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Origen features dynamic river generation that flows through biomes tagged with “USE_RIVER”. Rivers in Origen are generally broader and deeper than vanilla rivers, allowing for smoother boat navigation.

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Core River Parameters

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riverScale

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biomeSpread.riverScale
number
default:"0.0013"
Frequency of rivers. This controls how close together rivers generate and their relative size.
  • Increase: Rivers become closer together and smaller
  • Decrease: Rivers become bigger and more spaced out
customization.yml
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.0013  # Default value

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Examples

Many small rivers: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.002  # Higher frequency
Fewer large rivers: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.0008  # Lower frequency
Rare massive rivers: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.0005  # Very low frequency

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river-spread-scale

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river-spread-scale
number
default:"1"
Controls how far apart rivers generally are. Larger scale creates further apart rivers, smaller scale creates closer packed rivers.
customization.yml
river-spread-scale: 1

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river-max-width

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river-max-width
number
default:"20"
Controls the maximum width of rivers in blocks. Wider rivers are better for boat navigation but may dominate smaller biomes.
customization.yml
river-max-width: 20

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Examples

Narrow streams: 
river-max-width: 10
Wide rivers: 
river-max-width: 35
Massive waterways: 
river-max-width: 50
Very wide rivers (> 40 blocks) may not generate properly in smaller biomes and can create generation artifacts.

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Complete River Configuration

Here’s the complete river configuration section from customization.yml:
customization.yml
# In biomeSpread section
biomeSpread:
  # Frequency of rivers
  riverScale: 0.0013

# In main configuration
river-spread-scale: 1
river-max-width: 20

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River Configuration Examples

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Dense River Network

Create a world with many interconnected rivers: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.002  # More frequent rivers

river-spread-scale: 0.7  # Closer together
river-max-width: 15  # Moderate width
This configuration produces:
  • Frequent river generation
  • Many interconnected waterways
  • Good for boat-based exploration
  • More water features throughout the world

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Sparse Major Rivers

Create rare but impressive river systems: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.0006  # Very low frequency

river-spread-scale: 2.0  # Very far apart
river-max-width: 40  # Very wide
This configuration produces:
  • Rare, major river systems
  • Impressive water features
  • Large areas without rivers
  • Rivers feel more significant

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Realistic River Network

Balance between frequency and size: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 0.001  # Slightly lower frequency

river-spread-scale: 1.2  # Slightly further apart
river-max-width: 25  # Moderate-wide

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No Rivers

To disable rivers entirely, set a very high frequency: 
biomeSpread:
  riverScale: 1.0  # Effectively disables rivers
Some biomes in Origen are specifically designed with river features in mind. Disabling rivers may make these biomes feel incomplete.

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River Variants

Origen includes special river variants for certain biomes:
  • Cave rivers: Rivers that flow through caverns in large mountain biomes
  • Frozen rivers: Ice-covered rivers in cold biomes
  • Dry riverbeds: Can appear in arid regions
These variants are defined in individual biome configurations and are affected by the global river settings above.

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Biome-Specific River Features

Individual biomes can extend river decoration features. These are configured in the biome files under: 
stages:
  river-decoration:
    # Biome-specific river features
To customize how rivers appear in specific biomes, check the biome configuration files in biomes/ rather than the global river settings.

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Testing River Changes

  1. Backup your world - River changes affect terrain generation
  2. Edit customization.yml with your desired river parameters
  3. Restart your server or create a new world
  4. Explore multiple biomes - River generation varies by biome type
  5. Look for river-tagged biomes - Not all biomes support rivers
River generation is integrated with terrain generation, so changes only affect newly generated chunks.

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Advanced: River Noise Functions

River generation uses noise samplers defined in math/samplers/rivers.yml. Advanced users can modify these samplers for complete control over river generation patterns.
math/samplers/rivers.yml
samplers:
  # Advanced river noise configuration
  # See Terra documentation for details
Modifying river samplers directly can cause generation errors if not done correctly. Only edit these files if you’re comfortable with Terra’s noise system.

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Interaction with Other Settings

River generation interacts with several other terrain settings:
  • Biome size - Larger biomes can accommodate wider rivers
  • Terrain height - Affects river depth and canyon formation
  • Continental scale - Determines where rivers can generate
  • Ocean level - Rivers flow toward ocean level (Y 62)

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Coordinated Example

For a world with dramatic river canyons:
customization.yml
# Large biomes for big river systems
biomeSpread:
  cellDistance: 500
  riverScale: 0.0008  # Big rivers

# Tall terrain for deep canyons
terrain-height: 120

# Wide rivers
river-max-width: 35
river-spread-scale: 1.5

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