Instead of Vibrant Visuals, Minecraft Java is getting a different visual upgrade in Chase the Skies update

Minecraft Java is set to receive the upcoming Chase the Skies, the much-awaited game drop that is set to introduce a host of new features and changes. However, unlike the Bedrock edition, Java will not receive the Vibrant Visuals overhaul. Instead, it will receive a major overhaul to a popular in-game mechanic that will significantly improve the atmospheric immersion during gameplay.

Here's everything you need to know about the visual upgrade Minecraft Java is receiving instead of Vibrant Visuals.

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Minecraft Java is getting a major visual upgrade instead of Vibrant Visuals in the Chase the Skies update

Chase the Skies will introduce a new fog mechanic for the Java edition of Minecraft (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

The upcoming Chase the Skies game drop will introduce an array of features to the game, including the much-awaited happy ghast and other new items. Apart from this, it will also add Vibrant Visuals, the single biggest shader-like overhaul in the game that will introduce features such as volumetric lighting, directional shadows, and more.

However, unlike the Bedrock edition, Java will not be receiving Vibrant Visuals. Instead, the upcoming Chase the Skies update will bring a major overhaul to the fog mechanics. The fog has been tweaked for improved atmospheric perspective, making it foggier when it rains.

The fog overhaul in Minecraft Java adds much-needed atmosphere to biomes like deserts and badlands (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

Additionally, major changes have been implemented with regard to the shader fog in Minecraft Java. As part of the changes, it has now been split into environmental and render-distance-based. Previously, both were combined in the same uniforms, and this resulted in uneven distribution of fog across biomes and surrounding areas.

Environmental fog is supposed to represent the "fogginess" of the environment the player is currently in, such as lava, water, and now also the expansion to the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the render distance fog is supposed to obscure the border of visible terrain right up to the selected render distance.

Fog is now more prominent and dense (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

Essentially, the environmental aspect uses spherical distance to determine its intensity, while the render distance fog uses cylindrical distance to generate fog. The combination of these two aspects in Minecraft Java results in immersive and dense fog, which is much more realistic in terms of generation and spread.

As a result, the fog value for any given vertex is now the maximum of both, creating more immersive and better-quality fog. Fog is a major aspect of the atmosphere in any game, and this new generation mechanic adds more realism to the vanilla gameplay in Minecraft Java.

Additionally, Mojang has confirmed that Vibrant Visuals will arrive in Minecraft Java in the future, making the new fog mechanic a seamless blend when the visual upgrade arrives. Players can check out the host of biomes with special fog effects and enjoy biomes like the Pale Garden in a new light.

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