[DCME] Dynamic Contextual Music Engine

[DCME] Dynamic Contextual Music Engine

DCME replaces Minecraft's vanilla music system with a fully dynamic, context-aware soundtrack. Music adapts in real time to what you're doing: exploring, fighting, caving, facing a boss, or watching the credits roll.

Important: Resource Pack Required

DCME is a music engine and does not include music tracks. You need a compatible resource pack to hear music in-game. Search for [DCME] on CurseForge or Modrinth to find community-made soundtracks.

If you create a music pack, add [DCME] to your project title so users can find it.

Contextual Music

The mod evaluates dozens of conditions every second and plays the right music for the moment:

• Overworld - Day, night, dawn, and dusk each have their own soundtrack
• Weather - Rain triggers a dedicated atmosphere
• Underground - Caves and the Deep Dark get unique music
• Dimensions - Nether and The End have distinct soundscapes
• Combat (PVE) - Dynamic music kicks in when hostile mobs target you
• Combat (PVP) - Music triggers for both attacker and victim, with team protection and configurable timeout
• Bosses - Wither, Ender Dragon, and Elder Guardian each have dedicated boss themes
• Screens - Main menu and credits have their own music

Smooth Transitions

• 3 transition modes - Crossfade (simultaneous fade), Gap (silence between tracks), or Hybrid (crossfade within same group, gap between groups)
• Combat overlay - Base music fades to near-silence while combat plays, then resumes where it left off
• Boss fights - Base music is released during long boss encounters to free resources
• Dimension transitions - Audio state resets cleanly when entering portals
• End-of-track fade - Tracks fade out gracefully near the end instead of stopping abruptly

PVP Combat Detection

DCME tracks player-vs-player combat server-side. When a player hits another player, both receive the PVP combat music signal.

• Bidirectional - both players get combat music
• Team protection - players on the same scoreboard team won't trigger PVP music against each other
• Configurable timeout - music stays active for a configurable duration after the last hit (default: 5s)

Play Once (Smart Groups)

Contexts can finish their current track before transitioning, but only within the same group. Changing dimension or going from surface to underground always crossfades immediately.

Groups: overworld_surface, overworld_underground, nether, end, screen, combat, boss

Configuration

• JSON config at config/dcme.json - master volume, fade durations, gap between tracks, combat radius, PVP timeout, team protection, per-context toggles, and more
• In-game config screen via Mod Menu - toggle every context on/off, adjust PVP settings, and change transition modes without editing files
• Per-context overrides - each context can define its own volume, fade times, and gap duration

100% Customizable via Resource Packs

• Replace tracks - swap any OGG file via a resource pack
• Add new contexts - create JSON files to define new music triggers
• Override existing contexts - replace any default context with your own
• Custom conditions - biome, dimension, time of day, weather, altitude, sky light, combat, boss, structure, season, advancement, and more

See the included example resource pack and datapack for a complete guide.

Config Folder Overrides

Drop context JSONs into config/dcme/contexts/ to override any context without a resource pack. Highest priority - overrides both defaults and resource packs.

Third-Party Music Blocking

DCME blocks other mods from playing their own music to prevent conflicts. Configurable per-namespace in config/dcme.json. Jukebox music is never blocked.

Context Priority System

Compatible with

• Mod Menu - for in-game config screen
• Serene Seasons / Fabric Seasons - season-based music
• Sound Physics Remastered, AmbientSounds
• PartyAddon and any team mod using scoreboard teams

Used in the Legends Reborn: Medieval modpack.