Forge your levels
Master your craft

A level editor for idTech4-based games, targeting HellCore, RBDOOM-3-BFG and dhewm3. Built for level designers who demand precision, power, and total control.

HellForge - untitled.map
HellForge Editor Interface

Power tools for hellish performance

Every feature designed for maximum productivity and ergonomy for level designers.

Multi-Format Map Support

Open and edit Quake 1, Quake 2 and Valve 220 MAP formats. Import Source engine VMF maps. Experimental OpenStreetMap importer for real-world geometry.

3D Camera Workflow

Create and manipulate brushes directly in the 3D view. Alt+scroll to resize faces, Ctrl+scroll for symmetric resize, Shift+scroll for trim brushes.

Advanced CSG Tools

Intersect, Passable, Shell, and Bridge operations. Plus stairs, arch, cable, and corner patch generators for complex geometry.

Command & Insert Palettes

Quick access to editor actions via command palette. Learner mode shows keyboard shortcut hints directly in the 3D viewport.

Visual Material Browser

Visual preview mode for browsing textures. Control the opacity of utility textures like clip and caulk in the viewport.

MCP Server for AI Agents

Built-in MCP server lets AI agents operate the editor programmatically: creating brushes, placing entities, and executing commands via natural language.

What's New

Check out our new features

New tools and workflows designed to make level editing faster and more intuitive.

New in HellForge

Manipulate Brushes in 3D

Create brushes directly in the 3D viewport with LMB drag. Resize or extrude with mouse scroll. No more switching between 2D orthographic views just to draw basic geometry. Select and create in one fluid motion.

Procedural geometry generators
Procedural

Built-in Geometry Generators

HellForge ships with procedural generators for stairs, arches, terrain, cables, corner patches, and sweep extrusions. Plus array and scatter tools to duplicate and distribute geometry across your level.

CSG Operations

New CSG Operations

Exciting new CSG operations, including Intersect, Bridge, Seal, Passable and Shell. Build complex architecture faster with powerful boolean and shaping tools.

New Tool

Decal Shooter

Point-and-click tool for placing decal textures onto surfaces directly from the 3D camera view. No more fiddling with manual alignment. Just aim and shoot decals where you want them.

New Tool

Tile-based Map Designer

Grid-based map layout tool for rapid prototyping. Place and arrange tile pieces to quickly sketch out level layouts before committing to detailed geometry.

Python Scripting

Full scripting API. Automate everything.

Like Blender, HellForge exposes a complete Python scripting interface. Access the SceneGraph, Shader System, Virtual File System, and more. Write scripts to automate repetitive tasks, create custom tools, or build entirely new workflows. HellForge also includes an MCP server that lets AI agents operate the editor programmatically for AI-assisted level design.

SceneGraph
Traverse and manipulate the entire level structure
Shader System
Query and modify materials programmatically
Virtual File System
Access game assets and mod resources
Selection
Iterate selected brushes, patches, and entities
Entity System
Spawn, modify, and query entity properties
Brush Operations
CSG, vertex manipulation, and transforms
add_lights.py
import darkradiant as dr

for node in GlobalSelectionSystem.getSelectedBrushNodes():
    c = node.getWorldAABB().origin
    e = GlobalEntityCreator.createEntity(
        GlobalEntityClassManager.findClass("light"))
    e.getEntity().setKeyValue("origin",
        f"{c.x()} {c.y()} {c.z() + 128}")
    e.getEntity().setKeyValue("light_radius", "256 256 256")
    e.getEntity().setKeyValue("_color", "1 0.8 0.6")
    e.addToContainer(GlobalMap.getWorldSpawn())
    print(f"Added 1 light")
>Added 1 light

AI-assisted level design with MCP Server

HellForge includes a built-in MCP server that allows AI agents to operate the editor programmatically. This enables entirely new workflows where an agent can build and modify maps using natural language instructions.

Combined with the Python scripting API, the MCP server makes HellForge one of the most extensible and automatable level editors available. Let AI handle the repetitive work while you focus on creative decisions.

Create brushes, place entities, and modify maps programmatically
Browse materials and game assets through the AI agent
Execute editor commands via natural language instructions
Learn shortcuts, get tips, and discover level design techniques
$ MCP Server
>"Create a 256x256 room with a light in the center"
+Created brush: room_floor (256x256x8)
+Created brush: room_ceiling (256x256x8)
+Created 4 wall brushes
+Placed light entity at (128, 128, 120)
>"Apply tech_wall material to all walls"
+Applied textures/tech_wall to 4 faces

Forged in HellForge

Maps created by our community of dedicated level designers.

Ready to descend?

Download HellForge and start building. Free, open source under GPLv2, forever.

Pre-releaseAll releases