Alternate Terrain Generation
About the ATG Modification
Alternate Terrain Generation (ATG) is a complete replacement for the standard terrain generator that fundamentally transforms the appearance of the game world and your approach to gameplay. Originally created for Minecraft 1.5, this modification addressed the issue of unrealistic placement of cold and hot biomes, bringing more natural authenticity to world formation.
Unlike the traditional method where a biome is first selected and then appropriate terrain is generated for it, ATG uses a system of interconnected parameters: elevation, temperature, precipitation levels, and other factors. From this data, the final biome is automatically determined, ensuring smooth transitions between zones and logical proximity of compatible ecosystems.
The modification gives the world a pronounced vertical structure. You might discover extensive flat plateaus on hillsides reaching heights of up to 150 blocks or more, while the largest snow-capped peaks reach elevations of 240 blocks and above.
Version 2.0.0 is implemented as a complete project reboot using modern technologies mastered over recent years. The world now features significantly more flat areas, islands, and steep cliffs, with more harmonious biome distribution. At the same time, the characteristic height variability of older versions is preserved, although the terrain has generally become more balanced.
Due to a radical redesign of the internal generation architecture, the modification operates with impressive speed. The biome generation stage, previously the slowest process, now runs 8 times faster than in standard Minecraft. Although overall performance hasn't increased 8-fold, the difference in speed is noticeably felt.
Using ATG
When creating a new world, select the "ATG - Alternate" world type in the generation settings.
For dedicated servers, set the "level-type" parameter in the server.properties file to "ATG". Please note that creating a new world is required, as this parameter is only considered when generating a completely new save.
Configuration and Compatibility
In the current ATG 2.0.0 version, configuration is completely absent. This is a temporary measure due to the priority of releasing the updated version with basic functionality. The configuration and customization system will be implemented in future updates.
Moving forward, it will become possible to fine-tune parameters for each world through the creation menu, including saving presets and exporting them in JSON format for use in server generator settings.
Compatibility with modifications that add new biomes is not yet implemented. Technically, the system works correctly with any biomes, but currently there is no mechanism for connecting additional biomes from third-party modpacks. All other aspects of generation, except for creating new biomes, maintain compatibility with other modifications.
Special Acknowledgments
Special gratitude is extended to ScottKillen, who provided invaluable support during development, offering expert recommendations and excellent examples of working with the Forge terrain generation system. His advice helped to better understand the specifics of the standard generator and find optimal ways to modify it.
