Swimming & Crawling

🏊 Swimming & Crawling — Modern Movement for Minecraft 1.8.9 & 1.12.2

Bring modern Minecraft movement to classic versions!

Swimming & Crawling brings the modern 3D swimming system introduced in Minecraft Java Edition 1.13 and automatic crawling to Minecraft 1.8.9 and 1.12.2 Forge.

Enjoy smoother underwater movement, crawl automatically through 1-block-high spaces, and experience a more modern movement system — with no extra keybinds and no configuration required.

✨ Features

🏊 Modern 3D Swimming

Experience swimming inspired by Minecraft 1.13+:

• Swim in the direction you are looking

• Dive downward simply by looking down

• Surface by looking upward

• Swim sideways and move freely underwater

• Sprint-swim for faster underwater movement

• Smooth backward swimming at reduced speed

• Movement speed is limited to keep swimming balanced and natural

The system is designed to recreate the feel of modern Minecraft swimming while remaining compatible with the movement mechanics of Minecraft 1.8.9 and 1.12.2.

🐛 Automatic Crawling

No crawling key required.

Your player automatically enters crawling mode whenever there is only 1 block of vertical space available.

• Automatically crawl into 1-block-high gaps

• Automatically return to standing when enough space becomes available

• Properly adjusts the player’s hitbox

• Adjusts eye height while crawling

• Reduced crawling speed for more realistic movement

• Prevents incorrect suffocation damage while crawling through tight spaces

This allows you to travel through tunnels and spaces that normally cannot be entered in vanilla Minecraft 1.8.9 or 1.12.2.

🤸 Dynamic Pose System

The mod dynamically manages multiple player movement states:

Pose	When
🧍 Standing	Normal movement
🤏 Crouching	Sneaking or limited overhead space
🐛 Crawling	Only 1-block clearance is available
🏊 Swimming	Using the modern swimming system in water

Player dimensions and movement behavior update dynamically depending on the active pose.

🌐 Multiplayer Support

Swimming & Crawling is designed to work in multiplayer.

• Player poses are synchronized through network packets

• Nearby players can see your current swimming or crawling state

• Hitbox changes are synchronized for more accurate movement and collision behavior

For the best experience, the mod should be installed on both the client and server.

🎨 Custom Animations

The mod includes custom rendering for its new movement states:

• Players visually lie flat while crawling

• Swimming uses a horizontal movement pose inspired by Minecraft 1.13+

• Eye height changes depending on the current pose

• Smooth transitions between standing, crouching, crawling, and swimming

The goal is to make these modern mechanics feel as natural as possible on older Minecraft versions.

🎮 Supported Versions

• Minecraft 1.8.9

• Minecraft 1.12.2

🔧 Mod Loader

• Minecraft Forge

Use the correct mod file for your Minecraft version.

A 1.8.9 build must be used with Minecraft 1.8.9, and a 1.12.2 build must be used with Minecraft 1.12.2.

📋 Requirements

Minecraft 1.8.9

• Minecraft 1.8.9

• Minecraft Forge for 1.8.9

Minecraft 1.12.2

• Minecraft 1.12.2

• Minecraft Forge for 1.12.2

Using the latest stable Forge version available for your selected Minecraft version is recommended.

❓ FAQ

Do I need to press a key to crawl?

No. Crawling activates automatically when you enter a space that is only 1 block high.

How do I start swimming?

Enter water and use the normal movement and sprint controls. Your swimming direction follows where you are looking.

Does swimming work like Minecraft 1.13+?

The system is inspired by the modern Minecraft swimming mechanic and recreates directional 3D swimming on Minecraft 1.8.9 and 1.12.2.

Does it work in multiplayer?

Yes. Swimming and crawling poses can be synchronized between players.

Does the server need the mod?

For full multiplayer functionality and correct synchronization, installing the mod on both the client and server is recommended.

Are there configuration options?

Not currently. The mod is designed to work immediately after installation.

Can I use the 1.12.2 version on Minecraft 1.8.9?

No. Download the build made specifically for your Minecraft version.

❤️ Why This Mod?

Minecraft 1.8.9 and 1.12.2 remain popular versions for mods, servers, PvP, maps, and older modpacks, but they lack many movement improvements introduced in later versions.

Swimming & Crawling brings some of those modern mechanics back while preserving the classic gameplay and modding environments of these versions.

Developed by Agnist_greg