ArmorStand

ArmorStand is a modification for Minecraft version 1.21.8 that allows replacing the default player model with custom external models. The mod is in active development stage and already offers an impressive set of features for customizing your game character.

Key Features

The mod supports loading models in various popular formats: glTF, VRM, PMX, and PMD. Compatibility with entity models from the Minecraft Bedrock Edition version is also implemented, including unencrypted YSM models without archive packaging.

For character animation, you can import files in VMD format. Instance rendering technology optimizes performance when displaying multiple models simultaneously. The mod fully supports multiplayer mode - other players will see your custom model, although synchronization of the model files themselves is not provided.

Shader enthusiasts will appreciate the ability to use them - just change the renderer settings in the mod configuration.

How to Use

To get started, you need to prepare a model while respecting copyright. Place the model file in the models folder of the game directory. In the game itself, press the I key to open the mod settings and select the desired model.

Animation control is done through the interface called by the K key. Here you can load animation files (also placed in the models folder), adjust playback speed and current animation position.

Multiplayer Features

For correct model display in multiplayer, the mod must be installed on the server. Without this, other players will not see your custom model, although it will display normally on your client.

Due to copyright considerations, the mod does not synchronize model files between players. Each participant must independently place the used models in their models folder. Synchronization occurs by model hash values, which allows freely renaming files and organizing them into subfolders without losing compatibility.

Technical Foundation: BlazeRod

The rendering foundation is provided by the BlazeRod library, written in Kotlin and Java. It supports loading models in glTF, VRM, PMX, PMD formats and their display in the game, as well as glTF and VMD animations.

The library does not use native libraries and does not depend on a specific platform, ensuring wide compatibility. Although BlazeRod is distributed as part of ArmorStand, it can also be used separately. However, due to the lack of documentation and possible API changes, its independent use in other projects is not currently recommended.

BlazeRod, like the main mod, is distributed under the LGPL 3.0 or later license. As a demonstration of the library's capabilities, an example mod ball_block is available, adding a spherical block to the game and distributed under the Apache 2.0 license.