Ecstatic
Ecstatic is a NeoForge level-of-detail mod for Minecraft 1.21.1 that draws distant terrain as simplified geometry, with a render distance that can reach beyond 256 chunks.
What it does
Ecstatic renders faraway terrain as a grid of simplified geometry instead of loading those chunks in full, which the author describes as lighter on both the CPU and the GPU. Distant terrain samples the world seed and is generated quickly, so a large render distance does not require the long chunk loads that some other LOD approaches demand. The default setting uses 12 LOD levels, and the author notes that these look rough up close, so keeping vanilla render distance high is recommended.
The mod is client-side only, so a server does not need it and players join without installing it. It is released under the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license, and it is not open source, though the source code and an issue tracker are public. Sodium is required and is strongly recommended for performance. Ecstatic is published for NeoForge only, with the latest file 1.4.1 for 1.21.1, dated 2026-09-01.
Key features
Distant terrain as grid geometry
Chunks beyond vanilla render distance are drawn as grid-based terrain meshes, with a lower cost per chunk than full loading.
Extended render distance
Render distance can be raised to 292 chunks or lowered to 38, with the default at 144 chunks generated beyond vanilla distance.
Shader support through Iris
Shader packs work through Iris or Oculus, though the author warns that LOD fading, view bobbing and transparent trees can break under shaders.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Long views on a single-player world
Players who want distant hills and forests visible without long chunk loads can raise the render distance above vanilla limits.
Who it’s for: Players with a client that already runs Sodium and who want a long horizon. Shader users should expect some visual glitches, and the author asks that bugs be reported.
How it compares
LOD Server Support is open source under the MIT License, works on Fabric and NeoForge across 1.20.1 – 26.3, and is optional on either side. Acedium Sodiumized is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only, runs on NeoForge for 1.21.1, and is client-side only, the same environment as Ecstatic. Monocle is open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only, client-side only, and built for NeoForge 1.21.1.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecstatic | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client-side only | 2026-09-01 |
| LOD Server Support | Fabric and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 26.3 | Client or server, optional | 2026-10-14 |
| Acedium Sodiumized | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client-side only | 2026-09-07 |
| Monocle | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client-side only | 2025-07-23 |
Questions
Does Ecstatic need Sodium?
Does Ecstatic have to be installed on the server?
Can Ecstatic be used with shaders?
In the catalog
Ecstatic is one of 3,545 Optimization mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,250 Optimization mods for NeoForge. 32,366 mods support Minecraft 1.21.1.
Similar mods
What the author says
Ecstatic is an LOD mod designed to be as efficient and as close to vanilla performance as possible, while allowing you to hit render distances of over 256 chunks To get the best possible experience, I would highly suggest turning your vanilla render distance up to 24 from the default 12, LODs really don't look that…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/ecstatic
- Owner
- IHateAlchemy42
- Published
- 2026-08-14
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-09-01
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15