Entity Texture Features [ETF] (1.16.5 → 1.21.8)

For years, OptiFine was considered a must-have Minecraft mod. If you wanted shaders, emissive mob eyes, or randomized textures, OptiFine was your go-to. But as the game evolved, especially with the rise of Fabric and performance mods like Sodium, Lithium, and Iris, OptiFine started to feel more like a relic. It’s bloated, slow to update, and often incompatible with modern optimization tools.

Like many players, I found myself in a dilemma. I love custom resource packs. I love glowing spider eyes in the dark, wolves with different fur patterns, and the immersive detail that randomized entities bring. But I also hated being tied to OptiFine, especially when the Fabric ecosystem offered smoother, more lightweight alternatives.

That’s when I discovered Entity Texture Features (ETF) a mod designed to bring OptiFine’s beloved emissive and random entity features to Fabric and Quilt, without all the baggage.

What ETF Actually Does ?

At its core, ETF brings three main features:

• Emissive Textures: Makes parts of mobs glow in the dark, like spider or enderman eyes, or any glowing patterns designed by resource packs.
• Random Textures: Lets mobs have multiple skins randomly applied, so every cow, pig, or zombie doesn’t look identical.
• Custom Textures: Opens up even more flexibility for resource pack creators to experiment with unique mob appearances.

What makes ETF special is not just that it mimics OptiFine it does so in a lightweight, modular way. You’re not forced to download an entire performance mod you don’t want. Instead, you can simply install ETF alongside your Fabric optimization stack, and it just works.

My Experience Testing ETF on 1.21.5

I tested ETF on Minecraft 1.21.5 with Sodium, Iris, Lithium, Indium, and Continuity. My world was a mix of survival and creative builds, with a custom resource pack that supported emissive eyes and random animal skins.

First Impressions

The first night in survival after enabling ETF was a game-changer. I was mining near a cave entrance when I saw something glowing. At first, I thought it was redstone ore. But then I realized it was a spider. Its eyes glowed a deep, menacing red, cutting through the darkness. That moment was exactly the kind of immersion I missed when leaving OptiFine.

Later, while exploring plains, I noticed that not every cow looked the same. Some had lighter coats, some darker, and even subtle variations in spots. It’s a small thing, but the effect is massive: the world feels alive. Villages full of identical villagers or fields of carbon-copy sheep suddenly look varied and natural.

Performance Impact

The biggest surprise? Zero noticeable FPS drop. Even with Iris shaders active, my performance stayed stable. This is where ETF shines compared to OptiFine: it’s not trying to be a do-it-all mod. It focuses on entity textures only, which keeps it lightweight.

Compatibility

ETF worked flawlessly with my resource packs. The emissive layer for zombies’ eyes and custom wolf coats loaded instantly. Continuity (for connected textures) and CIT Resewn (for custom item textures) also worked fine side by side. In short, ETF slotted perfectly into the Fabric ecosystem.

Community Voices

While testing, I also looked at what other players were saying on Reddit and modding forums. Here are some recurring themes:

• “ETF is the final piece that made me ditch OptiFine entirely. Now I can run Sodium + Iris and still have all the mob variety I want.”
• “For resource pack creators, ETF is huge. We can finally design emissive and random entities for Fabric users without telling them to install OptiFine.”
• “The only downside is that it doesn’t replicate 100% of OptiFine’s features. But honestly, for emissive and random mobs, it’s flawless.”
• “I installed it on my Fabric SMP server, and now everyone sees the same random wolves and glowing spiders. It’s a small touch that makes the world feel more alive.”

The general consensus: ETF is lightweight, essential, and almost invisible once installed. You forget it’s there until you realize your mobs look and feel more real than ever.

The Small Things That Change the Game

One of the best things about ETF is how it adds variety and immersion without altering gameplay mechanics. Minecraft is already atmospheric, but when mobs aren’t identical, the effect multiplies.

• Walking through a forest at night and spotting glowing eyes makes it feel like a predator is stalking you.
• Villagers with subtle outfit variations make towns feel more dynamic.
• Wolves and cats come in more than one coat pattern, making them feel like actual pets instead of clones.

These are cosmetic changes, sure, but Minecraft has always been about immersion. ETF turns mobs into characters rather than simple models.

Comparing ETF to OptiFine

ETF isn’t trying to be OptiFine. It doesn’t include shaders or optimization tools. Instead, it pairs with Fabric’s best-in-class performance mods to replace the features of OptiFine that players actually miss.

Here’s how it stacks up:

• Performance: ETF + Sodium + Iris = smoother than OptiFine alone.
• Features: OptiFine still has a few extras (like dynamic lights), but most of these have Fabric replacements (LambDynamicLights, etc.).
• Updates: ETF updates faster because it’s modular and focused.
• Flexibility: With ETF, you only add what you need, instead of being locked into OptiFine’s all-in-one package.

In practice, ETF makes OptiFine obsolete for anyone who cares about modern performance and flexibility.

Who Should Use ETF

ETF is a no-brainer if:

• You’re on Fabric or Quilt and don’t want OptiFine.
• You use custom resource packs with emissive or random entity textures.
• You want mobs that feel varied and alive.
• You’re building a server and want everyone to share the same immersive entity visuals.

You might not need ETF if:

• You only play vanilla with default textures.
• You never notice cosmetic details like emissive effects.
• You’re still sticking with OptiFine and don’t mind its drawbacks.

But for most players, especially those already using Fabric optimization, ETF feels like a must-have.

My Verdict After Long-Term Use

After weeks of playing with ETF installed on 1.21.5, I can’t imagine going back. The emissive effects completely changed how I experienced caves and night exploration. Random mob textures made my survival world feel hand-crafted instead of procedurally generated. And the fact that all this came with zero performance hit sealed the deal.

ETF isn’t flashy in the way shaders are, but it quietly transforms Minecraft. It makes your world feel richer, more organic, and more alive all without changing gameplay mechanics.

Entity Texture Features (ETF) (1.16.5 → 1.21.8) is the unsung hero of the Fabric ecosystem. It brings back the little things that OptiFine users loved glowing eyes, varied mobs, custom textures but without forcing you to sacrifice performance or compatibility.

If you’re running Sodium, Iris, or any modern Fabric setup, ETF plugs right in. It’s lightweight, stable, and once you use it, you’ll never want to play without it.

I tested it on 1.21.5, and I can confidently say: ETF is one of those mods that feels invisible at first, but completely transforms the atmosphere of Minecraft once you notice it.