Particle Interactions Config Guide for Minecraft

guide

Particle Interactions is a Minecraft utility mod that changes when and how particles appear around blocks, entities, items, minecarts, and fluids. Everything is handled through the mod's own interface and hotkeys rather than through crafting recipes. The sections below describe each group of options and what it controls.

Opening and Using the Interface

The mod's main screen is called Particle Interactions Config. Settings are organised into tabs and categories, with separator lines dividing related groups. To reach any screen or tab, use the corresponding hotkey (set it in the controls menu). Options are toggled or adjusted directly in the interface, and some entries include a desc line explaining exactly what they do.

Block Placement and Breaking

Spawn when block placed — decides whether particles appear when a block is placed.
Max particles when block placed — sets the upper limit of particles that can appear along each edge of the block when it is placed, and separately the overall maximum for that placement.
Spawn when block broken — decides whether particles appear when a block is broken.
Max particles when block broken — sets the maximum that can appear along each axis of the block when broken, plus the overall maximum for that break.

Item Use and Crafting

Spawn when item used — controls whether using an item produces particles.
Amount of particles when item used — how many appear when the item is used.
Particle Intensity — the speed the spawned particles have.
Amount of particles when item crafted — how many appear when an item is crafted.
Anvil Crafting Sparks — whether sparks appear when crafting in an anvil. This feature is incomplete and will change later.
Grindstone Crafting Sparks — whether sparks appear when grinding an item in a grindstone.
Flint & Steel Spark — whether sparks appear when lighting a block with flint and steel, and how many.

Minecart Sparks

Minecart Wheel Spark — toggles wheel sparks for minecarts.
Spawn particles at max speed? — whether sparks appear when a minecart is moving close to its maximum speed.
Particle spawn chance per wheel — the per-tick chance for each wheel, scaled by the minecart's speed.
Spawn only with passenger? — restricts sparks to minecarts carrying a passenger. A passenger means any entity riding the minecart or a block inside it, such as a chest in a chest minecart.

Entity Particles

Ambient particle spawn chance — the per-tick chance for particles to appear from an entity.
Spawn when entity is damaged? — whether particles appear when an entity is hurt.
Amount of particles on damage — how many appear when the entity is damaged.

Block Overrides

Block Particle Overrides let you replace the vanilla particles for specific blocks. Entries are applied from top to bottom, so if a block appears in two overrides, only the first enabled one takes effect. Each override asks when particles should be emitted and which blocks it applies to. One override can target all blocks not covered elsewhere; if that override is disabled, no particles spawn for those blocks. This only applies when placing, breaking, or mining blocks. Some overrides tint particles with the biome colour, or with the average or a random colour from the texture when no biome tint exists.

Other Interaction Settings

Brushing Particles — how particles look when brushing blocks. Brushing particle mode offers Vanilla-like (uses vanilla particles unless a block override exists), Dust (spawns a dust particle unless an override exists), or Disabled (no brushing particles at all).
Flint & Steel Spark and fire charge options — whether particles appear and how many when igniting a block.
Separate toggles cover stripping a log with an axe, tilling with a hoe, and flattening with a shovel.
Spawn when fluid placed — whether placing a fluid produces particles, with Amount of particles when fluid placed controlling how many appear inside the fluid. Fluid overrides also apply top to bottom, and some tint particles with the fluid's biome colour or use the fluid texture for modded fluids.

General and Compatibility

Pixel consistent block / item particles — makes particles from mining, placing, and eating pixel consistent. Disable it if other mods or resource packs cause visual problems.
Particle Z-Fighting Fix — reduces particles glitching into each other when looking down by nudging each particle upward slightly when it lands. Disable it if other mods' particles behave oddly, or if another mod already fixes this.
Advanced particle physics — controls effects such as sparks bouncing. Turning it off may slightly improve performance.

Debug Options

Toggle interaction debug logs — logs information when you interact with certain things. It turns off the next time you open the game, and the interface shows Debug Logs Enabled or Debug Logs Disabled.
Show particle emitter bounds — visualises emitter bounding boxes with a particle at the bottom north-west corner and top south-east corner. It also turns off the next time you open the game.

A caution note applies to the debug group: leave those options alone unless you have been told to change them or know what you are doing.