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[wyldmage]

Almost every time I generate a world, I'm getting results with 100+ Z levels below the surface.
My latest world I am embarked next to some *really* steep mountains.
The grass level (nice flat area half the embark) is at Z level 149.
The mountains rise to Z level 244.
And the lowest level of the map (ie, where hell is) goes from -26 to -21 (volcano on my map letting me see all the way down).

So there are 170 Z levels before I reach the bottom of the magma sea.

Now, this means I have tons of digging I *can* do, and tons of minerals/rock, but it also kills my computer even on a 3x3 embark.  The mountains I can avoid (though kinda crazy).

Attaching the worldgen text for the world I'm using.  If anyone knows how I can tweak it to (on average) get worlds with fewer super-low Z levels, I'd love the input.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[WORLD_GEN]
   [TITLE:CUSTOMWORLD MEDIUM]
   [DIM:129:129]
   [EMBARK_POINTS:1500]
   [END_YEAR:250]
   [BEAST_END_YEAR:100:65]
   [REVEAL_ALL_HISTORY:1]
   [CULL_HISTORICAL_FIGURES:0]
   [ELEVATION:1:400:3200:3200]
   [RAINFALL:15:100:800:800]
   [TEMPERATURE:30:75:400:400]
   [DRAINAGE:15:100:800:800]
   [VOLCANISM:0:100:3200:3200]
   [SAVAGERY:0:100:3200:3200]
   [ELEVATION_FREQUENCY:1:0:4:5:4:2]
   [RAIN_FREQUENCY:1:1:2:3:4:5]
   [DRAINAGE_FREQUENCY:1:1:2:3:4:5]
   [TEMPERATURE_FREQUENCY:1:1:2:3:3:2]
   [SAVAGERY_FREQUENCY:1:5:1:5:1:12]
   [VOLCANISM_FREQUENCY:1:10:1:1:3:10]
   [MINERAL_SCARCITY:1500]
   [MEGABEAST_CAP:22]
   [SEMIMEGABEAST_CAP:50]
   [TITAN_NUMBER:11]
   [TITAN_ATTACK_TRIGGER:100:0:200000]
   [DEMON_NUMBER:30]
   [NIGHT_TROLL_NUMBER:15]
   [BOGEYMAN_NUMBER:15]
   [VAMPIRE_NUMBER:15]
   [WEREBEAST_NUMBER:15]
   [SECRET_NUMBER:30]
   [REGIONAL_INTERACTION_NUMBER:30]
   [DISTURBANCE_INTERACTION_NUMBER:30]
   [EVIL_CLOUD_NUMBER:15]
   [EVIL_RAIN_NUMBER:15]
   [GOOD_SQ_COUNTS:25:251:503]
   [EVIL_SQ_COUNTS:25:251:503]
   [PEAK_NUMBER_MIN:12]
   [PARTIAL_OCEAN_EDGE_MIN:1]
   [COMPLETE_OCEAN_EDGE_MIN:0]
   [VOLCANO_MIN:200]
   [REGION_COUNTS:SWAMP:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:DESERT:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:FOREST:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:MOUNTAINS:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:OCEAN:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:GLACIER:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:TUNDRA:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:GRASSLAND:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:HILLS:0:0:0]
   [EROSION_CYCLE_COUNT:250]
   [RIVER_MINS:150:150]
   [PERIODICALLY_ERODE_EXTREMES:1]
   [OROGRAPHIC_PRECIPITATION:1]
   [SUBREGION_MAX:5000]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_COUNT:3]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_OPENNESS_MIN:33]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_OPENNESS_MAX:100]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_PASSAGE_DENSITY_MIN:0]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_PASSAGE_DENSITY_MAX:67]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_WATER_MIN:15]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_WATER_MAX:85]
   [HAVE_BOTTOM_LAYER_1:1]
   [HAVE_BOTTOM_LAYER_2:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_GROUND:10]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_1:5]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_2:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_3:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_4:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_5:2]
   [LEVELS_AT_BOTTOM:1]
   [CAVE_MIN_SIZE:25]
   [CAVE_MAX_SIZE:100]
   [MOUNTAIN_CAVE_MIN:50]
   [NON_MOUNTAIN_CAVE_MIN:100]
   [ALL_CAVES_VISIBLE:1]
   [SHOW_EMBARK_TUNNEL:2]
   [TOTAL_CIV_NUMBER:40]
   [TOTAL_CIV_POPULATION:15000]
   [SITE_CAP:1040]
   [PLAYABLE_CIVILIZATION_REQUIRED:1]
   [ELEVATION_RANGES:0:0:0]
   [RAIN_RANGES:0:0:0]
   [DRAINAGE_RANGES:0:0:0]
   [SAVAGERY_RANGES:0:0:0]
   [VOLCANISM_RANGES:0:0:0]

[Garath]

to reduce the lower z-levels, eliminate caverns or make spaces between them very small

however, the amount of z-levels is determined by a "0-point" somewhere. As you can understand, an embark in a mountainous area, which already has quite an elevation, will have more levels than one right next to the ocean

[Quietust]

There's one easy way to get worlds that are more "shallow": use custom worldgen and generate a region rather than an island. With luck, you should end up with the magma sea being less than 50 Z-levels beneath the surface.

[wyldmage]

There's one easy way to get worlds that are more "shallow": use custom worldgen and generate a region rather than an island. With luck, you should end up with the magma sea being less than 50 Z-levels beneath the surface.
My custom world is based on a region, not an island.  So that's already done.

to reduce the lower z-levels, eliminate caverns or make spaces between them very small

however, the amount of z-levels is determined by a "0-point" somewhere. As you can understand, an embark in a mountainous area, which already has quite an elevation, will have more levels than one right next to the ocean

I do want to have caverns, and my distance-between is 1 for each.  Unless I set them to 20, it still wouldn't account for the huge number of levels I have.

-----------------------

From prior versions (since caverns were added), my experience has been that each cavern takes up about 10 Z levels, with 6 above the top and 1-3 between each cavern (using a setting of "1").  1-2 extra layers, above the magma sea, and up to 10 levels of magma.  Then there's another 2-3 levels, and 5 levels of hell, with 1-2 levels of nothing below hell.

Which should total up to 57-65 Z levels below the surface.
I'd accept anything up to 75-80 as standard deviation or the caverns being bigger taking it up to 100.  However, getting results of 150 to 180 Z levels (and 120 is about the least I've got with the included worldgen) is just messed up.

Any other ideas for what part of my settings is causing the huge Z level stretch?

[INSANEcyborg]

From prior versions (since caverns were added), my experience has been that each cavern takes up about 10 Z levels, with 6 above the top and 1-3 between each cavern (using a setting of "1").  1-2 extra layers, above the magma sea, and up to 10 levels of magma.  Then there's another 2-3 levels, and 5 levels of hell, with 1-2 levels of nothing below hell.

Which should total up to 57-65 Z levels below the surface.

As far as I know that's correct.   My theory is that the map generator calculates that at the lowest spot in the world and goes from there.   If your embark area is 100 z=levels above the lowest spot in the world, then you'll have an extra 100 levels to dig.   The lowest spot is usually the deepest part of the ocean, which explains why regions aren't as bad as islands.  Narrowing the min and max elevation range should help too.  But this is only a theory and I haven't had time to test it out.  This is what a side view of the world should look like if I'm right:



           ______Fort_________
          /
         /
Ocean   /          Stone
_______/
______________________________
___________________Caverns____

[Triaxx2]

There's also a parameter to adjust the number between the surface and the top of the upper most cavern. Lowering that number will shorten the world.

More useful information can be found on the wiki under advanced world generation.

[wyldmage]

Thanks Cyborg, I'll play around with that.

There's also a parameter to adjust the number between the surface and the top of the upper most cavern. Lowering that number will shorten the world.

More useful information can be found on the wiki under advanced world generation.

Triaxx, I provided (in the spoiler) the entire worldgen info.  I'm well aware of that parameter, and have it set at 5 currently.  I've done plenty of DF advanced world gens.  Your help is appreciated, but you'd be much more helpful if you took the time to thoroughly read the post and attached info.

[wuphonsreach]

The seed that I use is a medium sized region (not island).  On my current embark, the surface is at Z145 or so while the magma sea is down around Z95.  There was also 10-15 levels of stone before I hit the first cavern.

Pay close attention to the "LEVELS_ABOVE" tags.  Those drive the total distance between the magma sea and the surface.  Unfortunately, you can't specify the height of the cavern layers, which can be as short as 3Z or as tall as 10-20Z.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Created in DF v0.34.11.

[WORLD_GEN]
   [TITLE:CUSTOM REGION]
   [SEED:Wsawc6o6MoqqKooSoA8i]
   [HISTORY_SEED:88K4UUwqaSEsSQ2mS2QU]
   [NAME_SEED:O28uokYGW6I0GQmIYecw]
   [CREATURE_SEED:8CEAc2okqmwISgY800ga]
   [DIM:65:65]
   [EMBARK_POINTS:1324]
   [END_YEAR:1050]
   [BEAST_END_YEAR:100:80]
   [REVEAL_ALL_HISTORY:1]
   [CULL_HISTORICAL_FIGURES:0]
   [ELEVATION:1:400:202:202]
   [RAINFALL:0:100:101:101]
   [TEMPERATURE:25:75:101:101]
   [DRAINAGE:0:100:101:101]
   [VOLCANISM:0:100:101:101]
   [SAVAGERY:0:100:101:101]
   [ELEVATION_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [RAIN_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [DRAINAGE_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [TEMPERATURE_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [SAVAGERY_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [VOLCANISM_FREQUENCY:1:1:1:1:1:1]
   [MINERAL_SCARCITY:2500]
   [MEGABEAST_CAP:4]
   [SEMIMEGABEAST_CAP:9]
   [TITAN_NUMBER:3]
   [TITAN_ATTACK_TRIGGER:80:0:100000]
   [DEMON_NUMBER:22]
   [NIGHT_TROLL_NUMBER:11]
   [BOGEYMAN_NUMBER:11]
   [VAMPIRE_NUMBER:11]
   [WEREBEAST_NUMBER:11]
   [SECRET_NUMBER:22]
   [REGIONAL_INTERACTION_NUMBER:22]
   [DISTURBANCE_INTERACTION_NUMBER:22]
   [EVIL_CLOUD_NUMBER:11]
   [EVIL_RAIN_NUMBER:11]
   [GOOD_SQ_COUNTS:6:63:127]
   [EVIL_SQ_COUNTS:6:63:127]
   [PEAK_NUMBER_MIN:3]
   [PARTIAL_OCEAN_EDGE_MIN:1]
   [COMPLETE_OCEAN_EDGE_MIN:0]
   [VOLCANO_MIN:1]
   [REGION_COUNTS:SWAMP:66:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:DESERT:66:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:FOREST:264:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:MOUNTAINS:528:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:OCEAN:528:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:GLACIER:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:TUNDRA:0:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:GRASSLAND:528:0:0]
   [REGION_COUNTS:HILLS:528:0:0]
   [EROSION_CYCLE_COUNT:250]
   [RIVER_MINS:25:25]
   [PERIODICALLY_ERODE_EXTREMES:1]
   [OROGRAPHIC_PRECIPITATION:1]
   [SUBREGION_MAX:2750]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_COUNT:3]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_OPENNESS_MIN:0]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_OPENNESS_MAX:100]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_PASSAGE_DENSITY_MIN:0]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_PASSAGE_DENSITY_MAX:100]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_WATER_MIN:0]
   [CAVERN_LAYER_WATER_MAX:100]
   [HAVE_BOTTOM_LAYER_1:1]
   [HAVE_BOTTOM_LAYER_2:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_GROUND:10]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_1:8]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_2:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_3:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_4:1]
   [LEVELS_ABOVE_LAYER_5:2]
   [LEVELS_AT_BOTTOM:1]
   [CAVE_MIN_SIZE:5]
   [CAVE_MAX_SIZE:25]
   [MOUNTAIN_CAVE_MIN:6]
   [NON_MOUNTAIN_CAVE_MIN:12]
   [ALL_CAVES_VISIBLE:0]
   [SHOW_EMBARK_TUNNEL:2]
   [TOTAL_CIV_NUMBER:10]
   [TOTAL_CIV_POPULATION:15000]
   [SITE_CAP:264]
   [PLAYABLE_CIVILIZATION_REQUIRED:1]
   [ELEVATION_RANGES:528:1056:528]
   [RAIN_RANGES:264:528:264]
   [DRAINAGE_RANGES:264:528:264]
   [SAVAGERY_RANGES:264:528:264]
   [VOLCANISM_RANGES:264:528:264]

[quarague]

a simpler change with the same effect as generating regions is just generating smaller or tiny worlds.
Less overall area => less height variation => smaller height difference between lowest point and typical embark ground level

[wyldmage]

a simpler change with the same effect as generating regions is just generating smaller or tiny worlds.
Less overall area => less height variation => smaller height difference between lowest point and typical embark ground level

So, an update, I've reverted to a slightly less modified version of the default Medium region.
Instances of height extremes are fewer.  1 in 2, not the 9 in 10 I was getting.
So its definitely something in my worldgen settings.
And a smaller region sounds like something that'd work, thanks Quarague.  Makes sense, but hadn't thought about that.