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Difference between revisions of "v0.31:Biome"

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{{quality|Exceptional|08:00, 22 May 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}
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{{quality|Exceptional|15:57, 30 September 2010 (UTC)}}{{av}}
  
A '''biome''' is a biotic area with homogeneous features, characterized by distinctive {{L|plant}}s, {{L|creatures|animal species}} and {{L|climate}}. A biome will also contain only one set of stone layers, though these usually expand beyond a single biome. Your {{L|dwarves}} will find different resources depending on which biomes they select when starting a fort.
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A '''biome''' is a biotic area with homogeneous features, characterized by distinctive [[plant]]s, [[creatures|animal species]] and [[climate]]. A biome will also contain only one set of stone layers, though these usually expand beyond a single biome. Your [[dwarves]] will find different resources depending on which biomes you select when starting a fort.
  
 
== Selecting a biome ==
 
== Selecting a biome ==
  
Biomes are important when choosing a fortress location in order to understand your {{L|surroundings}}. Individual biomes, which form at least one map-tile of your embark location, can be cycled with the {{Key|F#}}-keys; for example, an area with 3 biomes present can be cycled using {{Key|F1}}, {{Key|F2}} and {{Key|F3}}. The selected biome will be highlighted with flashing Xs on the Local Map, and the biome's information will be displayed on the right side of the screen.
+
Biomes are important when choosing a fortress location in order to understand your [[surroundings]]. Individual biomes, which form at least one map-tile of your embark location, can be cycled with the {{Key|F#}}-keys; for example, an area with 3 biomes present can be cycled using {{Key|F1}}, {{Key|F2}} and {{Key|F3}}. The selected biome will be highlighted with flashing Xs on the Local Map, and the biome's information will be displayed on the right side of the screen.
  
 
== Characteristics of biomes ==
 
== Characteristics of biomes ==
  
Selecting different biomes gives you some ability to influence the difficulty of your game.  Each biome has a different set of resources; the availability of {{L|tree}}s, {{L|sand}}, certain {{L|plant}}s or {{L|animal}}s, and sometimes {{L|water}} is specific to a particular biome, and different biomes may have different stone layers containing {{L|flux}}, {{L|Fuel|coal}}, useful {{L|ore}}s, or a high chance of {{L|magma}}{{L|Mountain}}s have a lot of {{L|ore}}, but no {{L|soil}}.
+
Selecting different biomes gives you some ability to influence the difficulty of your game.  Each biome has a different set of resources; the availability of [[tree]]s, [[sand]], certain [[plant]]s or [[animal]]s, and sometimes [[water]] is specific to a particular biome, and different biomes may have different stone layers containing [[flux]], [[Fuel|coal]], useful [[ore]]s, or a high chance of [[magma]][[Mountain]]s have a lot of [[ore]], but no [[soil]].
  
Generally it is advantageous to plot your embark {{L|location}} at the convergence of multiple different biomes, the more the better (within reason) - which is made easier if you enlarge your starting embarkation area.  However, it is not usually too hard to find three or four biomes using the default size.
+
Generally it is advantageous to plot your embark [[location]] at the convergence of multiple different biomes, the more the better (within reason) - which is made easier if you enlarge your starting embarkation area.  However, it is not usually too hard to find three or four biomes using the default size.
  
''Note: Making the starting plot larger will slow your game down considerably; likewise, a small embark area can dramatically increase framerate.''
+
''Note: Making the starting plot larger will slow your game down considerably; likewise, a small embark area can dramatically increase framerate. One embark square translates to 48x48 ingame tiles''
  
By making use of several biomes you can provide more resources for your fort.  Making sure one of your biomes contains either a broadleaf or conifer {{L|forest}} will provide you with an ample supply of {{L|tree}}s, even if the rest of your plot extends into badlands and {{L|desert}}.
+
By making use of several biomes you can provide more resources for your fort.  Making sure one of your biomes contains either a broadleaf or conifer [[forest]] will provide you with an ample supply of [[tree]]s, even if the rest of your plot extends into badlands and [[desert]].
  
All biomes also have some kind of "alignment" -- good, neutral, or evil -- and a degree of "savagery", which essentially measures how relatively peaceful the biome is. The combination of alignment and savagery is referred to as the biome's  {{L|surroundings}}. However, a named region (which is a contiguous area of one category of biomes, such as {{L|forest}}s or {{L|wetland}}s) will be either good, neutral, or evil.  It is not uncommon to see a large mountain range with one alignment and a few mountains, disconnected from the main mountain range by a single region tile, with a different alignment.  Therefore, the more biomes you have, the more likely it is to have combinations of different alignments and savageries, if so desired.
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All biomes also have some kind of "alignment" -- good, neutral, or evil -- and a degree of "savagery", which essentially measures how relatively peaceful the biome is. The combination of alignment and savagery is referred to as the biome's  [[surroundings]]. However, a named region (which is a contiguous area of one category of biomes, such as [[forest]]s or [[wetland]]s) will be either good, neutral, or evil.  It is not uncommon to see a large mountain range with one alignment and a few mountains, disconnected from the main mountain range by a single region tile, with a different alignment.  Therefore, the more biomes you have, the more likely it is to have combinations of different alignments and savageries, if so desired.
  
If your plot contains only {{L|ocean}}, {{L|lake}} or {{L|mountain}} biomes you will not be able to embark. The dwarves would have difficulty parking their {{L|wagon}} on water, while mountains are too barren and remote to reach.
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If your plot contains only [[ocean]], [[lake]] or [[mountain]] biomes you will not be able to embark. The dwarves would have difficulty parking their [[wagon (embark)|wagon]] on water, while mountains are too barren and remote to reach.
  
 
== Available Biomes ==
 
== Available Biomes ==
  
{| style="margin:1em 1em 1em 0;background:#F9F9F9;border:2px #AAA solid;border-collapse:collapse"
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=== Freezing ===
|- style="border:2px #AAA solid; background:#F2F2F2;text-align:center"
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*[[Mountain]]
! style="border:1px #AAA solid;padding:0.2em" | Biome
+
*[[Glacier]]
! style="border:1px #AAA solid;padding:0.2em" | Token
+
*[[Tundra]]
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Every biome'''
+
=== Wetlands ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ALL_MAIN
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*[[Temperate]] Freshwater [[Swamp]]
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
*Temperate Saltwater Swamp
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any land biome'''
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*Temperate Freshwater [[Marsh]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_LAND
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*Temperate Saltwater Marsh
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Tropical]] Freshwater Swamp
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any not freezing biome'''
+
*Tropical Saltwater Swamp
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | NOT_FREEZING
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*Mangrove Swamp
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*Tropical Freshwater Marsh
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any {{L|temperate}} biome
+
*Tropical Saltwater Marsh
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_TEMPERATE
+
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
=== Forests ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any {{L|tropical}} biome
+
*[[Taiga]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_TROPICAL
+
*[[Temperate]] [[Coniferous forest|Coniferous Forest]]
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
*Temperate [[Broadleaf forest|Broadleaf Forest]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''{{L|Glacier}}'''
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*[[Tropical]] Coniferous Forest
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | GLACIER
+
*Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forest
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forest
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Desert}}'''
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_DESERT
+
=== Plains ===
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Temperate]] [[Grassland]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Desert#Badlands|Badland}}
+
*Temperate [[Savanna]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | DESERT_BADLAND
+
*Temperate [[Shrubland]]
|-  style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Tropical]] Grassland
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Desert#Rocky wastelands|Rocky wasteland}}
+
*Tropical Savanna
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | DESERT_ROCK
+
*Tropical Shrubland
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Desert#Sand desert|Sand desert}}
+
=== Deserts ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | DESERT_SAND
+
*[[Badlands]]
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Rocky wasteland|Rocky Wasteland]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid"  | '''Any {{L|Grassland}}'''
+
*[[Sand desert|Sand Desert]]
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_GRASSLAND
+
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
=== [[Ocean]]s ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Tundra}}
+
*Tropical Ocean
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | TUNDRA
+
*Temperate Ocean
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*Arctic Ocean
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Grassland#Temperate grasslands|Temperate grassland}}
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | GRASSLAND_TEMPERATE
+
=== Murky [[Pool]]s ===
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Temperate]] Freshwater Pool
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Grassland#Tropical grasslands|Tropical grassland}}
+
*Temperate Brackish Pool
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | GRASSLAND_TROPICAL
+
*Temperate Saltwater Pool
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*[[Tropical]] Freshwater Pool
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Shrubland}}'''
+
*Tropical Brackish Pool
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_SHRUBLAND
+
*Tropical Saltwater Pool
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Shrubland#Temperate shrublands|Temperate shrubland}}
+
=== [[Lake]]s ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SHRUBLAND_TEMPERATE
+
*[[Temperate]] Freshwater Lake
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
*Temperate Brackish Lake
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Shrubland#Tropical shrublands|Tropical shrubland}}
+
*Temperate Saltwater Lake
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SHRUBLAND_TROPICAL
+
*[[Tropical]] Freshwater Lake
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*Tropical Brackish Lake
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Savanna}}'''
+
*Tropical Saltwater Lake
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_SAVANNA
+
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
=== [[River]]s ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Savanna#Temperate savannas|Temperate savanna}}
+
*[[Temperate]] Freshwater River
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SAVANNA_TEMPERATE
+
*Temperate Brackish River
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
*Temperate Saltwater River
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Savanna#Tropical savannas|Tropical savanna}}
+
*[[Tropical]] Freshwater River
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SAVANNA_TROPICAL
+
*Tropical Brackish River
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
*Tropical Saltwater River
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Forest}}'''
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_FOREST
+
=== Underground ===
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
* Subterranean Water
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Taigas|Taiga}}
+
* Subterranean Chasm
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TAIGA
+
* Subterranean Magma
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any temperate forest
+
=== Groups ===
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_TEMPERATE_FOREST
+
Certain creatures and plants use special biome tokens to encompass several similar environments.
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any temperate broadleaf forest
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* "Not Freezing" includes all land biomes excluding mountains, glaciers, and tundras.
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" |ANY_TEMPERATE_BROADLEAF
+
* "Any Temperate Broadleaf" includes temperate broadleaf forests as well as grasslands, savannas, shrublands, swamps, and marshes.
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
* "Any Tropical Broadleaf" includes tropical dry/moist broadleaf forests as well as grasslands, savannas, shrublands, swamps (including Mangrove), and marshes.
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Temperate broadleaf forests|Temperate broadleaf forest}}
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TEMPERATE_BROADLEAF
+
More information can be found in the [[Biome token]] list.
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Temperate coniferous forests|Temperate coniferous forest}}
+
== Generating a Biome ==
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TEMPERATE_CONIFER
+
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
When using [[advanced world generation]] to attempt to create the "perfect" starting location, it helps to understand how biomes are created.  A region's biome is a factor of elevation, drainage, rainfall, and temperature, as explained in [http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=20685.0 this old forum thread for 40d].  Testing has confirmed that this information holds true for v0.31.
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any tropical forest
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_TROPICAL_FOREST
+
Elevation comes first.  Any terrain with an elevation of 0-99 is ocean.  Any terrain with an elevation of 300-400 is mountain terrain.  All other biomes lie in between these two extremes. 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Any tropical broadleaf forest
+
Drainage and rainfall determine the next division. 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_TROPICAL_BROADLEAF
+
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Tropical dry broadleaf forests|Tropical dry broadleaf forest}}
+
|-
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TROPICAL_DRY_BROADLEAF
+
!scope="col"| Drain \ Rain
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
!scope="col"| 0-9
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Tropical moist broadleaf forests|Tropical moist broadleaf forest}}
+
!scope="col"| 10-19
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TROPICAL_MOIST_BROADLEAF
+
!scope="col"| 20-32
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
+
!scope="col"| 33-65
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Forest#Tropical coniferous forests|Tropical coniferous forest}}
+
!scope="col"| 66-100
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | FOREST_TROPICAL_CONIFER
+
|-
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
!scope="row"| 0-32
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Wetland}}'''
+
| Desert
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_WETLAND
+
| Grassland
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
| Savannah
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Tropical swamps|Mangrove swamp}}
+
| Marsh
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SWAMP_MANGROVE
+
| Swamp
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
|-
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Temperate swamps|Temperate freshwater swamp}}
+
!scope="row"| 33-49
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SWAMP_TEMPERATE_FRESHWATER
+
| Wasteland
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
| Grassland
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Temperate swamps|Temperate saltwater swamp}}
+
| Savannah
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SWAMP_TEMPERATE_SALTWATER
+
| Shrubland
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
| Forest
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Tropical swamps|Tropical freshwater swamp}}
+
|-
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SWAMP_TROPICAL_FRESHWATER
+
!scope="row"| 50-100
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
| Badlands
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Tropical swamps|Tropical saltwater swamp}}
+
| Hills
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SWAMP_TROPICAL_SALTWATER
+
| Hills
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
+
| Hills
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Temperate marshes|Temperate freshwater marsh}}
+
| Forest
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | MARSH_TEMPERATE_FRESHWATER
+
|-
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Temperate marshes|Temperate saltwater marsh}}
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | MARSH_TEMPERATE_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Tropical marshes|Tropical freshwater marsh}}
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | MARSH_TROPICAL_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Wetland#Tropical marshes|Tropical saltwater marsh}}
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | MARSH_TROPICAL_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Murky pool#As a biome|Pool}}'''
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_POOL
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate brackish pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TEMPERATE_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate freshwater pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TEMPERATE_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate saltwater pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TEMPERATE_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical brackish pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TROPICAL_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical freshwater pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TROPICAL_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical saltwater pool
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | POOL_TROPICAL_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Lake}}'''
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_LAKE
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate brackish lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TEMPERATE_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate freshwater lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TEMPERATE_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate saltwater lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TEMPERATE_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical brackish lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TROPICAL_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical freshwater lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TROPICAL_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical saltwater lake
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | LAKE_TROPICAL_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any {{L|Ocean}}'''
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_OCEAN
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Arctic ocean
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | OCEAN_ARCTIC
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate ocean
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | OCEAN_TEMPERATE
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical ocean
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | OCEAN_TROPICAL
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | '''Any River'''
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | ANY_RIVER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate brackish river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TEMPERATE_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate freshwater river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TEMPERATE_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Temperate saltwater river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TEMPERATE_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical brackish river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TROPICAL_BRACKISHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical freshwater river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TROPICAL_FRESHWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Tropical saltwater river
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | RIVER_TROPICAL_SALTWATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Underground Chasms
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SUBTERRANEAN_CHASM
 
|- style="border-bottom:1px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Lava
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SUBTERRANEAN_LAVA
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | Underground  Pools
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | SUBTERRANEAN_WATER
 
|- style="border-bottom:2px #AAA solid"
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | {{L|Mountain}}
 
| style="border:1px #AAA solid" | MOUNTAIN
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
''Note: Biomes with "Any" in their names are general biomes - they do not exist in the game, but are provided for more easily allowing given creatures and plants to occur in multiple biomes.''
+
Finally, temperature.  Glaciers seem to form at a temperature of around 0.  Just above that temperature, forests become taiga, and all other terrain becomes tundra.  Unfortunately, temperature is harder to affect directly in world gen because according to Toady One, it's affected by both latitude and elevation.  At the other end of the temperature scale, biomes become tropical at around 65+; generally speaking you'll need Hot and Scorching temperatures.
  
{{World}}
+
{{World|Biomes}}
  
[[Category:World]]
+
{{Category|Biomes|*}}

Latest revision as of 18:47, 31 July 2012

This article is about an older version of DF.

A biome is a biotic area with homogeneous features, characterized by distinctive plants, animal species and climate. A biome will also contain only one set of stone layers, though these usually expand beyond a single biome. Your dwarves will find different resources depending on which biomes you select when starting a fort.

Selecting a biome[edit]

Biomes are important when choosing a fortress location in order to understand your surroundings. Individual biomes, which form at least one map-tile of your embark location, can be cycled with the F#-keys; for example, an area with 3 biomes present can be cycled using F1, F2 and F3. The selected biome will be highlighted with flashing Xs on the Local Map, and the biome's information will be displayed on the right side of the screen.

Characteristics of biomes[edit]

Selecting different biomes gives you some ability to influence the difficulty of your game. Each biome has a different set of resources; the availability of trees, sand, certain plants or animals, and sometimes water is specific to a particular biome, and different biomes may have different stone layers containing flux, coal, useful ores, or a high chance of magma. Mountains have a lot of ore, but no soil.

Generally it is advantageous to plot your embark location at the convergence of multiple different biomes, the more the better (within reason) - which is made easier if you enlarge your starting embarkation area. However, it is not usually too hard to find three or four biomes using the default size.

Note: Making the starting plot larger will slow your game down considerably; likewise, a small embark area can dramatically increase framerate. One embark square translates to 48x48 ingame tiles

By making use of several biomes you can provide more resources for your fort. Making sure one of your biomes contains either a broadleaf or conifer forest will provide you with an ample supply of trees, even if the rest of your plot extends into badlands and desert.

All biomes also have some kind of "alignment" -- good, neutral, or evil -- and a degree of "savagery", which essentially measures how relatively peaceful the biome is. The combination of alignment and savagery is referred to as the biome's surroundings. However, a named region (which is a contiguous area of one category of biomes, such as forests or wetlands) will be either good, neutral, or evil. It is not uncommon to see a large mountain range with one alignment and a few mountains, disconnected from the main mountain range by a single region tile, with a different alignment. Therefore, the more biomes you have, the more likely it is to have combinations of different alignments and savageries, if so desired.

If your plot contains only ocean, lake or mountain biomes you will not be able to embark. The dwarves would have difficulty parking their wagon on water, while mountains are too barren and remote to reach.

Available Biomes[edit]

Freezing[edit]

Wetlands[edit]

  • Temperate Freshwater Swamp
  • Temperate Saltwater Swamp
  • Temperate Freshwater Marsh
  • Temperate Saltwater Marsh
  • Tropical Freshwater Swamp
  • Tropical Saltwater Swamp
  • Mangrove Swamp
  • Tropical Freshwater Marsh
  • Tropical Saltwater Marsh

Forests[edit]

Plains[edit]

Deserts[edit]

Oceans[edit]

  • Tropical Ocean
  • Temperate Ocean
  • Arctic Ocean

Murky Pools[edit]

  • Temperate Freshwater Pool
  • Temperate Brackish Pool
  • Temperate Saltwater Pool
  • Tropical Freshwater Pool
  • Tropical Brackish Pool
  • Tropical Saltwater Pool

Lakes[edit]

  • Temperate Freshwater Lake
  • Temperate Brackish Lake
  • Temperate Saltwater Lake
  • Tropical Freshwater Lake
  • Tropical Brackish Lake
  • Tropical Saltwater Lake

Rivers[edit]

  • Temperate Freshwater River
  • Temperate Brackish River
  • Temperate Saltwater River
  • Tropical Freshwater River
  • Tropical Brackish River
  • Tropical Saltwater River

Underground[edit]

  • Subterranean Water
  • Subterranean Chasm
  • Subterranean Magma

Groups[edit]

Certain creatures and plants use special biome tokens to encompass several similar environments.

  • "Not Freezing" includes all land biomes excluding mountains, glaciers, and tundras.
  • "Any Temperate Broadleaf" includes temperate broadleaf forests as well as grasslands, savannas, shrublands, swamps, and marshes.
  • "Any Tropical Broadleaf" includes tropical dry/moist broadleaf forests as well as grasslands, savannas, shrublands, swamps (including Mangrove), and marshes.

More information can be found in the Biome token list.

Generating a Biome[edit]

When using advanced world generation to attempt to create the "perfect" starting location, it helps to understand how biomes are created. A region's biome is a factor of elevation, drainage, rainfall, and temperature, as explained in this old forum thread for 40d. Testing has confirmed that this information holds true for v0.31.

Elevation comes first. Any terrain with an elevation of 0-99 is ocean. Any terrain with an elevation of 300-400 is mountain terrain. All other biomes lie in between these two extremes.

Drainage and rainfall determine the next division.

Drain \ Rain 0-9 10-19 20-32 33-65 66-100
0-32 Desert Grassland Savannah Marsh Swamp
33-49 Wasteland Grassland Savannah Shrubland Forest
50-100 Badlands Hills Hills Hills Forest

Finally, temperature. Glaciers seem to form at a temperature of around 0. Just above that temperature, forests become taiga, and all other terrain becomes tundra. Unfortunately, temperature is harder to affect directly in world gen because according to Toady One, it's affected by both latitude and elevation. At the other end of the temperature scale, biomes become tropical at around 65+; generally speaking you'll need Hot and Scorching temperatures.

Worlds




Chasm · Desert · Forest · Glacier · Grassland · Lake · Mountain · Murky pool · Ocean · River · Savanna · Shrubland · Tundra · Wetland