I'd like to make my map safe from block damage from creepers, while still having other hostile mobs spawn. (E.g., peaceful mode is not an option.) On the PC, you can simply modify the game rule mobGriefing
to turn off block damage from creeper explosions, but this isn't possible on the Xbox (as far as I know). The thought I had was to construct an obsidian or bedrock "box" in which I deliberately spawn the maximum number of creepers, so that creepers don't spawn elsewhere.* To make and optimize these creeper boxes, I'd like to know the specific rules regarding mob spawning and despawning with regard to quantity and distance. For the purpose of this question, I'm not interested, for example, in the rules regarding light levels, blocks they can spawn on, and so forth. What I'm interested in is the numbers:
What is the maximum number of creepers that can spawn on an Xbox Minecraft map simultaneously?
Is there a separate cap on total number of mobs that's independent of the cap on creepers? If so, what is the number?
At what distance (if there is one on the Xbox version) from players do mobs despawn? (This is important so the creeper boxes can be spaced out such that they are always effective. This is what I meant by "distance" in my question above.)
Will greater numbers of already-spawned mobs of one type (e.g., creepers) reduce the number of spawns of other types (e.g., zombies)?
Some additional background. I've taken a look at the wiki, which provides very detailed information on this for the PC version of the game, but I have no way of knowing if that information is the same on the Xbox version. There's reason to believe it's different since we're working with a fixed size world.
Also, I've looked at this question, which is very similar, but when you get into the details of it is not actually asking for the numbers, but rather the impact of the mob spawning limits geographically.
- Sidenote: I have two ways to accomplish the creeper spawning: Modding the map with creeper spawners in the boxes (e.g., oPryzeLP's mod), or placing dispensers filled with creeper eggs flush with the wall, so the mobs spawn through the wall. This latter technique works, and I use it in mob arenas, although the mobs taken some pressure damage when spawning. I mention this to avoid this question getting derailed into a discussion of "how do you intend to spawn the creepers?" Not my issue.