Types/AutoplaceSpecification: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:25, 21 January 2022

Note: The property names and types on this page are up to date. However, most of the textual components of this page have not been updated since 2016, so they are not reliable for the latest version of the game.

Autoplace specification is used to determine which entities are placed when generating map. Currently it is used for enemy bases, resources and other entities (trees, fishes, ...).

General structure

Autoplace specification describe conditions for placing tiles, entities, and decoratives during surface generation. Probability (of placement on any given tile) and richness (which has different meaning depending on the thing being placed) can be defined either in terms of a set of peaks, or using explicit expressions.

General properties

control

Type: Types/string

Default: ""

ID of autoplace control that applies to this entity.

default_enabled

Type: Types/bool

Default: true

Indicates whether the thing should be placed even if MapGenSettings do not provide frequency/size/richness for it (either for the specific prototype of for the control named by AutoplaceSpecification.control).

If true, normal frequency/size/richness (value=1) are used in that case. Otherwise it is treated as if 'none' were selected.

force

Type: Types/string

Default: "neutral"

Force of the placed entity. One of "enemy", "player", "neutral", or a custom force name. Only matters for Prototype/EntityWithOwner.

order

Type: Types/Order

Default: ""

Order for placing the entity (has no effect when placing tiles). Entities whose order compares less are placed earlier (this influences placing multiple entities which collide with itself), from entities with equal order string only one with the highest probability is placed.

placement_density

Type: Types/uint32

Default: 1

For entities and decoratives, how many times to attempt to place on each tile (probability and collisions are taken into account each attempt).

tile_restriction

Type: list of specifications, see below

Default: empty list

Restricts tiles or tile transitions the entity can appear on.

Contains list of specifications. Each specification is a single Types/string with the name of an allowed tile, or a list of two tile names for entities allowed on transitions.

Properties for Expression-based AutoplaceSpecifications

probability_expression

Type: Types/NoiseExpression

If specified, provides a noise expression that will be evaluated at every point on the map to determine probability. If left blank, probability is determined by the 'peaks' system based on the properties listed below.

richness_expression

Type: Types/NoiseExpression

If specified, provides a noise expression that will be evaluated to determine richness.

If probability_expression is specified and richness_expression is not, then probability_expression will be used as the richness expression.

If neither are specified, then probability and richness are both determined by the 'peaks' system based on the properties listed below.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+<span style="color:#ff0000"> '''Note: The property names and types on this page are up to date. However, most of the textual components of this page have not been updated since 2016, so they are not reliable for the latest version of the game.''' </span>
 Autoplace specification is used to determine which entities are placed when generating map.
-Currently (0.7.3) it is used for enemy bases, resources and other entities (trees, fishes, ...).
+Currently it is used for enemy bases, resources and other entities (trees, fishes, ...).
+== General structure ==
+Autoplace specification describe conditions for placing tiles, entities, and decoratives during surface generation.
+Probability (of placement on any given tile) and richness (which has different meaning depending on the thing being placed)
+can be defined either in terms of a set of peaks, or using explicit expressions.
+== General properties ==
+=== control ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/string]]
+'''Default''': ""
+ID of [[Prototype/AutoplaceControl|autoplace control]] that applies to this entity.
+=== default_enabled ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/bool]]
+'''Default''': true
+Indicates whether the thing should be placed even if [http://lua-api.factorio.com/latest/Concepts.html#MapGenSettings MapGenSettings] do not provide frequency/size/richness for it
+(either for the specific prototype of for the control named by AutoplaceSpecification.control).
+If true, normal frequency/size/richness (value=1) are used in that case.  Otherwise it is treated as if 'none' were selected.
+=== force ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/string]]
+'''Default''': "neutral"
+Force of the placed entity. One of "enemy", "player", "neutral", or a custom force name. Only matters for [[Prototype/EntityWithOwner]].
+=== order ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/Order]]
+'''Default''': ""
+Order for placing the entity (has no effect when placing tiles). Entities whose order compares less are placed earlier (this influences placing multiple entities which collide with itself), from entities with equal order string only one with the highest probability is placed.
-== General structure ==
+=== placement_density ===
-Autoplace specification consists of a set of peaks that describe conditions for placing the entity and
+'''Type''': [[Types/uint32]]
-several parameters.
+'''Default''': 1
+For entities and decoratives, how many times to attempt to place on each tile
+(probability and collisions are taken into account each attempt).
+=== tile_restriction ===
+'''Type''': list of specifications, see below
+'''Default''': empty list
+Restricts tiles or tile transitions the entity can appear on.
+Contains list of specifications. Each specification is a single [[Types/string]] with the name of an allowed tile, or a list of two tile names for entities allowed on transitions.
+== Properties for Expression-based AutoplaceSpecifications ==
+=== probability_expression ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/NoiseExpression]]
+If specified, provides a noise expression that will be evaluated at every point on the map to determine probability.
+If left blank, probability is determined by the 'peaks' system based on the properties listed below.
+=== richness_expression ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/NoiseExpression]]
+If specified, provides a noise expression that will be evaluated to determine richness.
+If probability_expression is specified and richness_expression is not,
+then probability_expression will be used as the richness expression.
+If neither are specified, then probability and richness are both determined by the 'peaks' system based on the properties listed below.
-== Properties ==
+== Properties for Peak-based AutoplaceSpecifications ==
 === sharpness ===
@@ Line 16: / Line 87: @@
 Parameter of the sharpness filter for post-processing probability of entity placement. Value of 0 disables the filter, with value 1, the filter is a step function centered around 0.5.
-See [[#Probability calculation]].
+=== max_probability ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
+'''Default''': 1
+Multiplier for output of the sharpness filter.
 === richness_base ===
@@ Line 32: / Line 109: @@
 See [[#Richness calculation]].
-=== control ===
+=== richness_multiplier_distance_bonus ===
-'''Type''': [[Types/string]]
+'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
+'''Default''': 0
+Bonus to richness multiplier per tile of distance from starting point.
+See [[#Richness calculation]].
+=== random_probability_penalty ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
-'''Default''': ""
+'''Default''': 0
-ID of [[Prototype/AutoplaceControl|autoplace control]] that applies to this entity.
+A random value between 0 and this number is subtracted from a probability after sharpness filter.
+Only works for entities.
 === peaks ===
 '''Type''': list of [[#Autoplace Peaks]]
-If this property is missing, then the whole autoplace specification is interpreted as a single peak
+If this property is missing, then the whole autoplace specification is interpreted as a single peak.
+=== coverage ===
+''' Type''': [[Types/double]]
+'''Default''': Calculated from existing peaks.
+Sets a fraction of surface that should be covered by this item.
+Internally this adds an additive influence modifier, so that expected fraction of tiles where total influence > 0.5 (the threshold for sharpness filter) equals the parameter.
+Because of the autoplace system's complexity, this is only accurate on simple rules and does some simplification on the more complex ones:
+* There is always just one combination of tile properties (see [[#Dimensions]]) for which the coverage is calculated. This combination is given by a first *_optimal value encountered of each type other than starting_area and tier_from_start. Starting_area value is fixed to 0 and tier_from_start to 4.
+* min_influence and max_influence are completely ignored.
+=== starting_area_amount ===
+''' Type''': [[Types/uint32]]
+'''Default''': 0
+If this value is non zero, influence of this entity will be calculated differently in starting area:
+For each entity with this parameter a position in starting area is selected and a blob is placed centered on this position.
+The central tile of this blob will have approximately amount of resources selected by this value.
+=== starting_area_size ===
+''' Type''': [[Types/double]]
+'''Default''': 10
-== Autoplace Peaks ==
+See [[#starting_area_amount]].
+Controls approximate radius of the blob in tiles.
+== Autoplace peaks ==
 === influence ===
@@ Line 52: / Line 168: @@
 Influence multiplier.
-See [[#Influence calculation]].
-=== max_influence ===
-'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
-'''Default''': max double
-Influence ceiling.
 See [[#Influence calculation]].
@@ Line 91: / Line 199: @@
 '''Default''': ""
-ID of [[Prototype/NoiseLayer|noise layer]] to use for this peak.
+Name of [[Prototype/NoiseLayer|noise layer]] to use for this peak.
 If empty, then no noise is added to this peak.
-See http://freespace.virgin.net/hugo.elias/models/m_perlin.htm.
 === noise_persistence ===
@@ Line 101: / Line 207: @@
 '''Default''': 0.5
-'''Min''': 0
+Must be between 0 and 1. Persistence of the noise.
-'''Max''': 1
-Persistence of the noise.
 === noise_octaves_difference ===
-'''Type''': [[Types/int]]
+'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
 '''Default''': 0
 Difference between number of octaves of the world and of the noise.
+=== noise_scale ===
+'''Type''': [[Types/double]]
+'''Default''': 1
 === *_optimal ===
@@ Line 131: / Line 238: @@
 '''Type''': [[Types/double]]
-Distance from the optimal parameters that get zero weight.
+Distance from the optimal parameters that get influence of -1.
 See [[#Dimensions]].
@@ Line 141: / Line 248: @@
 Limit distance from the optimum on a single (positive) side. This is pure magic.
 See [[#Dimensions]].
+== Dimensions ==
+Peaks may reference a number of tile properties, specifying range of optimal values of the property and a range over which it is interpolated to no effect.
+All tile properties are of [[Types/double]].
+Currently the properties are:
+* starting_area_weight — Number from 1 (inside starting area) to 0 (not influenced by starting area).
+* elevation — elevation of the terrain, up to 5000. Values smaller than 0 mean under water (elevation < 0 doesn't imply water tile, though)
+* water — amount of available water on tile. Very simple dependence on elevation for now.
+* temperature — average temperature on tile. Depends on elevation and some noise.
+* aux
+* tier_from_start — Distance from start in starting area sizes, rounded to integers.
+* distance
+== Influence calculation ==
+There are two possible modes in which influence is calculated.
+By default influence is calculated as a sum of influences of peaks (see next paragraph).
+When [[#starting_area_amount]] parameter is non zero a position in starting area is selected and a blob is placed centered on this position.
+Influence is then a maximum of the default calculated value and a value obtained from this blob.
+Influence of a peak is obtained by calculating a distance from each of its dimensions and sum of these individual distances is used as a distance from optimal conditions.
+Based on this distance a peak gets influence between -1 and 1, which is then multiplied
+by the noise function, if it is specified, and by the [[#influence|influence]] constant (or by [[#influence|influence]] + [[#richness_influence|richness_influence]]
+if calculating richness).
+Finally this value is clamped to a range between [[#min_influence|min_influence]] and [[#max_influence|max_influence]].
+<!-- Outdated - from 2016
+== Probability calculation ==
+Probability of placing an entity at a given position is calculated as a sum of influences plus a [[#size_control_multiplier|bonus for autoplace control]], passed through a [[#sharpness|sharpening filter]], multiplied by [[#max_probability|max_probability]] and finally a random value gets subtracted.
+max_probability * sharpness_filter(sum of influences + size modifier from GUI) - random(0, random_probability_penalty)
+-->
+== Richness calculation ==
+If an entity is to be placed at a position and it's a resource or a part of an enemy base, then richness is calculated in the next step.
+as sum of influences * ([[#richness_multiplier|richness_multiplier]] + distance * [[#richness_multiplier_distance_bonus|richness_multiplier_distance_bonus]]) + [[#richness_base|richness_base]].
+Note, that when calculating richness, influences of individual peaks use [[#richness_influence|richness_influence]] bonus.
+<!-- Most likely outdated - from 2016.
+== Noise ==
+A peak may have a noise multiplied with its influence.
+Noise used is a 2D multioctave perlin noise ( http://freespace.virgin.net/hugo.elias/models/m_perlin.htm ).
+Range of the noise is approximately from -1.5 to 1.5.
+Factorio uses up to 256 different (non correlated) layers of perlin noise, a noise layer has to be defined as a prototype before use (see [[Prototype/NoiseLayer]]).
+Intended use is to have noise layers separate for different types of objects that might appear (trees vs dry_trees vs enemy-bases).
+Also it has proven useful not to mix peaks containing noise with peaks referencing tile properties.
+--><!-- Outdated - from 2016.
+== Controls ==
+If the autoplace specification has a [[#control|control]] selected, then its influence is affected by the row in map generator gui.
+Autoplace controls must be defined before use, see [[Prototype/AutoplaceControl]].
+* Frequency -- If frequency is set to low, then it increases number of octaves for all noises in this specification
+* Size -- Set to large adds a bonus to all the final influence, also very slightly increases number of octaves
+* Richness -- Adds a simple multiplier to richness.
+In case you are wondering why we can "very slightly increase number of octaves" and not just add whole octaves, it is because we sacrificed a goat to gods of computer graphics and to Ken Perlin in particular.
+ -->

Types/AutoplaceSpecification: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:25, 21 January 2022

General structure

General properties

control

default_enabled

force

order

placement_density

tile_restriction

Properties for Expression-based AutoplaceSpecifications

probability_expression

richness_expression

Properties for Peak-based AutoplaceSpecifications

sharpness

max_probability

richness_base

richness_multiplier

richness_multiplier_distance_bonus

random_probability_penalty

peaks

coverage

starting_area_amount

starting_area_size

Autoplace peaks

influence

min_influence

max_influence

richness_influence

noise_layer

noise_persistence

noise_octaves_difference

noise_scale

*_optimal

*_range

*_max_range

*_top_property_limit

Dimensions

Influence calculation

Richness calculation

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