photonics_compatibility

Take Note

Please have a look at the documentation on the Photonics wiki for the ph_light.json file before continuing to understand how ray-traced lights are specified for Photonics.

Defines

Within the ph_light.json file, which is how shaders communicate information about blocks to Photonics, variables may be created that can be referenced with *variable. To create such variables, you will need to create a .json file within the photonics/defines folder.

The file should take on the structure of the section which would be placed under the parameter defines in ph_light.json. For instance,

{
  "colors": {
    "example_color": "#ffffff",
    "example_color2": "rgb(1.0, 1.0, 1.0)"
  },
  "intensities": {
    "default": 1
  },
  "radii": {
    "default": 1
  },
  "falloffs": {
    "default": 1
  }
}

All files within this folder will be merged to form the final defines segment of the ph_light.json file.

Light Groups

To ensure that the emissive blocks within your resource-pack are compatible with Photonics, you will need to create light-groups and assign the relevant blocks to them.

To create a light-group, you will need to create a .json file within the photonics folder (or a sub-folder).

JSON Format

The structure of the final ph_light.json is hierarchal. All light groups inherit properties such as their color, intensity, radius and falloff from their parent groups. This hierarchal structure is represented in a series of nested folders with child light groups being placed in a sub-folder, whose name is specified in the overrides parameter.

Take Note

The children of a sub-folder can be contained within different resource-packs as long as the path to the folder is the same. You are highly encouraged to have a look at the light groups available by default and place your custom light groups under an appropriate parent.

The parameters of these JSON files are as follows. Bolded and italicized parameters are required.

group - The unique name of this light group. Ensure that it is unique as this is used within the material shaders to determine which light group the material will be added to.

color, intensity, radius, falloff, etc. - These parameters are added verbatim into ph_light.json. See the documentation on the Photonics wiki for more information. In the case where these may change with certain settings, they are be specified as follows,

"intensity": {  
  "conditions": ["!defined GLOWING_EMERALD_BLOCK"],  
  "value": 0  
}

or in the case of multiple conditions (including a final else, which is indicated by the lack of a condition)

"intensity": [  
  {  
    "conditions": ["EMISSIVE_REDSTONE_BLOCK"],  
    "value": "*full_block"  
  },  
  {  
    "value": "0"  
  }  
],

overrides - This specifies the sub-folder where all the child light groups are contained.

Adding Blocks

There are two options for adding blocks to light groups. First, the relevant blocks can be added within the blocks parameter. This is used in the default *.json files that are used to reconstruct ph_light.json. However, this is not recommended.

The second way is to add the blocks via the light_group parameter within the material shader .json files. The format is identical to the format for specifying the blocklight colours, except that instead of identifying light groups through their resource path, they are identified directly by name.

For instance, to add blocks to light groups conditionally, the conditions are filled identically while color is renamed to light_group.

{  
  ...
  "blocklight": {  
    "color": "supplemental_patches:enderscape/celestial_growth",  
    "conditions": [  
      "DO_IPBR_LIGHTS",  
      "GLOWING_CELESTIAL_GROWTHS"  
    ]  
  },  
  "light_groups": {  
    "group": "celestial_growth",
    "conditions": [  
	  "DO_IPBR_LIGHTS",  
	  "GLOWING_CELESTIAL_GROWTHS"  
	]  
  },
  ...
}

Light Modifiers

By default, Euphoria Patches applies a handful of light modifiers such as a flickering effect on fire (requires ReSTIR mode). Supplemental Patches allows defines the following light modifiers by default:

Name	Usage
minecraft:flickering	Can be used on any block that should flicker. The same flickering settings are applied from Euphoria Patches are applied.
minecraft:normal_fire	Applies both the flickering effect and blocklight colour changes from Euphoria Patches’ Soul Sand Valley Overhaul Option and Purple End Fire options.

To specify these on various blocks, see the documentation on opaque blocks where the JSON parameter light_modifiers is documented.