territories.xml (env/ files)

Purpose

The territory files in the env/ folder define circular zones on the map where specific AI populations can spawn. Each file covers one creature type. The engine reads these to know where on the map that creature is allowed to appear and in what density.

These files do not control whether a creature type exists — that is types.xml. They control where on the map the creature population lives.

Console Path

dayzxb_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/env/<name>_territories.xml    (Xbox)
dayzps_missions/dayzOffline.<mapname>/env/<name>_territories.xml    (PlayStation)

Standard territory files on console:

zombie_territories.xml
wolf_territories.xml
bear_territories.xml
cattle_territories.xml
hare_territories.xml
hen_territories.xml
pig_territories.xml
red_deer_territories.xml
roe_deer_territories.xml
sheep_goat_territories.xml
wild_boar_territories.xml

Connects To

cfgenvironment.xml — wires these files to the engine via file path references. If cfgenvironment.xml references the wrong path, the territory file is never loaded.

Full Block Structure

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<territory-type>
  <territory color="0xffff0000">
    <zone name="WolfZone_NW_Forest"
          smin="2" smax="6"
          dmin="1" dmax="3"
          x="3450.0" z="9100.0" r="400.0" />
    <zone name="WolfZone_Military_East"
          smin="3" smax="8"
          dmin="2" dmax="4"
          x="7820.5" z="4310.2" r="300.0" />
  </territory>
</territory-type>

Field-by-Field Reference

`<territory color="...">`

A logical grouping of zones for this creature type. The color attribute is used for map visualization in editor tools — it does not affect gameplay. Multiple <territory> blocks can exist in one file.

`<zone ...>`

One circular spawn zone for this creature type.

Attribute	Type	What it controls
`name`	String	Identifier for this zone — used in logs and editor tools. Must be unique within the file.
`smin`	Integer	Static minimum population within this zone
`smax`	Integer	Static maximum population within this zone
`dmin`	Integer	Dynamic minimum spawn count per cycle
`dmax`	Integer	Dynamic maximum spawn count per cycle
`x`	Float	World X coordinate of the zone center
`z`	Float	World Z coordinate of the zone center
`r`	Float (meters)	Radius of the zone circle

`smin` and `smax` — Static Population

These define the persistent baseline population the engine tries to maintain within this zone at all times. The engine will actively respawn to keep the zone populated within this range.

smin — floor: the engine works to keep at least this many active in the zone
smax — ceiling: the engine will not exceed this count in the zone

Example: smin="3" smax="8" — the zone always tries to have 3–8 wolves active within it.

`dmin` and `dmax` — Dynamic Spawn Count

Controls how many creatures are spawned per active spawn cycle event within this zone. This is per-event, not the total zone population.

dmin — minimum spawned in one event
dmax — maximum spawned in one event

Note: The total population is still capped by smax and the global AnimalMaxCount / ZombieMaxCount in globals.xml.

`x`, `z`, `r` — Zone Position and Size

x and z define the center of the circular zone in world coordinates
r defines the radius in meters — how large the spawn circle is

Effect of radius:

Small r (100–200m) — tight, concentrated population cluster
Large r (500–1000m+) — spread-out roaming population

What Console Admins Typically Adjust

smin and smax — raise to increase creature density in a zone, lower to reduce it.
r — increase radius to give creatures more roaming area.
Adding <zone> entries — add new spawn zones to expand creature coverage across the map.
Removing <zone> entries — remove zones to clear creatures from specific areas.
x/z — move a zone to a different map location.

Important: cfgenvironment.xml Must Wire These Files

Editing a territory file does nothing if cfgenvironment.xml does not correctly reference it. If you rename a territory file or change its path, you must update cfgenvironment.xml to match. See the cfgenvironment.xml article for details.

Safe Edit Pattern

Change smax first and test before adding new zones.
Raise in steps — doubling smax or dmax in one edit can spike population unexpectedly.
Remember the global cap in globals.xml is the hard ceiling regardless of territory settings.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Result
`smin > smax`	Engine behavior undefined for that zone
Zone radius too small (under 50m)	Creatures can’t roam and bunch at center point
No zones defined	That creature type has no valid spawn territory
cfgenvironment.xml file path mismatch	File is never loaded, creature type doesn’t spawn
Total smax across all zones far exceeds global cap	Extra zones are wasted, global cap enforces ceiling