Map Improvements - Reimagined Cartography

Tired of vanilla maps turning your world into a confusing mosaic of clashing pixels? Have you switched to minimap mods like Xaero's, but miss the immersive, tangible feel of holding a map? Map Improvements is here to bring the classic cartography experience into the modern age.

This mod doesn't just tweak vanilla maps—it completely re-invents the rendering engine, transforming them from a cluttered, low-color mess into clear, beautiful, and informative geographical surveys.

Features

Unmatched Clarity and Realism

• True-Color, High-Definition Rendering

  • Replaces the limited 256-color palette with a full 32-bit RGBA canvas.
  • Eliminates chaotic, overly-vibrant patches for a clean, legible, and visually coherent map.

• Advanced Terrain Visualization

  • Slope-Accurate Shading: Terrain is shaded based on elevation data, simulating how sunlight would illuminate slopes and valleys. This creates an instant, intuitive understanding of the landscape.
  • Depth & Height Mapping: Clearly see the contours of riverbeds, lake floors, and forest canopies.

A Smarter Way to Explore

• Smooth-Scrolling Fog of War

  • Replaces the jarring vanilla checkerboard with a smooth, natural gradient for seamless exploration.

• Experimental: Line-of-Sight Vision

  • Your map only reveals what is directly visible from your position.
  • Realistic Occlusion: Cliffs, mountains, and forests block your view. You can't see what's behind a hill until you have a direct line of sight.

Designed for the Modern Player

• The Perfect Partner for Map Atlases

  • We fix the rendering, so you can enjoy the management. Designed for flawless integration with Map Atlases for a single, stunning megamap.

• Fully Customizable & Sensible Defaults

  • Adjustable Render Radius: Control how much terrain is mapped.
  • Surface-Only Mapping (Enabled by Default): Your map focuses on the overworld and won't update underground.
  • Balance visual quality and performance to match your system.

Compatibility

• Supported Versions: 1.19.4 | 1.20.1 | 1.21.1
• Network Protocol: Fully compatible with multiplayer. Servers need the mod for all features.
• Recommended Companion: Map Atlases for seamless map stitching and management.

Why Choose Map Improvements?

If you've ever thought, "I wish vanilla maps were actually usable," this is your answer.

• For Explorers: Create a beautiful and meaningful record of your journey.
• For Builders: Plan your colossal projects with perfect terrain overview.
• For Everyone: Rediscover the magic of holding a map that is a work of art, not a pixelated puzzle.

Rediscover the magic of exploration. Reclaim the vanilla map.

⚠️ Project Status & Expectations

This mod is considered stable and reliable for everyday use on supported versions. However, as a complete rewrite of the game's cartography, it is under active development.

• New features (like the Line-of-Sight vision) are marked as Experimental.
• Your feedback and bug reports are invaluable for further polish and refinement.

We encourage you to try it and see if it transforms your Minecraft experience as intended!