Overview#
The Beneath is a mod designed to provide a dedicated mining dimension that is both rewarding and extremely dangerous. It adds a single dimension, known as "The Beneath," which is a massive, cavernous world encased in bedrock at both the top (Y=255) and bottom (Y=0). This dimension is characterized by its absolute darkness and the presence of the Grue, a creature that punishes players who venture into the shadows without a light source.
Key features of the mod include:
- Massive Caves: The entire dimension is one giant cave system.
- Increased Ores: Ore veins are significantly more frequent and larger than in the Overworld.
- Darkness Damage: Players take damage if they stay in total darkness for too long.
- The Grue: A powerful mob that spawns in light level 0 to hunt the player.
The Beneath Dimension#
The Beneath dimension is a subterranean realm consisting of a single, enormous cave biome. It is designed to be the ultimate mining destination for mid-to-late game players.
Environmental Characteristics
- Height Limit: The dimension utilizes the full 256-block height limit of Minecraft.
- Bedrock Layers: Both the ceiling and the floor are composed of solid bedrock, preventing players from escaping into the void or onto the roof.
- Atmosphere: The dimension is naturally pitch black. Without torches, lanterns, or night vision, visibility is zero.
- Ore Generation: By default, all ores that generate in the Overworld (including those from other mods) will generate in The Beneath at double the frequency and in larger vein sizes.
- Fluids: Large lakes of water and lava can be found throughout the cavern floors.
Blocks#
The mod adds a primary functional block used to access the dimension.
Beneath Teleporter
The Beneath Teleporter is the gateway to the dimension. To use it, place the block on the ground and right-click it. This will transport the player to the same coordinates in The Beneath dimension. If a teleporter does not exist at those coordinates in the destination, one will be generated automatically.
Crafting Recipe:
| Ingredient | Position | Item |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Bricks | Corners | Stone Bricks |
| Obsidian | Edges | Obsidian |
| Nether Star | Center | Nether Star |
Grid Layout:
| Stone Bricks | Obsidian | Stone Bricks |
| Obsidian | Nether Star | Obsidian |
| Stone Bricks | Obsidian | Stone Bricks |
Mobs#
While standard mobs like Zombies and Skeletons can spawn in The Beneath, the mod introduces a unique and deadly entity.
The Grue
The Grue is the primary antagonist of the mod. It is an entity that exists only in total darkness and is designed to make mining without light impossible.
Stats:
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Health | 20 (10 Hearts) |
| Attack Damage | Variable (Usually fatal in 1-2 hits) |
| Spawn Condition | Light Level 0 |
| Speed | Very Fast |
Behavior:
- Spawning: The Grue only spawns when the player is standing in a block with a light level of 0.
- Invisibility: It is often invisible or highly translucent until it begins its attack.
- Aggression: Once it spawns, it will immediately rush the player. It can move through blocks in some configurations to reach its target.
- Despawning: The Grue will typically despawn if it enters an area with a light level higher than 0, though it may take a few moments.
Mechanics#
The Beneath introduces several unique gameplay mechanics that change how players approach exploration.
Darkness Damage
In addition to the Grue, the darkness itself is a threat. If a player stands in a light level of 0 for a set period (defaulting to 5 seconds), they will begin to take continuous damage.
- Warning: The screen may darken or pulse when the player is in danger.
- Damage Type: This is void-style damage that bypasses most armor types.
- Prevention: Staying near a light source (torch, glowstone, held light sources with Dynamic Lights) prevents this damage.
Teleportation Logic
- Coordinate Mapping: The Beneath uses a 1:1 coordinate mapping with the Overworld. If you are at X: 100, Z: 100 in the Overworld, the teleporter will take you to X: 100, Z: 100 in The Beneath.
- Safety: When a teleporter is first used, it attempts to spawn the player in a safe location, usually generating a small platform if necessary.
Configuration#
The mod is highly configurable, allowing modpack creators to balance the difficulty and rewards.
General Settings
| Config Option | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
dimensionID |
10 | The ID assigned to The Beneath dimension. |
damageAmount |
2.0 | The amount of damage taken from being in the dark. |
damageTimer |
5 | How many seconds a player can stay in the dark before taking damage. |
keepLoaded |
false | Whether the dimension should stay loaded in memory. |
Ore Generation
The thebeneath.cfg file allows for the toggling of specific ores. Users can specify which blocks should be treated as ores and how frequently they should spawn using the internal weight system. By default, the mod scans the Ore Dictionary and doubles the generation rates of all registered ores.
Data Tables#
For developers and modpack creators, the following IDs are used by the mod:
| Type | Name | Registry ID |
|---|---|---|
| Block | Beneath Teleporter | thebeneath:thebeneathteleporter |
| Dimension | The Beneath | the_beneath (ID: 10) |
| Entity | Grue | thebeneath:grue |
