- Replace custom LatitudeBiomeSource/BiomeBand system with LatitudeSignalDensityFunction + LatitudeZonePlacement (mixin-based) - Add mandatory Lithosphere (mr_lithosphere) dependency + mixin config - Override overworld/large_biomes noise_settings for ultra-wide terrain - Rename remove_vanilla_ores -> z_remove_vanilla_ores (load order) - Merge cold/hot/tempered biome tags into latitude_*_surface tags - Rework OresCommand, OreBiomeFinderItem, ModConfigs for new system - Remove obsolete latitude classes, tests & world preset overrides - Bump mod_version 3.2 -> 4.1
8.0 KiB
🔧 Custom Ore Gen
Custom Ore Gen completely overhauls Minecraft's ore generation by replacing vanilla distribution with a latitude-based system driven by the world's Z coordinate, and adds a complete intermediate equipment tier between iron and diamond: Diamond Shards.
After months of reworking, version 4.0 is a full rewrite — rebuilt from the ground up for NeoForge 1.21.1, dropping KubeJS entirely in favor of fully data-driven biome modifiers, and introducing a brand-new world of latitude exploration.
🎯 Overview
A mod that:
- Replaces all vanilla overworld ore generation with a latitude system (north = cold, south = hot, middle = temperate)
- Adds a new intermediate equipment tier: Diamond Shards
- Encourages north/south exploration to gather specific resources
- Locks the Deep Dark to cold northern latitudes as a legendary feature
- The temperate band is 16,000 blocks wide (Z = −8000 to +8000), so most spawns already land in a balanced area
- Ships custom ultra-wide terrain through its Lithosphere companion mod
- Automatically integrates with Biomes O' Plenty, Create and Mekanism
🌍 Latitude-Based Ore Generation
The world is split into three latitude bands running along the Z axis. Travel north or south to change which ores you can find — your Z coordinate, not your biome, decides the ores (Emeralds being the biome-tagged exception).
| Zone | Direction | Ores |
|---|---|---|
| ❄️ Cold | North (Z < -8000) | Lapis, Deepslate Diamond |
| 🔥 Hot | South (Z > 8000) | Pure Gold, Redstone, Copper |
| 🌳 Temperate | Middle (-8000 → 8000) | Iron, Concentrated Coal |
| ⛰️ Mountain biomes | Anywhere (by biome tag) | High Emerald |
| ✨ Rare biomes | Anywhere (by biome tag) | Lower Emerald |
| 🔷 All zones | Everywhere | Deepslate Shard Diamond, Shard Diamond Block |
⚠️ Note: Deepslate Shard Diamond Ore is the only progression ore that spawns in ALL zones, ensuring accessible early-game progression wherever you start. The temperate band is huge (16,000 blocks), so you almost always start in a balanced ore zone.
🧭 Use the Ore Biome Finder item or the /ores command to see exactly which ores are available at your current Z coordinate — the output is color-coded per zone (cold = aqua, hot = gold, temperate = green, shard ores = light purple).
💎 Diamond Shard Tier — New Progression
A complete set of tools and armor that bridges the gap between iron and diamond.
⚙️ Available Equipment
| Type | Components | Durability |
|---|---|---|
| Tools (Pickaxe, Axe, Shovel) | Diamond Shards | 450 |
| Paxel (3-in-1 tool) | Diamond Shards | 800 |
| Full Armor Set | Diamond Shards + 2 Diamonds | 17 protection, Toughness 1.0 |
✅ The Paxel combines the functions of pickaxe, axe, and shovel into a single tool — affecting every block mineable by those tags.
🛠️ All stats above are the defaults — every durability, speed and damage value, plus the cold/hot zone thresholds and ore drops, is configurable in
custom-ore-gen-common.toml.
🧪 Shard → Diamond Conversion
9 Diamond Shards → 1 Diamond (3×3 crafting grid).
🛡️ Armor Recipes
- Helmet: 5 Diamond Shards
- Chestplate: 8 Diamond Shards + 1 Diamond
- Leggings: 7 Diamond Shards + 1 Diamond
- Boots: 4 Diamond Shards
⚙️ Repair any Diamond Shard equipment with Diamond Shards on an anvil.
🔍 Ore Biome Finder
A handy tool to instantly know which ores are available at your current latitude.
🎮 Alternatives:
- Craft the Ore Biome Finder item (check JEI for the recipe).
- Use the
/ores(or/ore) command — it shows your X/Z position, the zone determined by Z, the cold/hot thresholds, and a color-coded list of findable ores.
📦 Installation & Dependencies
⚠️ Mandatory Requirements
- Minecraft: 1.21.1
- NeoForge: 21.1.x
- Lithosphere: 1.7+ (required — provides the custom ultra-wide terrain the mod is balanced for)
🌐 Optional but Recommended
- Biomes O' Plenty — ore generation automatically extends to all its biomes.
- Create — ore-processing compat (crushing/milling shard diamond ore, mixing shards → diamond).
- Mekanism — enriching compat for shard diamonds.
🚫 The mod does not use KubeJS anymore. Vanilla ores are fully removed via NeoForge biome modifiers — no scripts, nothing to run.
🎮 Gameplay & Progression
-
Initial Stage Start in the temperate band and mine Deepslate Shard Diamond Ore (available everywhere) to obtain Diamond Shards.
-
First Equipment Craft Diamond Shard tools (or the versatile Paxel) for better efficiency than iron.
-
Targeted Exploration Travel north or south along the Z axis to reach different ore zones:
- North (Cold): Lapis and Deepslate Diamonds
- South (Hot): Pure Gold, Redstone, Copper
- Mountain biomes: High Emeralds
- Rare biomes: Lower Emeralds
-
Final Progression Combine 9 Diamond Shards to create a regular Diamond and access vanilla diamond equipment.
📊 Equipment Statistics Comparison
| Material | Protection | Chestplate Durability |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 15 | 240 |
| Diamond Shard | 17 | 300 |
| Diamond | 20 | 528 |
🌟 Key Features
- 🗺️ Latitude Exploration: the Z coordinate — not the biome — decides your ores
- 🌌 Legendary Deep Dark: locked to cold northern latitudes only (via a safe mixin)
- 🚀 Custom Ultra-Wide Terrain: ships with Lithosphere for a fresher, wider world
- ⚔️ Balanced Progression: Diamond Shard tier bridges the iron–diamond gap
- 🚫 No Vanilla Ores: fully removed via data-driven biome modifiers (no scripts)
- 🌍 Modpack Friendly: automatic integration with any biome mod through the Z system
- 🎨 Dedicated Creative Tab: all mod items in the "Custom Ore Gen" tab
- 🛠️ Versatile Tools: the Paxel saves inventory space
- 📊 In-game Info: Finder item +
/orescommand with color-coded zones - ⚙️ Fully Configurable: zone thresholds, tool stats, armor values and ore drops
🆕 What's New in 4.0
Version 4.0 is a ground-up rebuild. Highlights:
- Full NeoForge 1.21.1 port — left Forge 1.20.1 and KubeJS behind; everything is now data-driven biome modifiers.
- Latitude ore system — ores are now distributed by Z coordinate instead of biome categories, so it works with any biome mod out of the box.
- Ultra-wide custom terrain — bundled through the Lithosphere companion mod.
- Legendary Deep Dark — the Deep Dark now only generates in cold northern latitudes, making it a true endgame destination.
- Create & Mekanism compat — recipes for crushing, milling, mixing and enriching shard diamonds.
- Color-coded
/ores& Ore Finder — clear, readable output that explains the Z mechanic. - Polished ore behaviour — all 4 vanilla diamond features are properly removed, and copper now uses the correct deepslate texture underground.
💡 Existing worlds from older versions are not compatible — create a new world after installing 4.0.
📝 Important Notes
- ⚠️ Create a NEW world after installing. Chunks generated before installation keep their old ore distribution.
- The cold/hot zone thresholds default to Z = ±8000 but are fully adjustable in the config.
- Emeralds remain biome-based (mountain and rare-biome tags), not latitude-based.
- All Diamond Shard equipment can be repaired with Diamond Shards.
🎯 Why Choose Custom Ore Gen?
Because it brings logic to exploration (travel the world to find specific ores), smoother progression (a real iron-to-diamond bridge), and seamless integration with many modded biomes — all without tedious configuration.
Happy mining! 🌍⛏️✨