
Rethinking Voxels
Java shader pack listed for Minecraft 1.20–1.21. File opened and checked on 26 Sep 2026; downloads from the MC Java Mods app on Android.
[WIP] A gameplay shaderpack based on complementary reimagined that has coloured block light with sharp shadows
I don't know my version or loader







Rethinking Voxels
This shader is an edit of Complementary Reimagined that aims to be decently fast (when compared to path tracing shaders) while having block lights cast sharp shadows.
Notes
The lighting system is not perfect. Occasional sudden brightness changes are a side-effect of the way it works and cannot be completely removed without hurting performance or removing sharp shadows from light sources. To do the latter, disable Per-Pixel Lighting in the Rethinking Voxels Settings.
This shader is developed on Iris, using an AMD graphics card on linux, and it is also tested on an NVidia graphics card on linux. While it usually works on other platforms, bugs that appear only there are not caught by my testing and hence they take longer to fix. To use this shader pack, the Iris shader loader is required. Beta 18d and older versions also work on OptiFine.
Contact
If you need support, please join the shaderLabs discord server, where this shader has a channel (#rethinking-voxels-gri573).
Partnership
I have entered a partnership with Ember, a Minecraft server hosting provider. This is because Ember hosts the complementary SMP server and has provided a better hosting experience / customer support than the previous hosting service, and because they reached out asking about it. If you need to host a Minecraft server and wish to support Rethinking Voxels' development at the same time, do check them out! Using the promotional code RETHINKING in a first-time purchase will redirect 70% of the first month's fee to me as well as give you a 10% discount.
Media
Video by youtube user iambeen that showcases rethinking voxels beta 18d (with custom settings), compared to the original reimagined:
- Edition: Minecraft Java
- File type: .zip (resource pack)
- Minecraft versions listed: 1.20.1, 1.20.4, 1.21.1
- How to install: Download the .zip resource pack — do not unzip it. → Put it in .minecraft/resourcepacks. → Enable it in Options → Resource Packs.
- Where to get it: Opens on Modrinth — not every file is mirrored on our own servers.
Install steps are the general flow for this file type — see the MC Java Mods guides for the full walkthrough.
- Downloads as rethinking-voxels_r0.1-beta9.zip
- Download size: 7.9 MB
- Download link checked 30 Oct 2026 — working
These come from our own check of the pack file, not from the source page.





