Skip to main content

​
Overview

The structures/ directory contains the actual structure files that are placed in the world. These files define the physical objects - trees, boulders, fossils, etc. - that features load and place.
Structures are the physical objects placed in the world. Features control how and where these structures spawn. See Features Reference for placement configuration.

​
Directory Structure

structures/
├── boulders/              # Boulder structures
│   ├── granite_boulder/
│   ├── mossy_boulder/
│   └── ...
├── deposits/              # Ore and deposit structures
│   ├── deposits/          # Dirt, gravel patches
│   └── ores/              # Ore vein shapes
├── misc/                  # Special structures
│   ├── volcano/
│   └── travertine/
├── slabs/                 # Slab patterns for smoothing
├── vegetation/            # All vegetation structures
│   ├── trees/
│   ├── flowers/
│   ├── bushes/
│   ├── coral/
│   ├── crops/
│   ├── mushrooms/
│   ├── underwater/
│   └── vines/
└── rearth/                # Original Origen structures
    ├── fossils/
    └── giant_sakura/
The structure directory organization mirrors the features/ directory for easy reference.

​
Structure File Formats

Origen uses multiple structure file formats:

​
TerraScript (.tesf)

TerraScript is Terra’s custom scripting language for procedural structures. 
// Example tree structure
block(0, 0, 0, "minecraft:oak_log");
block(0, 1, 0, "minecraft:oak_log");
block(0, 2, 0, "minecraft:oak_log");
block(0, 3, 0, "minecraft:oak_log");

// Leaves
for(y = 3; y <= 5; y++) {
    for(x = -2; x <= 2; x++) {
        for(z = -2; z <= 2; z++) {
            if(x == 0 && z == 0) continue;
            block(x, y, z, "minecraft:oak_leaves[persistent=true]");
        }
    }
}
Advantages:
  • Procedural generation
  • Randomization and variation
  • Conditional logic
  • Compact file size
Common uses:
  • Trees with variation
  • Procedural plants
  • Random formations

​
Terra Object (.tobj)

Binary format for saving structures from in-game. Advantages:
  • Fast loading
  • Compact storage
  • Exact block placement
Common uses:
  • Pre-built structures
  • Complex hand-crafted objects
  • Fossils and special structures

​
Sponge Schematic (.schem)

Minecraft schematic format compatible with WorldEdit. Advantages:
  • Create with WorldEdit in-game
  • Compatible with other tools
  • Easy to edit
Common uses:
  • Buildings
  • Hand-crafted structures
  • Imported designs

​
Structure Categories

​
Trees

Located in structures/vegetation/trees/
Most trees use procedural TerraScript generation:
  • oak_tree_procedural.tesf
  • birch_tree_procedural.tesf
  • spruce_tree_procedural.tesf
  • jungle_tree_procedural.tesf
  • acacia_tree_procedural.tesf
  • dark_oak_tree_procedural.tesf
  • cherry_blossom_tree_procedural.tesf
  • autumnal_birch_tree_procedural.tesf
Each has variations built into the script for natural variety.
Decorative leaf structures:
  • acacia_leaves_clump.tesf
  • cherry_leaves_clump.tesf
  • dark_oak_leaves_clump.tesf
Used for dense foliage in jungles and forests.
Large pre-built trees:
  • Azalea trees (directory)
  • Giant redwoods
  • Massive jungle trees
  • Custom sakura variants

​
Boulders

Located in structures/boulders/
  • Granite boulders - Large granite formations
  • Mossy boulders - Moss-covered stone
  • Dripstone boulders - Pointed dripstone clusters
  • Canyon boulders - Eroded rock formations
Each type usually has multiple variant files for variety.

​
Vegetation

Located in structures/vegetation/flowers/Individual flowers and flower patches:
  • Single flower placements
  • Small flower clusters (3-5 blocks)
  • Meadow flower patches
  • Forest floor vegetation
Located in structures/vegetation/bushes/
  • Sweet berry bushes
  • Decorative leaf bushes
  • Azalea bushes
  • Dead bushes
Located in structures/vegetation/coral/Underwater coral formations:
  • Brain coral
  • Tube coral
  • Fire coral
  • Horn coral
  • Fan coral variations
  • Coral clusters (multiple types together)
Located in structures/vegetation/mushrooms/
  • Small mushrooms (brown/red)
  • Large mushroom trees
  • Mushroom clusters
  • Giant mushroom variants
Located in structures/vegetation/underwater/
  • Kelp forests (procedural height)
  • Seagrass patches
  • Sea pickles
  • Tall seagrass
Located in structures/vegetation/vines/
  • Hanging vines (various lengths)
  • Weeping vines
  • Twisting vines
  • Cave vines with glow berries
Located in structures/vegetation/crops/
  • Pumpkin patches
  • Melon patches
  • Natural wheat
  • Wild crops

​
Deposits & Ores

Located in structures/deposits/deposits/Patches of alternate blocks:
  • Dirt patches
  • Gravel deposits
  • Andesite veins
  • Diorite veins
  • Granite veins
  • Clay deposits
Located in structures/deposits/ores/Ore vein shapes and patterns:
  • Small scattered ores
  • Large vein structures
  • Clustered ore patterns
  • Geode structures
Shapes are referenced by ore feature configs.

​
Special Structures

Located in structures/slabs/Small slab patterns for terrain smoothing:
  • Single slabs
  • Slab lines
  • Natural slab placement patterns
Applied in the preprocessor stage to smooth terrain.
Located in structures/misc/travertine/Travertine cascade structures:
  • Travertine shelves
  • Hot spring formations
  • Calcite deposits
  • Mineral pools
Located in structures/misc/volcano/
  • Volcanic vents
  • Lava pool structures
  • Obsidian formations
  • Volcanic rock patterns

​
Rearth Structures

Original Origen content in structures/rearth/
Located in structures/rearth/fossils/Dinosaur fossil structures:
  • Rib cage segments
  • Skull structures
  • Spine sections
  • Complete skeletons
Used in the Fossilized Fenlands biome.
Located in structures/rearth/giant_sakura/Massive cherry blossom trees:
  • Multiple size variants
  • Different shapes
  • Leaf canopy variations
Found in Sakura Streams biome.

​
Structure Loading

Structures are loaded by features using the structures key: 
# Single structure
structures:
  distribution:
    type: CONSTANT
  structures: structure_id

# Multiple weighted structures
structures:
  distribution:
    type: WEIGHTED
  structures:
    structure_variant_1: 3
    structure_variant_2: 2
    structure_variant_3: 1

​
Structure IDs

Structure IDs are derived from file paths: 
File: structures/vegetation/trees/oak_tree_procedural.tesf
ID:   oak_tree_procedural

File: structures/boulders/granite_boulder/granite_boulder_1.tobj
ID:   granite_boulder_1
Structure IDs must be unique across all structure files in the pack.

​
Creating Custom Structures

​
Using WorldEdit

  1. Build your structure in-game
  2. Select it with WorldEdit (//wand)
  3. Copy the selection (//copy)
  4. Save as schematic (//schem save name)
  5. Place .schem file in appropriate structures/ subdirectory

​
Using TerraScript

Create procedural structures with .tesf files: 
// Access structure metadata
getArg("variant", 0);  // Get argument from feature config

// Place blocks
block(x, y, z, "minecraft:block_id");

// Randomization
if(randomInt(0, 100) > 50) {
    block(x, y, z, "minecraft:stone");
} else {
    block(x, y, z, "minecraft:cobblestone");
}

// Loops for patterns
for(i = 0; i < height; i++) {
    block(0, i, 0, "minecraft:oak_log");
}
TerraScript Functions:
  • block(x, y, z, material) - Place block
  • randomInt(min, max) - Random integer
  • randomDouble(min, max) - Random decimal
  • getArg(name, default) - Get feature argument
  • structure(x, y, z, id) - Place another structure

​
Using Terra Objects

  1. Build structure in-game
  2. Use Terra’s save command: /terra structure save <name>
  3. Structure saves as .tobj in pack’s structures folder
  4. Move to appropriate subdirectory

​
Structure Organization Best Practices

​
Naming Conventions

  • Descriptive names: oak_tree_large_variant_1.tesf
  • Type suffix: granite_boulder_mossy.tesf
  • Variant numbers: flower_patch_1.tesf, flower_patch_2.tesf

​
Directory Organization

structures/vegetation/trees/
├── oak/                    # Tree type folders
│   ├── small/
│   ├── medium/
│   └── large/
├── spruce/
└── procedural/             # Or keep procedural separate

​
File Size Considerations

  • Small structures (< 100 blocks): Any format works
  • Medium structures (100-1000 blocks): Prefer .tobj or .tesf
  • Large structures (> 1000 blocks): Use .tobj for speed

​
Structure Rotation

Structures can be rotated when placed: 
structures:
  distribution:
    type: CONSTANT
  structures: tree_structure
  rotation:
    type: RANDOM       # Random 90° rotations
    # Or specify angles
    angles: [0, 90, 180, 270]

​
Structure Checks

Features can verify placement conditions: 
structures:
  distribution:
    type: CONSTANT
  structures: tree_structure
  checks:
    - type: BLOCK_AIR
      offset: [0, 1, 0]    # Check block above is air
    - type: BLOCK_SOLID
      offset: [0, -1, 0]   # Check block below is solid

​
Performance Considerations

​
Structure Complexity

  • Simple structures load faster
  • Procedural structures generate on-demand
  • Pre-built structures (.tobj) load fastest

​
Structure Density

Control density in feature configs, not by adding more structure files: 
# Good - adjust distributor
distributor:
  type: PADDED_GRID
  width: 16    # Sparse
  width: 4     # Dense

# Avoid - creating many tiny structure files

Features

How features load and place structures

Configuration Overview

How structures fit into the overall config structure

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get started for freeTalk to us