Mapping Tools in 2025

This thread is an update to the information provided by older forum threads such as:

- Important Links by FikoN (2006)

- raver's mapping pack by raver (2007)
- New Mapping Pack by PsYxOpAt (2010)

I mean, it’s still possible to use these tools mentioned in those threads, but truth be told, kreedz has evolved over time, and mapping was no exception. Nowadays, there are moderns tools that make kz mapping experience easier and better.

This thread is not a "pack" to download. Instead, it's a curated list of the official links for the best tools available today. Note: most of the tools listed here are open source.

• 🔨 Level Editor:
  - J.A.C.K: steam version/free version.
  - TrenchBroom: https://github.com/TrenchBroom/TrenchBroom.

• 🗺️Map Compiler:
  - SDHLT: https://github.com/seedee/SDHLT.

  
  

• 🎨 Texture tool:
  - WadMaker & SpriteMaker: command-line tool to create, edit, and extract WAD/SPR files https://github.com/pwitvoet/wadmaker.
  - gchimp Waddy: graphical interface to create, edit, extract, and view WADs https://github.com/khanghugo/gchimp.
  
  --------------------------------------------------
  EXTRA TOOLS:
  
  These tools are not necessary, but they are useful for advanced tasks
  --------------------------------------------------
  

• BSP Viewer:

  - newbspguy: https://github.com/UnrealKaraulov/newbspguy.

  
  

• BSP Decompiler:

  - Half-Life Unified SDK Map Decompiler: https://github.com/twhl-community/HalfLife.UnifiedSdk.MapDecompiler.

  ---------------------------

  
  

• MDL Compiler:
  - svenstudiomdl: generates compiled .mdl files, you can get it from Sven Co-op SDK steam://run/276160.

  - Crowbar: interface to compile .mdl https://github.com/ZeqMacaw/Crowbar.

  - Snark: alternative to Crowbar https://github.com/PostScriptReal/Snark_Compiler.

  
  

• MDL viewer:

  - Half-Life Asset Manager: https://github.com/SamVanheer/HalfLifeAssetManager.

  
  

• MDL decompiler:

  - Crowbar: interface to decompile .mdl https://github.com/ZeqMacaw/Crowbar.

  - Snark: alternative to Crowbar https://github.com/PostScriptReal/Snark_Compiler.

  - DecompMDL: https://github.com/Toodles2You/halflife-tools.

  
  

• Map to MDL:

  - Map2Prop: convert .map into .mdl https://github.com/Erty-Gamedev/GoldSrc-Map2Prop.

  - gchimp Map2Mdl: convert .map into .mdl https://github.com/khanghugo/gchimp.

  ---------------------------

  
  

• SPR viewer:

  - SPRView.NET: https://github.com/DrAbcOfficial/SPRView.Net.

  
  

• SPR decompiler:

  - DecompMDL: for sprite too https://github.com/Toodles2You/halflife-tools.

  ---------------------------

  
  

• WAV:

  - gchimp Wave Loop: https://github.com/khanghugo/gchimp.

  ---------------------------

  
  

• Misc:

  - gchimp ResMake: generates .res files and automatically packages maps into .zip.

  - gchimp S2G: convert Source .mdl to GoldSrc .mdl.

  - gchimp SkyMod: create a big skybox .mdl.
  - gchimp TexTile: tile-and-scale; make texture transparent

  - gchimp BLHL: helps with blender light baking for smd.
  - gchimp split model: split high poly SMD into multiple SMD. https://github.com/khanghugo/gchimp.

  - REMEC: macro entities to simplify complex entity setups, with some useful KZ-specific entities https://gitlab.com/merisanu.alex/remec/.

  - MESS: automation tool for entity templates, scripting, and .map/.rmf/.jmf conversions.https://github.com/pwitvoet/mess.

  - Map2Curve: generates curved or splined geometry from a prefab segment https://gibshooter.com/map2curve/.
  - Blender MAP Exporter: export Blender scenes to .map https://github.com/c-d-a/io_export_qmap.
  - Blender Source Tools: Blender plugin for SMD support https://github.com/Artfunkel/BlenderSourceTools.
  - blenderutils: various blender utilities for modeling https://github.com/Zode/blenderutils.
  - osm2vmf: OpenStreetMap building data to .map https://github.com/lewa-j/osm2vmf.
  

Originally posted by khanghugo

I think having tools usable on a website is way better than downloading it.

No internet = no tool.

Originally posted by khanghugo

Who the fuck cares? Name one person mapping in 2025 without internet. Why do you feel the need to say dumb shit like this? Is this what you do all day? Anyway, the tool I write online are WASM code and they all are contained in the client. As soon as you load the website, you can use it even with internet off. You can even download the website if that's what you want. Also, the website version, again, is a mirror of gchimp tools, which you can access by downloading a binary.

I use ur tool and its an amazing tool, i have no clue why you have to get so defensive and insult me... My point was that in the event that you lose internet and u want to use your tool online, lets say if you were not making a downloadable one, then you could not access it... nobody will think about saving the web page for future usage, and i didn't know you could do that, this is the first time i heard about it.