MCA Selector vs WorldPainter

MCA Selector is a free tool for selecting and modifying chunks and regions in Minecraft Java Edition world saves. It can export, delete, or edit selected areas using filters such as data version, last update time, and inhabited time; multiple conditions can be chained. Custom one-line Groovy scripts and a Script Editor extend filtering. The chunk editor exposes the full NBT structure, including points of interest and entity data, allowing tags to be changed, added, deleted, or moved. Users can import chunks from another world with offsets and overwrite options, and copy or paste selections through the system clipboard.

Customizable color-gradient overlays show per-chunk values. A command-line mode handles operations including selection creation, chunk import and export, deletion, region defragmentation, NBT changes, and image generation. Downloads include Windows, macOS, and Linux builds, plus a universal JAR. MCA Selector supports Anvil .mca region files. The project warns that snapshot-generated worlds may not work even when a version appears in its support table, and recommends backing up worlds because the tool can modify or delete chunks.

WorldPainter is a free map generator for Minecraft Java Edition, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It lets you sculpt terrain and paint materials and landscape details such as trees, snow, and ice, then export a generated world directly to your Minecraft saves directory. It is designed mainly for making maps; changing an existing map is limited to Import and Merge operations. You can use custom mod blocks, with fully qualified names for Minecraft 1.15 and later and numeric IDs for versions 1.12 and earlier. Custom object layers can load BO2, BO3, schematic, or NBT objects. WorldPainter cannot create Minecraft structures itself, but it can direct Minecraft to generate them during population. The software requires Java 17 or later. The download page provides SHA256 checksums for installer files, and the maker points users to its official subreddit for support. There is no proper user manual yet, though the maker links to documentation for controls, FAQs, plugins, and scripting. One stated limitation is that it cannot customize biomes while leaving Minecraft to generate all the land according to those biomes.