Atlas
by itsmiir
Players who want a map built from a picture can use Atlas, an image-based world generator that turns an image file into terrain on Fabric or Quilt.
What it does
Atlas reads an image file and converts its brightness into a grayscale heightmap, so lighter pixels become higher ground. The image has to be saved with 8 bits per channel RGBA encoding. The result is written as a datapack, and the world loads with the generated terrain in place of default generation.
The map is centered on coordinates 0,0, with the top of the image facing north. Images with an uneven number of pixels lose their last pixel row on the south and east sides. Terrain starts at a height set in the generator, and any area below the dimension's minimum Y becomes void. Non-rectangular maps are possible, and anything outside the image becomes void, although certain hardcoded structures still spawn depending on the enabled features. Unmatched areas use the default biome.
Atlas runs on the server side only, so players join without installing it. It is published for Fabric and Quilt, for game versions 1.19 – 1.20.1, and the code is released under the CC0 1.0 Universal license. If generation goes wrong, the datapack error logs show what failed.
Key features
Heightmap from an image
A grayscale heightmap is built from the brightness of each pixel in the source image.
Datapack output
The generated world is saved as a datapack, so it loads like any other world package.
Non-rectangular maps
Shapes other than a rectangle can be generated, with everything outside the image left as void.
Void and default biome handling
Areas below the minimum Y and regions without image data are set to void or the default biome.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
This mod also publishes snapshot builds. Snapshots are not shown in the matrix.
Use cases
Recreating real places
A map image of a region can be turned into terrain at a known position, with 0,0 as the reference point.
Who it’s for: Map makers and server owners who want terrain shaped from an image rather than from the default generator.
How it compares
Empty World Generator is a Fabric option for 1.18.2 – 1.21.11 that runs on client and server, under the MIT License. FMG-to-MC is a Fabric mod for 1.20.1 only, server required with the client optional, and licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only. ImageToWorld is another Fabric option for 1.19 – 1.21 that runs on client and server and is under the MIT License.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | Fabric and Quilt | 1.19 – 1.20.1 | Server-side only | 2023-06-07 |
| Empty World Generator | Fabric | 1.18.2 – 1.21.11 | Client and server | 2026-05-04 |
| FMG-to-MC | Fabric | 1.20.1 | Server required, client optional | 2026-06-14 |
| ImageToWorld | Fabric | 1.19 – 1.21 | Client and server | 2024-07-25 |
Questions
Does Atlas need to be installed on the client?
Which loaders does Atlas support?
Why does an image lose its last row or column?
In the catalog
Atlas is one of 8,515 World generation mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,027 World generation mods for Fabric. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
More from itsmiir
Similar mods
What the author says
if you're still having trouble, send a message in the discord #help-and-support channel.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/atlas
- Owner
- itsmiir
- Published
- 2023-01-08
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2023-06-07
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15