A texture pack is a file that is used to change the in-game textures of blocks, items, mobs and other things. They are usually zip files that have various PNG images in them and a pack.txt. The default resolution for packs is 16×16 (measured pixels in block height and width). Anything larger is called ‘HD’ and requires a patcher to run. Official support for texture packs was added in Alpha 1.2.2.
Default vs PainterlyPack (Painterly in the center)
Installation
To install a texture pack, the file must first be obtained in a ZIP format. Without decompressing the file, place the ZIP file in:
- Windows:
%Appdata%\.minecraft\texturepacks - Linux:
~/.minecraft/texturepacks - Mac OS X:
~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/texturepacks
This path can be opened by using the Open Texture Pack Folder button from the game client.
Once a texture pack is installed, it can be selected in the Mods and Texture Packs screen accessible from the main menu (but not in-game). The texture pack list can be scrolled by dragging it up or down.
Texture Pack Creation
To create a custom pack, the files you wish to modify must be extracted from minecraft.jar with an archiving or decompression program such as WinRAR. They can then be edited with any image editing program that can read/write the PNG file format and handle transparency. A good starter choice is the free Paint.net. Edit each PNG file as desired, using the alpha layer to trim away transparent parts. Save the PNGs as 32 bits, to preserve this transparency layer. When the images are zipped back into archive, names and folder structure must be maintained (with WinRAR, just drag and drop into the right places). For a complete list of files, go to this thread.
All the blocks in terrain.png with their names.
List of Modifiable Files
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| terrain.png | All blocks |
| particles.png | All Particles |
| pack.png | Thumbnail of pack |
| pack.txt | Description of pack |
| title\ | Client intro title and splash screen |
| environment\ | Snow, rain and clouds |
| font\ | In-game font |
| terrain\ | Sun and Moon |
| item\ | In-game models for items such as signs, carts, boats, arrows and doors |
| gui\ | GUI, item thumbnails, logo and menu background |
| art\ | All paintings in game |
| mob\ | All mobs in game |
| armor\ | All Armor in game |
| misc\ | Biome grass/foliage color, Pumpkin blur and Clock dial1 |
1 Due to a bug, changes to the clock dial and grass/foliage files do not affect their respective items/blocks when installed using the Texture Pack/Mod Menu. Direct installation into the minecraft.jar file can be done instead: open minecraft.jar and the texture pack with WinRAR, then drag and drop the contents of the pack into minecraft.jar. If you mess up, just delete .minecraft/bin and it will reload once you start up Minecraft.exe. After any update, you’ll need to reinstall the pack this way.
List of Texture Packs
Native Resolution (16px)
| Name | Description | Version | Link | Latest Compatible Release | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legolord331's Redwood Texture Pack | a pack that makes the armor look more like armor of that type, glass usable, resources easier, and a few minor tweaks to the doors, workbench, Chests, and furnaces. | V 5.2 | Forum & Download | 590 KB | |
| MoviePack [Minecrafter17's Idea] | A pack with custom Green wool and more fun! download to see that! Good for movies! | v 1.0.3 | Dutch Forum/Download | 1.08 MB | |
| Bitcraft UFE | Low quality, low resolution, VNC compatible textures for VNC and nostalgic players. Some users report minor framerate increases due to the decreased video memory requirements | 1.3_01 | Forum thread | 73 KB | |
| The Voxel Box Offical - Creative Texture Pack | The VoxelBox's Creative texture pack is a complete Minecraft makeover full of extra blocks and containing several re-purposed blocks, most notably the ore textures. This gives creative builders access to new and different materials! An exciting collection of new and practical items for tools, and role play are included to replace the defaults. DataValue Chart | 4.3.2011b | [1] | 3.93 MB | |
| LAR Games Texture Pack | “The LAR Games texture pack is centered around improving the look of Minecraft without taking away from the overall experience. The entire texture pack is 100% original. This is not an edit of the vanilla Minecraft textures.” | 0.6 | Forum Direct download |
186 KB | |
| Painterly Pack | “Painterly pack is a complete, native-resolution graphics package for Minecraft which attempts to improve the graphics of the game drastically, while still keeping the native texture resolution, and overall spirit and humor of the game, intact.” ‒ Official site. Also allows customization of Texture Pack to over 1000 different textures. | Unknown | Website | 3.6 MB | |
| Nath’s SuperSimple Pack | “Nath’s SuperSimple Pack is substantially the simplest pack ever created. For those who still love to play Minecraft in a ‘Blocky’ and ‘2bit’ Texture.” | V0.4b | Forum | 186.0kb | |
| Eldpack | “This is a 16x16 pack, and has full compatibility with minecraft, no patching required.” | V3.4 | Website | 270.0 KB | |
| Pixeludi | “Winner of the official texture pack competition held by Webhallen and announced by Notch. It replaces original look of the game with one that is smoother, more natural, deep and vivid, but doesn’t temper with the game's setting.” | "Cookie!" version | Website | 378 KB | |
| Frenden | “Made by Frenden” | 6.2c | Forum | 477 KB | |
| JoliCraft | “Minecraft is a game about crafting the world around you. What better way to craft the world than to craft the very stuff the world is made of?” This pack transforms the game into a fairy tale. | 2.7 | Forum | 873 KB | |
| Zelda Texture Pack | “Legend of Zelda themed texture pack by Alyxandor.” | 04.03.11 | Fourm | 1.79 MB | |
| Kakariko Village Texture Pack | “Legend of Zelda themed texture pack by NTuneR.” | Unknown | Website | 931kb | |
| Minecraft Simple Coloured | “A very simple homemade texture pack created by HAP3E” | V1 | Description | 96 KB | |
| JokeCraft | “A texturepack which has a theme of humor inculding Skeletons wearing a Santa Suit! A texturepack made by YaYaBinksMinecraft.” | v2.3 | Forum | 1.35 MB | |
| Xaiwaker | "A modification of Frenden's Cartoon Pack, this pack is based on the visual style of Animal Crossing and the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker." | v1.7 | Forum | 1.9 MB | |
| The Red Creeper Pack | “A Painterly based compilation of painterly, Sinecraft, the default textures and brand new ones, designed to bring you your favourite mods and addons without losing your beloved texture pack. Compatible with a variety of mods, including Wildgrass and Icemod.” | v1.5.4 | Forum | 1.11 MB | |
| Cartooncraft Sadepack | A cartoony childish pack with a whole load of textures remade. | V3 | [2] | 747 KB | |
| Squirma pack | A very simple texture pack with more color added to make it nicer. | V4 | [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0q6ZWRpyXk , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh6AaVRIfCk&feature=related ] | 165 KB |
High Resolution (32px or more)
| Name | Description | Version | Link | Latest Compatible Release | Size | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixcraft HD Semi-Realistic Texture Pack | This is a high definition skin pack for minecraft that makes the game look much nicer | 27 | Forum | 18.47 MB | 32×32 | |
| GameDoku | The official predecessor to Doku's original pack (discontinued), this pack boasts lush colour, total reskins and custom mod compatibility | 2.2 | Forum | 610 KB | 32×32 | |
| Faithful 32x32 | A double resolution texture pack that stays faithful to the original Minecraft textures | 1.4 | Forum | 748 KB | 32×32 | |
| Brown & Bloom | “Made by DVan” | 1.2_02 | Forum | 342.59 KB | 32x32 | |
| LB Photo realism | High Detailed Photo-Realistic Texture Pack
This high detailed texture pack is made to let minecraft look as realistic as possible. Compatible with bumpmapping and Wild Grass. By Scuttles |
3.0 | Forum | 41,1 MB | 256×256, 128×128 and 64×64 | |
| High Detailed Photo-Realistic Texture Pack | This high detailed texture pack aims to push minecraft textures to the limit making the game not only look nice but as a high detailed version of the original textures of Minecraft. By KDStudios | 2.01 | Forum | 22.54 MB MB | 256×256 | |
| Misa’s 64×64 Realistic | Made by Misa | 1.8 | Forum | 18.47 MB | 64×64 | |
| soartex | Made by soar49 | 0.9.1 | Forum | 1.52 MB | 64×64 | |
| AaGeOn’s BumpMaft | “First of all let me say: I Love Minecraft and as a Digital Art designer it’s a game where the mind can be challenged. So I started thinking of creating my own 128×128 HD Texture Pack by creating pre-rendered textures using. Bump Mapping and Normal Mapping: Therefore: Bumpmaft.” | 1.5.9 | Forum | 18.47 MB | 128×128 | |
| Dusty Textures | A 32×32 texture pack that, instead of going for realistic “high def.” images, uses a more simplistic style, reminiscent of SNES graphics | 3.8.11 | Forum | 18.47 MB | 32×32 | |
| Tronic | Tronic is a texture pack for Minecraft that aims for a virtual or (elec)tronic feel. The biggest inspirations are probably the Metal Gear Solid VR Missions and every textureless test render ever made. | 8 | Website | 180 kB | 32×32 | |
| Albion | Loosely based on the video game Albion (hence the name). This texture pack is not so much of a themed texture pack but more of an interesting and nice looking Hi-def alternative to other 16x16 texture packs. | 2.18 | Forum | 9.43 MB | 64×64 | |
| Wild_HD Texture Pack | This is HD (32x32) Wild Texture Pack! Enjoy It! It's Unique !!! | 1.4 | Forum | 5.22 MB | 32×32 |
For a tutorial on installing high resolution texture packs go here
In order to patch you will need xau's HD patcher which can be found here [3] For a more complete list of texture packs, see the Texture Pack Central on minecraftforum.net.
Trivia
- Prior to the Alpha 1.2.2 update, users would need to manually change the texture packs by overwriting their minecraft.jar files. This is still required for HD texture packs, unless you use a patcher, such as the one found with the mixcraft HD pack.
Resources
- Vote for your favourite Texture Pack here.
- [4] The official, unofficial list of texture packs on the Minecraft Forum (over 150 textures)
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