Tutorials/Custom maps

Custom maps are maps created by other players who then upload the files online to share. You can then download them into a folder and play. Note that this is not a list of maps; instead, it just has suggestions of how to play maps or how to make them (You can find a list of maps on other websites).

Getting one
1. First, go to any website which maps are uploaded to and download one you like the look of. It should be in .zip format.

2. Find the file you downloaded and extract it using WinZip or 7-Zip. Copy the folder that has been extracted.

3. Start up the Minecraft Launcher, and click Launch Options on the top right corner. Then click the profile that you are willing to use. Then click Open Game Dir, and the .minecraft folder should appear.

4. Paste your map file into the saves folder and start Minecraft as normal. The world should appear and you can play the map.

Uploading one
1. Windows: Press +, type in %appdata% and find the Minecraft saves folder. Compress (preferably by using .zip) the world you want to upload. Mac OS X: Go to your user's folder in Finder, then access "Library" then "Application Support", then "minecraft" and finally "saves". Compress the world you want to upload, in .zip format. or go to Minecraft create new world Click Edit then open folder then copy or paste map files not the map folder just the files in to the new folder then press play Linux: Open your favorite file manager then access this path (in Nautilus, + ): ~/.minecraft/ Now click "saves" and compress the world (preferably in .zip format) you want to upload. 2. Go to a site such as MediaFire or CurseForge and go to their uploads screen. It differs, but paste the file in and follow the instructions. 3. The Internet can now see your creation!

Compressing one
Large maps can become very large, however there are ways to combat this and reduce its total filesize. Keep in mind that every map will have a filesize, larger maps much more so. It is impossible to get a map below 1kb, but some can be as little as 200kb.

Removing player data
A lot of maps don't require prior knowledge of the player playing it before it's loaded for the first time, and most of the time the final release has no reason to keep old player data generated by the developer(s). If your map doesn't require any playerdata, such as someone's advancements, position, inventory, or otherwise player-specific data, you can remove the "advancements", "playerdata", and "stats" folders found in the root of the map folder. If your map has custom advancements, do not delete those. Only delete the advancements folder inside the root of the map. (.minecraft/saves/Map_Name/advancements, not .minecraft/saves/Map_Name/datapacks/Maps_Datapack/data/namespace/advancements)

Removing automatically generated files
Both session.lock and level.dat_old are files that are not needed to be packed along with the map file. You can safely delete both these files, since they will be regenerated once the map is loaded. You can also remove the "poi" folder, but this will incur a slightly longer loading time. The "poi" folder will be regenerated on map load.

Compressing the Resource Pack
This will only apply if you have a resource pack included. Resource packs can get really heavy, but there are multiple ways to lighten the load.

Removing newlines and spaces from JSON files
JSON is meant to be read both with and without newlines. We can remove all newlines that are part of the JSON file (be sure not to remove any "\n" inside strings!) to greatly reduce its filesize. This helps especially with small JSON files, where the new lines are 1/3 of the total contents. You can also remove spaces between JSON values.

For example, the JSON: can be shorted to: Here, we remove the spaces and newlines between the "text", "color", and "underlined" values. Note that we did not remove the spaces inside the "text" string. We also remove the useless "", at the start, as this serves no purpose. Some generators erroneously add that. We removed the trailing space at the end, however this might not always be wanted. Be careful when editing "text" strings. If your resource pack has a custom language file, you can compress that too.

Compressing the textures
A lot of textures can become very large, with no added quality. Some textures could be as large at 2048x2048 (almost 4K UHD), even if the player will never see them, or pay much attention to them. At most, textures should be 256x256, and will not need to exceed this. Usually, textures can safely be in resolutions of 16x16, 32x32, or 64x64. Some may want 128x128. Either way, try not to exceed 256x256, as this level of details won't easily be seen by the player. After the resolution has become acceptable, try using image compressors. These can sometimes reduce your filesize by up to 90%, but most come at the cost of a loss of 24-bit colors, by transforming the image into a 16-bit color image. This reduces the filesize because there are not as many colors to store, but vibrant textures may become more "grainy", or "static-ey". If you still think there is data that can be shaved off, try removing all EXIF data from the image. Note that this will remove any copyright notes the image has (if any are present), and you'll have to manually add credit (you should always give credit manually, but this is a legal matter).

Compressing .ogg sounds
Ogg Vorbis is meant to reduce filesize, but sometimes just the format isn't enough. You may have to reduce the bitrate of the audio, or reduce amplitude and manually increase it with /playsound. You can also try mixing the track down to mono, meaning the audio will have 1 track, instead of 2. You can imagine the size impact this has, but also the quality reduction. It's recommended to mix small sounds down to mono, as players won't have enough time to distinguish it's stereo version from its mono counterpart. Going back to the "Removing newlines and spaces from JSON files" section, try minimizing your sounds.json.

Removing un-needed region files
This is not recommended for most users. This can delete parts of your entire map if you aren't careful. First, read up on chunks and region files. Essentially, chunks are 16x16 regions of a world, and region files are a 32x32 chunks. There are 1024 chunks in a region file, and there are 262144 blocks in a region file. Use Dinnerbone's Chunk Coordinate Finder and input coordinates of a block in every chunk in intervals of 16. For example, find the chunk file at chunk number 0, 0 and then at chunk number 0, 32. Make sure to find the blocks in positive and negative chunks, too. Once you have your full list of chunks that have blocks you want to keep, make a backup of your current world. You never know if something might go wrong. Once you've made your backup, delete any chunk file that isn't in your list. For example, if your list contains the chunk regions:


 * 0, 0,
 * 0, 1,
 * 0, -1,
 * 3, 4,

you would not delete r.0.0.mca, r.0.1.mca, r.0.-1.mca, and r.3.4.mca. Delete all other files that do not match. This will remove any regions that are unused, and can sometimes greatly reduce the map's total filesize.

Playing them
Playing the maps is the most important part. Custom maps often have objectives, and a storyline. They can be great fun and there are many types. Here are many of the types, as well as some tips to completing them:

Puzzle
These are obstacle courses involving puzzles to complete. They might have a scoring system, with chests hidden full of gold. The more you collect, the higher your score. Here are some obstacles you may see:
 * 1) Redstone Puzzles. These will have you given a repeater or two and some redstone dust and ask you to rewire a door to open, for example. Check the relative sections on them in this very wiki to get some tips on how to make the most of what you get.
 * 2) Mazes. Wander around narrow paths aimlessly until you see a door. Mazes can be very fun to play. At a fork, choose a path and mark it with a torch. This will help you know that you have been down that way.

Action
Generally, these maps involve much fighting and survival skills.
 * 1) Survival Maps. Like regular Minecraft survival, but with a twist. You may be in the clouds, have limited resources/space etc.
 * 2) CTM maps. Short for "Complete the Monument", these maps are known to be very difficult. The goal is to complete a "Victory Monument", where you have to fill it up with wool, records, or some other type of items. These maps have many traps along the way.
 * 3) Arena Maps. These maps have stages and in each stage, you must fight a wave of mobs to progress.

PVP
These maps are for Player vs. Player. They are great if you get tired of fighting the same in-game mobs, since the AI can be very predictable.
 * 1) Race For Wool maps. This is when teams of four go into a lane and try to complete a monument there. They include dungeons and crossfire from the other lane. This is a type of CTM.
 * 2) Capture The Wool maps. This is where people rush to the opponent's base and attempt to steal wool from a fleecy box. They then have to return to their base. Can be played in small or large groups.
 * 3) Destroy the Monument/Core maps. Self-explanatory. Usually only played in large groups, sometimes up to 50v50.



Parkour
Jumping around on platforms. They are usually organized in stages. There are several kinds of jumps, ranging from corner jumps, S - jumps, and ladder jumps. These maps are a test of agility and timing.

Creative
These are maps with no real goal in mind. They often have stunning scenery or mechanics. Planet Minecraft is filled with these. They can sometimes have a purpose like a map for a server.

Adventure
Complete a long and winding storyline. Has lots of content. Sometimes puzzle, sometimes action. You cannot break any blocks in these maps, unless specifically told otherwise.

Horror
Generally an Adventure map with jumpscares and a dark/ambiguous storyline. Ghosts, past memories, death, and locked-in are common themes.

Anleitungen/Abenteuerwelt