3.9 KiB
PixelBlocks
Design and build your own custom Minecraft blocks. In Minecraft.
No resource packs. No client mods. 100% server-side.
PixelBlocks lets your players create their own blocks: place a pixel block, walk inside it, and build its appearance pixel by pixel in a dedicated building dimension. Every block placed inside becomes one pixel of the custom block (16×16×16 by default), just like a Minecraft block texture, but in 3D and made of real blocks.
Since everything is rendered with vanilla display entities, custom blocks are visible to every player instantly: nothing to install, nothing to download.
✨ Why PixelBlocks?
- Custom blocks without mods or resource packs: everything is rendered with vanilla display entities; clients need nothing installed.
- Portable builds: break a pixel block and it drops as an item, contents included. Place it somewhere else, give it away, or collect them.
- Real block feel: the design is rendered in the world with real block models, including correct rotations and orientations, scaled down to a single block.
- Ownership built in: the first player to place an empty pixel block becomes its owner; editing and breaking can be restricted to owners via config.
- Made for vanilla, survival and SMP servers: pixel blocks are earned in-game through a late-game crafting recipe that players discover naturally, no commands or admin intervention needed.
- Localized: English and German out of the box, following each player's client language.
🧭 How it works
- Craft a pixel block and place it anywhere in the world.
- Right-click it to enter its building dimension: a floating grass platform with a marked build area and an exit portal.
- Build the block's look inside the marked area, pixel by pixel. Leave through the portal (or
/pixelblocks exit) and the placed block now shows your design. - Break the block to pick it up. Item and design travel together.
The building dimensions are fully protected: no mob spawns, no explosions, no redstone contraptions escaping the build area, no liquids flowing out, and players cannot open containers that don't belong there.
🛠️ Crafting
The recipe unlocks for a player as soon as they click a Heart of the Sea or an End Crystal in their inventory.
| Glass | End Crystal | Glass |
| Diamond Block | Heart of the Sea | Diamond Block |
| Grass Block | Grass Block | Grass Block |
⌨️ Commands & permissions
Root command: /pixelblocks (alias /pb)
| Command | Description | Permission | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
/pixelblocks create |
Creates a pixel block at your position | pixelblocks.command.create |
op |
/pixelblocks give [uuid] |
Gives a pixel block item | pixelblocks.command.give |
op |
/pixelblocks exit |
Leaves the current pixel block | pixelblocks.command.exit |
everyone |
/pixelblocks destroyall |
Destroys all pixel blocks | pixelblocks.command.destroyall |
op |
⚙️ Configuration
pixelsPerBlock: 16 # resolution of the miniature (don't change once blocks exist)
onlyBreakableByOwners: false # only the owner may break a pixel block
onlyEditableByOwners: true # only the owner may enter and edit a pixel block
📦 Requirements
- Paper 1.21 or newer (built against the latest release)
- Java 21+ (Java 25 for current Paper versions)
🔗 Links
- Source code
- Found a bug or have an idea? Open an issue in the repository!