These are the listed biomes that are found on the map, and are the the primary areas to explore. There are a total of eleven main biomes that are color-coded on the map for easy identification. The sizes of these biomes are randomly created when a map is being generated, and due to the unreliable nature of generating maps it's possible to not have every main biome present on the map which can cause problems for acquiring certain types of materials. A good map should have at least all 11 main biomes, and some of those biomes must be large enough to spawn their own child biomes.
Child Biome
Inside one of the main biomes are smaller versions of themselves that differ greatly from their parent biome. They provide additional resources and creatures that can't be found normally inside of other parts of the area. There are five types of child biomes that can be found.
Outer Ring
The majority of any main biome will be made up of the Outer Ring, which is the edge where they will meet the others. This will make up the majority of every main biome, and is the location to find the primary materials that come from each area. Once a map has been generated if a specific area is not large enough to support other types it will be made primarily of this Child biome as well as Caves.
Center
These are found farther inland in their respective biomes. These will only be produced with a area of a certain size, and offers unique drops and different creature spawns. In most cases they differ in appearance ranging from slight to significant. While not always the case these child biomes have special drops that are needed for certain recipes, and in some cases a lack of a particular center biome may prevent survivors of that map from using certain engrams. A good rule of thumb is to make sure at least one biome has a balance of length and width, and is not wider than longer, and vice versa.
Caves
While not unique in name these are the deep gashes that can be found in nearly every biome, as well as their underground. Different creatures spawns can be found in these, and also have their own unique items. These can also be found randomly in the deep places of each area, and will spawn their respective creatures and drops. In some cases these are the only places to see certain features and specific materials needed for advancement. They also do not have the requirements of center biomes to be a certain size, and will appear in all but the smallest biomes.
Mines
These are special biomes that can spawn inside other biomes, and contain specific resources that can be mined. While each mine is named after their primary material they also contain smaller amount of materials, usually sandwiched in layers as the primarily mineral is stripped away. These mines can range in size greatly, from a small mine with few secondary materials to massive mountains that contain hundreds of unique metals, glass, and other things. These can also assist greatly in finding specific materials as well.
Ruins
Also know as dungeons, these are in game structures that house difficult enemies and valuable loot. Each ruin will have a specific format that is unique to the biome it's present in, and the creatures inside are much more difficult than their normal counterparts. The primary reason to explore these dungeons are the chests that are scattered around their interiors, and can drop some of the most important items a player can create. They also have unique drops that can be found anywhere else, and the higher tier ruins will have better [quality]] weapons and armor as well.
