1.19 beta builds are available on Patreon

Patreon subscribers of any tier can now download the VR or NONVR client installers for 1.19. The spigot server plugin is available on Github.

Will 1.19 release as a public download?

Yes. Eventually. If you cannot or will not support the project, all the previous versions of Vivecraft are still available on the downloads page. 1.18.2 just got mod support too and is still in active development.

There is no firm timeframe for 1.19 to be public. It depends very much on support levels. At the latest it will be made public when the next MC version supersedes it (Dec. / Jan. if Mojang holds to their release cadence)

Why Patreon?

This move was never going to make me popular, so let’s have at it.

My life and work situations have changed such that I no longer have the free time during the day that I once did to devote to hobby projects. In other words: Vivecraft now competes directly with my leisure and family time. To put it in concrete terms: this 1.19 update took me 2 solid weekends plus some evening time in the middle.

I now have to justify whether that time would have been better spent doing something else. I hate that I have to make that judgement, but monetary compensation for time spent is the most direct way to balance the scales, plain and simple.

There is a larger factor at play here, besides time, that I want to be clear about: I am not happy with the state of Vivecraft in general.

I love programming, I love VR, I love Minecraft, and I especially love making things that others find joy in. That’s what keeps me going. Sadly, forever updating mods in step with the 6-month release cycle is time-consuming, joyless, and frequently thankless. Ask any modder. Hours and days go by and the only result is a new version that does exactly what the old one did, but with a bigger number.

My sincere wish is that as the Patreon subscribers grow, I get back into developing fun new features and community compatibility. Here’s a quick list of what I would do if I could work on Vivecraft every single day:

  • Make a Fabric version
  • Make Optifine optional to help with Forge compatibility
  • Bring back and complete the roomscale inventory / crafting system
  • Roomscale fishing!
  • A new, polished, installer
  • Support for VR resource packs and items
  • a direct modding API

The list goes on.

Lastly, let’s address the question a little less philosophically. Why Patreon, specifically? Why not ads, or sponsors, or some other form of monetization? The answer is simple. VR is still a niche industry. Minecraft VR is a niche community. I don’t have the luxury of millions of possible users out there to generate clicks.

One of the most beautiful aspects about the internet is in the finding of small, passionate communities willing to support the things they love. I’m only asking for a small donation to keep the joy in what I do, and your support means a great deal. Thank You.

-jrbudda out