Cave Exit

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-02-28

Overview

This file (cave_exit.lua) is a static layout definition used by Don't Starve Together's world generation system. It describes the tile and object configuration for the cave exit region using Tiled Map Editor format (JSON-compatible Lua table structure). It is not an ECS component — rather, it is a data asset consumed by the map generation pipeline to construct physical and environmental features in the Caves biome. The layout includes background tile data, foreground object placement (e.g., spawn points, lighting, flora), and metadata such as tile dimensions and layer ordering.

Usage example

Static layouts like this are not instantiated manually by modders. They are referenced in worldgen tasksets (e.g., in map/tasksets/caves.lua) and loaded automatically during world generation.

Dependencies & tags

Components used: None (this is a pure data structure). Tags: None identified.

Properties

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
version	string	"1.1"	Tiled map format version.
luaversion	string	"5.1"	Lua compatibility version.
orientation	string	"orthogonal"	Map rendering orientation.
width	integer	24	Map width in tiles.
height	integer	24	Map height in tiles.
tilewidth	integer	16	Width of each tile in pixels.
tileheight	integer	16	Height of each tile in pixels.
properties	table	{}	Global map properties (currently empty).
tilesets	array of tables	See code	Array of tileset definitions (contains 1 tileset named "tiles").
layers	array of tables	See code	Array of layer definitions: "BG_TILES" (tile layer) and "FG_OBJECTS" (object group).

Tileset details (tilesets[1])

Property	Type	Default Value	Description
name	string	"tiles"	Tileset name.
firstgid	integer	1	First global tile ID.
tilewidth/tileheight	integer	64	Tile dimensions in the tileset image.
image	string	"../../../../tools/tiled/dont_starve/tiles.png"	Relative path to tileset image.

Layer details

• Layer "BG_TILES" (tilelayer)
  • data: Flat array of 576 (24x24) integer tile IDs (mostly 0, with some 14).
• Layer "FG_OBJECTS" (objectgroup)
  • Contains 20 named objects with type, position (x, y), and optional shape/properties. Notable object types include:
    • "spawnpoint_multiplayer" (player spawn point)
    • "cave_exit" (exit marker)
    • "cavelight" / "cavelight_small" (lighting fixtures)
    • "evergreen" / "grass" / "sapling" (decorative flora)

Main functions

This file returns a table and does not define any functions or logic. It is consumed by the map generation system to instantiate in-game geometry and objects.

Events & listeners

No events or listeners are defined — this is a static data definition.