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mathuin edited this page Oct 5, 2012 · 1 revision

TopoMC now supports the use of MCEdit schematics in place of randomly selected terrain for certain landcover types. This is beta code, and can be modified or removed at a later date. For now, though, feel free to play with it and see what you think!

What are schematics?

Schematics are essentially pre-built chunks of Minecraft worlds, usually created or modified with tools like MCEdit. MCEdit can be found at http://davidvierra.com/mcedit/download.html.

Why would I want to use this feature?

If you've ever wanted to generate a post-apocalypse-looking realistic world for Minecraft, now you can. It looks crazy right now, but with the right schematics on the right terrain, it could look awesome.

How do I use the feature?

To use the schematic feature, add "--enable-schematics" to the ./GetRegion.py command.

The following landcover types support schematics, and have example files:

  • 21: developed/open-space - "OpenSpace.schematic"
  • 22: developed/low-intensity - "Neighborhood.schematic"
  • 23: developed/medium-intensity - "School.schematic"
  • 24: developed/high-intensity - "Apartments.schematic"
  • 25: commercial-industrial-transportation - "Commercial.schematic"
  • 82: crops - "Farm.schematic"

The example schematics demonstrate some of the capabilities of the concept. Some useful tips to keep in mind when designing schematics for TopoMC:

  • Make sure sizes are uniform and regular

    Landcover types can come together like puzzle pieces. Having all of the schematics the same size with regular road and street-light placement helps the maintain the impression of a consistent world. Also, larger schematics repeat less often and look better.

  • Minimize the use of water

    The elevation under the schematics is not flattened, so water in schematics runs the risk of inundating local terrain.

  • Do not use end stone

    End stone is used by TopoMC as a placeholder for stone for terrain generation and ore placement. Any end stone found in schematics will be converted into stone or possibly ore by the software.