How to create your own Minecraft mod

January 20, 2023

What happens if you become bored playing Minecraft? Modding is the answer. Modding is the answer! Mods can alter everything in Minecraft, from cookies to rockets. But wouldn't it be great to make your own mod?

These are just a few steps to get you started on your path to creating your own Minecraft mods.

Getting Started with MCreator

MCreator, which is advertised as “The Best Minecraft Mod Maker Ever”, is a free tool that allows you to create your own Minecraft mods. You don't need to write code, but you can if necessary.

Start by visiting the MCreator Download Page and downloading a version that matches your current Minecraft version.

The download page explains which version of MCreator is required. However, if you are running Minecraft version 1.12.2 then you will need MCreator version 1.7.9.

Once you have selected a version, you can download MCreator to your operating system. All operating systems are supported, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Linux.

Download and run the executable file EXE if you are running Windows. The installation process for Linux or Mac is slightly more difficult, but the MCreator installation manual provides detailed instructions.

Once MCreator is up and running, it will take some time to get everything in order. It will need to download the Minecraft Forge Development Kit and all dependencies, then compile. It may take some time depending upon your internet speed and computer, but once it's done, it won't need it again.

Once you have configured your account, MCreator will prompt you to sign in with your Pylo account. If you don't already have an account, press Skip.

Everything is now ready for use. The main menu for MCreator is displayed on the screen. You can import and export your current settings, install mods created by others, or create your own mods.

Writing your first Minecraft mod

In this example mod, we will create a super diamond ore. This will allow us to mine a large number of diamonds instead of just one or two. You might also be inspired by great Minecraft mods.

You will need a texture to create your new block. This is an image that defines the block's appearance. This image could be made of stone, wood, or any other custom artwork. This example uses the diamond ore. However, you can use any art.

Select Tools from the top menu. Select Create item/block texture. This will open the Texture Maker. Here you can create your texture based on existing Minecraft artwork.

Four layer controls are included in the texture maker. These controls allow you to choose artwork or a color. All of these are combined into your final texture.

Except for Layer 1, all layer controls have the same three settings. These settings are, from left to right:

1. Select an artwork using the drop-down menu or popout interface. Color picker: Click on the three dots to select a color for this layer.
3. Lock saturation and brightness: These limits the layer color brightness. You can play around to find what you like.

Once you have created your artwork, click on Use at the bottom and then Block to choose the texture type. To return to the Workspace page, click Exit. Your texture will now be listed on the workspace page.

Select Mod Elements from the left-hand menu under the Workspace tab. This is where your mod will be created using your texture.

The New Mod Elements button is located at the top left. It looks like a large plus.

Although the New Mod Elements page may seem overwhelming, it is very easy to use.

Enter a unique name for Name of the element. This is not used in Minecraft. It's used in MCreator and in the Minecraft code as an identifier.

You can choose the type of your new element by choosing the element type. The default Block will work for this super diamond. If you are working on a different mod such as a command, mob, or tool, select the appropriate type.

To return to the Texture page, click OK. This page allows you to assign your texture to the block and also configure transparency and block dimensions.

The Block textures area is located to the left. Each side of your block is represented by six squares. You can use a different texture on each side, but in this case, they will all use one texture.

Click on each square and choose your texture. Then, press OK.

There are many settings available on this screen, but Name in GUI is the most important. This is the name of your block in your inventory. Any name will do. But make sure it is descriptive. For this block, “super-diamond” is a good name.

If you are unsure what a parameter is, click the small question mark beside the name. This will load the MCreator documentation.

To make this block drop another block when mined by ticking the box next to Doesn't drop itself. Click the small rectangle next to Block that drops. This will load the Block/item selectionor. This menu will allow you to search for and select the block that you wish to drop.

Finally, change the Drop amount to a reasonable number. 10 is a good starting point, as we want the super diamonds to produce a large number.

To go to the particle settings, select Next. Here you can modify the block animation. You are free to experiment, but this is not required for the super diamond mod.

You can leave the inventory settings of the Block at their default and then choose Next. You can customize what happens to this block when an event occurs on the Procedures page. This is not required for this mod. Instead, press the Next button.

The Block spawning/generation property page lets you set when, where and how often your new block will spawn. To have your mod block spawn in the game, tick Generate in World.

You can leave the other settings as they are or customize them to make your modded blocks more common.

Exporting your Minecraft Mod

Once you have created your mod, export it ready to be used in Minecraft.

Click the Export workspace to mod file button at the bottom left hand side of the Workspace toolbar. This will make your mod available for Minecraft to import. Your mod will include all the modifications to more than one block.

Note: You can work on multiple mods simultaneously by switching to a different workspace in the main menu.

Mod details offers options for packaging your mod. You can enter a name and version, description, as well as creator details. If you wish to upload an image, The File extension is the most important option. This option should be left on default.JAR.

Once you are done, click Recompile and Export. This will package your mod. However, it may take some time depending upon your computer and how many things you have changed.

After agreeing to the terms of usage, you can choose a location in your file system to save your completed mod.

Importing Minecraft Mods with Minecraft Forge

Once your mod is done, you can import it into Minecraft.

Minecraft Forge is required to install this mod or any other mod. Forge is a simple and straightforward way to add custom mods to Minecraft.

Download an installer for your Minecraft version and operating system from the Forge homepage. Run the installer and, if prompted, choose Install client.

Once you have installed Minecraft, launch it or restart it. To launch Minecraft, press the up button to the right of your play button. Select Forge. This will load Minecraft with Forge. You will need to do it every time you want to use your mod.

Forge running in Minecraft will make things look completely different. You will find additional text at the bottom and a Mods button.

Click the Mods button to see your mod not visible. Install your mod into Forge/Minecraft. You will need to copy and paste your mod into Minecraft's mods folder.

– This is in AppData/.minecraft/ on Windows.
– This is in Library/Applications Support/minecraft on Mac

If you have pasted your mod while Minecraft is running, you may need to restart Minecraft. You will see your mod in the mods menu. It will include description, title, image, and creator information. Well done!

In this example, the “super_diamond”, which is visible alongside all other blocks, is visible.

Where will your Minecraft Mods take you?

Modding Minecraft is a great way to add variety to the game. But it's even more fun if you create the mod yourself. Once you've learned the basics of building blocks, you can start to create more complex mods.

If you want to continue customizing, you can take a look at Minecraft's command blocks. You might also enjoy these custom game content.