Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge
Imagine joining a busy survival server and instantly seeing distant mountain ranges, sprawling city builds, and the jagged outline of terrain that would normally take minutes of exploration to reveal. That is the promise of Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge, a community-driven fork designed to bring server-side LOD (Level of Detail) synchronization to the Forge and NeoForge modding ecosystems. Instead of leaving every player to generate distant geometry on their own, this add-on lets the server push pre-built LOD data directly to clients, making the world feel cohesive from the very first spawn.
Why Server-Side LOD Matters for Multiplayer
Voxy itself is a powerful client-side mod that renders ultra-long view distances by generating simplified terrain meshes. However, on a multiplayer server, each player generating that data independently leads to inconsistency and wasted bandwidth. With Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge, the server takes over the heavy lifting. Once one player has explored or generated an area, the server stores that LOD cache and sends it to others. This means a player logging in for the first time can see the same distant builds and terrain outlines that veteran players already have, without waiting for their own client to catch up.
Key Benefits for Different Server Types
- Survival servers: Players can spot landmarks and biomes from afar, making navigation and group coordination easier.
- Building servers: Large-scale creations become visible from a distance, showcasing the work of the community instantly.
- Exploration servers: The world feels larger and more inviting when you can see what lies beyond the render distance.
For those running modpack servers, this fork is a natural fit. It is designed specifically for Forge 1.20.1 and NeoForge 1.21.1, filling a gap left by the original Voxy Server Side project, which primarily targeted Fabric and Paper/Purpur. If you have been looking to download Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge for your modded server, this is the version that speaks your loader's language.
How to Install and Configure
Understanding how to install this add-on is straightforward. The mod must be placed on both the server and the client. The client also needs the standard Voxy mod installed, while the server runs this server-side fork. Once both sides are running, the server will begin sending compressed LOD data to players, and the client will render it seamlessly.
Server owners have a wealth of configuration options through /vss commands. You can control how much LOD data each player receives, how far the server syncs LOD, whether the server can auto-fill missing LOD, and even the refresh speed. Bandwidth management is a priority, with commands like /vss bandwidth set_kbps <value> letting you throttle data transfer to suit your hosting plan. The default settings are tuned to be conservative, saving bandwidth out of the box, which is a boon for public servers with limited network resources.
Command Reference for Server Owners
Common commands include /vss help, /vss stats, /vss distance set <chunks>, and /vss generation enable. There is also an experimental feature for displaying far-away players, controlled via /vss farplayers enable. For servers with a Chinese-speaking audience, the commands are fully localized, such as /vss 帮助 and /vss 带宽 设置 <Kbps value>.
If you are looking for a convenient way to manage your mods, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install experience for Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge, bundling it with the correct dependencies and ensuring version compatibility across your modpack. This launcher also handles auto-updates, so you can focus on running your server rather than tracking file versions manually.
Xaero's World Map Integration
One standout feature of this fork is its built-in bridge for Xaero's World Map. After installing Xaero's mod on the client, the server-side LOD data is written directly into the world map. This means your map coverage is no longer limited by the vanilla render distance. The bridge works entirely on the client side, does not modify the protocol, and does not require Voxy to be installed for the map feature to function. It is enabled by default and can be toggled with /vssclient xaero disable or re-enabled with /vssclient xaero enable. Supported Xaero versions range from 1.40.x through 1.45.0; if an incompatible version is detected, the bridge disables itself gracefully without affecting LOD functionality.
LOD Updates and Far Player Display
The server can also notify clients to refresh LOD when the world changes. If players build a house or blow up a mountain, the distant LOD will not remain stuck in an outdated state. This keeps the world consistent no matter how much it evolves. Additionally, the experimental far player sync feature renders distant players as visible entities, making large event servers and city-building communities feel more alive. If it causes rendering issues, simply disable it with /vss farplayers disable.
Singleplayer and LAN Support
This add-on is not limited to dedicated servers. Singleplayer worlds and LAN sessions can use the same server-side logic, giving solo players the same ultra-distance viewing experience. This makes it a versatile tool for testing worlds before publishing them or for playing with friends on a local network.
Differences from the Original Project
As a community fork, this version adds several improvements over the original Voxy Server Side. It includes a server-side persistent LOD cache, compressed data transfer, and improved cache invalidation for changed areas. Request scheduling has been optimized for Forge and NeoForge, and the default configuration is tuned for lower bandwidth and memory usage. The project is maintained under the MIT License, and it is designed to work seamlessly with modpacks on both Forge 1.20.1 and NeoForge 1.21.1.
In conclusion, Voxy Server Side Forge / NeoForge for Minecraft bridges the gap between powerful client-side LOD rendering and the realities of multiplayer server performance. Whether you run a small survival server with friends or a large public building community, this add-on delivers a smoother, more visually impressive experience. The combination of bandwidth-friendly defaults, flexible commands, and Xaero map integration makes it a must-have for any Forge or NeoForge server owner looking to elevate their world's presentation.