
First Steps
A progression overhaul mod inspired by Vintage Story.
Screenshots






About this Mod
First Steps is a progression overhaul mod that heavily alters the vanilla experience.
Find rocks around the world and knap them into tool heads, gather sticks from leaves and bushes, and combine them into primitive stone tools.
Dig up clay and shape it into pots and jars. Cut grass with a knife and create fire using a primitive firestarter. Combine wood and grass to create unlit torches and campfires, then light them using a fire source. Bake your shaped pottery next to the fire.
This mod aims to replace the entire Minecraft progression over time, drawing heavy inspiration from Vintage Story, but with my own twist.
Currently this mod is not feature complete. There is no way to mine stone without first finding materials or tools in chests. Many systems are incomplete and will change as development continues.
Planned updates include metallurgy, woodworking, and an armour rework.
Features (so far):
- Find rocks in the wilderness and knap primitive stone tool heads.
- Knife tool used for gathering grass and as a fast early game combat option.
- Firestarter with limited durability for early game ignition.
- Create unlit torches and light them using a fire source.
- Add copper nuggets or redstone to create variants.
- Use soul fire to create soul torches.
- Gather clay and shape it into bricks, pots, jars, and pottery wheels.
- Create a potter’s wheel and use it to shape larger pottery.
- Unfired pottery will dry over time when placed near a fire.
- Before firing, find pottery sherds through archaeology and embed them into the sides.
- Create a decorated jar for item storage, useful when planks for chests are unavailable.
If you find any bugs or have any suggestions, please submit them to this project's github.
Next update: Metallurgy.
Available Versions
How to Install First Steps on Your Server
Order Server
Order a Minecraft Java server with at least 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended).
Set fabric Loader
In the panel under "Egg", select the fabric loader and matching Minecraft version (1.21.11).
Install Mod
Open the mod browser in the dashboard and search for "First Steps". Click "Install" – done! Alternatively, upload the .jar via SFTP to the /mods folder.
Compatibility
Mod Loaders
Minecraft Versions
1.21.11
Server-side
✓ RequiredRecommended RAM
6 GB(min. 4 GB)Frequently Asked Questions
First Steps server crashes on startup – what to do?
Most common cause: wrong fabric version or insufficient RAM. Check the server log (latest.log) for "OutOfMemoryError" or "Mixin" errors. With Mado Hosting: ensure at least 4 GB RAM is allocated and the loader matches the mod version (1.21.11). You can switch loaders with one click in the panel.
Is First Steps compatible with fabric?
First Steps officially supports fabric for Minecraft 1.21.11. The Mado dashboard automatically detects incompatible loader combinations.
Server lagging with First Steps – how to optimize performance?
Recommended RAM: 6 GB (per 5 players). Use /spark profiler to check if First Steps consumes the most tick time. Common fixes: reduce server view-distance to 8-10, install "performant" or "starlight" as supplementary mods on Forge. With Mado Hosting, your server runs on NVMe SSDs with dedicated CPU cores for minimal latency.
Similar Mods
Rent Modded Server
Install First Steps with just one click on your server.