reflections on entities
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