Direct answer

Spawning range controls eligible spawn locations; mob caps control limits, while simulation distance defines which chunks tick. These are different levers.

How to check it

  1. Identify the world and mob category whose spawn rate is too high or low, including farms and public wilderness.
  2. Use /paper mobcaps and /paper playermobcaps on compatible builds before assuming a cap is exhausted.
  3. Compare player spacing and eligible loaded chunks, and read the version-specific mob-spawn-range entry in the active server configuration.

Example: When hostile mob caps are full, merely increasing spawn range may spread attempts differently rather than create more usable mobs. Inspect actual eligible chunks and per-player counts.

What to change

Adjust only the appropriate spawning parameter and document how farms or mob encounters change. Avoid changing mob cap and distance together in the same test.

Software and version notes

Per-player mob spawning behavior and the Paper default may differ across versions. Plugin spawners and named mobs are not always part of natural mob-cap calculations.

Verify the result

Check player-visible mob density and farm rate in multiple worlds after a similar test duration.

References