When using heightmaps for parallax or relief effects, the visible intensity of the effect decreases noticeably as the texture resolution increases.
In other words, the higher the resolution of the texture, the shorter (and weaker) the shadows or depth effect become.
As a result, heightmaps are effectively unusable with high-resolution textures, even though the same heightmap works correctly on low-resolution textures.
It appears that the shadow length or parallax offset scales with the texture’s resolution, which should not happen.
The shadow length (or perceived depth) should remain consistent regardless of the texture resolution, so that heightmaps produce the same visual effect on all texture sizes.
Steps to Reproduce:
Create two textures of the same image, e.g., one at 16×16 px and another at 256×256 px including heightmaps.
Load them into a resource pack with vibrant visuals enabled.
Compare the visual effect in-game.
Expected Result:
The heightmap effect (shadow or depth displacement) should remain identical regardless of texture resolution.
Actual Result:
At higher resolutions (e.g., 256×256 px), the shadow length becomes much shorter, and the effect is barely visible or disappears completely.
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Comments 4
Thank you for your report!
After consideration, the issue is being closed as Working as Intended.
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Thank you for reviewing my request.
Unfortunately, I am unable to understand this decision. I do not see the intention behind making heightmap effects unusable at higher resolutions, or is there a counterexample where an effect remains visible even at a higher resolution?
In my opinion, an identical height profile (even if it has different resolutions) should lead to the same result, just as it does with normal maps. Java shader implementations handle this in a much more reasonable and understandable way. In the end, this results in a poorer experience for Bedrock players, since impressive visual effects that are possible with Java shaders cannot be replicated here.
Hi!
Could you please add a world pack with example of this issue?