Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky
If the default starfield in Minecraft feels too uniform, this client-side mod gives you full control over the night sky. Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky lets you tweak star size, density, color, and even the End sky—all without altering world generation or server files. It is a lightweight visual tool that pairs well with shaders and resource packs, and it requires only Forge and the Cloth Config API to run.
What the Mod Offers
Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky is a port of ideas by b3spectacled, designed as a companion for old-school terrain generators like Modern Beta. It can even recreate the star appearance from pre-1.3.1 Minecraft. The mod operates entirely on the client side, so you can use it on any server without requiring the server owner to install anything. All changes are visual and affect only your local game.
Installation and Compatibility
To get started, download Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky and place it in your mods folder. You must also have Forge installed and the Cloth Config API mod present—without it, the in-game configuration screen will not function. The mod is compatible with modern Minecraft versions running Forge; always check the mod page for the exact version list. For a hassle-free setup, you can use a launcher like foxygame.net, which lets you browse and install mods directly from its interface, avoiding manual file management.
How to Install
- Install Forge for your Minecraft version.
- Download Cloth Config API and place it in the mods folder.
- Download Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky and add it to the same folder.
- Launch the game. The mod will generate a config file at
config/customstars.json. - Adjust settings via the JSON file or through Mod Menu if you have it installed.
Configuration Deep Dive
All customization happens in the JSON config. The main parameters control star size, count, and brightness. The base size (default ~0.15) sets the minimum star dimension, while the max size multiplier (default 0.1) introduces variation—larger values create more prominent, scattered bright spots. Setting the multiplier to zero makes all stars identical in size. The star count defaults to around 1500; increase it cautiously to avoid performance drops on lower-end systems. A separate brightness multiplier fine-tunes overall luminosity without re-adjusting density.
Noise, Color, and Moon Clear Zone
For a more organic look, enable the noise map feature. You can define a seed, threshold, and the percentage of stars that follow the noise pattern instead of random placement. A higher threshold clusters stars into tighter groups. Color options include a single uniform hue, fully random shades, or a custom RGBA list. The mod also provides a moon clear zone: you can prevent stars from rendering over the moon’s disk, choosing between a square or circular mask and adjusting its size. This avoids visual conflicts with custom moon textures.
Night Sky and End Sky Tinting
Beyond stars, you can tint the night sky background by setting RGB values (0–255). The End dimension has its own set of controls: sky texture scale, RGB tint, and an alpha multiplier for layer brightness. These tweaks change the atmosphere without affecting gameplay mechanics, making the End feel more personalized when combined with shaders.
Classic Preset for Pre-1.3.1 Feel
If you want to replicate the starfield from early Minecraft versions, the recommended preset is: base size 0.25, max size multiplier 0.25, and leave other settings at default. This serves as a solid starting point; you can then adjust brightness and color to match your memory of the old nights.
Why Use Custom Stars for Forge: Customizable Night Sky for Minecraft
This mod is a precise, no-bloat solution for players who care about sky aesthetics. It does not add new blocks, mobs, or world features—just a configurable star layer. Because it is client-side, it works on any server and never causes compatibility issues with other mods. Pair it with your favorite shaders and resource packs, and always test settings on your hardware to keep FPS stable. For a quick and clean installation, consider using a modern launcher that supports direct mod management.