Get the Most Out of Refractal's Water and Liquid Distortion

One of the main features of Refractal Shaders is the distortion effect on water and other liquid surfaces. Here is how to see it at its best and build places that show it off.

Find the best viewing angles

1. Stand at the shoreline of a calm lake or river and look across the surface at a low angle. Distortion is easiest to notice when you see a lot of the surface at once.

2. Look straight down into shallow water. Compare how the sand, gravel, or plants on the bottom appear warped through the surface.

3. Keep the camera still. Motion blur kicks in when you turn or move. Pause for a moment so you are seeing the liquid effect on its own.

4. Check other liquids. The pack applies distortion to liquid surfaces beyond water, so compare how different liquids look in your world.

Build a showcase pool

To see the effect clearly, give it something to distort:

• Dig a shallow pool and line the floor with high-contrast blocks. A checkerboard of white and black wool or concrete is a good choice.
• Fill it with water using buckets. The sharp lines on the floor make the warping very obvious.
• Add lighting such as lanterns or glowstone around the edge so the pool is easy to see at night.
• Place the pool near a build so the water sits in the foreground of your screenshots.

Because the pack keeps vanilla block textures, your pool will still look like normal Minecraft. Only the liquid itself takes on the refracted, rippling look.