Rediscovering the Edge of the World with the Farlander Plugin
Every seasoned Minecraft player remembers the legendary Far Lands — that glitched, stretched terrain that appeared millions of blocks from spawn in early versions. The Farlander plugin brings that iconic, broken beauty right to your server, letting you generate worlds where the Far Lands aren't just a distant myth but a central feature. Whether you want a nostalgic trip or a bizarre landscape for survival, this tool puts the edge of the world at your fingertips.
What Exactly Are the Far Lands?
In Minecraft Beta 1.7.3 and earlier, traveling far enough from spawn caused the terrain generator to break down. The result was a surreal, wall-like formation of blocks, with massive cliffs, floating layers, and a distinct corner shape. These Far Lands became a piece of Minecraft history, and while modern versions fixed the bug, the aesthetic remains unforgettable. The Farlander plugin revives that terrain intentionally, letting you craft a world where the Far Lands are the star of the show.
How the Farlander Plugin Works
Farlander is a Bukkit plugin designed for server administrators who want to generate worlds with Far Lands-style terrain. Instead of requiring you to travel millions of blocks, it creates a custom world where the Far Lands appear right around spawn, or in a controlled pattern. It works by modifying the chunk generation process, using a secondary generator to produce the classic distorted landscape. You get to decide exactly how the Far Lands manifest — as a central square, isolated corners, or long edges.
Installing Farlander on Your Server
Getting the plugin running is straightforward, but it does require a couple of steps. First, place the Farlander.jar file into your server's plugins directory. After that, you need to install a pre-1.8 world generator — the developer recommends 173generator, which replicates the old Beta terrain algorithm. Without this generator, Farlander can't produce the authentic Far Lands look. If you're experimenting with custom world types, you might also find that managing mods and plugins becomes a breeze when you use a modern launcher. For client-side adventures, you can easily install terrain-enhancing mods via the foxygame.net launcher — a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download mods right from the menu. Once both JARs are in place, a quick server restart activates the plugin.
Configuring Your Far Lands World
Farlander doesn't automatically apply to your default world. You need to tell the server which world should use the custom generator. This is done through the bukkit.yml file. Add a section like this:
worlds:
name_of_the_world:
generator: Farlander:additional_options
If you're using Multiverse for multi-world management, the command is just as simple: /mv create myfarworld normal -g Farlander:additional_options. The real magic lies in those additional options, which let you tailor the Far Lands experience.
Mastering Additional Options
When you specify the generator, you can append a comma-separated list of options to control the output. The basic syntax is Farlander:mode,generator,generatorOptions. Here's what each part does:
- Mode — Defines the shape of the Far Lands (see modes below). Defaults to 0 if omitted.
- Generator — The name of the base generator to use. Defaults to 173generator, but you can swap it for any pre-1.8 generator.
- Generator options — A string passed directly to the chosen generator for further customization.
For example, Farlander:1 uses mode 1 with the default generator. Farlander:100x100 creates a central area of only 100 by 100 blocks, centered at 0,0. You can even mix older generators: Farlander:0,MyCool16Generator lets you experiment with different base terrain styles.
Exploring the Far Lands Modes
The plugin offers several modes, each producing a unique layout. Understanding these helps you pick the perfect setting for your server.
- Mode 0 (Default) — Normal terrain is reduced to a 13×13 block square in the center. The corners are separated by 13-block-wide edges, creating a classic Far Lands cross-section.
- Mode 1 — Only the corner terrain is generated. The rest of the world is empty, giving you isolated Far Lands pillars.
- Mode 2 and 3 — Generate only the edges, either horizontal or vertical. This creates long, continuous Far Lands walls across the map.
- XxZ Format — Similar to mode 0, but you specify the exact size of the central area in blocks. For instance, 301x205 gives you a 301 by 205 central zone surrounded by Far Lands edges.
These modes make Farlander incredibly versatile. You could build a spawn town in the safe central square while adventurers explore the distorted edges, or create a survival map where resources are scarce outside the corner pillars.
Practical Examples and Use Cases
Let's say you want a world where the Far Lands are the main attraction, with a tiny normal area for building. You'd use Farlander:50x50 in your bukkit.yml. This generates a 50x50 block normal terrain patch, while everything else becomes the stretched, glitched landscape. If you're running a creative server, mode 1 gives you four massive Far Lands corners that players can use as floating islands. Mode 2 or 3 works beautifully for custom parkour or PvP arenas along a seemingly infinite wall.
Remember that the base generator matters. The default 173generator recreates the old Beta terrain, but swapping it out can yield hybrid results — imagine Far Lands edges meeting amplified mountains. Experimentation is key, and the plugin's flexibility encourages you to test different combinations.
Why Farlander Is a Must-Have for Custom Worlds
The Farlander plugin taps into Minecraft's nostalgic roots while offering modern server owners a powerful world-generation tool. It's lightweight, easy to configure, and opens up creative possibilities that no vanilla generator can match. Whether you're building a server event, a unique survival experience, or just want to walk the Far Lands without an epic journey, Farlander delivers that broken beauty on demand. By combining it with the right base generator and a few custom options, you can craft a world that feels both alien and familiar — a true tribute to one of gaming's most famous glitches.