I've become fascinated with playing Beta style Minecraft, but I haven't been able to install the various mods that are supposed to let me do that. So I've come up with a unique solution. I pre-generate worlds in version 1.9 using Beta style presets and then I load these pre-generated chunks into modern Minecraft so I can have the old style terrain with new Minecraft conveniences (like the deep dark).

This is how I do it:

First I open up version 1.9.


This version allows you to add your own custom presets.

In the world creation menu I make sure cheats are enabled and then I load up the presets and copy/paste this code I found online:

{"coordinateScale":684.412,"heightScale":684.412,"lowerLimitScale":512.000,"upperLimitScale":512.000,"depthNoiseScaleX":200.000,"depthNoiseScaleZ":200.000,"depthNoiseScaleExponent":0.5,"mainNoiseScaleX":80.0,"mainNoiseScaleY":160.0,"mainNoiseScaleZ":80.0,"baseSize":8.5,"stretchY":12.0,"biomeDepthWeight":0.0,"biomeDepthOffset":0.370,"biomeScaleWeight":0.0,"biomeScaleOffset":0.5,"seaLevel":64,"useCaves":true,"useDungeons":true,"dungeonChance":8,"useStrongholds":true,"useVillages":true,"useMineShafts":true,"useTemples":true,"useRavines":true,"useWaterLakes":true,"waterLakeChance":4,"useLavaLakes":true,"lavaLakeChance":80,"useLavaOceans":false,"fixedBiome":-1,"biomeSize":2,"riverSize":5,"dirtSize":33,"dirtCount":20,"dirtMinHeight":0,"dirtMaxHeight":128,"gravelSize":33,"gravelCount":10,"gravelMinHeight":0,"gravelMaxHeight":128,"graniteSize":33,"graniteCount":10,"graniteMinHeight":0,"graniteMaxHeight":80,"dioriteSize":33,"dioriteCount":10,"dioriteMinHeight":0,"dioriteMaxHeight":80,"andesiteSize":33,"andesiteCount":10,"andesiteMinHeight":0,"andesiteMaxHeight":80,"coalSize":17,"coalCount":20,"coalMinHeight":0,"coalMaxHeight":128,"ironSize":9,"ironCount":20,"ironMinHeight":0,"ironMaxHeight":64,"goldSize":9,"goldCount":2,"goldMinHeight":0,"goldMaxHeight":32,"redstoneSize":8,"redstoneCount":8,"redstoneMinHeight":0,"redstoneMaxHeight":16,"diamondSize":8,"diamondCount":1,"diamondMinHeight":0,"diamondMaxHeight":16,"lapisSize":7,"lapisCount":1,"lapisCenterHeight":16,"lapisSpread":16}

It emulates Beta Minecraft world terrain generation fairly accurately.



Once I load up a new world I teleport myself to XY coordinates 0, 0 to ensure I am in the center of the new world.

Then I place down a command block and copy/paste this code ensuring that the command block is set to "always be active"

summon FallingSand ~ ~0.55 ~ {Block:command_block,Time:1,TileEntityData:{Command:"summon MinecartCommandBlock ~ ~1.5 ~ {Command:\"gamerule commandBlockOutput false\",Passengers:[{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setworldspawn 0 80 0\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"gamemode 3 @a\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives add Dir dummy\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives add Iter dummy\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives add Remain dummy\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives add Info dummy\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives add Running dummy\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set Ticks Info 0\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set RadiusCompletedSoFar Info 0\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set @a Running -1\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set @a Dir 1\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set @a Iter 1\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard players set @a Remain 1\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"scoreboard objectives setdisplay sidebar Info\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"AFK World Generator for Minecraft 1.9\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"green\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"by Dr. Brian Lorgon111\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"yellow\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"www.youtube.com/user/lorgon111\\\",\\\"clickEvent\\\":{\\\"action\\\":\\\"open_url\\\",\\\"value\\\":\\\"https://www.youtube.com/user/lorgon111\\\"}}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"This one-command contraption only works when placed near 0,0 (which is now the world spawn).\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"red\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"Set your render distance to 8 chunks!\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"red\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"To start, run this command:\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"/scoreboard players set @a Running 1\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"green\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"Once desired size reached, stop with:\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"tellraw @a [{\\\"text\\\":\\\"/scoreboard players set @a Running 0\\\",\\\"color\\\":\\\"green\\\"}]\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~35 ~0 command_block 0 replace {Command:\\\"scoreboard objectives setdisplay sidebar\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~34 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"gamemode 0 @a\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~33 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"gamemode 1 @a\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~32 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a 0 ~ 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~31 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"time set 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~30 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"fill ~ ~-33 ~ ~ ~5 ~ air\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~29 ~0 repeating_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Running 1 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~28 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"blockdata ~ ~-2 ~ {auto:1b}\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~27 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a 0 130 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~26 ~0 repeating_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Running * 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~25 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"blockdata ~ ~1 ~ {auto:0b}\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~24 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Running 0 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~23 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"blockdata ~ ~12 ~ {auto:1b}\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~22 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players add Ticks Info 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~21 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test Ticks Info 40 *\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~20 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players set Ticks Info 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~19 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"blockdata ~ ~-2 ~ {auto:1b}\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~18 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"blockdata ~ ~-1 ~ {auto:0b}\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~17 ~0 command_block 0 replace {Command:\\\"\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~16 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a[score_Dir_min=1,score_Dir=1] ~100 130 ~0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~15 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a[score_Dir_min=2,score_Dir=2] ~0 130 ~100\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~14 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a[score_Dir_min=3,score_Dir=3] ~-100 130 ~0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~13 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"tp @a[score_Dir_min=4,score_Dir=4] ~0 130 ~-100\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~12 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players remove @a Remain 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~11 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Remain 0 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~10 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"execute @p[score_Dir_min=2,score_Dir=2] ~ ~ ~ scoreboard players add @a Iter 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~9 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Remain 0 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~8 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"execute @p[score_Dir_min=4,score_Dir=4] ~ ~ ~ scoreboard players add @a Iter 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~7 ~0 chain_command_block 0 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players test @p Remain 0 0\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~6 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players operation @a Remain = @p Iter\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~5 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players add @a Dir 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~4 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players set @a[score_Dir_min=5,score_Dir=5] Dir 1\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~0 ~3 ~0 chain_command_block 8 replace {auto:1b,Command:\\\"scoreboard players add RadiusCompletedSoFar Info 100\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"setblock ~ ~-2 ~ command_block 0 0 {auto:1b,Command:\\\"fill ~ ~ ~ ~ ~2 ~ air\\\"}\"},{id:MinecartCommandBlock,Command:\"kill @e[type=MinecartCommandBlock,r=5]\"}]}"},Passengers:[{id:FallingSand,Block:redstone_block,Time:1,Passengers:[{id:FallingSand,Block:activator_rail,Time:1}]}]}


This code generates a scoreboard that tracks the player and teleports them around the world in a spiral fashion.

To run the code you just type the following command in:

/scoreboard players set @a Running 1

Then I let this code run for a couple hours to pre-generate as much of the terrain as I want.

Whenever I'm ready to finish I simply enter this command into the chat:

/scoreboard players set @a Running 0

This stops the scoreboard and teleportation command and returns you to the center of the world.

Now all I have to do is exit out of version 1.9 and load up the same world in a modern version of Minecraft like 1.19.4.

Since we pre-loaded all the chunks before, you don't get anything new added to the world above y-0. But because modern Minecraft increased the world height it will now generate the deep dark and all terrain BELOW the surface of y-0 as you explore. This means you get old school Beta overworld terrain complete with the old style cave generation systems, but if you dig deep enough down you'll get all the NEW Minecraft world terrain generation like giant caves, ancient cities, and the deep dark!

And there you go. Beta Minecraft terrain in modern Minecraft without installing mods.