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Quake in the browser, with procedurally generated levels

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Quake has been ported to the web plenty of times, so that part isn't new. But I experimented with the GitHub Copilot app and Claude Opus 4.8 to take id Software's original source, compiled the software renderer to WebAssembly with Emscripten.The cool part: I added support for procedurally generated levels. So after you clear a level, the slipgate opens and you move onto the next random one... with a new room layout, textures, monster placement, working doors with keys, etc. It's pretty challenging.I also added Soudncloud integration (configurable in Options) so can listen to the new NIN hotness as you play.Data files aren't included (id's data is still copyrighted), so the build pulls the freely redistributable shareware pak0.pak.May it entertain you on your coffee / hydration break(s) today!

HN · launched Jun 22, 2026 · 5 upvotes (top 87%) · 0 views

Niche: browser-based video games · 380 launches, 21 in the last 7 days ▼ -28% · Explore this niche →

Category and tags

  • Media & entertainment
  • B2C
  • Not AI
  • Hobby / open-source project

Visit website ↗ Source listing ↗

Could you build this?

Partial Compiling existing open-source C Quake to WebAssembly with Emscripten can be done with AI guidance, but implementing custom procedural 3D BSP level generation algorithms that produce valid, playable Quake maps requires non-trivial computational geometry expertise.

What it would actually take: The stack involves compiling id Software's GPL Quake source to WebAssembly via Emscripten and integrating it with WebGL/WebAudio. The core technical difficulty lies in procedural 3D level generation that outputs valid Convex Polyhedra, Constructive Solid Geometry (CSG), and generates valid Quake .MAP/.BSP structures with compiled lighting (LIGHT) and visibility (VIS) data without crashes or leaks.

Discussion

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Competitors

Other products that read as similar to this one : 303 launches clear the similarity bar, closest 8 shown.

Attention rank: #265 of 304 (itself plus its competitors, highest first, normalized so YC and Product Hunt are compared fairly).

Launched 234 days after the earliest competitor.

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