Creating a 3D Minecraft-style game in Scratch might seem daunting at first, especially considering Scratch’s primary focus on 2D programming. However, with a clever use of voxels—3D pixels—and some innovative coding techniques, you can build a fully interactive, voxel-based world that emulates the iconic blocky aesthetic of Minecraft. This tutorial will guide you step-by-step through the process of designing a voxel engine in Scratch, enabling you to craft your own 3D clone of Minecraft. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate coder, this comprehensive guide will help you understand the core concepts, tools, and strategies needed to bring your voxel universe to life.
Understanding the Basics of Voxel Graphics
Before diving into coding, it’s essential to grasp what voxels are. Unlike polygons used in traditional 3D modeling, voxels are volumetric pixels—think of them as tiny cubes that together form a 3D space. They’re similar to LEGO bricks; each block is a voxel that can be manipulated to create complex structures.
In Minecraft, the entire world is made up of these cubic blocks, giving it that distinctive pixelated look. Replicating this in Scratch involves rendering and managing a large number of small 3D cubes efficiently, which is the core challenge of voxel programming.
Tools and Resources Needed
- Scratch Editor — The main platform for building your project.
- Image editing software (optional) — For creating custom block textures, e.g., GIMP or Photoshop.
- Basic understanding of Scratch programming — Logic, variables, loops, and clones.
- Knowledge of 3D coordinate systems — To position your voxels correctly.
Step 1: Setting Up the Canvas and Basic Scene
Start by creating a new Scratch project. To simulate a 3D environment, you’ll need to implement a form of 2.5D projection, often called isometric or perspective projection. For simplicity, we’ll use a basic perspective projection where the 3D world is projected onto a 2D plane.
Set the stage background to a clear color, such as sky blue, to represent the sky. You’ll then create a sprite called “Voxel” that will serve as the template for all blocks.
Creating the Voxel Sprite
- Design a simple square graphic (20×20 pixels) with a texture that resembles a Minecraft block. Use transparency if needed.
- Name the sprite “Voxel”.
Step 2: Managing 3D Coordinates and Projection
To position each voxel, you’ll use three coordinates: x, y, and z. Think of x and y as the horizontal and vertical axes on the ground plane, and z as height or depth.
Implement a function to convert 3D coordinates into 2D screen positions using a simple perspective projection formula:
screenX = (x - y) * cos(angle) screenY = (x + y) * sin(angle) - z * scale
Adjust angle and scale to get a convincing 3D perspective.
Step 3: Creating the Voxel Map
Use a 3D array or nested lists to store the world data. For example, a list of lists of lists in Scratch can represent the map:
| X | Y | Z |
|---|---|---|
| [list of blocks] | [list of blocks] | [list of blocks] |
Populate this array with data indicating whether a block exists and its type (e.g., grass, dirt, stone). For initial testing, fill a small area with solid blocks.
Step 4: Rendering the World
To render your voxel world:
- Loop through the 3D array, retrieving each block’s coordinate and type.
- Convert each block’s 3D coordinate to 2D screen position using your projection formula.
- Clone the “Voxel” sprite for each block, setting its costume based on the block type.
- Position each clone at the calculated screen coordinates.
Ensure the rendering order is correct—closer objects should be drawn last to avoid overlapping issues. You can sort the clone list based on their depth (z-coordinate).
Step 5: Adding Player Movement and Camera Control
Implement a simple camera system that allows the player to move around the world:
- Use arrow keys or WASD to move the camera position.
- Update the projection calculations based on the camera position and orientation.
- Refresh the rendering each frame to reflect movement.
For a more immersive experience, add mouse controls to rotate the view and shift the perspective dynamically.
Step 6: Building Interactivity
Enable players to interact with blocks:
- Detect clicks on voxels by checking the mouse position against the projected position of each clone.
- Implement block removal or placement by updating your 3D array and re-rendering the scene accordingly.
This interaction brings your voxel world to life, similar to the core gameplay mechanics of Minecraft.
Step 7: Optimizations and Enhancements
As your world grows, performance may decline due to the number of clones and calculations. Some optimization strategies include:
- Only rendering visible blocks (culling).
- Using a quadtree or octree for efficient spatial management.
- Reducing the size of voxel sprites or combining multiple blocks into single sprites for batch rendering.
Additionally, you can add features like lighting, shadows, textures, and animations to enhance realism and aesthetics.
Additional Resources and Tutorials
- Minecraft in Scratch by User — An example project demonstrating voxel principles.
- Voxel Programming Guide — Detailed articles on voxel engine design.
- Voxel Engine Resources — Tools and libraries to streamline voxel development.
Statistics and Future Trends in Voxel-Based Gaming
Voxels have become increasingly popular in game development, with titles like Minecraft generating over 238 million copies sold worldwide as of 2023. The voxel approach is praised for its simplicity, flexibility, and retro aesthetic, which appeals to both indie developers and large studios.
In 2025, the trend continues with more tools and engines supporting voxel creation, including Unity voxel plugins and WebGL-based viewers. The rise of procedural generation techniques allows for vast, explorable worlds with minimal data, making voxel-based games more accessible and scalable.
Furthermore, innovations in hardware, such as real-time ray tracing and advanced GPU capabilities, open new possibilities for rendering voxel worlds with lighting, shadows, and effects previously limited to polygonal models.
Final Thoughts
Developing a 3D Minecraft clone in Scratch is an excellent project for understanding fundamental 3D concepts, programming logic, and creative problem-solving. While Scratch isn’t designed for high-performance 3D graphics, with clever coding and optimization, you can create engaging, interactive voxel worlds that teach you the core principles behind more complex engines. Exploring this project enhances your understanding of spatial mathematics, rendering techniques, and game design — valuable skills that serve as a foundation for more advanced development in Unity, Unreal, or custom engines.