Make Underground Mining More Visually Appealing

Increase Ambient Light for Caves

Underground areas benefit greatly from adjusted ambient lighting. In the shader menu, raise ambient light values to ensure caves aren't pitch-black, making ore spotting easier while preserving the shader's depth. This mimics how light scatters in real caverns.

Balance Torch and Block Light

Nocturne enhances how torches and glowstone illuminate surroundings with realistic falloff. Ensure your torch placement creates natural-looking pools of light rather than harsh circles. The soft shadows from torches now cast more convincing shadows on nearby blocks.

Reduce Shadow Harshness Underground

In caves, overly sharp shadows can make navigation difficult. Lower shadow intensity slightly in deep underground areas, or use the shader's distance-based settings to soften shadows in enclosed spaces while keeping them crisp in open areas.

Use Block Light Strategically

Place glowstone, lanterns, or other light sources to create atmospheric lighting. Nocturne's realistic light propagation means strategic placement looks far more natural than vanilla. Experiment with lighting designs to highlight ore deposits or create cozy mining bases.

Test Different Ore Visibility

Spend time mining in your adjusted settings. If ores remain hard to spot despite good lighting, slightly increase ambient light or reduce shadow strength until ore textures pop without sacrificing atmosphere.