DarkRadiant vs TrenchBroom
DarkRadiant
darkradiant.netTrenchBroom
trenchbroom.github.ioSide by side
| Figure | DarkRadiant | TrenchBroom |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | 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) | 7.3 (#19) |
| Spec score · Game Level Editors | 8.1 (#7) | 7.2 (#22) |
| Intended users | The project's stated goal is to provide the fan-mission community with an editor for creating The Dark Mod missions. | The manual is intended to teach use of the editor, not mapping itself; it directs mapping and game-specific technical questions to other mappers and communities. |
| Purpose | DarkRadiant is an open-source level editor for Doom 3 and The Dark Mod. | TrenchBroom is a level editor for brush-based game engines such as Quake, Quake 2, and Hexen 2. |
| Support | The project directs users to The Dark Mod forums for discussion and its bugtracker for reporting issues. | The project points users to its Discord and says feature requests can be submitted through the TrenchBroom issue tracker. |
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.
TrenchBroom
TrenchBroom is a free level editor for brush-based engines such as Quake, Quake 2, and Hexen 2. It provides a 3D workspace alongside up to three 2D views. Brush editing includes vertex changes, clipping, scaling, shearing, and constructive solid geometry operations for merging, subtracting, or hollowing shapes. A UV view handles textures and supports multiple material collections. The entity browser accepts drag-and-drop placement and definitions from FGD, ENT, and DEF files, while model display includes mdl, md2, md3, bsp, and dkm formats. An issue browser filters map problems, helps resolve them, and offers automatic quick fixes. TrenchBroom can call external compilers and launch game engines, but those compilation tools are separate. It supports several Quake, Valve, Hexen 2, and package formats. The 2026.2 requirements list Windows 10 1903+, Linux with glibc 2.33+, or macOS 13+, with OpenGL 2.1 and GLSL 1.2 hardware.