HWMAP File

What are HWMAP files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening a HWMAP file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your HWMAP files.

What is a HWMAP file?

A .HWMAP file is a Hedgewars Map file.

A Hedgewars Map file (with extension .hwmap) is a "hand-drawn" map created inside the Hedgewars game's built-in editor. It lets players sketch terrain by drawing freehand lines of "land" or "air" across a grid; the resulting map defines where hedgehogs can move, where bullets hit, and how the battlefield looks during gameplay.

Hedgewars writes .hwmap files when you use its in-game editor and choose to save your drawing. These files are then reloaded by Hedgewars whenever you select or share your custom map for matches. The format supports "special points" before the first drawn line; those points can hold extra data, like waypoints or object placements, which Hedgewars scripts or extensions can act upon.

Technically, a .hwmap file encodes the drawn map as a sequence of points. Each point holds two 16-bit big-endian integers for X and Y coordinates and one byte of flags. A flag byte's top bit marks the start of a new polyline; the next bit indicates erasing; the remaining six bits store line thickness. Lines are then base64-encoded and compressed using Qt's qCompress.

How to open HWMAP files

We have identified one HWMAP opener that is compatible with this specific type of HWMAP file.

Programs that open Hedgewars Map files

Last updated: August 7, 2026

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