TimeCapsule

Seal a chest until a future date. A time capsule for your Minecraft server.

TimeCapsule lets any player lock a chest, barrel or shulker box shut until a real-world date or a countdown of their choosing. While it's sealed, nobody can open it, break it, blow it up, or siphon it with a hopper - not even the owner. When the timer runs out, it opens on its own and (optionally) the whole server is told. Perfect for server anniversaries, gifts to future players, build-reveal events, or a personal "don't touch this until next month" stash.

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Table of contents

• Features
• Installation
• Commands
• Permissions
• Accepted time formats
• Configuration
• How the protection works
• Building from source
• Roadmap
• Support
• License

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Features

• 🔒 Seal any chest, trapped chest, barrel or shulker box with a single command.
• ⏳ Flexible timing - a countdown (7d, 2w, 12h30m, 1y) or an exact date (2026-12-25) or date-and-time (2026-12-25 18:00).
• 🛡️ Genuine tamper protection while sealed - the capsule cannot be opened, broken, destroyed by creepers/TNT, or drained by hoppers. Double chests are protected on both halves.
• 👀 Live countdown shown to anyone who tries to open it early.
• 📣 Server-wide unlock broadcast (optional) - turn a capsule into a scheduled server event.
• ✨ Ambient particles so sealed capsules are easy to spot.
• 🧰 Owner & admin controls - release a seal early, inspect it, or list all your capsules.
• ⚙️ Fully configurable - every message, toggle and limit lives in config.yml.
• 💾 Persistent across restarts, and lightweight (no dependencies).
• 🧩 Works on Spigot and Paper 1.20.6 – 1.21.x (Java 21+).

Installation

1. Download TimeCapsule-1.0.0.jar.
2. Drop it into your server's plugins/ folder.
3. Restart the server. A config.yml is generated on first run.

Commands

Base command: /timecapsule - aliases /tc, /capsule.

Command	Description
/tc seal <time>	Seal the container you're looking at until the given time
/tc info	Inspect the capsule you're looking at (owner, seal date, unlock date, time left)
/tc list	List your sealed capsules and their locations
/tc unseal	Release a seal you own (safety valve if you change your mind)
/tc reload	Reload the configuration

Permissions

Permission	Description	Default
timecapsule.use	Seal and manage your own capsules	everyone
timecapsule.admin	Break/unseal others' capsules and reload the config	op

Accepted time formats

Input	Meaning
30s 10m 6h 7d 2w 1y	A countdown from now (units may be combined, e.g. 1y2w3d)
2026-12-25	An exact calendar date (midnight, server time zone)
2026-12-25 18:00	An exact date and time

Example: look at a chest and run /tc seal 2026-12-25 to lock it until Christmas.

Configuration

max-seal-duration: 10y      # longest a capsule may be sealed for
effects: true               # particles + sound on seal / deny / unlock
ambient-particles: true     # subtle sparkle on sealed capsules
broadcast-on-unlock: true   # announce to the whole server when a capsule unlocks
broadcast-coordinates: false # include exact coords in the broadcast (off = privacy-safe)
allowed-containers: [CHEST, TRAPPED_CHEST, BARREL, SHULKER_BOX]
messages:
  # every player-facing string is here and supports & colour codes + {placeholders}

Edit anything and run /tc reload.

How the protection works

While a capsule is sealed it is guarded against every common way of getting into a container:

• Opening - right-click and inventory-open events are cancelled, with a countdown shown instead.
• Breaking - block-break is blocked (admins may override).
• Explosions - the block is removed from creeper/TNT blast lists, so it survives.
• Automation - hopper item-transfer in or out is cancelled.

The moment the unlock time passes, all of that is lifted and the capsule behaves like a normal container.

Building from source

Requires JDK 21+ and Maven.

mvn clean package
# → target/TimeCapsule-1.0.0.jar

Only standard Bukkit APIs are used, so the built jar runs on both Spigot and Paper.

Compatibility

Requires Java 21+ (the runtime Minecraft itself requires from 1.20.5 onward).

Automatically verified by booting a real server per version and exercising the plugin in-game on: 1.20.6, 1.21.1, 1.21.4 and 1.21.11 - all loading cleanly with no errors. Versions between those are expected to work but have not been individually tested.

Roadmap

• ⌛ Playtime-milestone unlocks (open after N hours played, not just real time).
• ✉️ Message capsules - schedule a personal message delivered to a player in the future.
• 🪧 Optional floating hologram label above sealed capsules.

Support

• 🌐 Website: studio.rexmicky.dev
• 💬 Discord: discord.gg/pfF5TpQ9UE

License

Released under the MIT License - © 2026 Rex Micky · Rex's Studio.