Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

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webdesigner97
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Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by webdesigner97 » Post

I wonder if there is any documentation on how to change certain parameters of map generation. Mgv7 is nice, but for some projects, you might need a little different world, e.g. a bit more flat (though not completely flat). I'd like to do the following:
  • a more flat terrain (5-10m height difference for base terrain)
  • keep oceans/ lakes as deep as they are
  • selecting which biomes to generate (and which not)
  • tweak mountains
  • make biomes larger
I found out that the parameters are stored in map_meta.txt

Code: Select all

mgv7_np_cave2 = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 12
	spread = (67,67,67)
	seed = 10325
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.5
}
mgv7_np_cave1 = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 12
	spread = (61,61,61)
	seed = 52534
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.5
}
mgv7_np_cavern = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1
	spread = (384,128,384)
	seed = 723
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.63
}
mgv7_np_floatland_base = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = -0.6
	scale = 1.5
	spread = (600,600,600)
	seed = 114
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.6
}
mgv7_np_ridge_uwater = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1
	spread = (1000,1000,1000)
	seed = 85039
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.6
}
mgv7_np_filler_depth = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1.2
	spread = (150,150,150)
	seed = 261
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.7
}
mgv7_np_terrain_alt = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 4
	scale = 25
	spread = (600,600,600)
	seed = 5934
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.6
}
mgv7_cavern_taper = 256
mgv7_cavern_limit = -256
mgv7_np_mountain = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = -0.6
	scale = 1
	spread = (250,350,250)
	seed = 5333
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.63
}
mgv7_np_height_select = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = -8
	scale = 16
	spread = (500,500,500)
	seed = 4213
	octaves = 6
	persistence = 0.7
}
mg_flags = caves, dungeons, light, decorations
chunksize = 5
mg_name = v7
mapgen_limit = 31000
water_level = 1
seed = 14246772089379382295
mgv7_np_float_base_height = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 48
	scale = 24
	spread = (300,300,300)
	seed = 907
	octaves = 4
	persistence = 0.7
}
mgv7_np_terrain_base = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 4
	scale = 70
	spread = (600,600,600)
	seed = 82341
	octaves = 5
	persistence = 0.6
}
mgv7_spflags = mountains, ridges, nofloatlands, caverns
mgv7_np_mount_height = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 256
	scale = 112
	spread = (1000,1000,1000)
	seed = 72449
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.6
}
mg_biome_np_heat = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 50
	scale = 50
	spread = (1000,1000,1000)
	seed = 5349
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.5
}
mgv7_float_mount_height = 128
mgv7_cavern_threshold = 0.7
mg_biome_np_humidity = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 50
	scale = 50
	spread = (1000,1000,1000)
	seed = 842
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.5
}
mgv7_np_ridge = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1
	spread = (100,100,100)
	seed = 6467
	octaves = 4
	persistence = 0.75
}
mgv7_shadow_limit = 1024
mg_biome_np_humidity_blend = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1.5
	spread = (8,8,8)
	seed = 90003
	octaves = 2
	persistence = 1
}
mgv7_cave_width = 0.09
mgv7_float_mount_density = 0.6
mgv7_np_terrain_persist = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0.6
	scale = 0.1
	spread = (2000,2000,2000)
	seed = 539
	octaves = 3
	persistence = 0.6
}
mg_biome_np_heat_blend = {
	flags = defaults
	lacunarity = 2
	offset = 0
	scale = 1.5
	spread = (8,8,8)
	seed = 13
	octaves = 2
	persistence = 1
}
mgv7_floatland_level = 1280
[end_of_params]
What do these mean? Which controls what? I managed to find out some by just trying out what happens when I change them, but this is not satisfying. Are my goals even possible with mgv7 or would I need to write a new mapgen?

Thanks in advance :)

KCoombes
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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by KCoombes » Post

Consider looking for any posts by paramat (dominant mapgen developer) in the Modding Discussion forum.

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paramat
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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by paramat » Post

Somewhere in here viewtopic.php?f=47&t=15272 i describe what each mgv7 noise controls, also in that thread i link to an explanation of what the noise parameters (offset, scale ..) do.

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by webdesigner97 » Post

paramat wrote:Somewhere in here viewtopic.php?f=47&t=15272 i describe what each mgv7 noise controls, also in that thread i link to an explanation of what the noise parameters (offset, scale ..) do.
Thank you very much, paramat! I'll take a look at it :)

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by Wuzzy » Post

Have fun reading through 14 pages of questions …

By the way, many mapgen settings are explained in the advanced settings menu. I'm not sure if this is the kind of help you need.

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by paramat » Post

Yes there are comments on each parameter, they also appear in minetest.conf.example.

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by TumeniNodes » Post

Wuzzy wrote:Have fun reading through 14 pages of questions …
I really do wish that section was set up better from the start. @paramat, that is what I was hoping for when I mentioned opening a mapgen questions section.

As is, currently, it resembles the same mess as viewtopic.php?f=47&t=4668.

This should have been set up as a sub-forum, with a sticky note being your first post, and then people could start a new topic for their questions (individually).
In that way, it would be far easier for all to follow and search and, each time a question or issue is resolved, the author of each topic would be required to go back and edit the headline to add the word [solved] at the beginning of the headline.

The textures section is a similar mess, and would benefit from being treated the same as the modding section.
[WIP] texture packs
released packs
old packs
texture/graphics questions or discussions (set up same as I mention for mapgen questions)

Mapgen questions is not even that old yet and it is already lengthy and annoying to search through : /
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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by Wuzzy » Post

I agree with TumeniNodes completely. I absolutely hate these giant “post all your questions here” threads where it is impossible to search through.
And I think that opening more sub-forums and closing the giant collection threads is the correct answer.

I think when a support thread has >1000 posts a new subforum is VERY overdue.
I only post in the mapgen thread because paramat actually gives helpful answers and often very fast, too. I ignore the other giant question threads because it is much harder to get a helpful answer there.

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by sorcerykid » Post

For smoother terrain with mgv7, check out my post below. I offer some helpful suggestions, and link to another thread where I include the specific mapgen noise parameters and sample screenshots:
viewtopic.php?p=282084#p282084

I spent several days tweaking different settings to find what would produce the most terrestrial-like results (for example large expanses of mountains or plains or hills or plateaus, much as you would expect in the real world).
Last edited by sorcerykid on Sat Aug 12, 2017 20:22, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by rubenwardy » Post

Wuzzy wrote:I agree with TumeniNodes completely. I absolutely hate these giant “post all your questions here” threads where it is impossible to search through.
And I think that opening more sub-forums and closing the giant collection threads is the correct answer.

I think when a support thread has >1000 posts a new subforum is VERY overdue.
I only post in the mapgen thread because paramat actually gives helpful answers and often very fast, too. I ignore the other giant question threads because it is much harder to get a helpful answer there.
I very much agree
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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by Beerholder » Post

These might be the exact posts paramat is referring to viewtopic.php?f=47&t=15272&p=228635#p228635 and viewtopic.php?f=47&t=15272&p=227726#p227726 but there is indeed more to be found in that thread...

There is a bit of generic info about noises on the developer wiki and I have actually been considering for a while to add more info on the existing articles and/ or create a mini "Perlin" howto, collating information from the forum, from the web, minetest.conf into a separate page as this is a recurring question

In any case, for starters the existing (meager) PerlinNoiseMap page links to Hugo Elias' great http://web.archive.org/web/201603051946 ... perlin.htm which should explain all you need to know about Perlin noise without getting too mathematical. Also useful are these by the way, as like with Hugo's article, things are explained by visually showing the effects of changes to the noise function parameters:

http://libnoise.sourceforge.net/glossary/#perlinnoise
http://libnoise.sourceforge.net/glossary/#frequency
http://libnoise.sourceforge.net/glossary/#octave
http://libnoise.sourceforge.net/glossary/#lacunarity
http://libnoise.sourceforge.net/glossary/#persistence

Then there are the specifics for mgv7, as that is basically various noises combined/ applied in certain circumstances. I can gather the bits and pieces from the forum and rewrite that and add it to http://dev.minetest.net/Mapgen_V7 as that article is basically just a screenshot right now and not very useful in its current state at all :(

But it will take some effort to get this done, when I have time, and will need a bit of review as well :)

Good luck tinkering! ;)

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Re: Is there any documentation on mapgen parameters?

by paramat » Post

> These might be the exact posts paramat is referring to

Yes exactly those 2 posts.

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