When configuring a modern Minecraft server (version 1.18 and newer), two of the most critical settings in server.properties and paper configuration files are View Distance and Simulation Distance.
Historically, Minecraft combined chunk rendering and world ticking into a single setting. Today, understanding how these two settings differ allows server owners to optimize CPU performance and RAM allocation on their RivinCloud VPS without drastically reducing what players can see.
1. What is View Distance?
View Distance dictates how many chunks around the player are sent to the client's browser/game renderer.
- What happens inside View Distance chunks?
- Terrain, structures, blocks, and decor are loaded and displayed to the player visually.
- Chunks outside the active simulation distance are no-tick chunks.
- Impact on Server:
- RAM Heavy: Sending more chunks consumes network bandwidth and server RAM memory buffers.
- Minimal CPU Tick Impact: Non-ticking chunks do not compute redstone, mob AI, or crop growth.
# server.properties example
view-distance=10
2. What is Simulation Distance?
Simulation Distance dictates the radius of chunks around the player where active world logic actually occurs (ticking).
- What happens inside Simulation Distance chunks?
- Mobs pathfind, attack, and spawn.
- Crops, trees, and sugar cane grow.
- Redstone circuits, hoppers, and pistons operate.
- Water flows and fire spreads.
- Impact on Server:
- CPU Heavy: Every added radius layer exponentially increases the number of entities and block updates computed on the main server thread per tick.
# server.properties example
simulation-distance=4
3. Comparative Breakdown
| Feature | View Distance | Simulation Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Resource Used | RAM & Bandwidth | Main Thread CPU (TPS) |
| Visual Appearance | What the player can see | What the player can see |
| World Logic Running? | Only if within Sim Distance | Yes (Active Ticking) |
| Recommended Setting | 6 – 10 Chunks | 3 – 5 Chunks |
4. How to Optimize Both Settings
By decoupling these two settings, you can allow players to see landscapes far into the horizon while keeping server CPU usage minimal.
Recommended Configuration Matrix
For High-Player SMP (20+ Players on RivinCloud VPS):
# server.properties
view-distance=8
simulation-distance=4
For Heavy Modpacks or Low-Spec Servers:
# server.properties
view-distance=6
simulation-distance=3
Command of the Day: grep
The grep command searches text files for matching string patterns. Use it to inspect server settings quickly from the terminal.
Syntax
grep [options] "pattern" [file]
Practical Example
grep -E "view-distance|simulation-distance" server.properties
Explanation
-E: Enables extended regular expressions, allowing multiple patterns separated by|.- This command immediately prints your currently active view distance and simulation distance values without opening an editor.
Common Mistakes
- Setting Simulation Distance higher than View Distance: The game engine caps simulation distance at the view distance boundary, rendering extra simulation radius useless.
- Raising Simulation Distance to fix farm rates: Instead of raising global simulation distance, consider server-side tweaks like Paper's
no-tick-view-distancefeature.
Troubleshooting
- Players reporting mobs freezing in the distance: Their position is beyond the
simulation-distanceboundary. Slightly increase simulation distance from 3 to 4 or 5. - High MSPT / TPS drops despite low entity count: Check if
simulation-distanceis set to 8+, loading thousands of unnecessary ticking chunks.
Best Practices
- Use Paper or Purpur server software to unlock
no-tick-view-distanceinpaper-world.yml. - Always restart your Minecraft server after editing
server.propertiesfor settings to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does simulation distance affect farm tick rates?
Yes. Mob spawners, crop growth, and iron farms only run when located inside an actively simulated chunk.
Is view distance client-side or server-side?
The server's view-distance acts as a ceiling. If the server is set to 6, a player setting their client render distance to 32 will still only receive 6 chunks from the server.
Conclusion
Decoupling View Distance from Simulation Distance is one of the most effective optimizations for Minecraft server administrators. Keep simulation distance conservative (3–5) and view distance moderate (6–10) to maintain a smooth 20.0 TPS on your RivinCloud server.