One of the most realistic and impressive texture packs I’ve seen is Realism Mats. It completely overhauls many of Minecrafts blocks and textures to make the game feel more real. This is mostly thanks to its support of RTX and 1024x resolution textures. The developer’s clearly put a lot of work into this resource pack, using a combination of software including 3DS Max, Mudbox and Photoshop.
Unfortunately, the resource pack is only available to players on Minecraft Java Edition. Console systems simply would not be able to run a pack of this calibre, and it also requires Shaders (specifically SEUS PTGI for RTX) to get the full potential out of it. You don’t need an RTX Card to use this shader either. There is a buy-in to Realism Mats, you’ll have to contribute towards the development of the pack via the developers Patreon.
Below, you can see what the pack has to offer. To get the results shown on the image below, you will require Shaders. For more Minecraft content including Guides & Best-of lists for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Pocket Edition, make sure to check out our dedicated area here!
The Textures
We’ve gone into Minecraft and taken screenshots of the same scene with and without Realism Mats. You can use the slider shown on each image below to flick through the differences.
To get started, one of the most impressive blocks have to be the Bookshelves. Instead of being the flat boring texture that we’re used to, now they’re fully 3D. Surprisingly, even the books themselves will be random in variation with each of them having different covers which all reference Minecrafts Enchantment system.
[twenty20 img1=”19028″ img2=”19027″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Normal Minecraft” after=”Realism Mats”]As you walk past, the metallic labels which have the names of different enchantments will also glimmer as they reflect nearby light sources. Another impressive change is the Redstone & Rails system. As you can see on the image below, the rails look much more crisp, reflective and of course, realistic. Though the biggest change is that rails are now 3D, looking like real tracks instead of cardboard.
[twenty20 img1=”19039″ img2=”19038″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Normal Minecraft” after=”Realism Mats”]Redstone has turned into actual cables too, with torches being replaced by electronic looking towers which feature buttons and even USB ports on top, clearly visible thanks to the impressive 1024x resolution textures.
Grass and other plants have also changed massively. Grass, which was previously some thin 2D textures is now thick, 3D and represents the lush grass we see in real life. Leaves are also completely reworked, now looking thicker and more realistic due to the fact they are no longer block shaped. Now, leaves venture from the tree in random directions. It’s quite impressive getting up close to the leaves, as they are incredibly high detailed and will make for some interesting builds.
[twenty20 img1=”19031″ img2=”19030″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Normal Minecraft” after=”Realism Mats”]On the image below, you can see a big change in a few blocks. Firstly, Gravel now has a high definition texture of actual gravel, instead of being small bland squares. Iron Fences which normally look like prison cells also have a more commercial look, showing the type of fences you might see in a theme park. Other things worth noting in this comparison is the Sand which now blends between blocks, and the Vines and Leaves on the Brick building.
[twenty20 img1=”19041″ img2=”19040″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Normal Minecraft” after=”Realism Mats”]Finally, lets take a look at the changes to Minecrafts armor sets. Below, you can slide between the Vanilla Iron, Gold and Diamond armor sets and compare it to Realism Mats. Sadly, the image doesn’t do it justice, as you can’t see every bit of metal reflect as you walk on by. Check out the video at the top of this page to see reflections in action. Either way, it really looks like the armor of a champion, or a warrior.
[twenty20 img1=”19024″ img2=”19023″ offset=”0.5″ before=”Normal Minecraft” after=”Realism Mats”]There’s so much more to this pack that we haven’t even scratched the surface. There’s changes to weapons and tools, light sources, ore blocks and it even adds some new furniture items.
