Minecraft Java Edition

How to Install BBS Mod

Your setup. Your first scene.

Set up BBS Mod for Minecraft Java Edition. Follow the steps for your loader, add the required files, and check your first launch.

Start installation Get BBS Mod
  • Animation
  • Roleplay
  • Machinima

Start with the right files

Choose Your BBS Mod Installation Setup

Check the Minecraft version and loader used by your launcher profile before collecting any files. Choose the matching setup below and keep every dependency on that same Minecraft version.

Fabric setup

Minecraft 1.20.1, 1.20.4 or 1.21.1 with Fabric

Prepare these three parts for your chosen Minecraft version:

  • Fabric Loader: the loader used to start your modded Minecraft profile.
  • BBS Mod: the Fabric build made for that Minecraft version.
  • Fabric API: the matching library file required by BBS Mod.

Fabric Loader and Fabric API do different jobs. Installing the loader does not add Fabric API to your game; its file is installed separately.

Connector setup

Forge 1.20.1 or NeoForge 1.21.1

These setups use the matching Fabric build of BBS Mod through Sinytra Connector. Keep the game version and loader paired correctly:

  • Forge 1.20.1: use the BBS Mod Fabric 1.20.1 file.
  • NeoForge 1.21.1: use the BBS Mod Fabric 1.21.1 file.

Add Sinytra Connector, Forgified Fabric API and Connector Extras in versions made for that setup. Forgified Fabric API is the API used on this route; do not substitute the regular Fabric API file.

Dedicated Forge build

Minecraft 1.12.2 with Forge

Use a Forge 1.12.2 installation and the dedicated BBS Mod Forge 1.12.2 file. This is a separate build, so the Fabric files and the Connector setup described above are not the installation route for it.

Using Minecraft 26.3? BBS Mod 2.4 also has a Fabric 26.3 file marked Beta. Use the loader and dependency versions specified for that build. The files prepared for a 1.20.x or 1.21.1 setup are not substitutes.

Fabric installation guide

Install BBS Mod with Fabric

Follow these steps for a Fabric setup using the official Minecraft Launcher. Use the Minecraft version you selected in the setup section above throughout the installation.

  1. Get the Fabric installer for your computer

    Open the Fabric installer page. On Windows, choose the Windows installer. For macOS or Linux, choose the Universal/JAR installer; you may need a separate Java installation to run it.

    This installs the loader. The BBS Mod and Fabric API files are added later, inside the game directory.

  2. Create the matching Fabric profile

    Close Minecraft and the launcher before running the installer. Select the Minecraft version that matches your BBS Mod file. Use a Fabric Loader version that meets the requirements of your selected mods, keep Create Profile enabled and select Install.

    When installation finishes, reopen the Minecraft Launcher and find the new Fabric profile.

  3. Find the folder used by your Fabric profile

    In the launcher, open Installations, select the Fabric profile’s three-dot menu and choose Edit. Check its Game Directory. Open that directory and locate its mods folder. If the folder is missing, create one named mods.

    Default Minecraft mods folder locations
    Windows %appdata%\.minecraft\mods
    macOS ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods
    Linux ~/.minecraft/mods

    These paths are for the default game directory. If your profile uses a custom directory, use the mods folder there instead.

  4. Add the two mod files

    With Minecraft closed, place the matching BBS Mod and Fabric API .jar files directly inside mods. Leave them packaged; do not extract them or put them in resourcepacks.

  5. Start the Fabric profile

    Select the Fabric profile in the launcher and press Play. If a dependency message stops startup, read the mod name and version it requests before replacing a file. After reaching the main menu, open a temporary world before starting a project.

Using a different launcher? Use its own Fabric installation and instance-folder controls. The installer steps above are for the official Minecraft Launcher; a separate instance may store its files elsewhere.

Installation with Sinytra Connector

Install BBS Mod on Forge or NeoForge

This route covers Forge 1.20.1 and NeoForge 1.21.1 using the official Minecraft Launcher. The game runs through your chosen loader, while Connector loads the matching Fabric build of BBS Mod.

Check Java before running the installer: use Java 17 for this Forge 1.20.1 setup or Java 21 for NeoForge 1.21.1. Run java -version in Command Prompt or Terminal to check the Java installation available there.

  1. Install the client for your chosen loader

    Close Minecraft and the launcher. For Minecraft 1.20.1, get the installer from the Forge 1.20.1 downloads page. For Minecraft 1.21.1, choose a matching installer through the NeoForge client installation guide.

    Run the installer with the client installation option selected. Choose a loader build compatible with your Connector release, rather than a build for a different Minecraft version.

  2. Give this setup its own game directory

    Reopen the launcher and go to Installations. Create a new installation, select the installed Forge or NeoForge version, and set Game Directory to a separate folder for this setup. Give the profile a name you will recognise.

    Start that profile once, then close the game. Open its game directory and locate the mods folder created there.

  3. Add the prepared Connector setup

    Place the BBS Mod Fabric build and all three Connector dependencies identified in the setup section into this profile’s mods folder. Use files for the same Minecraft version and leave each .jar packaged.

    Connector loads Fabric mods from the normal mods folder; you do not need to convert the BBS Mod file or create a second Fabric profile for this installation.

  4. Launch the loader profile and test the game

    Select the Forge or NeoForge profile you just prepared and press Play. If startup reports a missing dependency or an incompatible version, correct the file named in that message before trying again.

    For the first test, keep the instance limited to BBS Mod and the required dependencies. Open a temporary world, then test additional mods separately once this setup launches successfully.

Dedicated Minecraft 1.12.2 setup

Install BBS Mod on Forge 1.12.2

Use this route for the BBS Mod build made specifically for Minecraft 1.12.2. Keep it in its own Forge installation so your files stay separate from newer Minecraft setups.

Legacy Java setup: use a 64-bit Java 8 runtime for a standard Forge 1.12.2 profile. If your launcher has a custom Java executable setting, check the runtime assigned to this profile as well as the Java used to open the installer.

  1. Prepare Minecraft 1.12.2 and install Forge

    Run Minecraft Java Edition 1.12.2 once in the official launcher, then close the game and launcher. Open the Forge 1.12.2 downloads page and choose an Installer download.

    Run the installer, select Install client and complete the installation. The Installer option prepares a playable Forge installation; the MDK download is for mod development.

  2. Choose the Forge 1.12.2 profile and its folder

    Reopen the launcher and select the installed Forge 1.12.2 version. Use the Game Directory check explained above to give this profile a separate folder. Start the profile once, then close Minecraft before adding the mod.

    Open the mods folder inside that game directory. This is the folder used by your 1.12.2 installation.

  3. Add the dedicated BBS Mod file

    Place the Forge 1.12.2 BBS Mod file directly inside mods. For BBS Mod 2.4, the filename is bbs-2.4-1.12.2.jar. Keep it as a JAR file and leave it unextracted.

    This is a native Forge build. Fabric API and the Sinytra Connector setup used for newer Minecraft versions are not part of this route.

  4. Check that Forge loads the mod

    Launch the Forge 1.12.2 profile again. At the main menu, open Mods and look for BBS. Then open a temporary world to check the installation before working on a scene.

    If BBS is missing, recheck the selected profile and the folder containing the JAR. If startup stops with an error, use its specific message to identify the next check.

Your first look inside

Open the BBS Dashboard and Find Your Way Around

Begin in a practice world, open the Dashboard and identify the panels you will use. This guide follows the BBS 2.x editor.

  1. Choose a simple place to practise

    Open a singleplayer Creative world and find a clear area with room for a character and a camera view. You do not need a finished set yet. A flat patch of ground makes it easier to spot movement and understand what changes when you adjust the editor.

  2. Check your Dashboard key and open BBS

    In Minecraft, open Options → Controls → Key Binds and find the BBS Mod Dashboard binding. Return to your world and press its assigned key to open the Dashboard. If another action uses the same key, assign an unused key before continuing.

  3. Find the film editor workspace

    Open the film editor from the Dashboard. BBS 2.x supports dockable layouts, so panels can appear in different positions. Identify the areas below before rearranging anything. Keeping the initial layout while learning will make the next steps easier to follow.

    Film editor areas to recognise
    Area What to check first
    Scene preview Look at the scene and check how the shot is framed.
    Timeline and keyframes Check the playhead position before editing. Scrub through time to inspect changes.
    Properties panel Inspect the selected film, replay, form or clip. Your selection determines which settings you edit.

Keep the editor’s controls handy: press F9 while editing to view the keybind list. BBS 2 lets you edit bindings from that list, so you can check the controls used by your own setup as you work through the guide.

Give your scene a project

Create Your First BBS Mod Film Project

Before recording a character or building a camera move, create a film you can recognise and reopen. A small practice project gives each editing step a clear place to belong.

A practice shot to work toward: one character turns toward a lantern while the camera stays still. Aim for roughly five seconds. This is a suggested exercise, so you can change the setting without adding more characters or camera moves yet.

  1. Create a film from the film editor

    Open the film list in the editor and use its create-film action. Create a fresh film for this exercise rather than selecting a project you already use. This keeps practice changes together and gives you a clear starting point for the next steps.

  2. Choose a name you will recognise later

    Enter a short, descriptive name such as practice_shot_01 and confirm creation. Use the same name when checking the film list later. BBS 2 saves new films when they are created, so the next check is to make sure you can find this project again.

  3. Confirm which film you are editing

    Check the selected film’s name before adding replays or camera clips. BBS 2 supports film tabs; if several projects are open, select the tab for practice_shot_01. Keep that film active as you move between editing panels.

  4. Reopen the project before you build the scene

    Return to the world, reopen the editor and select the film by its name. Confirm that you are back in the project you just created. Once you begin making changes, save regularly using the editor’s save action or its assigned shortcut, and check your work before leaving the session.

A saved film and a finished video are different things. The film keeps your editable scene. Video capture produces footage to watch or share; it comes after the scene is ready.

Bring in your first performer

Add a Character and Record a Replay

Open practice_shot_01 and give it one character. Focus on a short performance before adding camera movement, so you can see clearly what the character is doing.

For the lantern exercise: begin still, turn slowly toward the lantern, then pause again. Leave a little time before and after the turn so the action is easy to inspect during playback.

  1. Add a replay and choose its appearance

    Add a new replay from the film’s replay list. Give it a clear display name such as lantern_actor. Use that replay’s form picker to choose an available character model. In BBS 2, the form picker and display name are part of the replay list controls.

  2. Prepare the character’s starting position

    Select lantern_actor and move the timeline playhead to the beginning of your take. Use the selected replay’s actor control to position the character beside the lantern. Check the starting direction and test that your movement controls affect the intended character before recording.

  3. Record the short performance

    Check the assigned BBS binding for Record current replay and use it to begin the take. Wait until recording starts, perform the slow turn and leave the final pause. Finish with the replay recording stop control shown by your editor or its current control hints.

    Use the replay recording action for the character’s performance. Record video is the separate action used later to capture finished footage.

  4. Review the take from the beginning

    Return to editing and play the film from the start of the take. Watch the character’s initial direction, the speed of the turn and the final pause. Scrub back through the action to inspect anything that looks sudden or starts at the wrong moment.

  5. Make one improvement at a time

    If the turn feels rushed, try a slower performance before adding other changes. Confirm that lantern_actor is selected before another recording attempt. Once the action plays as intended, save the film and replay it again before moving on to the camera.

Frame the performance

Set Up a Steady Camera Shot in BBS Mod

Give the replay in practice_shot_01 a clear camera view. Start with a steady shot so you can judge the character’s turn before introducing camera movement.

For the lantern shot: keep the character and lantern visible together. Leave a little space above the character’s head and enough room in the direction of the turn. A simple background makes the action easier to read.

  1. Add a Movement camera clip

    In the film’s camera editor, add a Movement clip. Set its start and duration to cover the performance, including the pauses before and after the turn. Select this clip before adjusting its camera settings.

  2. Set the camera’s position and direction

    Use the selected camera clip’s controls to frame lantern_actor beside the lantern. Adjust the camera position and rotation rather than moving the replay to fix the composition. Check the shot through the camera output view.

  3. Keep this first shot still

    Keep the camera’s position and rotation constant across the clip. If those tracks already contain keyframes, inspect them for values that introduce movement. Scrub through the clip and confirm that the framing holds.

  4. Check the beginning, turn and final pause

    Play the character’s replay through the camera. Check all three moments: the starting pose, the turn itself and the pause afterward. Keep the face and lantern readable throughout, without the character being cut off at the frame edge.

  5. Save the framing and replay the whole shot

    Save the film after adjusting the camera. Play the shot again from its start, checking that the camera clip covers the complete performance. Keep this steady version as your starting point when you begin experimenting with camera animation.

Make the camera move with purpose

Animate the Camera with Two Keyframes

Use the steady shot in practice_shot_01 as your starting view. Add one small position change and learn how keyframe values, spacing and interpolation work together.

Keep the first move simple: change one camera position axis while keeping the other position values and rotation fixed. Choose a small change that keeps both the character and lantern visible.

  1. Select the camera track you want to animate

    Select your Movement camera clip and open its position keyframe tracks. Pick the axis you want to change. For this manual exercise, leave Auto-key off; you will insert the keys yourself. Make sure you are editing the camera rather than lantern_actor.

  2. Keep the starting view in the first keyframe

    Move the playhead to the start of the camera clip. In the picked position track, add a keyframe for the current value. BBS 2’s default add-key shortcut is Alt + A. If that track already has a key at this time, inspect and use it instead of trying to add another at the same position.

  3. Add a later keyframe with a small value change

    Move the playhead later in the same clip. Use an existing key at that time or add a second key to the same track. Edit this second key’s value to shift the camera slightly. Keep the first key’s value unchanged and check for any extra keys that could introduce an unwanted return move. Scrub between them and check the result through the camera view.

  4. Check timing before changing the curve

    Set both keys to Linear interpolation in their keyframe settings. With the same two values, moving the keys farther apart makes the change take longer; bringing them closer together makes it happen faster. Adjust the spacing until the camera movement suits the character’s turn. Keep both keys within the camera clip’s duration.

  5. Refine the movement and inspect the whole frame

    Once the basic move works, compare Auto or Auto (clamped) interpolation with Linear. Watch the transition between the keys as well as the endpoints. Keep the character and lantern in view throughout, then save the film when the movement looks right.

Optional custom models

Import a Custom Blockbench Model into BBS Mod

Bring your own character into the scene when you are ready. Keep its model and texture together so you can check the appearance before using it in a film.

  1. Prepare the model and export plugin

    Open your project in Blockbench. Under File → Plugins → Available, find and install BBS Model Ex/importer. Put all cubes and meshes inside top-level groups; BBS expects at least one group.

  2. Export the BBS model and its texture

    Choose File → Export → Export BBS model. Save the exported model as a .bbs.json file, then export its texture as a PNG. Keep your original Blockbench project for future changes.

  3. Keep the exported files in one model folder

    Open the models folder from the BBS Dashboard utilities (F6). Create a folder such as lantern_custom and place both exports inside it. The folder name becomes the model’s ID.

  4. Preview the model before using it

    Reopen the form picker and select the model. Check its texture, scale and orientation before assigning it to your replay. Keep the existing character available while you test the replacement.

Turn the scene into footage

Capture Your BBS Mod Film as a Video

Use the short lantern film for your first capture. Check the encoder and output with a small test before spending time recording a longer scene.

  1. Set up FFmpeg for your computer

    BBS 2 includes a Windows FFmpeg installer. For a manual installation or another operating system, use the packages and executable builds linked from the FFmpeg download page. BBS uses FFmpeg to encode captured frames into video.

  2. Check the executable and encoder path

    Test with ffmpeg -version if FFmpeg is on your system PATH; otherwise run it using its full executable path. In BBS video recording settings, point the encoder path to the actual ffmpeg.exe or ffmpeg file. Select the executable, not its archive or containing folder.

  3. Choose practical test settings

    Start with 1280 × 720 at 30 FPS for a short practice capture. Check the camera clip and the part of the film you intend to record, including the opening and final pauses. Save the scene before capturing.

  4. Capture the short film

    Use Record video in the film editor for the practice capture. Follow the recording controls shown by your build, then open the output through BBS’s movies-folder control. Play the saved file outside Minecraft.

  5. Inspect the result before the final capture

    Check the whole turn, camera movement and last frame. If your film includes audio, check its timing too. Correct any problems in the film project, then capture again with the output settings you want to keep.

Keep the first test short. A small capture helps you find framing, timing or encoder problems before committing to a longer render.

Questions while creating

BBS Mod Editor Guide FAQs

Practical answers about animation, model files, camera tracks and keeping your project usable after video capture.

Can I adjust a character’s pose without recording another take?

Yes, for models that support posing. Use the relevant pose or form keyframe tracks to make changes at selected times. Keep track of whether you are editing the replay’s movement, its form or an individual pose, so a small adjustment affects the part you intended.

Can I rename a Blockbench project to .bbs.json?

Changing the extension does not convert the file’s contents. Use the BBS Model Ex/importer plugin to export the BBS model format. Keep the original Blockbench project separately: that is the file you return to when you want to edit the source model.

Why does the camera move when one position track is unchanged?

A flat track only holds that one value. Check the other position axes, rotation tracks and additional keys on the camera clip. Confirm which clip is active at that moment, then scrub through the camera view to identify when the unwanted movement begins.

What output settings should I use while learning?

A short 1280 × 720, 30 FPS test is a useful starting exercise. Choose final resolution and frame rate after checking the result. Higher resolution adds pixels to process, while higher frame rate adds frames for the same duration, so test the settings with your actual scene.

How should I move a film project to another setup?

Make a complete backup of the working instance first. Keep the film data with the world and any external models, textures or audio it uses. Test a copy in the target setup with the appropriate BBS version before relying on it or removing the original.

Can I continue editing after recording the video?

Yes. Reopen the saved film project to change the scene, then capture a new video. Keep the film and its assets alongside your finished footage. The encoded video contains the rendered result; it does not contain the editable BBS timeline and controls.