Source-checkedWorld generation

Sparse Structures

by m · for Minecraft

A simple and configurable mod that makes all (even datapacks and modded) structures more spread out (or more common!), essentially making them rarer/easier to find. Useful in big modpacks with a lot of structures mods to encourage exploration

8.2MDownloads
32d agoLast updated
MITLicense
Fabric · Forge +1Loaders

About Sparse Structures

From Modrinth

A simple and configurable mod that makes all (even datapacks and modded) structures more spread out (or more common!), essentially making them rarer/easier to find. Useful in big modpacks with a lot of structures mods to encourage exploration

Sparse Structures

A simple and configurable mod that makes all (even datapacks and modded) structures more spread out (or more common!), essentially making them rarer/easier to find. Useful in big modpacks with a lot of structures mod to encourage exploration and make the experience more challenging or balanced.

> Notice: this does not alter the generation of ores/geodes or other features of this kind, and alters very slightly the terrain and trees (not enough to be an issue to most players).

⁉️ Support

Questions about the mod? You can join my new Discord server at discord.gg/cTY4ME6Bkn!

🖼️ Examples

Comparison between two world on the same seed, the one on the left showing a witch hut and a mansion (without the mod), the one on the right showing the same terrain but without those structures

In a modded environment:

First screenshot of the comparison, showing many (maybe too many) structures at once in the ocean because of the quantity of structure mods installed. Second screenshot of the comparison, showing lot less structures in the same world (seed), at the same coordinates.
Structure Mods in the picture : Tidal towns, Explorify, all Yung's mods, Just Another Structure Pack, MVS, Explorations, Towns and Towers, Dungeons and Taverns...

🤓 Features

  • Configurable : you can change the rarity of all individual structures, even from mods and datapacks.
  • MC-177381 fix : fixes the bug where /locate returns an incorrect distance between the player and the structure.
  • Dump Structure Sets : you can dump all structure sets to a file in the right format for the config using /dumpstructuresets.
  • No separation limit : in vanilla, the separation between structures is limited to 4096 chunks (65k blocks). This mod removes this limit, allowing structures to be even more spread out (if for any reason you need structures to be that rare).
  • Disabling structures : you can disable structures by setting their spread factor to 0.
  • Improved structure spread : by using a custom salt based on the structure ID, this mod avoids structure clustering. This is especially useful for mods that leave the salt to 0 or some other default value used across a lot of structures.

🛠️ Configuration

The config can be found in the config folder of your instance, and is named sparsestructures.json5. It contains the following options :

  • spreadFactor : the factor by which the separation and spacing of structures should be multiplied. The default value is 2, which means that structures will be twice as rare. If you want structures to be more common, you can set this value to 0.5 for example.

You can disable structures with a factor of 0.

  • ⚠️ Warning : a very low value (like 0.01) makes the world generation process considerably slower.
  • idBasedSalt : a boolean that indicates whether the salt used to generate all structures should be based on the structure ID. This is meant to avoid structure clustering as some mods leave the salt to 0. The default value is true.
  • customSpreadFactors : a list of custom spread factors for specific structures. The default value makes the mansion twice as rare as an example (which has no effects with a global spreadFactor of 2). If you want to change the spread factor of a structure, you can add an entry to this list. Each entry is a JSON object with two fields : name (the name of the structure) and spreadFactor (the spread factor of the structure). Here's an example :
{
    "name": "minecraft:mansion",
    "spreadFactor": 2
}
// More detailed info can be found inside the config file

> Tip: you can dump all structure sets to a file in the right format by using the custom command /dumpstructuresets

For now (v2.0), you have to restart the game for the config to be reloaded. This behavior may change in the future.

> ⚠️ If you're using the mod "Alex's Caves", please set the structures from this mod to a factor of 1, in order to avoid experiencing issues. See #47 for more info.

📜 Dependencies

Fabric API (if you're using Fabric, or use the Quilt equivalent)

⏱️ Future Updates

  • World-specific configs
  • Support for structure tags in the config
  • Ability to customize biome constraints for structures
  • Solve the issue with the /locate command and disabled structures (1.20.X only)
  • Mutual structure avoidance option
  • Open an issue on this project's repo if you have any suggestion!
  • ~~Add a config~~ (added in v2.0)
  • ~~Ban specific structures from generating~~ (added in v3.0)
  • ~~Support for frequency-based structure generation~~ (added in v3.0)

🐛 Known Issues

  • Trying to locate a structure that is disabled on versions 1.20.X will freeze the internal server (a restart solves the issue). This does not happen on versions 1.21.X.
  • Incompatible with Cyanide

©️ Credits

Icon made with Gimp using Twemoji and FiraCode Multiloader Template by jaredlll08 Help with testing from kshrubb

Highlights

From source data

Game versions

Supports 23 Minecraft versions, the newest being 26.3.

Loaders

Runs on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge.

Footprint

Rated a light load on a server.

Sparse Structures on Nxeon

From our catalogue
One-click install
Supported on Nxeon Minecraft servers. We download it from Modrinth, place it, and restart the server.
Server side
Required on the server
Server type needed
Fabric, Forge, NeoForge
Server load
light
Smallest plan we suggest
Minecraft — 2 GB (2 GB RAM). This follows our own load rating above, not a benchmark.
Latest build
3.1.5, released 2026-10-03

Game versions by loader

LoaderGame versionsNewest
Fabric26.1.2 to 26.3 (3 versions)26.3
NeoForge26.1.2 to 26.3 (3 versions)26.3

From 7 recorded builds of Sparse Structures.

Recent builds

BuildReleasedGame versionsLoaders
3.1.52026-10-0326.3Fabric
3.1.52026-10-0326.3NeoForge
3.1.42026-07-1126.2NeoForge
3.1.42026-07-1126.2Fabric
3.1.32026-07-0726.1.2Fabric
3.1.22026-05-1026.1.2NeoForge

Dependencies

  • Required: modrinth project P7dR8mSH (modrinth, not in our catalogue)

Declared by the newest build that lists any. Required ones are installed with it on one-click installs.

Run Sparse Structures on a Minecraft server

Pick a server or deploy a new one above; it is installed in one click.

What kind of mod it is

From the catalog
Listed on Modrinth as “Mods”

World generation

Changes or adds to how new terrain, biomes and structures are created.

Runs on your server

From source side support

Modrinth lists Sparse Structures as required on the server. Check its Modrinth page to see whether players need it too.

Compatibility

Game
Minecraft
Loaders
FabricForgeNeoForge
Runs on
Serverrequired on the server
Game versions
26.3 and 22 earlier

Verified at the source

  • ✓ModrinthOfficial listing, checked 2026-10-10Open ↗
  • ✓Authorm, as published on Modrinth
  • ✓LicenseMITFree

Sparse Structures, answered

Generated from the mod’s own source data.

Do my players need to install Sparse Structures?

Modrinth lists Sparse Structures as required on the server. Check its Modrinth page to see whether players need it too.

Which loaders does it support?

Fabric, Forge and NeoForge.

Is it free?

Yes. Sparse Structures is free to download from Modrinth. Its license is MIT.

How do I add it to my Nxeon server?

Use “Add to a server” on this page, or open NxLabs from your dashboard. We install it, restart your server and switch it on.

NxLabs

Run Sparse Structures on a Minecraft server.

Deploy in about a minute from $4.99 a month, then add Sparse Structures in one click.