Sphere Command

Introduction ​

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Creating a sphere traditionally requires multiple command blocks or complex functions. This method uses a single execute chain that forks the execution context based on the rotations of two helper entities (Boats).

Credits: @1309boy

Setup ​

To provide the necessary rotation vectors, you must summon two helper boats. These boats act as "anchors" for the execution fork.

Run the following commands in chat:

# Summon helper boats with specific vertical rotations
/summon boat ~~1~ 0 -90
/summon boat ~~1~ 180 90 none

# Apply a tag for targeting
/tag @e[type=boat,c=2] add wiki:r

Best Practices ​

• Keep Loaded: Ensure these boats are in a ticking area or a chunk that remains loaded at all times so the command works globally.
• Safety: Place the boats in a secure location where players or explosions cannot move or destroy them.

Command ​

execute positioned 0 0 0 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] rotated ~ 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1.414^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1.414 facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1 facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1 facing 0 0 0 positioned as @p run particle minecraft:balloon_gas_particle ^^^3

Technical Breakdown ​

The complexity of this command comes from how it "forks" the execution path. Each time rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] is called, the command splits into two paths (one for each boat).

1. Creating the Horizontal Plane ​

positioned 0 0 0 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] rotated ~ 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1.414^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1 rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^ facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1

This first segment of the command focuses on horizontal distribution.

• positioned ^1^^ and rotated ~ 0 are used to calculate offsets.
• With execution forking, the command calculates coordinates for a 32-sided polygon in a 2D plane.
• Boats vs. Armor Stands: Boats are used here because their vertical rotation (rx) allows vertical vector copying compared to armor stands.

2. Vertical Expansion ​

To turn a circle into a sphere, the command forks the vertical vectors.

• Segment 2 & 3: Use positioned ^^^1 and positioned ^^^1.414 (the value of $\sqrt{2}$) to move the execution context up and down.

rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1

rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1.414

This creates 8 vertical vectors with equal central angles, which form the "ribs" or rings of the sphere.

3. Facing Logic ​

The facing 0 0 0 and positioned 0 0 0 segments reset the orientation toward the center of the sphere. This ensures that the final run command is always relative to the intended radius ($R$).

Customization ​

You can manipulate the shape and size by altering the final segments:

• Radius: Change the final coordinate in the run command (e.g., ^^^5 for a radius of 5).
• Density: Adding more forks will increase the number of points in the sphere, but be cautious of performance impacts.
  • For vertical density, repeat:
    • rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^^^1
  • For horizontal density, repeat:
    • rotated as @e[tag=wiki:r] positioned ^1^^
  • Important: Whether vertical or horizontal, make sure each repetition starts with:
    • facing 0 0 0 positioned 0 0 0 positioned ^^^1