What is Simulation Distance in Minecraft: Minecraft has a plethora of settings that can be intimidating to those who are unfamiliar with the game’s engine or how it works, and simulation distance is one of them.
Now, with that said, let us dive into our blog on what is Simulation Distance in Minecraft.
What is Simulation Distance in Minecraft?
Many Bedrock players have enjoyed Simulation Distance for years, but it was only introduced to Minecraft Java Edition in the 1.18 Caves and Cliffs update. Simulation Distance prevents your game from lagging while still allowing you to enjoy 1.18’s breathtaking mountains and caves.
In layman’s terms, simulation distance is the distance from the player that the game’s engine will simulate. This is distinct from render distance, which merely loads in chunks and blocks to be seen.
If a Minecraft player has a farm five chunks away and their simulation distance is five chunks or greater, that farm will grow over time. Simulation distance, as opposed to render distance, governs which blocks and chunks can interact with the world.
What is the Purpose of Simulation Distance?
The simulation distance is a value that specifies the immediate area in which Minecraft renders surrounding chunks active. A simulation distance of 5, for example, means that mobs can only spawn 5 chunks in any direction. All other chunks will be loaded, but no mob spawns will be applied to them.
Simulation Distance vs. Render Distance
Render Distance did the same thing as simulation distance in previous versions, but that has recently changed. Render distance is now simply a number that represents how many chunks can be seen at once. This has nothing to do with what happens in the chunks or whether they are active. Simulation Distance accomplishes this.
Uses
In Minecraft, Simulation Distance has two primary applications.
1. Simulation Distance allows for a smooth Minecraft experience with no game lag. Previously, if Minecraft became laggy, you would most likely need to reduce your render distance, which meant you couldn’t see very far ahead. You can now simply reduce your simulation distance while maintaining a high render distance.
2. A “pearl hang” is also possible with Simulation Distance. If your simulation distance is 3 chunks and you throw an ender pearl 4 chunks away, the ender pearl will not teleport you to that chunk because it is not “loaded in”. The pearl will activate once your simulation distance is set to 4 or higher.
Note: To change the Simulation/Render Distance, go to the Settings menu and select Options, Video Settings. Simply adjust the slide bars as needed from there.
Miscellaneous Information
The simulation distance in Minecraft is primarily a world setting used in the Bedrock edition, as the Java edition calculates simulation and interaction differently.
When it comes to simulation distance, the player and nearby chunks have the most interaction. When certain chunks receive a ticket from Minecraft’s ticket/ticking system, they are loaded into the game based on their proximity to a player.
Simulation distance is an extension of this, determining which chunks in Minecraft’s engine are subject to other forces. This includes not only interaction with time, but also with mobs and things like liquids or explosives.
The reason that simulation distance is important in terms of chunks is due to hardware constraints. If the Bedrock edition loaded the game’s chunks and made them all interactable, the game’s processing load for whatever platform was available would skyrocket.
It is a game mechanic designed to ensure an optimal gaming experience, and most players are unaware of its existence. However, many aspects of Minecraft’s engine go unnoticed, which is what makes the game so remarkable. It appears simple, but it is more complicated than many fans realize.
That is all for this guide on what is Simulation Distance in Minecraft. Also, read How to Remove Friends From Minecraft.