Hello,
I'm just getting started with modding and have followed a handful of tutorials to get the absolute basics down regarding adding blocks, recipes, etc.
I would like to learn more about map generation. Searching for world generation leads me to many tutorials on adding ore or specific blocks to the world by overwriting what gets generated naturally. I'm wanting to create a mod to replace the entire generation process. Ideally, I'd start with something like the superflat world type (except with a mod, so no matter which type you choose it'd default to MY generation algorithm(s)).
I've considered trying to override the player selected world type and simply force a custom world type, but there would still be aspects I'd not want like being able to build a portal to the nether if you had the materials to do so. That's assuming overriding the world type is even possible (not found much evidence that it is).
My next thought was to remove all biomes except a custom one. While searching for how to do this gives a lot of results, I've found no documentation that functions within 1.8 (which I'd prefer to work with if at all possible).
I even considered implementing a complete custom dimension just to achieve a "blank slate", but even that doesn't sound quite appropriate since I want the player to start there (I guess the trigger to enter the dimension could be anything though, right? Such as being spawned into the world?)
So, any suggestions? As I'm only just getting started, perhaps I should start with a much older version that might actually have some documentation out there? Even for old versions, I'm not really finding any macro level "this is how this stuff works" kind of tutorials. Most of what I find are VERY specific examples of how to do VERY specific tasks or hint-like tutorials saying things like "just override this method, register it, and you're good to go" without any details of method names, let alone parameters. I'm not looking for full blown code or an open source mod that already does what I want.. but more of a tutorial or series that explains the system rather than specific possible tasks. Perhaps I'm too much of a minority in that I don't just want to add a new tool or mob, but rather change the way the world generates?