How to Use Quake Map Exporter with Blender 3D: Step-by-Step

Quick Setup & Export Guide — Quake Map Exporter for Blender 3D

Overview

Quake Map Exporter is an add-on for Blender that converts Blender geometry and scene data into a .map or .bsp-compatible format used by Quake-engine level compilers. It lets level designers model in Blender using familiar tools, then export geometry, entity brushes, and metadata for use in classic Quake toolchains (e.g., qbsp, vis, light).

Installation

1. Download the add-on ZIP or Python file (assume a compatible release for Blender 3.x).
2. In Blender: Edit → Preferences → Add-ons → Install…, choose the ZIP/Py file, then enable the add-on.
3. Configure basic settings in the add-on panel (Tools sidebar or Scene properties) if present.

Scene setup conventions

• Use only quads/triangles for brush faces; avoid ngons for brushes intended as BSP brushes.
• Mark brushes vs. detail geometry using the add-on’s marking system (commonly object or vertex groups, custom properties, or naming conventions).
• Create entities by adding empty objects or using object names like “info_player_start” or “func_door” depending on exporter conventions.
• Assign materials or texture names that match Quake texture names (e.g., “stone/wall”). The exporter typically reads material names for face texture identifiers.

Common exporter settings

• Export format: .map (text) or direct .bsp if supported.
• Scale/units: set Blender unit scale to match Quake units (commonly 1 Blender unit = 1 unit in map); adjust export scale if needed.
• Origin handling: choose whether to apply object transforms or export world coordinates directly.
• Face winding and normals: ensure outward-facing normals for brushes.
• Entity export options: include lights, player starts, and custom entities.

Step-by-step export

1. Finalize geometry: apply transforms (Ctrl+A → Rotation & Scale), triangulate if required.
2. Tag brushes/entities per add-on conventions.
3. Open exporter panel and select target format (.map).
4. Set export path and filename.
5. Configure options: include textures, entity types, scale, and whether to merge objects.
6. Run export. Inspect the generated .map in a text editor for expected entity blocks and brush definitions.

Post-export and compiling

• Place exported .map in your Quake mapping toolchain folder.
• Run the BSP compiler (qbsp), visibility (vis), and lighting (light) tools in order:
  1. qbsp mapname.map
  2. vis mapname.bsp
  3. light mapname.bsp
• Fix any compiler errors by reviewing the .map brush definitions and returning to Blender to correct geometry (non-planar faces, inverted normals, or overlapping coplanar faces are common issues).

Troubleshooting

• Compiler errors about non-convex or malformed brushes: ensure brushes are convex and planar; split problematic geometry into smaller brushes.
• Missing textures: confirm material names match the Quake texture set and that a .wad or texture pack references them.
• Entities not found in-game: verify correct entity names and that the exporter writes entity key/value pairs.
• Scale or position mismatches: re-check unit scale and whether transforms were applied before export.

Tips & best practices

• Model brushes using grid-snapped increments to avoid tiny gaps.
• Keep a clean hierarchy: separate world brushes, details, and entities into distinct collections or groups.
• Use simple primitives for BSP brushes; avoid heavy mesh modifiers on brush geometry.
• Maintain a small test map to iterate quickly on export/compile workflow.

If you want, I can generate a concise checklist tailored to your Blender version (specify Blender 3.x subversion) or help fix a specific export/compile error — tell me the error text.