NetRadiant review
A capable free editor for supported idTech games, with a narrower scope than broad game engines.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
NetRadiant is a free, open-source, brush-based 3D level editor for creating maps in id Tech-derived games. It is aimed at creators working with supported titles such as Xonotic, Unvanquished, Smokin' Guns, Warfork, AlienArena, Urban Terror, Quake Live, and Soldier of Fortune 2. The editor provides both 2D and 3D views, game-specific packs, and related tools for turning map work into playable content.
Its strongest case is the combination of editing and game-oriented tooling in one open-source package. q3map2 supports map compilation, while the included daemonmap tool provides navmesh generation. NetRadiant also supports IQM model rendering, map baking, adjustable camera field of view, PK3 symbolic links, and DDS-prefix handling. These features make it more than a basic brush editor for projects that fit its supported game ecosystem. Builds are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD, although macOS support has stated caveats.
NetRadiant is a sensible choice for open-source mapping work and for developers targeting compatible idTech games. Its free licensing and game packs reduce the barrier to starting a project, while its compilation and navigation tools cover important parts of the mapping workflow. The trade-off is focus: it is designed around supported idTech-derived games, so teams seeking a broader editor with wider engine coverage or a larger general-purpose feature set should consider an alternative. The official download page lists build 1.5.0-20220628, while the source repository remains active.
NetRadiant pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Brush-based 2D and 3D editing with adjustable camera field of view
- Includes q3map2 compilation and daemonmap navmesh generation
- Supports multiple idTech games across Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD
- Where it doesn't
- Focused on supported idTech-derived games rather than broad engine workflows
- macOS support comes with caveats
- Feature breadth is narrower than some category alternatives
NetRadiant fact sheet, pricing and score →
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