aradotso/create-simulated-aeronautics-mod

Create Simulated Project (Aeronautics)

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

What Is This Project?

The Simulated Project is a suite of NeoForge Minecraft mods that extend the Create mod with real-time physics-based contraptions. It consists of three interconnected mods:

| Mod | Purpose | |-----|---------| | Create Simulated | Core assembly system, redstone components, physics interaction API | | Create Aeronautics | Flying contraptions — propellers, hot air, levitation rocks | | Create Offroad | Land vehicles — wheels, suspension, terrain traversal |

Physics simulation is powered by Sable, a custom rigid-body physics engine built for Minecraft contraptions.

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Installation (Player/Server)

Modrinth (Recommended)

1. Download from modrinth.com/project/create-aeronautics
2. Place the JAR(s) in your mods/ folder alongside dependencies

Required Dependencies

• NeoForge (matching the mod's target Minecraft version)
• Create mod (matching version)
• Sable physics library

Recommended Launcher

Use Modrinth App or Prism Launcher for dependency resolution.

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Developer Setup (Building from Source)

Clone & Build

git clone https://github.com/Creators-of-Aeronautics/Simulated-Project.git
cd Simulated-Project
./gradlew build

Run in Dev Environment

# Start a development client
./gradlew runClient

# Start a development server
./gradlew runServer

# Generate IDE run configurations (IntelliJ)
./gradlew genIntellijRuns

Project Structure

Simulated-Project/
├── simulated/          # Core mod — assembly, physics API
├── aeronautics/        # Flying contraptions submod
├── offroad/            # Land vehicle submod
├── common/             # Shared utilities across submods
└── build.gradle        # Multi-project Gradle build

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Core Concepts

1. Simulated Contraptions

Unlike vanilla Create contraptions (which move block-by-block along tracks), Simulated contraptions are assembled into physics objects with:

• Mass derived from block composition
• Moment of inertia for rotation
• Forces applied by thrusters, propellers, wheels

2. Assembly

Players assemble a contraption using a designated assembly block (similar to Create's mechanical bearing). Once assembled, the structure becomes a rigid physics body managed by Sable.

3. Force Providers

Blocks that apply forces to assembled contraptions:

• PropellerBlock — directional thrust (Aeronautics)
• HotAirBlock — upward buoyancy (Aeronautics)
• LevitationRockBlock — magical lift (Aeronautics)
• WheelBlock — ground traction and propulsion (Offroad)

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Key API — Create Simulated Core

Registering a Custom Force Provider

import com.simulated.api.force.IForceProvider;
import com.simulated.api.contraption.SimulatedContraption;
import net.minecraft.core.BlockPos;
import net.minecraft.world.level.Level;
import org.joml.Vector3f;

public class MyThrusterBlock extends Block implements IForceProvider {

    public MyThrusterBlock(Properties properties) {
        super(properties);
    }

    @Override
    public Vector3f getForce(SimulatedContraption contraption, BlockPos localPos, Level level) {
        // Return force vector in world space (Newtons equivalent)
        // Positive Y = upward lift, positive Z = forward thrust
        float thrustMagnitude = 500.0f;
        return new Vector3f(0, 0, thrustMagnitude);
    }

    @Override
    public Vector3f getTorque(SimulatedContraption contraption, BlockPos localPos, Level level) {
        // Torque applied around center of mass (optional)
        return new Vector3f(0, 0, 0);
    }
}

Registering Your Block with NeoForge

import net.neoforged.bus.api.IEventBus;
import net.neoforged.neoforge.registries.DeferredRegister;
import net.minecraft.core.registries.BuiltInRegistries;
import net.minecraft.world.level.block.Block;
import net.neoforged.neoforge.registries.DeferredHolder;

public class MyModBlocks {

    public static final DeferredRegister<Block> BLOCKS =
        DeferredRegister.create(BuiltInRegistries.BLOCK, "mymod");

    public static final DeferredHolder<Block, MyThrusterBlock> MY_THRUSTER =
        BLOCKS.register("my_thruster", () -> new MyThrusterBlock(
            Block.Properties.of().strength(2.0f)
        ));

    public static void register(IEventBus eventBus) {
        BLOCKS.register(eventBus);
    }
}

Accessing a SimulatedContraption at Runtime

import com.simulated.api.contraption.SimulatedContraption;
import com.simulated.api.contraption.SimulatedContraptionHandler;
import net.minecraft.world.entity.Entity;
import net.minecraft.world.level.Level;
import net.minecraft.world.phys.Vec3;

public class ContraptionUtils {

    /**
     * Get the simulated contraption an entity is riding, if any.
     */
    public static SimulatedContraption getRiddenContraption(Entity entity) {
        return SimulatedContraptionHandler.getContraptionForEntity(entity);
    }

    /**
     * Apply an impulse to a contraption's physics body directly.
     */
    public static void applyImpulse(SimulatedContraption contraption, Vec3 impulse) {
        contraption.getPhysicsBody().applyImpulse(
            new org.joml.Vector3f(
                (float) impulse.x,
                (float) impulse.y,
                (float) impulse.z
            )
        );
    }
}

Listening to Contraption Assembly Events

import com.simulated.api.event.ContraptionAssembleEvent;
import com.simulated.api.event.ContraptionDisassembleEvent;
import net.neoforged.bus.api.SubscribeEvent;
import net.neoforged.fml.common.EventBusSubscriber;

@EventBusSubscriber(modid = "mymod")
public class ContraptionEventHandler {

    @SubscribeEvent
    public static void onAssemble(ContraptionAssembleEvent event) {
        SimulatedContraption contraption = event.getContraption();
        // e.g., calculate custom mass modifier
        float customMass = contraption.getMass() * 0.8f;
        contraption.setMassOverride(customMass);

        System.out.println("Contraption assembled with " +
            contraption.getBlocks().size() + " blocks.");
    }

    @SubscribeEvent
    public static void onDisassemble(ContraptionDisassembleEvent event) {
        // Cleanup any custom data attached to this contraption
        MyContraptionData.remove(event.getContraption().getId());
    }
}

---

Aeronautics — Flight Mechanics

Propeller Configuration (In-Game)

Propellers are directional. Place them facing the direction you want thrust:

• Facing down → upward lift
• Facing back → forward thrust
• Speed (RPM) fed by Create's rotational network controls thrust magnitude

Hot Air Balloon

1. Place Balloon Canvas blocks in a dome shape above a heat source
2. Connect a Blaze Burner below the opening
3. Assemble — the trapped hot air provides buoyancy proportional to enclosed volume

Levitation Rock

• Rare ore providing passive vertical lift
• Useful for lighter-than-air vessels needing no fuel

Flight Control Pattern

// Example: Redstone-controlled pitch adjustment via a custom block entity
public class FlightControllerBlockEntity extends BlockEntity {

    public FlightControllerBlockEntity(BlockPos pos, BlockState state) {
        super(MyModBlockEntities.FLIGHT_CONTROLLER.get(), pos, state);
    }

    public void applyPitchInput(SimulatedContraption contraption, float pitchDelta) {
        // Torque around the X-axis to pitch the vehicle
        org.joml.Vector3f torque = new org.joml.Vector3f(pitchDelta * 100f, 0, 0);
        contraption.getPhysicsBody().applyTorqueImpulse(torque);
    }
}

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Offroad — Land Vehicles

Wheel Setup

1. Place Wheel blocks at the four corners of your vehicle chassis
2. Each wheel needs rotational input from Create's shaft network
3. Assemble the contraption — wheels automatically detect ground contact

Suspension

Wheels simulate suspension travel. Stiffer suspensions use more rigid Create structural blocks near the wheel mounts.

Steering

Connect Create's Rotation Speed Controller to front wheels to implement steering differentials.

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Configuration

Config files generate in config/ on first run:

# simulated-common.toml

[physics]
  # Physics simulation tick rate (ticks per second, default 20)
  simulationRate = 20
  # Maximum contraption block count before performance warnings
  maxContraptionSize = 2048
  # Enable contraption–contraption collision
  contraptionCollision = true

[aeronautics]
  # Propeller force multiplier
  propellerForceScale = 1.0
  # Hot air buoyancy multiplier
  hotAirBuoyancyScale = 1.0

[offroad]
  # Wheel traction coefficient
  wheelTraction = 0.85
  # Maximum vehicle speed (blocks/second)
  maxVehicleSpeed = 40.0

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Localization / Translations

The project uses Crowdin for community translations.

Adding a New Language

1. Join the Crowdin project
2. Translate strings in the web UI
3. Translations are automatically pulled into the repo

Adding Keys Programmatically

// In your lang JSON: src/main/resources/assets/mymod/lang/en_us.json
{
  "block.mymod.my_thruster": "Hyperdrive Thruster",
  "block.mymod.my_thruster.tooltip": "Applies directional thrust to assembled contraptions.",
  "mymod.contraption.overloaded": "Contraption mass exceeds safe limits!"
}

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Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Fuel-Gated Thrust

@Override
public Vector3f getForce(SimulatedContraption contraption, BlockPos localPos, Level level) {
    // Only provide thrust if a fuel item is present in an adjacent chest
    BlockEntity adjacent = level.getBlockEntity(localPos.above());
    if (adjacent instanceof net.minecraft.world.level.block.entity.ChestBlockEntity chest) {
        boolean hasFuel = !chest.isEmpty(); // simplified check
        if (hasFuel) {
            return new Vector3f(0, 0, 800.0f);
        }
    }
    return new Vector3f(0, 0, 0);
}

Pattern 2: Speed-Based Thrust Scaling

@Override
public Vector3f getForce(SimulatedContraption contraption, BlockPos localPos, Level level) {
    // Scale thrust with Create rotational speed at this block's position
    float rpm = contraption.getRotationalSpeedAt(localPos);
    float thrust = rpm * 2.5f; // tune this constant for your use case
    return new Vector3f(0, 0, Math.min(thrust, 2000.0f)); // cap at max
}

Pattern 3: Custom Physics Data per Contraption

import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.UUID;

public class MyContraptionData {
    private static final Map<UUID, Float> fuelLevels = new HashMap<>();

    public static float getFuel(UUID contraptionId) {
        return fuelLevels.getOrDefault(contraptionId, 100.0f);
    }

    public static void consumeFuel(UUID contraptionId, float amount) {
        float current = getFuel(contraptionId);
        fuelLevels.put(contraptionId, Math.max(0, current - amount));
    }

    public static void remove(UUID contraptionId) {
        fuelLevels.remove(contraptionId);
    }
}

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Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix | |---------|-------------|-----| | Contraption won't assemble | Missing dependency mod (Create, Sable) | Verify all deps in mods/ | | Vehicle sinks through floor | Wheel blocks not receiving rotation | Check shaft connections | | Extreme jitter / vibration | Too many conflicting force providers | Balance thrust/lift forces; reduce propellerForceScale in config | | Crash on assembly | Block count exceeds maxContraptionSize | Increase limit in config or reduce vehicle size | | Translations not showing | Wrong lang file path | Ensure assets/<modid>/lang/en_us.json path is correct | | Physics desync on multiplayer | High server TPS drop | Lower simulationRate or reduce contraption count | | ClassNotFoundException on IForceProvider | API jar not in classpath | Add simulated-api to build.gradle dependencies |

Dependency Setup in build.gradle

dependencies {
    // NeoForge
    implementation "net.neoforged:neoforge:${neoforge_version}"

    // Create mod (via cursemaven or modrinth maven)
    implementation fg.deobf("com.simibubi.create:create-${minecraft_version}:${create_version}:slim") {
        transitive = false
    }

    // Create Simulated API (once published to maven)
    implementation "com.aeronautics:simulated-api:${simulated_version}"
}

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Community & Support

• Discord: discord.gg/createaeronautics
• Issue Tracker: GitHub Issues (233 open)
• Modrinth: modrinth.com/project/create-aeronautics
• Crowdin Translations: crowdin.com/project/create-aeronautics