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Editing Utilities

Map Editors


To get started with level editing for Doom (and other Doom-engine games, like Heretic, Hexen, etc), you'll need a map editor. This will allow you to design a layout, apply textures, set the lighting levels and place monsters. For a tutorial, be sure to refer to the Doom Wiki.


Ultimate Doom Builder - ( recommended ) - Download 32bit (18.6mb) / Download 64bit (18.6mb)
As development of the original Doom Builder 2 has been discontinued, another group of developers have continued the project. The editor includes new enhancements and added support for a larger number of source port features, including displaying 3D floors and sloped planes in the 3D editing mode.


Doom Builder X - Download (18mb) - Website
Another fork of Doom Builder 2, focused on long term maintenence, bugfixes, and other improvements.


SLADE3 - Download 32bit (29.4mb) / Download 64bit (31.1mb) - Website
Along with being a lump management program to view and modify other assets, it also includes a map editor.


GZDoom Builder - Download (11.8mb)
An eariler version of Ultimate Doom Builder, now superseded.


Doom Builder - Download (4.8mb) - Website
A line based editor which was the first to introduce a real-time 3D editing mode. It supports multiple engines.


Eureka - Download (1.89mb) - Website
Ported from Yadex, a map editor for Doom, Heretic and Hexen.


WadAuthor - Download (1.0mb)
Sector based editor with support for additional engines.


DoomCAD - Download (680k)
A once popular map editor for Windows.


DCK - Download (584k)
Doom Construction Kit, a once popular editor for DOS.


WinDEU - Download (440k)
A Windows version of DEU.


DETH - Download (351k)
A DOS editor based on DEU.


DEU - Download (527k)
An early editor for DOS.


DMapEdit - Download (964k)
A DOS editor with internal node builder.


Edmap - Download (443k)
A sector based DOS editor.


Liquorice - Website
Construct maps by writing algorithms to describe the geometry.


WadC - Download (159k) - Website
Construct levels by writing code. Requires Java 1.1 or better.

WAD Editors


If you want to start editing things like game graphics and sound effects, you'll need a WAD editor. Everything from monster sprites to music is stored in "lumps" within a WAD file. For a more detailed guide, check the Doom Wiki.


SLADE3 - ( recommended ) - Download 32bit (29.4mb) / Download 64bit (31.1mb) - Website
A modern lump management tool for Doom-engine based games and source ports. It has the ability to view, modify, and write many different game-specific formats, and even convert between some of them, or from/to other generic formats such as PNG.


SLumpEd - Download (1.3mb)
Easy to use WAD lump editor with full zip/pk3 support and the ability to open multiple WADs in tabs.


XWE - Download (700k) - Website
The eXtendable WAD editor has numerous features to edit Doom and can also be used to edit many other games.


WinTex - Download (544k)
A simple WAD editor which can be used to import graphics, sounds and other lumps.


WAD Mangle - Download (833k)
Open source WAD editor for Windows.


JeuTool - Website
A command-line tool for packing and unpacking WAD files.


NWT - Download (159k)
New WAD Tools, an editor for DOS.


Deutex / Deusf - Download (514k) - Website
A DOS predecessor of WinTex by the same author.


HWadTools - Website
Doom WAD file manipulation tools.


WADMerge - Download (45k) - Website
An exceedingly useful tool to merge WADs.

EXE Editors


To change the coded behaviour of the enemies or weapons, you can build patches with EXE editors. Text strings like level names and the narrative shown on the "intermission" screens can also be modified. Further information can be found on the Doom Wiki.


WhackEd4 - ( recommended ) - Download (10mb) - Website
A Windows version of DeHackEd that also supports BEX and uses simple text descriptions for codepointers.


DeHackED - Download (112k)
A DOS EXE editor which allows you to change the behaviour of the Doom engine.

Launchers


These programs provide a simple user interface to run different WADS with various game engines, instead of doing it the old fashioned way with command lines or BAT files. See the Doom Wiki for more detail.


DoomLauncher - Website
A doom launching utility and database for custom WADs and PK3s.


Doom Mod Loader 2.x - Website
A launcher for Doom and other Doom-engine mods.


LaunchTool - Website
A Doom front-end for playing SP games and recording demos.


ZDL - Website
A cross-platform launcher for ZDoom and ZDoom-derived forks.


Doom P.A.L. - Website
A graphical front-end for the EDGE source port.


R3DLauncher - Website
A launcher for the Risen3D source port.


VULD - Website
A new DOS-based launcher for the old-school purists.

Node and Reject Builders


Most modern map editing software already takes care of nodebuilding internally, or comes bundled with one of the below progams preconfigured, so these utilities will likely only be required if you use older editors. Technical details are explained on the Doom Wiki.


ZenNode - Download (632k) - Website
One of the fastest node builders, it works on multilevel WADs and has various parameters for optimal builds. Builds both nodes and reject.


GLBSP - Download (355k) - Website
A node and reject builder with additional support for OpenGL ports.


WARM - Download (231k)
WAD Auxiliary Resource Manipulator. Another fast node builder.


BSP - Download (236k) - Website
One of the earliest node builders, it still being developed and widely in use.


BSPComp - Download (130k)
Node builder for Doom, Doom2 and Heretic.


ZDBSP - Download (89k)
Node builder with special support for ZDoom.


idBSP - Download (168k)
The original node builder by id Software.


RMB - Download (170k)
Reject map builder for Doom, Doom2, Heretic and Hexen.


Reject - Download (55k)
Reject map builder for Doom and Doom2.

Mac / Unix / Linux Editors


ReDoomEd - Download (mac) - Website
A port of id Software’s original Doom map editor for NeXTSTEP


Yadex - Download (1022k)
A GPL map editor for Unix/Linux.


Hellmaker - Download (538k)
Shareware Mac editor.

Miscellaneous Utilities


WadSmoosh - Website
Merges the official IWADs into one single, playable file.


DoomViewer - Website
Allows you to freely navigate inside Doom engine maps in first-person view.


DoomWriter - Website
Generates bitmaps using the Doom font.


WAD2PDF - Website
Converts maps into a PDF document.


MTrop's Doom Utils - Website
Doom Engine-related utilities.


Ace Toolkit - Website
Various tools to assist with GZDoom modding.


m8f’s toolbox - Website
A collection of minimods for GZDoom game engine.

Editing Guides

modern guides


Doom Builder Tutorials
A series of youtube videos demonstrating how to set up Doom Builder and start mapping.

Doom Wiki Tutorials
A list of editing tutorials for creating levels, manipulating game resources and use of editing utilities.

Doomworld Forums
An interactive forum where you can ask for help or learn from the topics already posted by other users.

older guides


Doomworld Tutorials
Guides on some of the more advanced special effects that can be created using novel tricks.

Documents on /idgames
An archive of some older guides and tutorials that have been uploaded to the /idgames database.

Doom Editing Guide
An early, yet comprehensive, guide to Doom editing. Included mainly for posterity.

Unofficial Doom Specs
One of the oldest documents explaining how Doom functions on a technical level. Included mainly for posterity.

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