How To Make Biome Decorators

3 min read 30-12-2024

Biome decorators are a powerful tool in Minecraft modding that allows you to customize the generation of structures and features within specific biomes. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of creating your own biome decorators, walking you through the essential steps and concepts. We'll focus on clarity and practicality, assuming a basic understanding of Java and Minecraft modding principles.

Understanding the Fundamentals

Before diving into code, it's crucial to understand the underlying structure of biome decorators in Minecraft. They work by modifying the world generation process, adding or removing elements within designated biomes. This is achieved through a structured system that involves:

Biome Registry: This registry maps biome IDs to their corresponding biome objects. Your decorator needs to identify the target biomes it will affect.
Feature Placement: This is where you specify what structures or features should be added (or removed). Minecraft uses a system of "features" (e.g., trees, ores, structures) that can be placed using specific algorithms.
Configuration: Proper configuration is essential to control the frequency, placement rules (e.g., elevation, proximity to water), and other parameters of your added features.

Step-by-Step Guide: Creating a Simple Biome Decorator

This example demonstrates adding extra large oak trees to forests. Remember to adapt paths and names to your specific project setup.

1. Setting up Your Mod

Ensure you have a Minecraft modding environment set up, including Forge or Fabric, and the necessary libraries for world generation. Consult relevant tutorials for your chosen modding environment if needed.

2. Defining Your Biome Decorator Class

This class will contain the logic for modifying biome generation.

package com.yourmodid.world.biome.decorator;

import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.ConfiguredFeature;
import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.configurations.TreeConfiguration; // Or appropriate config
import net.minecraftforge.event.world.BiomeLoadingEvent;
import net.minecraftforge.eventbus.api.SubscribeEvent;
import net.minecraftforge.fml.common.Mod;

@Mod.EventBusSubscriber(bus = Mod.EventBusSubscriber.Bus.MOD)
public class MyBiomeDecorator {

    @SubscribeEvent
    public static void onBiomeLoading(BiomeLoadingEvent event) {
        if (event.getName().equals("forest")) { // Target biome
            ConfiguredFeature<?, ?> largeOakTree = ...; // Get your configured large oak tree feature
            event.getGeneration().getFeatures(GenerationStage.Decoration.VEGETAL_DECORATION).add(() -> largeOakTree);
        }
    }
}

3. Configuring Your Feature

This step involves creating or obtaining a ConfiguredFeature representing the element you want to add. For a large oak tree:

// ... other imports ...
import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.ConfiguredFeature;
import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.Feature;
import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.configurations.TreeConfiguration;

// ... in your decorator class ...

ConfiguredFeature<?, ?> largeOakTree = Feature.TREE.configured(new TreeConfiguration.Builder(
        new SimpleBlockStateProvider(Blocks.OAK_LOG.defaultBlockState()),
        new SimpleBlockStateProvider(Blocks.OAK_LEAVES.defaultBlockState()),
        3, // Modify as needed
        3, // Modify as needed
        false
).build());

4. Registering Your Decorator

This involves adding your decorator class to your mod's event bus to ensure it's called during biome loading. The exact method depends on your modding API (Forge or Fabric).

5. Testing and Iteration

Thoroughly test your decorator to ensure it functions correctly and doesn't cause conflicts with other aspects of the world generation. Iteration and refinement are crucial aspects of biome decorator development.

Advanced Techniques

Once comfortable with the basics, explore advanced features such as:

Conditional Placement: Implementing logic to only add features under certain conditions (e.g., elevation, proximity to water).
Custom Features: Creating entirely new features tailored to your mod.
Weighted Placement: Controlling the likelihood of a feature appearing.

Creating biome decorators requires a solid understanding of Minecraft's world generation system and the chosen modding API. This guide provides a starting point; however, extensive exploration of Minecraft's codebase and relevant documentation is highly recommended for advanced customization. Remember to always back up your world before testing any major modifications.