diff --git a/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/colormap.py b/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/colormap.py
index 6f4cc170..58906838 100755
--- a/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/colormap.py
+++ b/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/colormap.py
@@ -24,19 +24,22 @@
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 
+import os
 import sys
+import struct
 
 # Return palette read from named file
 
 def read_palette(filename):
-	f = file(filename)
+	f = open(filename, "rb")
 
 	colors = []
 
 	for i in range(256):
-		color = f.read(3)
+		data = f.read(3)
 
-		colors.append((ord(color[0]), ord(color[1]), ord(color[2])))
+		color = struct.unpack("BBB", data)
+		colors.append(color)
 
 	return colors
 
@@ -82,7 +85,8 @@ def generate_darkened_colormap(colors, factor):
 
 def output_colormap(colormap):
 	for c in colormap:
-		sys.stdout.write(chr(c))
+		x = struct.pack("B", c)
+		os.write(sys.stdout.fileno(), x)
 
 def inverse_color(color):
 	average = (color[0] + color[1] + color[2]) / 3
@@ -95,12 +99,12 @@ def print_palette(colors):
 		for x in range(16):
 			color = colors[y * 16 + x]
 
-			print "#%02x%02x%02x" % color,
+			print("#%02x%02x%02x" % color)
 
-		print
+		print()
 
 if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-	print "Usage: %s <base filename> > output-file.lmp"
+	print("Usage: %s <base filename> > output-file.lmp" % sys.argv[0])
 	sys.exit(1)
 
 colors = read_palette(sys.argv[1])
diff --git a/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/playpal.py b/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/playpal.py
index bdd6ab68..2be6b48a 100755
--- a/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/playpal.py
+++ b/lumps/cph/misc-lumps/playpal.py
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 # along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
 
+import os
 import sys
+import struct
 
 # IHS (Intensity Hue Saturation) to RGB conversion, utility function
 #
@@ -81,14 +83,15 @@ def make_palette_new():
 # Return palette read from named file
 
 def read_palette(filename):
-	f = file(filename)
+	f = open(filename, "rb")
 
 	colors = []
 
 	for i in range(256):
-		color = f.read(3)
+		data = f.read(3)
+		color = struct.unpack("BBB", data)
 
-		colors.append((ord(color[0]), ord(color[1]), ord(color[2])))
+		colors.append(color)
 
 	f.close()
 
@@ -155,24 +158,21 @@ def clamp_pixval(v):
 	elif v > 255:
 		return 255
 	else:
-		return v
+		return int(v)
 
-def encode_palette(pal):
+def output_palette(pal):
 
-	def color_byte(element):
-		return chr(int(clamp_pixval(element)))
-
-	def encode_color(color):
-		return "".join(map(color_byte, color))
-
-	encoded = map(encode_color, pal)
-
-	return "".join(encoded)
+	for color in palette:
+		color = tuple(map(clamp_pixval, color))
+		
+		encoded = struct.pack("BBB", *color)
+		os.write(sys.stdout.fileno(), encoded)
 
 # Main program - make a base palette, then do the biased versions
 
 if len(sys.argv) < 2:
-	print "Usage: %s <base filename> > playpal.lmp" % sys.argv[0]
+	print("Usage: %s <base filename> > playpal.lmp" % sys.argv[0])
+	sys.exit(1)
 
 base_pal = read_palette(sys.argv[1])
 
@@ -207,7 +207,6 @@ for i in range(4):
 
 palettes.append(bias_palette_towards(base_pal, (0, 255, 0), 0.2))
 
-result = "".join(map(encode_palette, palettes))
-
-sys.stdout.write(result)
+for palette in palettes:
+	output_palette(palette)
 
diff --git a/scripts/extract-pnames.py b/scripts/extract-pnames.py
index ccfabe2b..a501faba 100755
--- a/scripts/extract-pnames.py
+++ b/scripts/extract-pnames.py
@@ -48,26 +48,26 @@ def parse_texture_file():
 
 			patches[name] = True
 
-        print "; autogenerated patch list\n"
+	print("; autogenerated patch list\n")
 
 	for name in sorted(patches.keys()):
-		print name
+		print(name)
 
 # Generate a full list of textures from the files in the
 # patches/ directory
 
 def list_all_textures():
-        print "; autogenerated patch list\n"
+	print("; autogenerated patch list\n")
 
 	for filename in sorted(glob.glob("patches/*.gif")):
 		base = os.path.basename(filename)
 		patch_name = base[0:-4]
-		print patch_name
+		print(patch_name)
 
 if len(sys.argv) == 1:
 	parse_texture_file()
 elif sys.argv[1] == "-a":
 	list_all_textures()
 else:
-        print "Usage: extract-pnames.pl [-a]"
+	print("Usage: extract-pnames.py [-a]")
 
diff --git a/scripts/simplecpp b/scripts/simplecpp
index b083680e..3aa1fab0 100755
--- a/scripts/simplecpp
+++ b/scripts/simplecpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def parse_stream(stream):
 		raise Exception("Mismatched #if in '%s'" % stream.name)
 
 def parse_file(filename):
-	f = file(filename)
+	f = open(filename)
 
 	try:
 		parse_stream(f)
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ def read_block(stream, ignore):
 				func(arg)
 		else:
 			if not ignore:
-				print line
+				print(line)
 
 parse_cmdline()
 parse_stream(sys.stdin)
diff --git a/scripts/wadinfo-builder.py b/scripts/wadinfo-builder.py
index cb2fd896..a84a183d 100755
--- a/scripts/wadinfo-builder.py
+++ b/scripts/wadinfo-builder.py
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ def find_file(section, name):
 # Warning header displayed at the top of an output file.
 
 def print_warning_header():
-	print "; This file is automatically generated."
-	print "; Do not edit it directly!"
-	print
+	print("; This file is automatically generated.")
+	print("; Do not edit it directly!")
+	print("")
 
 # Remove comments beginning with "#" or ";"
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def parse_stream(stream):
 			if match:
 				line = parse_assignment(section, line, match)
 
-		print line
+		print(line)
 
 # Parse command line options: