Mine modification or Minecraft mods refer to the process of adding custom blocks and items to Minecraft world that allows users to enhance the open-ended game by blending in new mobs, tools, and more.
Game developers Mojang launched Minecraft, a multiplayer computer game. The game's theme was centered on survival with an open 3-d pixelated world and characters in it. Nobody could have foreseen how popular and important Minecraft would become, and it remains one of the best-selling and most influential games of all time.
Not only that, the game is as popular as ever, and people still release mods for it.
What Do Minecraft Mods Do?
Minecraft mods come in different forms, out of which the following are some of the most common things that you can expect from them:
- Add new objects, tools, and monsters to the game.
- Change the appearance of blocks, goods, or creatures during gameplay.
- Give players additional skills and unique abilities.
- Allow for tweaks to the player's speed.
- Change or create new environments and scenery.
- Modify Minecraft's visuals.
- Incorporate fantastic gadgets and other equipment into the game.
Different Categories of Mods
Minecraft mods are divided into three different categories.
- Client-based mods
- Server-based mods
- Mod packs
Client-based mods
These mods work on your local computer. Mods that fall into this category are mainly what the kids can learn online, which involves the modification of the Minecraft file called .jar.
Server-based mods
These mods allow players to modify further the official Minecraft server software, which lets the children play multiplayer and cross-platform games online with their friends. In addition, they're designed in such a way that makes it a lot easier for admin servers by setting up special privileges for commands that also include banning players.
Mod packs
This mod consists of a collection of various mods specifically designed and configured to make each mod work compatibly together when the program is run. These mods are focused on common and popular themes.
Why Are Minecraft Mods Popular?
The charm of Minecraft modifications has been that they increase the video game's playability for free. Many players were publicly vocal about their discontent with video games that had little to no gameplay in the 90s.
Back then, the typical video game structure was straightforward and one-way track to the finish line--with a defined beginning and end, as well as a foreseeable reward structure. Unfortunately, this grew tedious soon, and most players began to shun games that only permitted one type of play and a slight possibility of fresh surprises outside of additional material.
Mods for Minecraft, in essence, livened up and broadened the game experience. They keep devoted gamers motivated and involved while also inviting new, fresh gamers to explore the world of Minecraft.
When players become tired of their present gaming, they may simply download and install new material. And, as a result of the favorable reaction, the Minecraft modding community is just growing.
How to Create Minecraft Mods?
Creating mods for just about any game is simple. Still, Minecraft takes it to a whole new level since its target audience is primarily young kids and teenagers, so making mods isn't exactly difficult. It just needs some time and attention.
Minecraft has run on Java which is its primary programming language, since the launch of the game. Java is a cross-platform programming language and one of the most convenient options to go for when it comes to children's coding language. The language itself is used for commercial and professional applications, including android apps, operating systems, and Minecraft.
With javas code, players can add a dash of mod flair to Minecraft as much as they want.
Some Mod Examples
Minecraft Mod is an excellent way for players to explore beyond the basic fundamentals, which essentially introduces them to industry-level java coding.
Some of the most basic examples of mods are:
- Custom tools
- Custom armor
- Custom food
- Mob and entity mods
Custom Tools
In Minecraft, players use tools to perform certain actions like mining, destroying, and picking certain crops. These tools make it a lot easier for players to acquire items, helping them reduce the time they may spend on procuring them by hand. Some examples of these tools are coal tools, pickaxes, metal sticks, etc.
Custom Armor
In Minecraft, specifically in the survival mode, a player needs to have quick access to items that may provide energy or protection. Similarly, armor is one item that gives the players a different degree of protection from common or minor damages that may appear on the player.
This category includes different items that may offer the player some protection like chest plates, boots, helmets, leggings, etc. These can be activated by allotting them in designated slots of a player's inventory.
Custom Food
In Minecraft, even the food is customizable. Players need to restore their hunger points in survival mode, which can only be done once a player consumes food. The two visible food stats, hunger level and saturation level, determine whether a player needs food or not.
Mob and Entity Mods
This category focuses on all the objects in Minecraft that are capable of moving around in the Minecraft world. Entities include sheep, cows, and chickens, whereas the mob basically has anything that moves.
Mobs, however, are entities that are inherently hostile towards the player and want to harm them. Mobs may include creepers, spiders, and zombies. There are ways to get rid of them too, which you can look up online.
Mod Process Examples
Not only can you add mods of your choice to your Minecraft world, but you can also follow a basic process that may allow you to add these mods to Minecraft that may look something like:
Food Texture
First, you will need to start by creating a custom food texture.
Custom Food Class
Next, players can create a class for the food that they customize.
Element Constructor
Once the food class is created, you will need to add to the constructor; for example, the mod allows players to consume food even when their hunger points are full.
Potion Effect
Allows players to make their food more interesting; a potion effect is added when they consume it. These potions either give them strength, make them invisible, or just add whatever effect they need to add to their gameplay. Just look up commands and add them to your game.
Is It Possible To Mod Minecraft Realms?
As of now, the option to add mods to Minecraft realms is not available, but realms servers on windows 10, consoles, and mobiles support certain premade market maps and add-ons. On the other hand, java edition supports custom maps as well as mini-games.
For those who do not know what Minecraft realms are, they are meant to be played by kids, and this option allows kids to play with their friends using multiplayer servers.
How Can Children Securely Download and Install Minecraft Mods on their Computer?
They need to first open the browser and type in minecraftmods.com, which will redirect you to the website. When you get to the website, just know that the mods you download from there are secure, but it is always a good idea to have a good antivirus setup on your computer in case you accidentally download something malicious to your PC.
There are quite a lot of mods listed on the website; make sure you read through each mod's description before settling on the one that you like the best. In addition, what you can do is check the votes for these mods before actually installing them.
More votes mean more people like it and have already downloaded the mods safely.
The next thing you would want to make sure is that the Minecraft mod you wish to install uses a forge installer (the same version as the mod you are downloading), which is one of the easiest things you can use to download mods. Before moving forward, make sure the mods you use are the same version as your Minecraft game.
Once you download the forge installer, run the mods and start your game. It's that simple!
How Can Kids Get Started?
With the information mentioned above on mods, their functions, types, and process, kids can gain experience in using features, procedures, and command structures that may allow them to explore beyond the game's basic capacity. This also enables kids to touch on logical thinking and problem-solving concepts as they learn the ins and outs of coding through Java.
The Takeaway!
There are several reasons why Minecraft has gained popularity over the past few years, and it is expected to grow even more than it already has. From kids to teenagers to young adults, almost everyone enjoys playing Minecraft. In addition, by adding Minecraft mods to an already exciting game, players can enjoy captivating gameplay that allows players to explore beyond the basics of the game and interact with the game fully without any restrictions.
This blog essentially covers what mods are and what they do, and it also introduces the process of installing mods. If you wish to explore further, head over to our resource for Class & Summer camps – Minecraft Education Edition.