Which editor

[zndkw1n]

So, to any of the mappers out there, which map editor do you use?  Im looking to make quake2 levels, and other quakes levels too, and i'd to hear your opinions? So which ones, gtkradiant, quark, Tread3d, BSP-editor??? 

thanks

[Whirlingdervish]

I use QuArK 6.5 alpha 8 for Q2. It's pretty good, has lots of features (most of them work) but it can be a bit cumbersome at times. It's not the newest version of Quark, but it has features that they changed since and which I prefer (multiple styles of 3d preview window at the push of a button)

to use that, here's what you'll need:

http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?group_id=1181&use_mirror=superb-east&filename=quark-win32-6.5.0alpha8.exe&88210568

http://dervish.tastyspleen.net/files/buildutils.zip

http://dervish.tastyspleen.net/files/Quark%20setup.pdf

That will get you all the way through compiling your first sample map..


I've also heard good things about Tread3d and GTK radiant.
A lot of people seem to prefer GTK radiant once they have some experience with it, and if you're going to map for newer quake games it's a must.

[[BTF] Reflex]

never used anything but worldcraft

[Jay Dolan]

Several Quake2 veterans prefer the old QeRadiant builds.  But those are Windows-only, and don't support many other titles.  If you're interested in newer flavors of Radiant, there are quite a few choices.  There are the now dated GtkRadiant 1.4 and 1.5 builds from SPOG, which are available on most platforms if you can hunt them down.  There are what some consider significant UI differences between 1.4 and 1.5, but overall functionality is basically comparable.  From there, the 1.4 branch has been forked into the version that id Software is currently maintaining for Quake Live.  It's called ZeroRadiant (as Quake Live was going to be called Quake Zero), or also GtkRadiant 1.6.  And the current incarnation of the 1.5 branch is NetRadiant, which is being maintained by divVerent of the Nexuiz team.

It looks something like this:

                          QeRadiant
                                |
                      GtkRadiant 1.4
                                |
  GtkRadiant 1.5               GtkRadaint 1.6
           |
  NetRadiant

For Quake2World, our team uses Ingar's build of NetRadiant:
http://ingar.satgnu.net/gtkradiant/index.html

[zndkw1n]

I use QuArK 6.5 alpha 8 for Q2. It's pretty good, has lots of features (most of them work) but it can be a bit cumbersome at times. It's not the newest version of Quark, but it has features that they changed since and which I prefer (multiple styles of 3d preview window at the push of a button)

to use that, here's what you'll need:

http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?group_id=1181&use_mirror=superb-east&filename=quark-win32-6.5.0alpha8.exe&88210568

http://dervish.tastyspleen.net/files/buildutils.zip

http://dervish.tastyspleen.net/files/Quark%20setup.pdf

That will get you all the way through compiling your first sample map..


I've also heard good things about Tread3d and GTK radiant.
A lot of people seem to prefer GTK radiant once they have some experience with it, and if you're going to map for newer quake games it's a must.

Ah thanks.  Yes, i tried quark, the latest alpha i think, and found it too confusing.  Damn, will that game come out of alpha some day?  I was looking for the compiling tools, thanks for that.   I started with gtkradiant, and for the f**** life of john carmack, i cant figure out making curved brushed.  All i get is flat shapes, like curved pieces of plaster.   

[zndkw1n]

never used anything but worldcraft

Does that still work on a windows more recent than 98SE? 

[zndkw1n]

Several Quake2 veterans prefer the old QeRadiant builds.  But those are Windows-only, and don't support many other titles.  If you're interested in newer flavors of Radiant, there are quite a few choices.  There are the now dated GtkRadiant 1.4 and 1.5 builds from SPOG, which are available on most platforms if you can hunt them down.  There are what some consider significant UI differences between 1.4 and 1.5, but overall functionality is basically comparable.  From there, the 1.4 branch has been forked into the version that id Software is currently maintaining for Quake Live.  It's called ZeroRadiant (as Quake Live was going to be called Quake Zero), or also GtkRadiant 1.6.  And the current incarnation of the 1.5 branch is NetRadiant, which is being maintained by divVerent of the Nexuiz team.

It looks something like this:

                          QeRadiant
                                |
                      GtkRadiant 1.4
                                |
  GtkRadiant 1.5               GtkRadaint 1.6
           |
  NetRadiant

For Quake2World, our team uses Ingar's build of NetRadiant:
http://ingar.satgnu.net/gtkradiant/index.html

Interesting info. The only gtkradiant i have tried is the one i got from the qeradiant site, which is i think its "official" site.  Is that zeroradiant?  What are the differences with other branches of radiant, like 1.4, 1.5?  I assume its mostly the same for all, only bug fixes and window views. 

BTW, you tried DarkRadiant?  Is it good?

[The Happy Friar]

I could neer get GTK radient to work with Q2.  It crashed, every single time.  So I always ended up going back to QOOLE, which has some major bugs that can drive you insane.

dark radient is for Doom 3 engine games only.

[zndkw1n]

Damn, so what editor is best for q2 then?

I think darkradiant can work with older quake games too. 

[The Happy Friar]

the dark radient wiki says it can't, but since it's opensource I'm sure it could be made to.

take your pick of ANY editor for Q2!  there's no real best, all different.

The radient editor series is the one that is used for pretty much all id-based titles now a days, except ones Valve makes, they took worldcraft & bought that one to make their own editor.

[Jay Dolan]

Radiant 1.5 used to crash for me quite often years ago, but that was an older release.  I've had NetRadiant running for days on end without issue in the past year.

[zndkw1n]

Radiant 1.5 used to crash for me quite often years ago, but that was an older release.  I've had NetRadiant running for days on end without issue in the past year.

Ah, and is netradiant just like gtkradiant?  I mean, what are the differences map making wise, if any?

[Jay Dolan]

It depends what version you compare it to.  It is basically just an actively maintained 1.5 branch.  id Software does not maintain 1.5.  Their current development version is based on the 1.4 code.