|
| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +root: .components.layouts.MarkdownLayout |
| 3 | +title: Biomes |
| 4 | +nav-title: Biomes |
| 5 | +description: Define biomes with climate, effects, spawns, carvers, and features using Kore's DSL. |
| 6 | +keywords: minecraft, datapack, kore, worldgen, biome, carver, spawner, effects |
| 7 | +date-created: 2026-02-03 |
| 8 | +date-modified: 2026-02-03 |
| 9 | +routeOverride: /docs/data-driven/worldgen/biomes |
| 10 | +--- |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +# Biomes |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +Biomes define climate, visuals, mob spawns, carvers, and the placed features list for each decoration step. In Minecraft, biomes control not |
| 15 | +just the terrain appearance but also weather behavior, mob spawning rules, and which features generate. |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +## How Biomes Work |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +In the Overworld, biome placement is determined by 6 climate parameters: |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +- **Temperature** - Controls snow/ice coverage and vegetation types (5 levels from frozen to hot) |
| 22 | +- **Humidity** - Affects vegetation density (5 levels from arid to humid) |
| 23 | +- **Continentalness** - Determines ocean/beach/inland placement |
| 24 | +- **Erosion** - Controls flat vs mountainous terrain (7 levels) |
| 25 | +- **Weirdness** - Triggers biome variants (e.g., Jungle → Bamboo Jungle) |
| 26 | +- **Depth** - Determines surface vs cave biomes |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +These parameters form a 6D space where each biome occupies defined intervals. The game selects the closest matching biome for any given |
| 29 | +location. |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +References: [Biome](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome), [Biome definition](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome_definition) |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +## Basic Biome |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +```kotlin |
| 36 | +val myBiome = dp.biome("my_biome") { |
| 37 | + temperature = 0.8f |
| 38 | + downfall = 0.4f |
| 39 | + hasPrecipitation = true |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | + effects { |
| 42 | + skyColor = 0x78A7FF |
| 43 | + fogColor = 0xC0D8FF |
| 44 | + waterColor = 0x3F76E4 |
| 45 | + waterFogColor = 0x050533 |
| 46 | + } |
| 47 | +} |
| 48 | +``` |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +## Effects |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +The `effects` block controls visual and audio aspects of the biome. These settings define the atmosphere players experience, from sky color |
| 53 | +to ambient sounds. |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +Reference: [Biome definition - Effects](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome_definition#Effects) |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +```kotlin |
| 58 | +effects { |
| 59 | + // Required colors |
| 60 | + skyColor = 0x78A7FF |
| 61 | + fogColor = 0xC0D8FF |
| 62 | + waterColor = 0x3F76E4 |
| 63 | + waterFogColor = 0x050533 |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | + // Optional colors |
| 66 | + foliageColor = 0x59AE30 |
| 67 | + grassColor = 0x79C05A |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | + // Optional ambient effects |
| 70 | + // ambientSound = ... |
| 71 | + // moodSound { ... } |
| 72 | + // additionsSound { ... } |
| 73 | + // music { ... } |
| 74 | + // particle { ... } |
| 75 | +} |
| 76 | +``` |
| 77 | + |
| 78 | +## Spawners |
| 79 | + |
| 80 | +Define mob spawn rules per category. Each spawner entry specifies the entity type, spawn weight (relative probability), and count range. |
| 81 | +Higher weights mean more frequent spawns relative to other entries in the same category. |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +Reference: [Biome definition - Mob spawning](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome_definition#Mob_spawning) |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +```kotlin |
| 86 | +spawners { |
| 87 | + creature { |
| 88 | + spawner(EntityTypes.COW, weight = 6, minCount = 2, maxCount = 4) |
| 89 | + spawner(EntityTypes.SHEEP, weight = 8, minCount = 2, maxCount = 4) |
| 90 | + } |
| 91 | + monster { |
| 92 | + spawner(EntityTypes.SKELETON, weight = 80, minCount = 1, maxCount = 2) |
| 93 | + spawner(EntityTypes.ZOMBIE, weight = 80, minCount = 1, maxCount = 2) |
| 94 | + } |
| 95 | + // Other categories: ambient, waterCreature, undergroundWaterCreature, waterAmbient, misc, axolotls |
| 96 | +} |
| 97 | +``` |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +## Spawn Costs |
| 100 | + |
| 101 | +Spawn costs control mob density using an energy budget system. Each mob type has an `energyBudget` (max population density) and `charge` ( |
| 102 | +cost per mob). This prevents overcrowding while allowing natural mob distribution. |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +Reference: [Biome definition - Spawn costs](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome_definition#Spawn_costs) |
| 105 | + |
| 106 | +```kotlin |
| 107 | +spawnCosts { |
| 108 | + this[EntityTypes.COW] = spawnCost(energyBudget = 1.2f, charge = 0.1f) |
| 109 | + this[EntityTypes.SHEEP] = spawnCost(energyBudget = 1.0f, charge = 0.08f) |
| 110 | +} |
| 111 | +``` |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +## Carvers |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +Carvers hollow out terrain to create caves and canyons. They run during the `carvers` generation step, after terrain noise but before |
| 116 | +features. Two carving modes exist: `air` for standard caves and `liquid` for underwater caves. |
| 117 | + |
| 118 | +Reference: [Carver](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Carver) |
| 119 | + |
| 120 | +```kotlin |
| 121 | +carvers { |
| 122 | + air(myCaveCarver) // Carves air (caves) |
| 123 | + liquid(myUnderwaterCave) // Carves underwater caves |
| 124 | +} |
| 125 | +``` |
| 126 | + |
| 127 | +See [Carvers](#carvers-cavescanyons) below for creating configured carvers. |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +## Features |
| 130 | + |
| 131 | +Features are attached to biomes via decoration steps. Each step runs in order during chunk generation, with structures placing before |
| 132 | +features within the same step. See the [main worldgen page](../worldgen#decoration-steps) for the full step list. |
| 133 | + |
| 134 | +Reference: [Biome definition - Features](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Biome_definition#Features) |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +```kotlin |
| 137 | +features { |
| 138 | + fluidSprings = listOf(...) |
| 139 | + lakes = listOf(...) |
| 140 | + localModifications = listOf(...) |
| 141 | + rawGeneration = listOf(...) |
| 142 | + strongholds = listOf(...) |
| 143 | + surfaceStructures = listOf(...) |
| 144 | + topLayerModification = listOf(...) |
| 145 | + undergroundDecoration = listOf(...) |
| 146 | + undergroundOres = listOf(orePlaced) |
| 147 | + undergroundStructures = listOf(...) |
| 148 | + vegetalDecoration = listOf(treePlaced, flowerPlaced) |
| 149 | +} |
| 150 | +``` |
| 151 | + |
| 152 | +See [Features](./features) for creating configured and placed features. |
| 153 | + |
| 154 | +--- |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | +# Carvers (Caves/Canyons) |
| 157 | + |
| 158 | +Configured carvers remove terrain to form cave systems and canyons. They use noise-based algorithms to create natural-looking underground |
| 159 | +spaces. Carvers run after terrain generation but before features, ensuring caves don't destroy placed decorations. |
| 160 | + |
| 161 | +Minecraft has two carver types: |
| 162 | + |
| 163 | +- **Cave carvers** - Create winding tunnel systems with variable radius |
| 164 | +- **Canyon carvers** - Create deep ravines with steep walls |
| 165 | + |
| 166 | +References: [Carver](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Carver), [Configured carver](https://minecraft.wiki/w/Configured_carver) |
| 167 | + |
| 168 | +## Cave Carver |
| 169 | + |
| 170 | +```kotlin |
| 171 | +val caveCfg = caveConfig { |
| 172 | + floorLevel = constant(-0.2f) |
| 173 | + horizontalRadiusMultiplier = constant(1.0f) |
| 174 | + lavaLevel = absolute(8) |
| 175 | + probability = 0.08 |
| 176 | + verticalRadiusMultiplier = constant(0.7f) |
| 177 | + y = uniformHeightProvider(32, 128) |
| 178 | + yScale = constant(0.5f) |
| 179 | +} |
| 180 | + |
| 181 | +val cave = dp.configuredCarver("my_cave", caveCfg) {} |
| 182 | +``` |
| 183 | + |
| 184 | +## Canyon Carver |
| 185 | + |
| 186 | +```kotlin |
| 187 | +val canyonCfg = canyonConfig { |
| 188 | + lavaLevel = absolute(8) |
| 189 | + probability = 0.02 |
| 190 | + y = uniformHeightProvider(10, 67) |
| 191 | + yScale = constant(3.0f) |
| 192 | + // Additional canyon-specific settings... |
| 193 | +} |
| 194 | + |
| 195 | +val canyon = dp.configuredCarver("my_canyon", canyonCfg) {} |
| 196 | +``` |
| 197 | + |
| 198 | +--- |
| 199 | + |
| 200 | +# Complete Biome Example |
| 201 | + |
| 202 | +```kotlin |
| 203 | +fun DataPack.createHighlandsBiome() { |
| 204 | + // Create a cave carver |
| 205 | + val caveCfg = caveConfig { |
| 206 | + floorLevel = constant(-0.2f) |
| 207 | + horizontalRadiusMultiplier = constant(1.0f) |
| 208 | + lavaLevel = absolute(8) |
| 209 | + probability = 0.08 |
| 210 | + verticalRadiusMultiplier = constant(0.7f) |
| 211 | + y = uniformHeightProvider(32, 128) |
| 212 | + yScale = constant(0.5f) |
| 213 | + } |
| 214 | + val cave = configuredCarver("highlands_cave", caveCfg) {} |
| 215 | + |
| 216 | + // Create placed features (see Features page) |
| 217 | + val treePlaced = /* ... */ |
| 218 | + val orePlaced = /* ... */ |
| 219 | + |
| 220 | + // Create the biome |
| 221 | + biome("highlands") { |
| 222 | + temperature = 0.8f |
| 223 | + downfall = 0.3f |
| 224 | + hasPrecipitation = true |
| 225 | + |
| 226 | + effects { |
| 227 | + fogColor = 0xBFEFFF |
| 228 | + skyColor = 0x99D9FF |
| 229 | + waterColor = 0x34A7F0 |
| 230 | + waterFogColor = 0x0A2C4F |
| 231 | + } |
| 232 | + |
| 233 | + spawners { |
| 234 | + creature { |
| 235 | + spawner(EntityTypes.COW, 6, 2, 4) |
| 236 | + spawner(EntityTypes.SHEEP, 8, 2, 4) |
| 237 | + } |
| 238 | + monster { |
| 239 | + spawner(EntityTypes.SKELETON, 80, 1, 2) |
| 240 | + spawner(EntityTypes.ZOMBIE, 80, 1, 2) |
| 241 | + } |
| 242 | + } |
| 243 | + |
| 244 | + spawnCosts { |
| 245 | + this[EntityTypes.COW] = spawnCost(1.2f, 0.1f) |
| 246 | + this[EntityTypes.SHEEP] = spawnCost(1.0f, 0.08f) |
| 247 | + } |
| 248 | + |
| 249 | + carvers { air(cave) } |
| 250 | + |
| 251 | + features { |
| 252 | + undergroundOres = listOf(orePlaced) |
| 253 | + vegetalDecoration = listOf(treePlaced) |
| 254 | + } |
| 255 | + } |
| 256 | +} |
| 257 | +``` |
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