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Overview

The biome-distribution/ directory contains all configuration related to where biomes generate in the world. Origen uses a sophisticated pipeline-based approach with cellular noise, temperature zones, and multi-stage refinement.

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Directory Structure

biome-distribution/
├── presets/
│   ├── rearth.yml       # Main Origen distribution (default)
│   └── single.yml       # Single biome for testing
├── stages/
│   ├── oceans.yml
│   ├── coasts.yml
│   ├── add_rivers.yml
│   ├── fill_temperature_zones.yml
│   ├── spread_temperature_zones.yml
│   ├── fill_coasts.yml
│   ├── fill_patchwork.yml
│   └── special/
│       ├── canyons.yml
│       ├── border_biomes.yml
│       ├── add_sinkholes.yml
│       └── add_volcanos.yml
└── extrusions/
    ├── add_cave_biomes.yml
    ├── add_deep_dark.yml
    └── add_special_caves.yml

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Presets

Presets define complete biome distribution configurations. The active preset is selected in pack.yml.

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rearth.yml (Default)

The main Origen biome distribution preset: 
biomes:
  type: EXTRUSION
  extrusions:
    - << biome-distribution/extrusions/add_special_caves.yml:extrusions
    - << biome-distribution/extrusions/add_cave_biomes.yml:extrusions
    - << biome-distribution/extrusions/add_deep_dark.yml:extrusions
  provider:
    type: PIPELINE
    resolution: 4
    blend:
      amplitude: 6
      sampler:
        type: OPEN_SIMPLEX_2
        frequency: 0.012
    pipeline:
      source:
        type: SAMPLER
        sampler:
          type: CELLULAR
          jitter: ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellJitter}
          return: NoiseLookup
          frequency: 1 / ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellDistance}
          lookup:
            type: EXPRESSION
            expression: continents(x, z)
        biomes:
          ocean: 1
          land: 1
      stages:
        - << biome-distribution/stages/special/canyons.yml:stages
        - << biome-distribution/stages/coasts.yml:stages
        - << biome-distribution/stages/fill_coasts.yml:stages
        - << biome-distribution/stages/oceans.yml:stages
        # ... more stages
The distribution uses EXTRUSION type to layer cave biomes over the surface pipeline, and PIPELINE type for the main surface biome placement.

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single.yml

Used for testing - generates a world with a single biome: 
biomes:
  type: SINGLE
  biome: BIOME_ID

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Pipeline Stages

Stages are applied sequentially to refine biome placement. Each stage can replace, expand, or smooth biome assignments.

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Stage Types

Replaces placeholder biomes with actual biomes using noise lookups.
- type: REPLACE
  from: ocean
  sampler:
    type: CELLULAR
    frequency: 0.005
  to:
    OCEAN: 3
    DEEP_OCEAN: 2
    CORAL_OCEAN: 1
The weights determine relative spawn chances.
Expands biome borders by a certain number of cells.
- type: EXPAND
  from: BEACH
  to: OCEAN
  width: 2
Expands biomes with fractal noise for natural variation.
- type: FRACTAL_EXPAND
  sampler:
    type: WHITE_NOISE
Smooths biome transitions by blending neighbors.
- type: SMOOTH
  sampler:
    type: WHITE_NOISE
Adds border biomes between two biome types.
- type: BORDER
  from: LAND_BIOME
  to: OCEAN
  border: BEACH
  width: 1

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Stage Files

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oceans.yml

Replaces the placeholder ocean biome with specific ocean types based on temperature:
reference
/home/daytona/workspace/source/biome-distribution/stages/oceans.yml

stages:
  - type: REPLACE
    from: ocean
    sampler:
      type: CELLULAR
      jitter: ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellJitter}
      return: NoiseLookup
      frequency: 1 / ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellDistance}
      lookup:
        type: EXPRESSION 
        expression: temperature(x, z)
    to:
      ocean_cold: 1
      ocean_medium: 1
      ocean_warm: 1
  - type: REPLACE
    from: ocean_cold
    sampler:
      type: CELLULAR
      jitter: ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellJitter}
      return: CellValue
      frequency: 1 / ${customization.yml:biomeSpread.cellDistance}
    to:
      OCEAN: 2
      ICEBERG_OCEAN: 2
      FROZEN_OCEAN: 3
      ABYSSAL_ALLEYS: 2
      ARCTIC_ARCHES: 1
  # ... more replacements for medium and warm oceans

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coasts.yml

Adds coastal biomes at land-ocean boundaries using border detection.

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add_rivers.yml

Adds river biomes to land biomes tagged with USE_RIVER, with special variants for certain biomes.

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fill_temperature_zones.yml

Replaces temperature-based placeholders with actual land biomes:
  • Cold zones → Frozen biomes
  • Temperate zones → Forest, plains, mountain biomes
  • Warm zones → Desert, savanna, jungle biomes

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spread_temperature_zones.yml

Initially divides land into temperature zones using noise samplers.

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Special Stages

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canyons.yml

Carves large canyon biomes through any land biome using noise-based selection.

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border_biomes.yml

Adds transitional biomes at borders between contrasting biome types.

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add_sinkholes.yml

Places rare sinkhole biomes that ignore normal cellular distribution.

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add_volcanos.yml

Adds volcano biomes in specific conditions.

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Extrusions

Extrusions add biomes in vertical layers, typically for caves and underground areas.

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Structure

extrusions:
  - type: BIOME_EXTRUSION
    biome: CAVE_BIOME_ID
    min: -64
    max: 40
    sampler:
      type: EXPRESSION
      expression: noise(x, y, z) > 0.5

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Extrusion Files

add_cave_biomes.yml

Adds standard cave biomes in different elevation ranges

add_special_caves.yml

Adds unique cave biomes (Inferno Isles, Vine Vault, Terracotta Tombs)

add_deep_dark.yml

Adds deep dark biome at low elevations

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How the Pipeline Works

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Step-by-Step Process

  1. Source Generation
    • Cellular noise creates uniform biome cells
    • Continental sampler determines ocean vs land
    • Results in placeholder ocean and land biomes
  2. Special Features (canyons, sinkholes)
    • Applied first to carve through normal distribution
    • Use position-independent noise for random placement
  3. Coast Definition
    • Detects ocean-land borders
    • Creates coastal placeholder biomes
    • Varies coast width (narrow vs wide)
  4. Ocean Refinement
    • Replaces ocean placeholders with specific ocean biomes
    • Uses temperature lookup for variety
    • Assigns deep vs shallow variants
  5. Land Temperature Zones
    • Divides land into cold/temperate/warm zones
    • Uses temperature noise sampler
    • Creates zone placeholders
  6. Biome Assignment
    • Replaces placeholders with actual biomes
    • Uses cellular noise for variation within zones
    • Weights control relative spawn rates
  7. Border Biomes
    • Adds transitional biomes between contrasting types
    • Smooths harsh biome transitions
  8. Smoothing & Expansion
    • FRACTAL_EXPAND adds natural irregularity
    • SMOOTH blends biome edges
    • Multiple passes for final refinement
  9. Rivers
    • Added last to flow through all biomes
    • Uses river noise sampler
    • Special variants for mountain biomes
  10. Cave Extrusions
    • Layered vertically over surface biomes
    • Use 3D noise for placement
    • Independent of surface distribution

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Customization Variables

Biome distribution uses variables from customization.yml: 
biomeSpread:
  cellDistance: 800    # Biome cell size in blocks
  cellJitter: 0.75     # Randomness of cell shape (0-1)

global-scale: 1.0      # Overall terrain scale multiplier
elevation-scale: 1.0   # Vertical terrain scale

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Tuning Biome Size

  • Larger biomes: Increase cellDistance
  • More regular shapes: Decrease cellJitter
  • More variety: Decrease cellDistance, increase jitter

Math Functions

Samplers used in distribution (continents, temperature, rivers)

Configuration Overview

How biome distribution fits into the overall config structure

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