ThatSkyInteractions

Overview

ThatSkyInteractions is an experimental Minecraft mod that introduces the non-competitive social interaction system inspired by the game Sky: Children of the Light into the Minecraft world.
This project serves as a research prototype for the topic:

“Can non-competitive player interactions mitigate the effects of game toxicity?”

This mod explores how cooperative, emotionally expressive interactions might reshape the way players communicate and connect in multiplayer environments.

Features

Interaction Tree

Players can open the Interaction Tree interface by pressing the interaction hotkey while empty-handed and right-clicking another player.
This interface faithfully recreates the friend system from Sky: Children of the Light.

Each node in the tree represents a unique interaction, including:

• Emotional actions and gestures
• Utility options like blocking or renaming other players
• Unlockable features requiring mutual consent between both players

Interactions must be mutually confirmed before being executed.
Nodes are gradually unlocked by spending candles or red candles.

Building Blocks

This part was originally created for the TeaCon Jiachen exhibition venue.
While available in the mod, it is primarily for creative mode use only.

Candles

This mod introduces 16 types of customizable candles that can be freely arranged within a single block space.
Each candle has its own style, position, and state, unlike vanilla Minecraft candles which are limited in placement and count.

Performance Note: The candle system has been heavily optimized for rendering efficiency, so it runs smoothly even with many candles in view.

Wing of Light

A shimmering, bloom-lit player decoration inspired by the Sky aesthetic — bringing a glowing.

Astrolabe (WIP)

The Astrolabe is an upcoming system that allows players to open a friend overview interface via a hotkey.
From there, you’ll be able to view your connected friends and potentially navigate to them in the future.

Data-driven Design

ThatSkyInteractions supports user-defined interactions through Minecraft datapacks.
You can add your own interaction animations to the interaction tree by editing this file

Example

{
  "root": "root",                                  // the root node
  "nodes": [                                       // the node definitions
    {
      "id": "root",                                // node id, should be unique
      "type": "friend",                            // suggestion: root node should use "friend" as type
      "price": 3,                                  // unlock price
      "left": "like",                              // the node at the left branch
      "middle": "high_five_1",                     // the node at the middle branch
      "right": "block"                             // the node at the right branch
    },
    {
      "id": "high_five_1",
      "type": "interaction",                        // interaction node
      "price": 1,                                   // unlock price
      "interact": "thatskyinteractions:high_five",  // interaction animation id (SimpleAnimator format)
      "left": "high_five_2",
      "middle": "hug_1"
    },
    {
      "id": "lock_1",
      "type": "lock",                               // lock node, will use red candle instead of regular candle
      "price": 1,
      "middle": "double_high_five_1"
    },
    // ...
  ]
}

Research Background

The creation of ThatSkyInteractions is part of an experimental study on non-competitive game design.
The key question it explores:

“Can the introduction of cooperative, emotionally expressive interaction systems reduce toxic behaviors in online multiplayer games?”

By adapting the Sky-style friend system into Minecraft, the project aims to demonstrate how empathy-driven design elements may promote a healthier, more positive gaming community.

TODO

Content & Features

• Modify rendering shaders for better interaction visuals
• Add single-player interaction animations and improve data-driven logic

Data-driven System

• Refactor the interaction tree registration system to support modular node definitions

Dependencies & Architecture

• Gradually migrate animation handling from SimpleAnimator to Animata4J
• Separate non-interaction and non-animation content into a standalone mod: HeartFire

Credit

Developer/Animator/Artist: LouisQuepierts

Inspired by Sky: Children of the Light by thatgamecompany.
All design references are used for educational and non-commercial purposes.