v0.31:World rejection

v50.14 · v0.47 · v0.34 · v0.31.25 · v0.28 · v0.23 This article is about an older version of DF. More Info · V

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This is the place for those troubled individuals who are attempting Advanced world generation but end up with nothing but rejections from the world generation process.

For general information about advanced world generation, see Advanced world generation.

Solving World Rejection Problems

Generally speaking, you can always solve world rejection problems by nullifying (setting to 0) all of the parameters that specify "minimum number of" whatever. The main problem with this is that many of the details of your world will be left purely to chance, perhaps not giving you the sort of conditions that you're looking for.

One general thing to try is nullify all of the parameters that cause rejection (most of which contain the word "minimum") and see what is generated. If you find that you get too few mountains, for example, you can then play with parameters such as elevation and see what happens. This will give you a chance to actually view the worlds that would otherwise be rejected so you can get a better idea of what impact various settings are having.

The Rejection Log

Change the Init file from [LOG_MAP_REJECTS:NO] to [LOG_MAP_REJECTS:YES] and in the main Dwarf Fortress folder you'll find a file called map_rejection_log.txt. Every time a world is rejected the reason will be logged to this file. Reading this file will give you a better idea of what is going on than the "having trouble placing" errors that you get on the screen only after a few hundred errors, not all of which may be the same as the specific "having trouble placing" dialogue that is shown.

"The World Generator is having trouble placing..."

Specific rejection errors, and possible solutions, are described below.

Mountain peaks

rejection log example: Not enough peaks: 1<3 Check your maximum elevation parameters.

• Can the elevation 400 be placed enough times to provide space for your peaks?
  • Check your preset elevations for the elevation 400.
  • You must have at least as many of these highest elevation points as you are requiring peaks.

Alternatively, reduce the number of peaks required by the parameters.

Mid-level elevations.

• Your worldgen parameters must allow elevations between 100 and 299 for this.
  • Check the parameters governing elevation frequencies.
  • Or simply reduce the number of mid-level elevation squares required.

Low elevations

Your worldgen parameters must allow for enough elevations between 0 and 99 for this.

High elevations

Your worldgen parameters must allow for enough elevations between 300 and 400 for this.

Ocean squares along the edges

Your worldgen parameters must allow for enough elevations between 0 and 99 for this.

• If that doesn't work, simply reduce the number of edge oceans required.

Rainfall/drainage/savagery/volcanism in the manner specified by the parameters

Check the parameters governing these features. Reduce the number of high, medium or low squares required.

Volcanoes

Check your maximum volcanism value.

• Volcanoes can only form in areas with 100 volcanism.
  • As such, you must have at least as many areas with 100 volcanism as you do desired volcanoes.

If all else fails, reduce the number of volcanoes required by the parameters.

Swamps and marshes

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, mid-to-high rainfall, low drainage, non-freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of swamp squares and regions required by the parameters.

Deserts and badlands

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, very low rainfall, non-freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of desert squares and regions required by the parameters.

Forests

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, high rainfall, high drainage, non-freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of forest squares and regions required by the parameters.

Mountains

Make sure your parameters and presets can support high elevation areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of mountain squares and regions required by the parameters.

Oceans

Make sure your parameters and presets can support low elevation areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of ocean squares and regions required by the parameters.

Glaciers

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, very high drainage, freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of glacial squares and regions required by the parameters.

Tundra regions

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid drainage, freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of tundra squares and regions required by the parameters.

Grasslands

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid rainfall, low-to-mid drainage, non-freezing areas.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of grassland squares and regions required by the parameters.

Hills

Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid rainfall, high drainage, non-freezing areas.

Rivers

Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many mountain squares as you are requiring river start points.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of rivers required by the parameters.

Too many subregions

Make sure your parameters and presets aren't so variable that biomes change frequently.

• If that doesn't work, increase the number of subregions permitted by the parameters, up to the cap.

Mountain caves

Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many border mountain squares as you are requiring mountain caves.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of mountain caves required by the parameters.

Low-lying caves

Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many mid-elevation squares as you are requiring low-lying caves.

• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of non-mountain caves required by the parameters.

Civilizations

Make sure your parameters and presets offer enough low-to-mid savagery, evil/good appropriate, biome appropriate squares to establish sites.

• High savagery (66+) blocks civilization placement -- make sure your parameters and presets offer at least small pockets of low-to-mid savagery areas.
  • If you have very few biome types and are placing good or evil regions, they'll often crowd out the civilizations as well.
• If that doesn't work, reduce the number of civilizations required by the parameters.

The world generator couldn't find any civilization definitions

This problem cannot be resolved by continuing, so you should either abort or skip all rejects for a legends-only game.

The world generator is having trouble placing a controllable civilization

Make sure your parameters and presets have adequate squares of this kind.

• Dwarves, for example, require non-evil, non-good, unsavage mountain squares that aren't surrounded by the ocean.
• If that doesn't work, remove the requirement of a controllable civilization from the parameters, which will restrict you to adventurers (assuming an appropriate civilization is placed)

Error Dialog Text

LACK OF PEAKS
MEDIUM ELEVATION REJECTION
LOW ELEVATION REJECTION
HIGH ELEVATION REJECTION
LACK OF EDGE OCEANS
RAINFALL REJECTION
DRAINAGE REJECTION
SAVAGERY REJECTION
VOLCANISM REJECTION
LACK OF VOLCANOS
SWAMP REJECTION
DESERT REJECTION
FOREST REJECTION
MOUNTAIN REJECTION
OCEAN REJECTION
GLACIER REJECTION
TUNDRA REJECTION
GRASSLAND REJECTION
HILLS REJECTION
LACK OF RIVERS
TOO MANY REGIONS
LACK OF MOUNTAIN CAVES
LACK OF LOW-LYING CAVES
UNABLE TO PLACE ENOUGH CIVILIZATIONS
NO CIVILIZATIONS AVAILABLE
UNABLE TO PLACE CONTROLLABLE CIVILIZATION

The world generator is having trouble placing enough mountain peaks. You might want to check your maximum elevation value and other elevation parameters. Can the elevation 400 be placed enough times to provide space for your peaks? You might want to check your preset elevations for the elevation 400. You must have at least as many of these highest elevation points as you are requiring peaks. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of peaks required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing enough mid-level elevations. Can your parameters achieve elevations between 100 and 299? You might want to adjust the parameters governing elevation frequencies. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of mid-level elevation squares required.

The world generator is having trouble placing enough low elevations. Can your parameters achieve elevations between 0 and 99?

The world generator is having trouble placing enough high elevations. Can your parameters achieve elevations between 300 and 400?

The world generator is having trouble placing enough ocean squares along the edges. Can your parameters achieve elevations between 0 and 99 frequently? You might want to adjust the parameters governing elevation. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of edge oceans required.

The world generator is having trouble placing rainfall in the manner specified by the parameters. You might want to adjust the parameters governing rainfall. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of high, medium or low rainfall squares required.

The world generator is having trouble setting drainage in the manner specified by the parameters. You might want to adjust the parameters governing drainage. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of high, medium or low drainage squares required.

The world generator is having trouble placing savagery in the manner specified by the parameters. You might want to adjust the parameters governing savagery. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of high, medium or low savagery squares required.

The world generator is having trouble setting volcanism in the manner specified by the parameters. You might want to adjust the parameters governing volcanism. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of high, medium or low volcanism squares required.

The world generator is having trouble placing enough volcanos. You might want to check your maximum volcanism value. Can volcanism be placed at the value 100 enough times to provide space for each of your volcanos? You might want to check your preset volcanism for the value 100. You must have at least as many of these highest volcanism points as you are requiring volcanos. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of volcanos required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing swamps and marshes. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, mid-to-high rainfall, low drainage, non-freezing areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of swamp squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing deserts and badlands. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, very low rainfall, non-freezing areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of desert squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing forests. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, high rainfall, high drainage, non-freezing areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of forest squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing mountains. Make sure your parameters and presets can support high elevation areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of mountain squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing oceans. Make sure your parameters and presets can support low elevation areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of ocean squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing glaciers. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, very high drainage, freezing areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of glacial squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing tundra regions. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid drainage, freezing areas. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of tundra squares and regions required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing grasslands. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid rainfall, low-to-mid drainage, non-freezing areas.

The world generator is having trouble placing hills. Make sure your parameters and presets can support mid-elevation, low-to-mid rainfall, high drainage, non-freezing areas.

The world generator is having trouble placing rivers. Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many mountain squares as you are requiring river start points. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of rivers required by the parameters.

The world generator is placing too many subregions. Make sure your parameters and presets aren't so variable that biomes change frequently. Alternatively, you can increase the number of subregions permitted by the parameters, up to the cap.

The world generator is having trouble placing mountain caves. Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many border mountain squares as you are requiring mountain caves. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of mountain caves required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing low-lying caves. Make sure your parameters and presets allow as many mid-elevation squares as you are requiring low-lying caves. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of non-mountain caves required by the parameters.

The world generator is having trouble placing enough civilizations. Make sure your parameters and presets offer enough low-to-mid savagery, evil/good appropriate, biome appropriate squares to establish sites. High savagery (66+) blocks civilization placement -- make sure your parameters and presets offer at least small pockets of low-to-mid savagery areas. If you have very few biome types and are placing good or evil regions, they'll often crowd out the civilizations as well. Alternatively, you can reduce the number of civilizations required by the parameters.

The world generator couldn't find any civilization definitions. This problem cannot be resolved by continuing, so you should either abort or skip all rejects for a legends-only game.

The world generator is having trouble placing a controllable civilization. Dwarves, for example, require non-evil, non-good, unsavage (<66) mountain squares that aren't surrounded by the ocean. Make sure your parameters and presets have adequate squares of this kind. Alternatively, you can remove the requirement of a controllable civilization from the parameters, which will restrict you to adventurers (assuming an appropriate civilization is placed).

List of Log Error Messages

Not enough peaks
Not enough medium altitudes
Not enough medium altitudes after shift down
Not enough low altitudes after shift down
Not enough medium altitudes after shift up
Not enough high altitudes after shift up
Not enough partial edge oceans
Not enough complete edge oceans

Rainfall not evenly distributed
Flat/rough areas not evenly distributed: 
Savagery not evenly distributed
Volcanism not evenly distributed

Initial swamp square count fails by 
Initial desert square count fails by 
Initial forest square count fails by 
Initial mountain square count fails by 
Initial ocean square count fails by 
Initial glacier square count fails by 
Initial tundra square count fails by 
Initial grassland square count fails by 
Initial hill square count fails by 

Not enough volcanos

Swamp region count fails by 
Desert region count fails by 
Forest region count fails by 
Mountain region count fails by 
Ocean region count fails by 
Glacier region count fails by 
Tundra region count fails by 
Grassland region count fails by 
Hill region count fails by 

Not enough river start points before erosion
Not enough river start points after erosion

Too many distinct subregions

Not enough medium altitude locations after erosion
Not enough low altitude locations after erosion: 
Not enough high altitude locations after erosion

Not enough mountain cave locations
Not enough mountain cave locations after location check
Not enough low-lying cave locations
Not enough low-lying cave locations after location check

Not enough entity placement locations

No entity definitions available
No controllable entity definitions available
Did not place controllable entity
Placed farming entity without crops

Final swamp region count fails by 
Final desert region count fails by 
Final forest region count fails by 
Final mountain region count fails by 
Final ocean region count fails by 
Final glacier region count fails by 
Final tundra region count fails by 
Final grassland region count fails by 
Final hill region count fails by 

Error Continuation Options

CONTINUE until you give me another warning.

ABORT NOW and I'll look over my parameters.

ALLOW THIS REJECTION TYPE and continue reporting others.

ALLOW ALL REJECTS, even if I end up with a legends-only world!

V · T · E Worlds
World generation (Advanced · Rejection)
Biome · Climate · Surroundings · Map legend · Calendar
Civilization · Sites (Cave · Town · Fortress · Ruin)
Aquifer · Brook · Caverns · Island · Tunnel · Volcano · Waterfall
Chasm · Desert · Forest · Glacier · Grassland · Lake · Mountain · Murky pool · Ocean · River · Savanna · Shrubland · Tundra · Wetland