Voxel Earth
Imagine walking through the streets of Tokyo, standing atop the Empire State Building, or hiking the Grand Canyon — all without leaving Minecraft. Voxel Earth makes this possible by transforming real-world photogrammetry and 3D Tiles into block-based landscapes that load dynamically as you explore. It is a groundbreaking add-on that bridges the gap between high-fidelity geographic data and the creative sandbox you already love.
What is Voxel Earth?
Voxel Earth is a full pipeline for converting massive 3D tile datasets, such as Google Photorealistic 3D Tiles, into Minecraft chunks. Instead of pre-generating a static map, it streams and voxelizes tiles on-demand as players move around. The result is a living, block-by-block recreation of actual cities, mountains, and landmarks that feels both authentic and endlessly surprising.
Streaming Real-World Geometry
The core magic lies in its on-demand streaming engine. When you wander into a new area, Voxel Earth fetches the relevant 3D tiles, decodes them, and converts the geometry into Minecraft block palettes. This means you can “walk into” a real city and watch it materialize around you, with buildings, roads, and terrain rendered in familiar blocks. The process is seamless and designed to keep up with player movement, so exploration never feels interrupted.
Server-Friendly Voxelization
Unlike some terrain generators that require a GPU, Voxel Earth performs all voxelization on the CPU. This makes it accessible for standard server hardware. The plugin is built as a single shaded JAR, keeping dependencies tidy. It also integrates with FastAsyncWorldEdit (FAWE) for high-throughput block placement, ensuring that even large-scale edits happen quickly and without lag. If FAWE is not present on a supported version, Voxel Earth falls back to its own internal BlockPlacer, so you are never left stranded.
Supported Minecraft Versions and Loaders
Voxel Earth is developed for Paper and Spigot servers, with a focus on version 1.20.4. It can run standalone on 1.20.4, but for other 1.20+ versions, the developers strongly recommend pairing it with FastAsyncWorldEdit. The plugin is compiled against the 1.20.4 API, and FAWE smooths over version differences while providing async world-editing capabilities. Java 21 or higher is required on the server side.
Paper/Spigot 1.20.4 and Beyond
On a 1.20.4 Paper or Spigot server, Voxel Earth works out of the box with or without FAWE. If you are running a newer 1.20.x version, simply drop FAWE into your plugins folder alongside Voxel Earth to unlock the best performance. The recommended FAWE build is 2.12.3, which has been tested extensively with the add-on.
The Role of FastAsyncWorldEdit
FAWE is not just a compatibility bridge; it is a powerful tool that accelerates bulk block changes. When Voxel Earth needs to place thousands of blocks to form a skyscraper or a hillside, FAWE handles the edits asynchronously, preventing server tick lag. This partnership ensures that even players on modest hardware can enjoy a smooth experience while real-world geometry streams in.
How to Install Voxel Earth for Minecraft
Getting started with Voxel Earth is straightforward, especially if you have experience setting up Minecraft servers. The add-on is distributed as a single JAR file, and you can download Voxel Earth directly from its GitHub releases page. Look for the file named VoxelEarth-1.0.jar. If you plan to use FAWE, grab FastAsyncWorldEdit-Bukkit-2.12.3.jar from the FAWE releases as well.
Downloading the Plugin
To download Voxel Earth, visit the official Voxel Earth GitHub repository and navigate to the releases section. There you will find the latest plugin JAR along with optional CLI tools for developers. The CLI tools let you experiment with the pipeline stages — downloading tiles, decoding Draco compression, and voxelizing — before deploying to a live server. For most players, the plugin JAR is all you need.
If you use the foxygame.net launcher, Voxel Earth appears in its curated add-on catalog, allowing a one-click install that automatically handles version compatibility and keeps the plugin updated alongside your other mods. This is a hassle-free way to dive into real-world exploration without manually managing JAR files.
Quick Start Setup
Here is a typical setup for a Paper 1.20.4 server on Linux. First, create a server directory and download Paper:
- mkdir -p ~/paper-server && cd ~/paper-server
- Download paper-1.20.4-499.jar from the PaperMC API and rename it to paper.jar.
Next, prepare the plugins folder and place the required JARs inside:
- mkdir -p plugins
- Download FastAsyncWorldEdit-Bukkit-2.12.3.jar into plugins/ (recommended).
- Download VoxelEarth-1.0.jar into plugins/.
Accept the EULA and start the server:
- echo "eula=true" > eula.txt
- java -Xms2G -Xmx4G -jar paper.jar nogui
Once the server is running, join and start exploring. Voxel Earth will begin streaming tiles as you move, turning your Minecraft world into a real-world replica. No additional configuration is required for basic use, though you can tweak settings in the plugin’s config file to adjust streaming distance or block palette preferences.
Exploring the World
After installation, the real fun begins. Voxel Earth for Minecraft transforms your gameplay into a virtual tourism experience. You can visit famous landmarks, study urban layouts, or simply marvel at how a photorealistic mountain range becomes a stack of stone and dirt blocks. The add-on also includes a web client demo, accessible at beta.voxelearth.org, which lets you preview tiles in a browser before loading them in-game. This is perfect for planning your next adventure or testing how different areas voxelize.
Web Client and CLI Tools
Beyond the Minecraft plugin, the Voxel Earth ecosystem includes a web client for browser-side experiments and separate CLI tools for each pipeline stage. The downloader fetches 3D tiles, the Draco decoder handles compressed geometry, and the CPU voxelizer converts everything into block data. These tools are optional but invaluable for developers who want to understand or extend the pipeline. The entire project is open-source, with a monorepo available for reference.
Voxel Earth redefines what is possible inside Minecraft by merging the real and the blocky. Whether you are a server owner looking to offer a unique experience or a player curious about the world, this add-on delivers a seamless, CPU-friendly way to explore real places. The combination of on-demand streaming, FAWE integration, and a flexible pipeline makes it a standout tool in the Minecraft modding scene. Download Voxel Earth today and start your journey through a voxelized Earth.