Map generator/settings

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Warning: This page is not only incomplete, it is also astonishingly inaccurate. Take everything which is written on this page with a grain of salt.

Settings for the map generator can be made in the minetest.conf file. You can choose different generators, enable dungeons, create flat maps and many more.

Example settings can be found in the minetest.conf.example file.

Parameter overview

• mg_name: Type of main map generator
• mg_flags: A comma-seperated list of words (see below), each of them modifies the main map.

Available map generators

• v6 - based on perlin noise (current default map generator)
• v7 - based on perlin noise (successor of v6); currently in development
• indev - like v6 but with experimental features (e.g. floating islands)
• math - collection of geometrical shapes and fractals (not in latest stable version yet)
• singlenode - entire map is filled with air

Available flags

• trees - enables forests
• caves - enables caves
• flat - renders the entire surface of the map with the same level (no hills, cliffs, or oceans)
• v6_biome_blend - if provided, the transition between two biomes is “smooth” (i.e. dithered) instead of hard (sudden).
• v6_jungles - enables jungles
• dungeons - enables dungeons
• nolight - ???

v6 and v7 specific options

These noise attributes are used for map generation parameters, such as mgv6_np_beach, mgv7_np_heat, and mgindev_np_terrain_higher. Those parameters are used by v6 and v7. An example usage would be mgv6_np_apple_trees = 0, 1, (100, 100, 100), 342902, 3, 0.45. These numbers are used in the order of: Offset, scale, (spread factor), seed offset, number of octaves, persistence.

v6 biome options

• mgv6_np_terrain_base
• mgv6_np_terrain_higher
• mgv6_np_steepness
• mgv6_np_height_select
• mgv6_np_mud
• mgv6_np_beach
• mgv6_np_biome
• mgv6_np_cave
• mgv6_np_humidity
• mgv6_np_trees
• mgv6_np_apple_trees

v7 biome options

• mgv7_np_terrain
• mgv7_np_bgroup
• mgv7_np_heat
• mgv7_np_humidity

v6 specific options

• mgv6_freq_desert
• mgv6_freq_beach

v6/v7 biome parameter description

Offset and Scale

Offset and scale should be left alone unless you know what you are doing, these define the average value and amplitude of the noise value output. 0, 1 is standard and matches the older Lua perlin functions whose scale and offset are always set to 0 and 1. 0, 1 means the noise value has an average value of 0 and varies very roughly between -1 and 1, although depending on octaves and persistence the output can occasionally be as large as -2 to 2.

Spread factor

Written as (x,y,z) e.g. (250,250,250). Those numbers are in nodes (or meters) and very roughly define the maximum scale of that perlin structure. So the spread factor of the biome perlin noise is very roughly the maximum size in nodes of the biomes. To make biomes twice as big try (500, 500, 500). These three numbers enable setting the maximum structure scale independently for x y and z. So you could create biomes stretched in the z direction by using (250, 250, 500).

Seed and Seeddiff

A perlin function needs a 'seed', this is just any old random whole number that acts as a seed to 'grow' a particular noise pattern, same seed same noise pattern.

Seeddiff = seed difference. Perlin functions that use 'seeddiff' instead of 'seed' are 'world dependant'. The value used as a seed is worldseed + seeddiff. Seeddiff creates perlin functions with different patterns but they also remain world dependant, meaning in different worlds you get different patterns but also in the same world you get the same pattern.

Number of octaves

More octaves means more details and more calculation.

Persistence

Persistence defines how strong the details are visible, it does not add more of them. A low persistence will cause the terrain to be smooth, a high (max. 1) causes strong ups and downs.

math specific options

• mg_mathgenerator - select the type of map to be generated

Available types are:

• sphere: A sphere of radius 100.
• mandelbox: A mandelbox.
• mengersponge: A huge Menger sponge.

indev specific options

• mgindev_np_terrain_base
• mgindev_np_terrain_higher
• mgindev_np_steepness
• mgindev_np_mud
• mgindev_np_float_islands1
• mgindev_np_float_islands2
• mgindev_np_float_islands3
• mgindev_np_biome
• mgindev_float_islands - Configure floating islands. A non-zero integer sets the minimum height of floating islands. A value of 0 disables the floating islands completely.