CoreProtect Time-Lapse
Imagine watching your Minecraft world evolve over weeks or months in just a few minutes. Every block placed, every structure built, every creeper crater—rewound and replayed like a movie. That is exactly what CoreProtect Time-Lapse delivers. This ingenious add-on takes the detailed block logs from CoreProtect and turns them into a fluid, frame-by-frame reconstruction of your server's history. Whether you want to showcase a massive spawn build, review griefing incidents, or simply marvel at your community's creativity, this tool opens up a new dimension of storytelling.
What Is CoreProtect Time-Lapse?
CoreProtect Time-Lapse is an external utility, not a plugin itself, that works hand-in-hand with the popular CoreProtect logging plugin. While CoreProtect records every block change, container transaction, and entity interaction on your server, this add-on processes those logs to generate a sequence of rollback states. The result is a smooth, frame-by-frame reconstruction of your world's history that can be captured with tools like ReplayMod to produce breathtaking time-lapse videos. It is perfect for server admins, content creators, and anyone who wants to see their Minecraft world come alive in reverse.
How CoreProtect Time-Lapse Works
The magic lies in its ability to read CoreProtect's database and apply rollbacks incrementally. Instead of jumping directly to a past state, the tool steps through the log entries one action at a time, saving each intermediate state as a separate frame. You can then use a recording mod like ReplayMod to capture these frames and stitch them into a seamless video. The process is fully automated: you specify a time range, the tool processes the logs, and it outputs a series of world snapshots ready for rendering. This means you can create a time-lapse of a build that took months, all without manual intervention.
Key Features and Capabilities
- Incremental Rollback Playback: Step through every block change recorded by CoreProtect, from the first placed dirt to the final polished detail.
- ReplayMod Integration: Export the generated frames directly into ReplayMod for smooth, camera-controlled cinematic replays.
- Flexible Time Ranges: Select any start and end date from your CoreProtect logs, whether it's a single day or an entire year of server history.
- Multi-World Support: Process logs from multiple dimensions, including the Nether and End, to capture cross-world projects.
- Lightweight Operation: The tool runs externally, so it doesn't impact server performance during normal gameplay.
Installation and Setup
Getting started with CoreProtect Time-Lapse is straightforward, but it requires a few prerequisites. First, your server must be running CoreProtect (version 2.15.0 or later) on a Spigot, Paper, or compatible fork for Minecraft 1.16.5 through 1.20.4. The add-on itself is a standalone Java application, so you'll need Java 8 or higher on the machine where you plan to process the logs. Download the latest CoreProtect Time-Lapse JAR file from the official repository, then place it in a dedicated folder alongside your CoreProtect database file. No server restart is needed—the tool works offline, directly with the database.
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Creating Your First Time-Lapse
Once you have the JAR and the CoreProtect database ready, open a terminal or command prompt. The basic command structure is:
java -jar CoreProtectTimeLapse.jar --db <database_file> --start <timestamp> --end <timestamp> --output <folder>
Replace the placeholders with your actual database path, the desired time range in CoreProtect's timestamp format, and an output directory for the generated frames. The tool will then process the logs and create a series of world snapshots. You can load these into ReplayMod to render a video, or simply inspect the world files at different points in time. For large databases, the process may take a while, but the result is a stunning visual narrative of your server's evolution.
Compatibility and Requirements
CoreProtect Time-Lapse is designed to work with CoreProtect databases from Minecraft versions 1.16.5 up to the latest 1.20.x releases. It supports both Spigot and Paper server software, and the database must be in SQLite format (the default for CoreProtect). The tool itself runs on any system with Java 8 or newer, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Note that it is not a plugin—you run it separately from your server, so there is no risk of lag or conflicts with other server mods. Always ensure your CoreProtect plugin is up to date to avoid log format mismatches.
Tips for Stunning Time-Lapses
To get the most out of CoreProtect Time-Lapse, plan your recording in advance. If you know a major build event is coming, make sure CoreProtect is logging all relevant actions. Use a consistent camera path in ReplayMod to highlight the progression. For long time-lapses, consider processing the logs in chunks to manage file sizes. Finally, experiment with different playback speeds—sometimes a slow reveal of a detailed build is more impactful than a rapid flyover. The tool gives you the raw frames; your creativity turns them into art.
Why Server Admins Love It
Beyond the visual appeal, CoreProtect Time-Lapse is a powerful administrative tool. It allows you to review griefing incidents in a dynamic way, spotting patterns that static rollbacks might miss. It's also a fantastic way to engage your community: share a monthly time-lapse of the server's progress and watch player motivation soar. The ability to download CoreProtect Time-Lapse and run it independently means you can even process logs from old, offline servers to preserve their history forever.
CoreProtect Time-Lapse transforms raw data into a living memory of your Minecraft world. Whether you're a server owner, a builder, or a content creator, this add-on unlocks a new dimension of storytelling that is as practical as it is mesmerizing.