DarkRadiant vs J.A.C.K.
DarkRadiant
darkradiant.netJ.A.C.K.
jack.hlfx.ruSide by side
| Figure | DarkRadiant | J.A.C.K. |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Modding Tools | 8.0 (#5) | 7.6 (#14) |
| Spec score · Game Level Editors | 8.1 (#7) | 7.6 (#14) |
| Editing tools | Feature highlights include a media browser, surface, patch and light inspectors, layers, grouping, and selection sets. | Features include curved surfaces, triangulation, UV-Lock, multiple VisGroups, and automatic selection in 3D views. |
| Intended users | The project's stated goal is to provide the fan-mission community with an editor for creating The Dark Mod missions. | The editor aims to serve people designing levels for classic games and mods, including Quake and Half-Life. |
| Map formats | DarkRadiant imports classic Quake/idTech map formats and exports maps to Doom 3, Quake 4, and Quake 3 formats. | It can import and export VMF maps, though VMF support is beta and does not include Displacements. |
| Purpose | DarkRadiant is an open-source level editor for Doom 3 and The Dark Mod. | J.A.C.K. is a level editor for games using Quake-style BSP architecture. |
| Support | The project directs users to The Dark Mod forums for discussion and its bugtracker for reporting issues. | Users can submit error reports and feature requests through the project forums; the software is provided without warranty. |
Plans
In their own words
DarkRadiant
DarkRadiant is a free, open-source level editor for Doom 3 and The Dark Mod, with additional listed support for The Dark Mod 2.0, Quake 4, Quake 3, and XreaL. Its workspace includes a media browser, inspectors for surfaces, patches, and lights, plus layers, grouping, and selection sets. Model and material tools include a particle editor with real-time preview, model scaling, model and skin browsers, and UV editing. It imports classic Quake and idTech map formats and exports to Doom 3, Quake 4, and Quake 3 formats. Plugins for The Dark Mod cover Stim/Response, objectives, difficulty, and conversations, alongside AI and Readable tools. A Python script interface is available, and preferences can specify fs_game for working with other Doom 3 modifications. DarkRadiant runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, although the FAQ says macOS builds are not fully tested. The editor does not install game resources; users must point it to a supported game before editing maps.