Joining on modern versions

/!\: Please (for the love of Scout), do NOT use these modifications and tools on other servers unless you are explicitly allowed to.

Some servers disallow these due to their blantant advantages (brightness, hacks, etc.).
If you wish to use these tools on other servers, please do your research and ask staff of other servers you play on whether (or not) these tools are allowed.
On RMC, tickets about this should not be made as this may be out of scope for server staff.

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RetroMC allows the use of certain tools, which allow players to join on modern MC versions, and this guide will make use of one of them in particular: ViaFabricPlus.
Other solutions do exist, such as ViaProxy (GUI & commandline) and DirtMultiVersion (cmdline only), but they are out of this guide's scope.

Advantages and Demerits

+ Advantages:

• Easier shader installation (via Iris Shaders and the like)
• Improved performace on some machines (Sodium and other performance mods are involved)
• More settings for video, audio, controls, etc
• Availability of most quality-of-life mods that work client-side
• A viable alternative for Apple Silicon Macintosh users stuck on macOS arm64
  • See BetaEvolutions/Apple Silicon Mac install guide if you want to use b1.7.3.

- Demerits:

• Depending on the mods you use on your instance, some or all of them may conflict with ViaFabricPlus, or they may not have a variant built for your preferred MC version
  • This is unfortunately the case with modding of this type.
• Updating this can be a bit of a struggle; related to the above factor
• Anti-cheat may stop you from doing particular actions that can be done on normal b1.7.3 clients
  • Do not try to bypass this.

Installation guide, or a loose set of instructions

1. Make an instance with your desired version (1.20.2 for example).
2. Install Fabric.
3. Install (Modrinth links are given):
   • Fabric API: https://modrinth.com/mod/fabric-api
   • ViaFabricPlus: https://modrinth.com/mod/viafabricplus
   • Any other mods of your choosing (Sodium is recommended.)
4. Launch the game, select Multiplayer, agree to the Microsoft's/Mojang's caution about third party online play, select ViaFabricPlus on the top right corner, scroll down the list, and select b1.7-b1.7.3.
5. Add a server, select the button in the top right corner to choose a version to connect with, select b1.7-b1.7.3 yet again, and input RetroMC's server address.
6. Refresh, and connect once you see "This server seems to be running!".

• 

  With default resource pack.

• 

  With Golden Days.

• 

  Partially working client player list.

Enhancements

• PoeticRainbow's Golden Days is a good resource pack, suited for this purpose: https://github.com/PoeticRainbow/golden-days https://github.com/PoeticRainbow/golden-days]
• Adrenix's Nostalgic Tweaks adds elements from older MC versions: https://modrinth.com/mod/nostalgic-tweaks/