Lossy Chat
by hkc
Lossy Chat, a NeoForge server mod for 1.21.1, makes chat messages arrive degraded with distance and signal strength instead of delivering them intact.
What it does
Lossy Chat works like a usual local or global chat mod with a twist: each message is sent with packet loss, so the further a recipient is from the sender, the greater the chance that words arrive corrupted, and beyond a certain distance a message can be hidden completely. Shouting is included as a way to reach farther before the signal degrades.
The mod suits survival servers and roleplay communities that want chat to reflect the space between players. Hovering over a message shows a signal strength indicator, with the closest recipient and the total number of recipients, while hovering over other players' messages shows only the signal level. An optional server setting lets players hover to see the original, unaltered text.
Only the server needs it, and players join without installing anything. The mod runs on NeoForge for 1.21.1 and is open source under the MIT License. Its source code is public, and a Fabric version and ports to other game versions are listed as planned work by the author.
Key features
Packet loss in chat
Messages lose parts of their text as the distance between sender and recipient grows, and far messages can vanish.
Shouting
Players can raise their voice to send a message over a longer distance, trading a stronger signal for a wider reach.
Signal strength indicator
Hovering over a message shows the closest recipient, the total number of recipients and the signal strength at each distance.
Original message view
When the server enables the option, hovering over a degraded message reveals the text as it was sent.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Who it’s for: Server owners who run roleplay, survival or adventure servers and want chat distance to carry in-game consequences. Players on these servers need nothing installed.
How it compares
ChTR is server-side only, published for NeoForge 1.21.1 under the MIT License, but it is not open source. Proximity Chat Only is server-side only, runs on Fabric for 1.21.1 – 1.21.11 and is released under All rights reserved, so it is not open source. NeoLuckPerms Chat Plus is also server-side only and for NeoForge 1.21.1, under All rights reserved and not open source. Lossy Chat differs from these in being open source and in its signal-based message loss.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lossy Chat | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Server-side only | 2026-07-23 |
| ChTR | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Server-side only | 2026-04-23 |
| Proximity Chat Only | Fabric | 1.21.1 – 1.21.11 | Server-side only | 2026-02-01 |
| NeoLuckPerms Chat Plus | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Server-side only | 2025-09-28 |
Questions
Does Lossy Chat have to be installed on clients?
Which loader does Lossy Chat support?
Can players still read messages that arrive degraded?
In the catalog
Lossy Chat is one of 5,392 Social mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,784 Social mods for NeoForge. 32,366 mods support Minecraft 1.21.1.
Similar mods
What the author says
Lossy Chat works like your usual "local/global chat" mod with a twist: messages at various distances have a chance to be corrupted while going really far away hides them completely
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/lossy-chat
- Owner
- hkc
- Published
- 2026-07-23
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-07-23
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15