Screenshot 1 of 2. A character stands on a leafy tree block in a green forest under a blue sky with soft haze in Tricked Shaders.
What Tricked Shaders works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Iris, OptiFine |
| Minecraft versions | 1.8, 1.16.5, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.11, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
Tricked Shaders is a vanilla-like shader pack for Java that runs on Iris and OptiFine. It is a modified take on Mellow Shader that lowers overall brightness while keeping color and clarity, giving a deeper, more atmospheric look at a modest performance cost. It runs on the player's own machine only.
Shader loaders and versions
- Iris and OptiFine: Minecraft 1.8 to 26.3. Some builds for 1.19 to 1.21.7 require Sodium and Iris Shaders.
Look and feel
The pack refines what is already there instead of chasing hyper-realism. The End, the Nether and the overworld each feel more balanced and richer under every lighting condition. Modrinth tags it low to medium on performance, with colored lighting, shadows and atmosphere. The author describes performance as respectable on their own hardware, so treat that as a loose guide.
Features
- Several preset color schemes, plus easily adjustable colors.
- An extensive, customizable fog system and multiple cloud styles.
- Shadows from either a lightmap or a shadowmap.
- Color grading with saturation, exposure and a color balancing tool.
- Compatibility with Distant Horizons, Voxy and Colorwheel.
Installation
- 1.Install Iris on Fabric or NeoForge, or use OptiFine.
- 2.Place the pack's .zip file in your shaderpacks folder.
- 3.In Iris, open Video Settings, then Shader Packs, and select Tricked Shaders.
Questions about Tricked Shaders.
4 questions
How do I install Tricked Shaders?
Put the pack's .zip file in your shaderpacks folder, then select it in Video Settings under Shader Packs with Iris, or in the shader menu with OptiFine. A shader loader is required: Iris on Fabric or NeoForge, or OptiFine. Bedrock cannot run either loader, so this pack is for Java only.
Does Tricked Shaders work with Distant Horizons?
The feature list names Distant Horizons, Voxy and Colorwheel under broad mod compatibility. Use the latest Iris, since any Iris release that supports custom uniforms should work. OptiFine has some small bugs but should also mostly work, so Iris is the safer choice for this pack.
How is Tricked Shaders different from Mellow Shader?
It is a modified take on Mellow Shader. It reduces overall brightness without hurting color or clarity, so the End, Nether and overworld look deeper and more balanced. Settings profiles were removed so they do not disturb your own settings. The pack only updates when Mellow gets a big visual upgrade.
Does Tricked Shaders run on Mac?
Modern Nvidia, AMD and Intel GPUs are supported on Windows and Linux. Macs may or may not work. Only 1.17 and newer are actively tested, so older releases are uncertain. The pack is for Java only and cannot run on Bedrock.
