Sparse Structures Mod FAQ
10 questions players actually ask, answered.
How do I make structures spawn farther apart?
Open sparsestructures.json5 in your config folder and increase the spreadFactor value. Higher numbers multiply the spacing and separation between structures, so they become rarer and harder to find.
How do I make structures spawn closer together?
Lower the spreadFactor in sparsestructures.json5. A value below the default will shrink the spacing between structures, making them more common and easier to stumble across.
What does spreadFactor actually do?
It's a multiplier applied to both the spacing and separation values of structure placement. Raising it pushes structures apart, lowering it pulls them together, and the default value doubles the vanilla spacing.
Do I need to restart the game after changing the config?
Yes, config changes are read at world load, so you should fully close and relaunch Minecraft after editing the file. Reloading a world without restarting may not apply the new values.
Why aren't my structures changing even after I edited the config?
Make sure you edited the correct sparsestructures.json5 in your instance's config folder and that the file is valid JSON5 syntax. Also confirm you're loading a world where structures can actually generate, since already-explored chunks won't retroactively change.
Does Sparse Structures affect ore generation?
No, the mod only changes structure spacing and separation. Ore generation, terrain shape, and tree generation are left untouched.
Will this mod change my existing world's terrain?
It doesn't alter terrain generation itself, only how far apart structures are placed. Existing chunks keep their current structures, but newly generated chunks will follow the new spacing rules.
Does Sparse Structures work with modpacks that add lots of structures?
Yes, that's one of its main use cases. In large modpacks with many structure-adding mods, raising spreadFactor helps prevent structures from crowding each other and keeps exploration feeling meaningful.
Is Sparse Structures compatible with other structure mods?
It works by adjusting the spacing and separation values structures use, so it generally applies to structures from other mods as well. If a mod hardcodes its own placement logic outside the standard system, the effect may not apply to those structures.
Does Sparse Structures hurt performance?
It's a lightweight config tweak rather than a worldgen overhaul, so it shouldn't noticeably impact performance. In fact, spreading structures out can slightly reduce the load from generating many structures close together.