Connecting Texture Type

Connecting Texture Type

Connecting textures are textures with a special layout that allows them to connect to other blocks. Under what circumstances a connecting texture connects is configurable. Connecting textures can also be combined with other texture types and can be animated.

Connecting textures have the following properties:

Note

Connecting textures also support all properties of the base texture type.

key	values	default	description
layout	pieced,simple,full, vertical,horizontal, compact,overlay	full	Layout of the image
connections	A connection predicate or array of connection predicates	is_same_state	The conditions for when the texture should connect in a certain direction
sub_texture	Texture metadata	None	Metadata used for each tile as if each tile were its own texture
per_tile_animation	true or false	false	Whether each tile contains its animation frames

Here is an example of what the metadata file for a connecting texture could look like:

{
  "fusion": {
    "type": "connecting",
    "layout": "pieced",
    "connections": [
      {
        "type": "is_same_block"
      },
      {
        "type": "match_block",
        "block": "iron_block"
      }
    ],
    "sub_texture": {
      "type": "random",
      "rows": 5,
      "columns": 5
    },
    "per_tile_animation": true
  }
}

Layouts

Fusion offers 5 connected texture layouts: pieced, simple, full, vertical, horizontal, compact and overlay. This section will go over all the layouts. If you are getting started and are unsure which layout to use, the pieced layout is recommended.

Tip

Templates for all the connecting texture layouts can be found in the Fusion Examples repository.

Note

In some cases, you may need only a few tiles of a layout. You can do so without wasting resources by leaving the unnecessary tiles completely empty. Empty tiles (fully transparent) won't be processed or stitched to the texture atlas.

Pieced layout

The pieced layout has only 5 tiles and works by combining corner pieces from each. It does not have quite the same capabilities as the full or simple layouts, but it is able to create a bordered texture whilst requiring far fewer tiles.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "pieced" } }

Simple layout

The simple layout allows textures to connect to their four direct neighbors. This is ideal for textures which aren't affected by diagonal connections.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "simple" } }

Full layout

The full layout allows textures to connect to all eight neighboring blocks, so also diagonally. It is the most extensive layout and thus also allows for the most control over connections. Most of the other layouts can also be achieved using the full layout, however it is advisable to use a simpler layout if possible to avoid duplicate tiles.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "full" } }

Vertical layout

The vertical layout allows textures to connect just vertically.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "vertical" } }

Horizontal layout

The horizontal layout allows textures to connect just horizontally.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "horizontal" } }

Compact layout

The compact layout consists of only 5 tiles and is intended to give a seemingly complex connection pattern with little effort. It contains an end tile, a center tile, a vertical section, a horizontal section and a cross section.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "compact" } }

Overlay layout

The overlay layout is intended for block overlays and works by overlaying multiple tiles to get the correct connections.

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "overlay" } }

Connection predicates

To determine how a connecting texture connects, you can use connection predicates. When picking which tiles to use, Fusion first evaluates the connection predicates for all eight neighboring directions of the texture, one direction at a time. This results in a true/false flag for each direction. From these flags, the layout picks the tiles to use.

There are 13 types of connection predicates available:

• is_same_block: true if the block in the connection direction is the same as the model itself
• is_same_state: true if the block in the connection direction is the same and has the same block properties as the model itself
• match_block: true if the block in the connection direction matches the specified blocks
  • block/blocks: a block or array of blocks that should be matched
  • ignore_missing: boolean, when true any missing blocks will be ignored, useful for modded blocks which may not always be present
• match_state: true if the block in the connection direction matches the specified blocks and the specified block properties
  • block/blocks: a block or array of blocks that should be matched
  • properties: an object where each key is the name of the property and its corresponding value is an array with allowed values for the property
  • ignore_missing: boolean, when true any missing blocks will be ignored, useful for modded blocks which may not always be present
• match_block_in_front: true if the block in front of the block in the connection direction matches the specified blocks
  • block/blocks: a block or array of blocks that should be matched
  • ignore_missing: boolean, when true any missing blocks will be ignored, useful for modded blocks which may not always be present
• match_state_in_front: true if the block in front of the block in the connection direction matches the specified blocks and the specified block properties
  • block/blocks: a block or array of blocks that should be matched
  • properties: an object where each key is the name of the property and its corresponding value is an array with allowed values for the property
  • ignore_missing: boolean, when true any missing blocks will be ignored, useful for modded blocks which may not always be present
• is_direction: true if the connection direction is one of the specified directions
  • direction/directions: a direction or array of directions that should be matched, directions top, top_right, right, bottom_right, bottom, bottom_left, left, top_left
• is_face_visible: true if the face of the block in the connection direction is visible, i.e. not covered by some opaque block
• and: true if all specified predicates are true
  • predicates: predicates that all need to be satisfied
• or: true if at least one of the specified predicates is true
  • predicates: predicates of which one needs to be satisfied
• not: true if the given predicate is not true
  • predicate: predicate of which the inverse will be taken
• true: always true
• false: always false

Examples of connection predicates

is_same_block

{
    "type": "is_same_block"
}

is_same_state

{
    "type": "is_same_state"
}

match_block

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch.

{
    "type": "match_block",
    "block": "restone_torch"
}

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch or a Cogwheel from Create. If Create is not installed, create:cogwheel will be ignored.

{
    "type": "match_block",
    "blocks": ["restone_torch", "create:cogwheel"],
    "ignore_missing": true
}

match_state

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch that is off.

{
    "type": "match_state",
    "block": "restone_torch",
    "properties": {
        "lit": "false"
    }
}

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch that is off or a Rose Quartz Lamp from Create that is off. If Create is not installed, create:rose_quartz_lamp will be ignored.

{
    "type": "match_state",
    "blocks": ["restone_torch", "create:rose_quartz_lamp"],
    "ignore_missing": true,
    "properties": {
        "lit": "false"
    }
}

match_block_in_front

Evaluates to true when the block in front of the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch.

{
    "type": "match_block_in_front",
    "block": "restone_torch"
}

Evaluates to true when the block in front of the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch or a Cogwheel from Create. If Create is not installed, create:cogwheel will be ignored.

{
    "type": "match_block_in_front",
    "blocks": ["restone_torch", "create:cogwheel"],
    "ignore_missing": true
}

match_state_in_front

Evaluates to true when the block in front of the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch that is off.

{
    "type": "match_state_in_front",
    "block": "restone_torch",
    "properties": {
        "lit": "false"
    }
}

Evaluates to true when the block in front of the block in the connection direction is a Redstone Torch that is off or a Rose Quartz Lamp from Create that is off. If Create is not installed, create:rose_quartz_lamp will be ignored.

{
    "type": "match_state_in_front",
    "blocks": ["restone_torch", "create:rose_quartz_lamp"],
    "ignore_missing": true,
    "properties": {
        "lit": "false"
    }
}

is_direction

Evaluates to true for connection direction right.

{
    "type": "is_direction",
    "direction": "right"
}

Evaluates to true for connection directions top and bottom.

{
    "type": "is_direction",
    "directions": [ "top", "bottom" ]
}

is_face_visible

Evaluates to true when the face of the block in the connection direction is visible.

{
    "type": "is_face_visible"
}

and

Evaluates to true when the face of the block in the connection direction is visible and the block in the connection direction is gravel.

{
    "type": "and",
    "predicates": [
        {
            "type": "is_face_visible"
        },
        {
            "type": "match_block",
            "block": "gravel"
        }
    ]
}

or

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is sand or the block in the connection direction is gravel.

{
    "type": "or",
    "predicates": [
        {
            "type": "match_block",
            "block": "sand"
        },
        {
            "type": "match_block",
            "block": "gravel"
        }
    ]
}

not

Evaluates to true when the block in the connection direction is not sand.

{
    "type": "not",
    "predicate": {
        "type": "match_block",
        "block": "sand"
    }
}

Sub-textures

Connecting textures can be combined with other texture types. This is achieved through the sub_texture property. When sub_texture metadata is specified, each tile is essentially treated as its own texture with that metadata.

Here is an example of a connecting texture combined with a random texture:

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "vertical", "connections": { "type": "is_same_block" }, "sub_texture": { "type": "random", "rows": 2, "columns": 2 } } }

Animation

Connecting textures can also be animated. The setup is the same as for a vanilla animated texture.

Tip

A description of the vanilla animation metadata is available at the Minecraft Wiki.

Here is an example of an animated connected texture:

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "simple", "connections": { "type": "is_same_block" } }, "animation": { "frametime": 10 } }

Per tile animation

With large layouts, the different frames for a tile are spread far apart. To combat this, you can use the per_tile_animation property. When per_tile_animation is true, the different frames are instead grouped per tile.

Here is how the previous example would look with the per_tile_animation property:

{ "fusion": { "type": "connecting", "layout": "simple", "connections": { "type": "is_same_block" }, "per_tile_animation": true }, "animation": { "frametime": 10 } }