TheDru Chameleon (Meccha)

TheDru Chameleon Hide and Seek is a Fabric minigame mod for Minecraft that turns hide-and-seek into a fast, colorful disguise hunt. Hiders shrink down, paint themselves to blend into custom maps, collect power-ups, taunt the seekers, and survive until time runs out. Seekers are full-sized hunters with special tools, reveal pulses, and a blaster built to flush out clever hiding spots.

Server hosting note
If you want to host your own server, the required mod key is available for FREE now on my Patreon (Any support helps):
https://www.patreon.com/andrewstreit/posts/thedru-chameleon-162114358

Server Key Details

The server key is only required for hosting Chameleon rounds. Download the chameleon-server.key file from the Patreon post above and place it in one of these locations on the server:

<server root>/chameleon-server.key
<server root>/mods/chameleon-server.key
<server root>/server-mods/chameleon-server.key
<server root>/config/chameleon/chameleon-server.key

• Keep the filename exactly as chameleon-server.key.
• Do not open, edit, rename, or convert the key file. Any change to its contents will make it invalid.
• The key is validated locally by the server; it is not an account login or a key that must be typed into a command.
• Players joining a hosted server do not need to install the key on their clients.
• If the key is missing, unreadable, or invalid, the mod can still load, but Chameleon rounds remain locked and /chameleon start will show where the key should be installed.
• After installing or moving the key, restart the Minecraft server before starting a round.

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What Makes It Different?

This is not normal hide-and-seek where players just crouch behind a wall. The whole round is built around painting, shrinking, map knowledge, power-up timing, and seeker pressure.

Feature	Description
Body painting	Hiders can freeze in place and paint themselves to match walls, floors, props, and map colors.
Tiny hiders	Hiders are scaled down during rounds, making camouflage and small hiding spots matter.
Power-up pickups	Hiders can collect up to 3 power-ups each round.
Seeker tools	Seekers use a blaster and Reveal Pulse to hunt disguised players.
Round automation	The mod handles intermission, hiding, seeking, scoring, and next-round flow.
Map setup GUI	Operators can set up maps from inside Minecraft with /chameleon setup.
Protected maps	Active rounds block map damage and disruptive interactions.
Auto taunts	Hiders automatically taunt by default every 15 seconds, keeping pressure on the hunt.

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Game Flow

Phase	Default Time	What Happens
Intermission	45s	Players gather, the next map is selected, and seekers are chosen.
Hiding	90s	Hiders spawn into the map, can fly while preparing, paint themselves, and find hiding spots. Seekers wait in the lobby.
Seeking	10m	Seekers are released and try to eliminate every hider before time expires.
Round End	30s when hiders survive	Winners score, surviving hiders may be revealed, and the next round begins.

Win Conditions

Outcome	Who Scores?
Seekers find every hider	Active seekers score 1 point.
Time runs out with hiders alive	Surviving hiders score 1 point.

Scores carry between rounds until the match is stopped or reset.

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Hider Gameplay

Hiders are the disguise team. Your job is to become part of the map, make seekers second-guess every color patch, and use power-ups only when the timing is worth it.

Hiders Can

• Paint their body while frozen.
• Sample map colors from blocks.
• Hide as tiny players.
• Fly during the hiding phase.
• Collect up to 3 power-ups per round.
• Manually taunt with Q.
• Auto-taunt every 15 seconds by default.
• Win by surviving until the seeking timer ends.

Hider Controls

Key	Action
F	Freeze or unfreeze body painting.
G	Open paint mode.
R	Hold pose wheel while frozen.
Q	Manual taunt.
Middle Mouse	Pick a color while painting.
Z	Undo the last paint change.
H	Export the painted skin.

Tip: Good hiders do not just pick a color. They pick a spot, match the nearby surface, freeze into a believable pose, and only move when a seeker has already committed to looking somewhere else.

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Seeker Gameplay

Seekers are the pressure team. Your job is to sweep the map, listen for taunts, watch suspicious colors, and use reveal tools carefully.

Seekers Can

• Use the Seeker Blaster to eliminate hiders.
• Use Reveal Pulse to briefly glow one random living hider.
• Move at normal size while hiders are tiny.
• Win by finding every hider before the timer ends.

Seeker Tools

Tool	Effect
Seeker Blaster	Main seeker weapon used to eliminate hiders.
Reveal Pulse	Glows one random living hider for 1 second.

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Hider Power-Ups

Power-ups spawn around configured map regions. Hiders can collect up to 3 per round, so every pickup is a choice.

Power-up	Color	Max Per Round Pool	Effect
Speed Burst	Green	2	Gives a short burst of speed.
Dash Pearl	Magenta	2	Teleports/dashes the hider forward.
Smoke Bomb	Dark gray	1	Creates smoke and applies blindness/slowness to nearby seekers.
Invisible Escape	Pale violet	1	Gives brief invisibility.
Time Stop	Blue	1	Slows and weakens seeker actions for a short window.

Power-up strategy

Speed Burst is best when you have already been spotted and need distance.
Dash Pearl is best for breaking line of sight or reaching a new hiding route.
Smoke Bomb is strongest in tight corridors, corners, and rooms with multiple exits.
Invisible Escape works best when you can stop moving after using it.
Time Stop is strongest when multiple seekers are closing in at once.

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Map Setup

Maps are configured in-game by operators. You can keep all maps in the same Minecraft world and mark each map with spawn points and power-up regions.

Fast Setup

Run:

/chameleon setup

Then use the setup GUI to select a map and add:

• Lobby spawn points
• Hider spawn points
• Seeker spawn points
• Shared spawn points
• Power-up regions

Power-Up Region Setup

Power-up regions are cuboids. Set them by clicking two opposite corners:

1. Stand at the first corner.
2. Use the power-up region option in /chameleon setup.
3. Stand at the opposite corner.
4. Use the power-up region option again.

The mod will save that region and spawn hider power-ups inside it during rounds.

Manual map commands

/chameleon map create <id>
/chameleon map select <id>
/chameleon map list
/chameleon map reload

/chameleon map add lobby_spawn <id>
/chameleon map add hider_spawn <id>
/chameleon map add seeker_spawn <id>
/chameleon map add spawn <id>
/chameleon map add powerup_corner <id>

/chameleon setspawn <map> lobby
/chameleon setspawn <map> hider
/chameleon setspawn <map> seeker
/chameleon setspawn <map> powerup

Example map JSON

{
  "id": "backrooms",
  "displayName": "Backrooms",
  "world": "minecraft:overworld",
  "bounds": {
    "min": [0, 60, 0],
    "max": [128, 100, 128]
  },
  "lobbySpawns": [
    [-20, 65, 0],
    [-18, 65, 0]
  ],
  "playerSpawns": [
    [10, 65, 10],
    [18, 65, 12],
    [64, 65, 64]
  ],
  "hiderSpawns": [
    [10, 65, 10],
    [18, 65, 12]
  ],
  "seekerSpawns": [
    [64, 65, 64]
  ],
  "powerupRegions": [
    {
      "id": "main_halls",
      "min": [8, 65, 8],
      "max": [120, 68, 120],
      "spawnChance": 0.35
    }
  ]
}

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Operator Commands

Command	What It Does
/chameleon start	Starts the match flow.
/chameleon stop	Stops the match and resets players to lobby behavior.
/chameleon status	Shows current phase, round, and remaining time.
/chameleon setup	Opens the in-game map setup menu.
/chameleon settings	Opens the match settings menu.
/chameleon score show	Shows current match scores.
/chameleon score reset	Clears scores.
/chameleon map list	Lists configured maps and point counts.
/chameleon map reload	Reloads map configuration from disk.

Player Commands

Command	What It Does
/chameleon freeze	Toggles frozen paint pose.
/chameleon unfreeze	Releases frozen paint pose.
/chameleon taunt	Plays a hider taunt when available.
/chameleon taunt auto on	Enables auto taunt.
/chameleon taunt auto off	Disables auto taunt.
/chameleon taunt auto delay <seconds>	Changes personal auto-taunt delay.
/chameleon paint white	Resets body paint to white.
/chameleon paint rgb <red> <green> <blue>	Paints body to an exact RGB color.
/chameleon paint sample	Samples the block being looked at.
/chameleon paint floor	Samples the block under the player.
/chameleon spectate next	Spectators cycle to the next seeker.
/chameleon spectate previous	Spectators cycle to the previous seeker.

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Installation

Requirements

Requirement	Version
Minecraft	1.21.11
Fabric Loader	0.19.3 or newer
Fabric API	0.141.4+1.21.11 or compatible
Java	21+

Client And Server

1. Install Fabric Loader.
2. Install Fabric API.
3. Put the Chameleon mod .jar in the mods folder.
4. Install the mod on both the server and every player client.
5. Start the server.
6. Configure maps with /chameleon setup.
7. Start rounds with /chameleon start.

Important: This is a multiplayer minigame mod. For the intended experience, use it on a server with operators setting up maps before public play.

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Recommended Server Setup

Setting	Recommendation
Player gamemode	Adventure Mode
Map building	Build maps first, then mark Chameleon points after
Operators	Keep setup/start/stop commands limited to trusted admins
Power-up regions	Use multiple regions per map for better spread
Lobby	Put lobby spawns somewhere seekers can wait without seeing hider setup
Map protection	Leave active round protection enabled

Pre-Launch Checklist

• Fabric Loader and Fabric API are installed.
• Chameleon is installed on server and clients.
• The server has the required mod key.
• Every map has lobby spawns.
• Every playable map has hider spawns.
• Every playable map has seeker spawns.
• Every playable map has at least one power-up region.
• Operators know /chameleon setup, /chameleon start, and /chameleon stop.

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Example Round Timeline

00:00  Intermission starts
00:45  Hiders are released
02:15  Seekers are released
12:15  Round ends if any hiders survive
12:45  Next round selection begins

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Notes For Modpack Pages

This mod is designed for custom minigame servers and creator-led events. A good Modrinth page can show:

• Screenshots of each configured map
• A short clip of hiders painting
• A clip of the seeker selection roll
• A screenshot of the setup GUI
• A screenshot of each power-up item color
• A short command snippet showing map setup

Suggested showcase order:
1. Show the lobby.
2. Show a hider painting into the map.
3. Show a seeker using Reveal Pulse.
4. Show power-up item colors.
5. Show the /chameleon setup menu.

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Quick Summary

Hiders: paint, hide, taunt, escape, survive.
Seekers: listen, sweep, reveal, blast, find everyone.
Operators: set up maps, start rounds, manage scores, keep the game moving.