cfgeventspawns.xml

Purpose

cfgeventspawns.xml is the coordinate pool for every dynamic event. Each event defined in events.xml draws its spawn locations exclusively from this file. If an event has no entries here, it has nowhere to place itself and will never appear on the map — regardless of how its rules are configured in events.xml.

Think of this file as the “where” to events.xml’s “how many and how long.”

Console Path

dayzxb_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/cfgeventspawns.xml    (Xbox)
dayzps_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/cfgeventspawns.xml    (PlayStation)

Connects To

events.xml (db/) — every name= here must match an event name in events.xml

Full Block Structure

<eventposdef>

  <event name="StaticHeliCrash">
    <pos x="4523.3" z="9241.7" a="0.0" />
    <pos x="7812.1" z="3409.6" a="45.0" />
    <pos x="2198.4" z="6754.2" a="180.0" />
  </event>

  <event name="AnimalWolf">
    <pos x="3421.0" z="8901.2" a="0.0" />
    <pos x="6201.5" z="4321.8" a="0.0" />
  </event>

</eventposdef>

Field-by-Field Reference

`<event name="...">`

The event name. Must exactly match the name= of an event in events.xml. Case-sensitive.

If the name doesn’t match any event, the coordinates exist in this file but are never used. If an event in events.xml has no matching block here, it cannot spawn.

`<pos x="..." z="..." a="..." />`

One spawn location candidate. The event scheduler draws from all <pos> entries in a block when placing instances.

Attribute	Type	What it controls
`x`	Float	World X coordinate
`z`	Float	World Z coordinate
`a`	Float (degrees)	Rotation/angle of the placed object. `0.0` for most events. Used to orient vehicles/structures.

Coordinate system: DayZ uses an X/Z plane (not X/Y). Y is vertical (height) and is determined by the terrain at the X/Z position automatically. You do not set Y here.

How many positions: The event will randomly select from available positions when spawning a new instance, subject to the saferadius and distanceradius rules in events.xml. Having more positions gives the event scheduler more flexibility and makes the event feel less predictable in location.

Minimum recommended: At least as many positions as the event’s nominal value. If nominal is 4 and there are only 2 positions, the event can never reach its target count simultaneously.

`<pos ... group="..." />` (group-linked positions)

A <pos> entry can optionally carry a group attribute, linking it to a named group defined in cfgeventgroups.xml:

<pos x="4523.3" z="9241.7" a="0.0" group="StaticHeliCrashSite" />

If group is set, the engine validates that the referenced group exists before using the position. A dangling group reference (name not found in cfgeventgroups.xml) is rejected — the position is not used for that event.

Dynamic zones

An event can also carry dynamic zone records inside its cfgeventspawns.xml block, controlling a radius-based population zone independent of the fixed <pos> list:

<event name="AnimalWolf">
  <zone r="30" smin="0" smax="0" dmin="1" dmax="5" />
  <pos x="3421.0" z="8901.2" a="0.0" />
</event>

Attribute	What it controls
`r`	Zone radius (meters)
`smin` / `smax`	Static minimum/maximum count for the zone
`dmin` / `dmax`	Dynamic minimum/maximum count for the zone

An installed mission carries 30 dynamic zone records. Negative radius/minima and inverted maxima (smax < smin, etc.) are rejected by the loader.

What Console Admins Typically Adjust

Adding <pos> entries — expand the spawn pool to make events appear in more locations.
Removing <pos> entries — restrict where events appear (e.g. remove unsafe terrain coords).
Adjusting a= — fix visual orientation of vehicle wrecks or structures that spawn facing wrong direction.

Getting Coordinates

Coordinates are world-space X/Z values from the DayZ map. Common methods to obtain them:

In-game admin tools showing position
Map tools that display coordinates (IC ToolSuite Event Spawns Editor shows a map view)
Copying from existing entries and adjusting

Safe Edit Pattern

Before removing a coordinate, check that the event can still reach its nominal with remaining positions.
When adding new positions, verify terrain is flat/valid for the event type — bad terrain can cause floating/buried objects.
Do not add the same coordinate twice — the scheduler may repeatedly place the event at that spot.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Result
Event name doesn’t match events.xml	Coordinates exist but event never uses them
Fewer positions than nominal value	Event can never reach its nominal count
Duplicate or very nearby coordinates	Event always appears in same cluster of spots
Wrong map coordinates (from different map)	Event tries to place but position is invalid
Large `a=` rotation on an event type that ignores rotation	No visible effect, but not harmful