Those familiar with my Worldcraft page know what this page is all about, but for you new folks, a quick introduction.
Back when I first started map building, the most common answer to questions in the #quakeed channel was "Go read the Quake MAP specs page. " Usually that came from lazy ops who didn't know the answer. ;-) I did consult the MAP specs, but they didn't help because there was no context. That's because the MAP specs were originally written before Quake level editors hit the Net, and I think before Quake even came out. The MAP specs page doesn't account for how MAP builders handle placing entities, spawnflags, etc., nor should it. The original spec should be editor-independent.
So, I created a page that took the original specs showed how they applied to BSP. This page is a continuation of that notion. Worldcraft has its limitations, and the BSP bigots on #quakeed are constantly after me to learn BSP because of its versatility. I also wanted an editor that's a little more stable. What stopped me for the longest time is that BSP has one of the most obtuse interfaces I've ever seen on a program. Still, you can't beat the price.
This page is a combination of what I've learned from the BSP tutorial (which needs some work), people on EFNet #quakeed, and other miscellaneous sources. It's not meant to be a tutorial but a supplement to them. The most common questions in the #QuakeEd channel are people wanting to make monsters move, moving platforms, secret rooms, etc. Basic functions that you won't get just by looking at the Quake MAP specs.
The original document that I used to derive this page is a part of the Unoffical Quake Specs. This standalone version is here to provide you with the most up-to-date information about Quake Map Editing. It is also a part of the Quake Documentation Project.
You can get the most up-to-date version of the Quake MAP Specs from Quake Technical Resources.
Portions Copyright (c)1996-97 Niklata and Thomas Winzig.