I remember ages ago (over 12 years ago!) there was a Quakeworld client (now defunct) called Quakeforge that built-in .loc reading and creation. By turning entity display off, you get to go around and see where all the designated locations were (if a .loc was present) or you can define your own (if and if not present), and you can save your location descriptions into .loc files.

However, with such a client no longer worked on / probably not even searchable anymore, is there any other fairly easy way to create .loc's for maps that don't explicitly have them? Also, if you make locs, what do YOU use? The only reason I'm bringing this up is that I am contemplating returning to mapmaking, even if it's short maps, coop maps or duel arenas.

Just to answer about Quakeforge: Latest release of Quakeforge (by Taniwha) is from 2013, so it would surprise me if that's not usable.

ezQuake can also create loc files, just place your character in a location and hit addloc name-of-location, removeloc etc works too. When done, hit saveloc filename

Aha. So I am mistaken. Is there a way to show active location "beacons" while drawentities is 0, a la Quakeforge?

Qizmo also has built-in loc creation doesn't it? I thought that is how all loc's were created.

I know proxies had loc creation capabilities but I was wondering about inbuilt client-side loc creation.

It appears Quakeforge no longer has a GL version packaged in their binaries. SDL version craps on load. But if only EZQuake can do what QF did with loc "beacons", only showing when r_drawentities = 0, so you know where your loc macros were referencing to.

It would be cool if there was a line drawn from the nearest beacon to your position with its name displayed somewhere, to make it easy to debug tricky areas with thin walls

That's actually what I wish was in place for Quakeforge .. not only a loc "beacon" but a general line (a lightning bolt arcing out to you) coming from the beacon so you know if it's behind a wall or not. Tight corridors between two rooms really are hard to fix when locs are concerned.