The rest of this is provided for archive purposes:
Does the terrain seem boring? Do you have little incentive to explore far beyond your base? A major problem with the current terrain generation and biomes of Minecraft is that once you go to a biome, gather its unique resources, and head back to your base, there is no need to go back to that biome. The aim of this mod is to add variety in the environments and landscapes of Minecraft, and make it worth it for the player to establish bases in each of the biomes.
The mod has three main features: new biomes, new trees, and biome-specific ore generation.
Now with WORLDTYPES!
so you can play and create vanilla worlds with this mod installed. No more switching jars or uninstalling! Highlands Large Biomes will only work with the modified agp.class installed (see installation instructions).
Alps:
High mountains covered in deep snow, with occasional tall pine trees and shrubs. Emeralds spawn in this biome, same as vanilla extreme hills.
Autumn Forest:
Same as a vanilla Minecraft forest, but with orange leaves. Pumpkins and flowers generate more often here as well.
Cliffs:
A tall plateau with shrubs and cobblestone boulders on the ground. Emeralds spawn in this biome. Valleys can generate in this biome.
Highlands:
The first biome coded for this mod, has lots of tall grass, shrubs, and scattered short trees. Moderately hilly landscape. Emeralds can also spawn in this biome.
Forest Islands:
An island with forest trees surrounded by beaches. Spawns in the ocean.
Jungle Islands:
Like islands but with jungle plants and trees. Spawns in the ocean.
Desert Islands:
Lonely and desolate small islands with nothing but sand. Spawns in the ocean.
Plains:
This biome replaces the default plains biome on Highlands worlds. It is flatter than vanilla plains, has more grass, and has occasional tall birch trees. Lakes can generate in this biome.
Mixed Forest:
Forest biome with oak, birch, and pine trees.
Woodland Mountains:
Tall steep mountains with trees and valleys below sea level.
Pinelands:
An evergreen version of Highlands. No snow.
Rainforest:
Like the rainforest biome of Minecraft 1.7.3, with abundant big trees and bright colors. Moderately mountainous terrain.
Tall Pine Forest:
Taiga trees and tall pine trees tower above this snowy biome. The forest floor has tall grass and shrubs. Frozen lakes and ponds can be found here as well.
Savannah:
A dry, flat biome with scattered trees. Mesas (flat topped mountains) can spawn in this biome.
Tropics:
A hot, humid biome with tall flat-topped trees and low shrubs. Ocelots can spawn here, like in jungles. Parts of the forest floor may be dark enough for mobs in daytime!
Tundra:
Flat, desolate biome with deep snow. Only a few scattered shrubs can provide wood.
Biome specific ore generation:
The biomes added by this mod have increased amounts of certain ores (usually, double normal). This way, you can find a certain biome to mine for diamonds, and another for iron, but you won't find more of both in the same biome. The following list will probably change, but this is what is implemented for now:
Alps and Pinelands have more iron.
Autumn Woods and Savannah have more gold.
Cliffs have all ores generate up to double height, with the same frequency.
Highlands, Mixed forests, and Tall Pine Forests have more coal.
Tundra will generate ice underground (same frequency as coal).
Woodland Mountains and Plains have more diamonds and more underground water.
Rainforests and Tropics will have more redstone and lapis lazuli.
Please suggest changes as I'm not sure how exactly this will work. Also, I have no idea how much more ores to generate. is double ores too much?
Other Changes:
Villages can now spawn in more biomes:
Forest
Jungle
Swamp
Taiga
Autumn Forest
Highlands
Mixed Forest
Pinelands
Tall Pine Forest
Strongholds can spawn in all of the biomes added by this mod.
You might notice some of the vanilla biomes are missing in your Highlands worlds. This is intentional. Cliffs replaces Extreme Hills, Tundra replaces Ice Plains, and Plains look different (but are still called Plains).
more pictures:
Village in a Mixed Forest biome:
Valley and River in a Cliff biome:
Overhangs in a Highlands biome:
In Progress:
Biomes: almost done, still open to suggestions
New trees: in progress
Biome-specific ore generation: Finished for all biomes added
config file: not started
Changelog:
0.1 first created mod
0.2 re-coded for Modloader
0.3 added first custom tree (tall pine)
0.4 –
official Minecraft Forum release
updated to 1.4.2
re-coded for Forge
improved tall pine tree
0.5 –
added tall birch tree and savannah tree
added new biomes: savannah
changed biomes: plains, woodland mountains, autumn forest, tundra
tundra now replaces ice plains
known issues: new trees generate through structures (but do not overwrite any of the structures’ blocks)
for some reason, big trees do not generate?
fixed: the player can now spawn in any of the biomes.
0.6 –
added new biomes: tropics (old tropics is now jungle islands)
added biome ore generation
changed biomes: tall pine forest
improved variety of tall pine trees
added sub-biomes: mesa, valley, lake
added worldtypes: Highlands, Highlands Large Biomes
Islands and Jungle Islands are now sub-biomes inside the ocean biome. They will only generate in
Highlands world types. Also added desert islands.
To Install:
Delete META-INF from your Minecraft.jar. Download Forge 6.4.0.396 or later and install it. Download this mod with the link above, open the zip file, and copy everything into Minecraft.jar using a program such as winrar or 7zip.
Compatibility:
This mod should be compatible with almost any mod except other biome mods. It currently modifies two base classes, agp.class (genLayer) and agq.class (genLayerHills). If one of your other mods requires one of those classes, you can install this mod without it, but you will not have the following features:
missing agp.class - Highlands Large Biomes world type
missing agq.class - Mesa, Valley, Lake
missing either - Forest Islands, Jungle Islands, Desert Islands, Tundra replacing Ice Plains
The mod will *function* without either but it will not have all of its features.
In its current version, this mod uses biomes 23 - 43. If you want to use this with ExtraBiomesXL, for example, use its config file to set all of its biome id's higher than 43. Note that with the new world types, you unfortunately cannot have these biomes alongside other mods' biomes. When this mod's config file is completed you will be able to choose to use the Highlands biomes in a default world.
Warning! This mod is WIP. Back up your worlds before using! Start a new world the first time you use or update this mod or you will have ugly walls bordering the old and new chunks.
I appreciate positive feedback and constructive negative feedback. Please suggest new biomes or things to add.
Thanks for the replies, everyone! for a while I thought this was dead after only one reply... I'm working on a new update that will include more mountains in some biomes as well as new trees. I'll try to have it out by Sunday. Here's an image for you all:
Update available! added savannah biome, as well as two trees: the tall birch and acacia tree. Also increased the amount of mountains in highland, pineland, cliff, and rainforest biomes, as well as many small fixes.
Sorry for the long delay. I'm working on a big update. It will not include too much more in terms of biomes or new trees, but I am working on making the new biomes a world type so you can choose to use default maps if you want, and you can play default maps with this installed without messing up generation. I will also include biome-specific ore generation, finally.
Edit: one other thing I forgot: update to 1.4.4 / 1.4.5
I also have a question for forumers: Would you like me to add better islands (actually inside ocean biomes) and more "hills" sub-biomes (like forest hills or ice mountains), even if I have to modify a base class? Or do you prefer maximum compatibility by avoiding modifying any base classes?
So far looks pretty nice. Just keep things simple, and not too over the top. Biomes 'o Plenty is a very good mod as well that you could be inspired from. Good luck and I look forward to the newer biomes.
New update 0.6 is out for Minecraft 1.4.5! many changes in this update! There are now two worldtypes, Highlands and Highlands Large Biomes. Also, biome ore generation is finally here. Although I said I wasn't going to add new biomes this update, there is one new biome, tropics, and also six new sub-biomes that generate like forest hills or ice mountains. see the OP for details.
Highlands is officially released! After everyone's long wait (who am I kidding, this topic was ignored for the most part), version 1.0 is now available. Contains many new features and stuff!
Highlands is officially released! it is no longer WIP. Here is the main post:
http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1602064-145-highlands-new-biomes-trees-and-more-forge/
Please reply to that topic, not this one. Thanks.
The rest of this is provided for archive purposes:
Does the terrain seem boring? Do you have little incentive to explore far beyond your base? A major problem with the current terrain generation and biomes of Minecraft is that once you go to a biome, gather its unique resources, and head back to your base, there is no need to go back to that biome. The aim of this mod is to add variety in the environments and landscapes of Minecraft, and make it worth it for the player to establish bases in each of the biomes.
The mod has three main features: new biomes, new trees, and biome-specific ore generation.
Now with WORLDTYPES!
so you can play and create vanilla worlds with this mod installed. No more switching jars or uninstalling! Highlands Large Biomes will only work with the modified agp.class installed (see installation instructions).
Biomes:
Alps:
High mountains covered in deep snow, with occasional tall pine trees and shrubs. Emeralds spawn in this biome, same as vanilla extreme hills.
Autumn Forest:
Same as a vanilla Minecraft forest, but with orange leaves. Pumpkins and flowers generate more often here as well.
Cliffs:
A tall plateau with shrubs and cobblestone boulders on the ground. Emeralds spawn in this biome. Valleys can generate in this biome.
Highlands:
The first biome coded for this mod, has lots of tall grass, shrubs, and scattered short trees. Moderately hilly landscape. Emeralds can also spawn in this biome.
Forest Islands:
An island with forest trees surrounded by beaches. Spawns in the ocean.
Jungle Islands:
Like islands but with jungle plants and trees. Spawns in the ocean.
Desert Islands:
Lonely and desolate small islands with nothing but sand. Spawns in the ocean.
Plains:
This biome replaces the default plains biome on Highlands worlds. It is flatter than vanilla plains, has more grass, and has occasional tall birch trees. Lakes can generate in this biome.
Mixed Forest:
Forest biome with oak, birch, and pine trees.
Woodland Mountains:
Tall steep mountains with trees and valleys below sea level.
Pinelands:
An evergreen version of Highlands. No snow.
Rainforest:
Like the rainforest biome of Minecraft 1.7.3, with abundant big trees and bright colors. Moderately mountainous terrain.
Tall Pine Forest:
Taiga trees and tall pine trees tower above this snowy biome. The forest floor has tall grass and shrubs. Frozen lakes and ponds can be found here as well.
Savannah:
A dry, flat biome with scattered trees. Mesas (flat topped mountains) can spawn in this biome.
Tropics:
A hot, humid biome with tall flat-topped trees and low shrubs. Ocelots can spawn here, like in jungles. Parts of the forest floor may be dark enough for mobs in daytime!
Tundra:
Flat, desolate biome with deep snow. Only a few scattered shrubs can provide wood.
Biome specific ore generation:
The biomes added by this mod have increased amounts of certain ores (usually, double normal). This way, you can find a certain biome to mine for diamonds, and another for iron, but you won't find more of both in the same biome. The following list will probably change, but this is what is implemented for now:
Alps and Pinelands have more iron.
Autumn Woods and Savannah have more gold.
Cliffs have all ores generate up to double height, with the same frequency.
Highlands, Mixed forests, and Tall Pine Forests have more coal.
Tundra will generate ice underground (same frequency as coal).
Woodland Mountains and Plains have more diamonds and more underground water.
Rainforests and Tropics will have more redstone and lapis lazuli.
Please suggest changes as I'm not sure how exactly this will work. Also, I have no idea how much more ores to generate. is double ores too much?
Other Changes:
Villages can now spawn in more biomes:
Forest
Jungle
Swamp
Taiga
Autumn Forest
Highlands
Mixed Forest
Pinelands
Tall Pine Forest
Strongholds can spawn in all of the biomes added by this mod.
You might notice some of the vanilla biomes are missing in your Highlands worlds. This is intentional. Cliffs replaces Extreme Hills, Tundra replaces Ice Plains, and Plains look different (but are still called Plains).
more pictures:
Village in a Mixed Forest biome:
Valley and River in a Cliff biome:
Overhangs in a Highlands biome:
In Progress:
Biomes: almost done, still open to suggestions
New trees: in progress
Biome-specific ore generation: Finished for all biomes added
config file: not started
Changelog:
0.1 first created mod
0.2 re-coded for Modloader
0.3 added first custom tree (tall pine)
0.4 –
official Minecraft Forum release
updated to 1.4.2
re-coded for Forge
improved tall pine tree
0.5 –
added tall birch tree and savannah tree
added new biomes: savannah
changed biomes: plains, woodland mountains, autumn forest, tundra
tundra now replaces ice plains
known issues: new trees generate through structures (but do not overwrite any of the structures’ blocks)
for some reason, big trees do not generate?
fixed: the player can now spawn in any of the biomes.
0.6 –
added new biomes: tropics (old tropics is now jungle islands)
added biome ore generation
changed biomes: tall pine forest
improved variety of tall pine trees
added sub-biomes: mesa, valley, lake
added worldtypes: Highlands, Highlands Large Biomes
Islands and Jungle Islands are now sub-biomes inside the ocean biome. They will only generate in
Highlands world types. Also added desert islands.
To Install:
Delete META-INF from your Minecraft.jar. Download Forge 6.4.0.396 or later and install it. Download this mod with the link above, open the zip file, and copy everything into Minecraft.jar using a program such as winrar or 7zip.
Compatibility:
This mod should be compatible with almost any mod except other biome mods. It currently modifies two base classes, agp.class (genLayer) and agq.class (genLayerHills). If one of your other mods requires one of those classes, you can install this mod without it, but you will not have the following features:
missing agp.class - Highlands Large Biomes world type
missing agq.class - Mesa, Valley, Lake
missing either - Forest Islands, Jungle Islands, Desert Islands, Tundra replacing Ice Plains
The mod will *function* without either but it will not have all of its features.
In its current version, this mod uses biomes 23 - 43. If you want to use this with ExtraBiomesXL, for example, use its config file to set all of its biome id's higher than 43. Note that with the new world types, you unfortunately cannot have these biomes alongside other mods' biomes. When this mod's config file is completed you will be able to choose to use the Highlands biomes in a default world.
Warning! This mod is WIP. Back up your worlds before using! Start a new world the first time you use or update this mod or you will have ugly walls bordering the old and new chunks.
I appreciate positive feedback and constructive negative feedback. Please suggest new biomes or things to add.
Edit: First
www.soundcloud.com/netroaki
download available!Edit: download not available as it seems to crash. It will be there shortly.Edit2: download working now.
Thanks, and how could I not be influenced? ExtraBiomesXL is the gold standard for biome mods.
Edit: one other thing I forgot: update to 1.4.4 / 1.4.5
I also have a question for forumers: Would you like me to add better islands (actually inside ocean biomes) and more "hills" sub-biomes (like forest hills or ice mountains), even if I have to modify a base class? Or do you prefer maximum compatibility by avoiding modifying any base classes?
exactly what I was going for. Thanks.
Soon I think I can release the mod in the finished mods section... I have everything done except the config file...
go to http://www.minecraftforum.net/topic/1602064-145-highlands-new-biomes-trees-and-more-forge/