Hardcore Darkness
by cintreck
Hardcore Darkness makes night in the Overworld and the Nether and End fog heavier, aimed at players who want darker, more oppressive dimensions.
What it does
Moon phases change how dark caves and night-time surfaces get, so pitch black conditions follow the lunar cycle instead of staying constant. Fog density in the Nether and End can be tuned with adjustable multipliers, which keeps those dimensions feeling heavy and hostile. The mod recreates pitch-black nights in the spirit of the classic True Darkness mod, updated for modern versions.
Installation requires Fabric API, and Cloth Config API and Mod Menu are optional. With Mod Menu and Cloth Config present, the tweak settings open in-game, so players adjust fog and darkness without editing files. The mod supports Distant Horizons and has an optional user interface. Shader packs can still be used with it, and Complementary Shaders is not affected by the changes, though tweaking shader settings may suit the darker look. The code is released under the CC0 1.0 Universal license, so the mod is open source. Files are available for 1.21.8, 1.21.9 and 1.21.10, with 1.0.2 for 1.21.10 as the latest build. Only the client needs the mod, and servers never need it.
Key features
Moon phase darkness
Cave and night darkness follows the moon phase, making the pitch black conditions vary across the cycle.
Fog multipliers
Nether and End fog strength can be adjusted through multipliers, keeping those dimensions oppressive.
Distant Horizons support
The mod works with Distant Horizons, so its darkness effects carry over to distant terrain.
In-game settings
With Mod Menu and Cloth Config installed, tweak options open inside the game for quick adjustment.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Optional 2
Use cases
Who it’s for: Players who want darker nights, heavier Nether and End fog, or a more hostile survival experience on Fabric 1.21.8 – 1.21.10 clients.
How it compares
True Darkness Refabricated covers Fabric 1.20 – 1.21.1, is client required with the server optional, and is released under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only. RealTimeWorld is a Fabric mod for 1.21.5 that runs on client and server under the MIT License. Enhanced Darkness is a client-side Fabric mod for 26.1 – 26.2 under the MIT License.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardcore Darkness | Fabric | 1.21.8 – 1.21.10 | Client-side only | 2025-10-07 |
| True Darkness Refabricated | Fabric | 1.20 – 1.21.1 | Client required, server optional | 2024-11-12 |
| RealTimeWorld | Fabric | 1.21.5 | Client and server | 2026-04-03 |
| Enhanced Darkness | Fabric | 26.1 – 26.2 | Client-side only | 2026-08-03 |
Questions
Does Hardcore Darkness need Fabric API?
Does the server need Hardcore Darkness?
Which game versions have files?
In the catalog
Hardcore Darkness is one of 19,031 Adventure mods on ModsFinder, and one of 10,052 Adventure mods for Fabric. 15,569 mods support Minecraft 1.21.10.
More from cintreck
Similar mods
What the author says
Hardcore Darkness recreates the pitch-black nights and fog tuning of the classic True Darkness mod for modern Fabric. For shaders, I suggest tweaking Complementary as this mod doesn't affect them.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/hardcore-darkness
- Owner
- cintreck
- Published
- 2025-09-15
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-10-07
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15