Direct answer

entity-activation-range controls the distance from players within which different entity categories tick normally. Lower values can reduce work but alter farms and AI; this is not the same as entity tracking/render distance.

How to check it

  1. Measure entity AI/tick cost using a spark profile with the affected player distribution. Record the farm type and player distance.
  2. Inspect the actual world-settings.default.entity-activation-range in spigot.yml, plus any per-world override.
  3. Identify the category relevant to the profile: animals, monsters, raiders, villagers, misc, water or flying-monsters.

What to change

Adjust one category modestly and test gameplay outside the threshold. The example shows documented reference values, not universal recommendations. In the PaperMC reference, values at or below zero disable throttling for the relevant category; they do not mean “no entity ticking.”

# spigot.yml:
world-settings:
  default:
    entity-activation-range:
      animals: 32
      monsters: 32
      villagers: 32
      misc: 16
Gameplay impact

Moving items in water streams, villager work, farms and mob activity can visibly change when entities become inactive. Simulation distance is a separate limit.

Software and version notes

Values and available categories come from the PaperMC Spigot config reference. World overrides and fork-specific behavior can differ. Do not transfer this YAML setting to Fabric, Forge or NeoForge.

Verify the result

Compare profile samples in the same area and with similar players online; test farm production and AI while players stand inside and outside the chosen range. Keep the original config available to roll back.

References