User:DoryL

Hi there! I'm mostly a campaign person when it comes to playing Barotrauma, although I do occasionally play public games too. On this page you'll find pages I'm sandboxing in preparation of major edits and/or total rewrites. When I make pages, I attempt to include as much detail as possible to allow even the most technically-inclined players to gain something new by reading. I draw a lot from the game files, but I try to keep major spoilers confined to collapsible sections as to avoid ruining the experience of new players.

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	Data is potentially outdated
	Last updated for version 0.18.12.0 The current game version is 1.4.6.0

A mock-up of the biomes of Europa, as displayed on the design documentation.

Biomes are the different regions of Europa's oceans which each exhibit unique geological and ecological properties, along with different levels of human and alien presence. In gameplay terms, this means that levels in different biomes will exhibit different overall shapes, as well as having differing probabilities of spawning various features, such as minerals, caves, wrecks, and alien ruins. In total, there are currently six biomes present in the game; five are available for exploration regardless of game mode while the sixth is a campaign-exclusive biome with major story significance. There is an arguably an additional seventh pseudo-biome in the form of the Abyss, which is generated below the main biome of the level. However, outside of the campaign, it is impossible to select exactly which biome a mission will take place in, with that being randomly chosen when the level is created.

Canonically, Europa's surface consists of several kilometer thick ice sheets which are constantly bombarded by jovian and solar radiation, rendering it completely devoid of either alien or human habitation. These ice sheets serve as a shield for the ocean below, allowing for the presence of complex life within these waters, which only become more common and more dangerous as one travels deeper and the water becomes warmer. In these warmer waters, chemosynthetic bacteria thrive on the geothermal activity that keeps it so, providing more nutrients for the growth of larger monsters. Due to this, the majority of human settlement is concentrated in the colder and shallower portions of Europa's oceans, which are home to much fewer predators that could endanger the colonists. However, the same can not be said of the alien precursors, for their ruins and artifacts actually become more common in the deeper regions of Europa, not less. Alien presence is completely absent in the shallowest parts, suggesting that they never even attempted to settle these regions.

Cold Caverns

The shallowest biome, and the first one encountered in the campaign, is the Cold Caverns.

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  A large colony of what appear to be Feathered Tubeworms, as well as two smaller colonies.

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  A closeup of two large colonies of feathered Tubeworms

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  Three Ice Spires, as they appear on Sonar.

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  Two Ice Spires, as they appear outside the submarine

Europan Ridge

The second Biome encountered within a Campaign is the Europan Ridge. This region is composed of a rocky pack-ice, dotted with various unknown flora. Civilization is still fairly common, but empty geographical features are more likely than within the Cold Caverns. There are several environmental hazards found in this biome. Great currents, powerful enough to move a submarine, are present within the majority of every passage. These currents can be detected on Sonar, and are capable of pushing submarines into obstacles or even into The Abyss. The strength of Currents will periodically wane, allowing subs to push through them. Slime Molds can also be found hanging from the ceilings of some passages. These Slime Molds apply drag to the Submarine, slowing it down considerably.

Ballast Flora Spores are encountered in this region and can be detected on Sonar when a submarine is close enough, or spotted by gunners well in advance of contact. Ballast Flora can also be found suspended within currents, where it is much harder to detect with Sonar.

Large floating Icebergs also spawn within this biome, and much like Ice Spires, are highly visible on Sonar. Unlike Ice Spires, Icebergs are extremely durable and require several railgun rounds to break apart, and they will move up and down as currents change direction.

Additionally, Submarines will encounter Sonar Flora, a purple-pink and pulsating growth that heavily disrupts Sonar. The signature appears as a large red-orange cluster of pips, similar in shape and color to a Black Moloch, or volcano.

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  A moderately strong current, as it appears on sonar

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  A large floating Iceberg, as it appears on Sonar

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  Sonar flora, as it appears on Sonar

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  A large Floating Iceberg as it appears externally.

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  Slime Mold, as it appears outside the Submarine

Packs of Crawlers commonly spawn in groups of 5-7 and Spinelings spawn in groups of 2-5, with pairs or trios of Armored Mudraptors also spawning regularly. Individual Moloch and Hammerheads will begin to spawn naturally, and Bone Threshers and Tiger Threshers spawn in greater numbers. Within passageways over 25%, Moloch are encountered with increased frequency, and hammerhead attacks become more common.

The Aphotic Plateau

3rd major biome in a campaign. A great variety of monsters spawn, monster spawns increased. Civilization is sporadic.

The Great Sea

4th Major biome in a campaign. Civilization is not present, and players will have to activate Beacon Stations and clear Hunting Grounds to help new settlements appear. The levels have little to no floor, so care is advised because a sinking submarine may fall directly into the Abyss below, often below its Crush Depth, where it can fall prey to Abyss creatures. Floating rocks with Piezo Crystals, Ice Spires protruding from the cavern walls and vertically drifting ice boulders spawn. Molochs (solitary, rarely Black Molochs), Watchers (solitary) and Hammerheads (groups of 1-2, rarely Golden Hammerhead) are common. Players will also be attacked by swarms of Crawlers (3-6), Mud Raptors (2-4), rarely Spinelings (~3-4), and most often single Bone Threshers (spawning alongside 2-4 Tiger Threshers). Ballast Flora is also present, but less common than in the previous biomes. Wrecks are generated randomly throughout the level and they may be host to a Thalamus.

Hydrothermal Wastes

Final major biome in a campaign.

Biome Level Generation Parameters

Identifier	Difficulty Range	Formations					Structures
		Ice Spire Amount	Iceberg Amount	Cave Amount	Side Tunnel Amount	Abyss Hole Probability	Alien Ruin Amount	Wrecks
								Amount	Thalamus Probability
coldcavernsbasic	1% - 22%	5	0	2	0 - 1	0%	0	0 - 1	0%
coldcavernsmaze	1% - 22%	10	0	3	3	0%	0	0 - 1	0%
ridgebasic	12% - 38%	0	3	3	2	60%	0	0 - 1	20%
plateaubasic	28% - 55%	0	0	3	1	90%	1	0 - 1	30%
greatseabasic	45% - 72%	5	20	1	1	90%	1	1	40%
wastesbasic	62% - 88%	0	0	2	1 - 3	80%	1	1	50%
endlocationbasic	78% - 100%	0	20	0	0 - 1	0%	0	0