Quake 1 Single-Player Maps

Chiron’s Mirthful Canter

Genre: Single-player FPS
Made with: TrenchBroom over two weeks.
The map can be found in this pack: https://www.slipseer.com/index.php?resources/remix-jam.315/
Summary: Made for the “Remix Jam” event during January 9-24, 2024. The map is based heavily on “Chiron TL-34” from Halo: Combat Evolved. I made a non-linear route of keys and switches through the map and placed monsters, items, weapons, and secrets where they seemed most appropriate. The central cross-shaped room holds the exit as well as many zombies which ward the player off at least until they find the grenade launcher. I wanted to challenge myself to take Chiron’s infamously claustophobic and confusing maze of small rooms connected by teleporters and make a fun and memorable single-player experience out of it. I think Sock’s Egyptian texture set fits well with this idea. I’m proud that I created a mostly 1-to-1 translation of this classic Halo multiplayer level with a Quake twist. The map mostly succeeded as a proof of concept. Some players enjoyed it while others commented that, while they appreciated the work that went into it and that it exists, the map adhered too closely to the original layout to make for a fun Quake 1 experience. If I did a similar jam again, I would try to create a map that was more loosely-inspired by a classic level (or a few levels merged together) rather than a near-perfect 1-to-1 translation. Overall, I really enjoy working through projects with experimental concepts like this and seeing how they come together.

Unearthed Nahuatl

Genre: Single-player FPS
Made with: TrenchBroom over one week
The map can be found in this pack: https://www.slipseer.com/index.php?resources/unused-jam.73/
Summary: Made for the “Unused Textures” one-week speedmap event in February, 2021. This is a mostly traditional Quake map built with many textures that went “unused” in Quake 1’s final release. I chose to create a stone temple with a central hub that branches off into many corridors and side rooms. The map requires the player to not only do well in combat but also have moderate platforming and puzzle-solving skills. This is one of the longer and most polished jam maps I have made for Quake so far.

Designs on Jerry

Genre: Single-player FPS
Made with: Trenchbroom over two days.
The map can be found in this pack: https://www.quaddicted.com/reviews/sm206.html
Summary: Made for the “Prototype Textures” speedmap jam event in February, 2020. This is a “rat map”, i.e. a map where the player inhabits a human space from the point of view of a small creature. It takes place entirely inside a small dining room. I felt that the required colorful prototype texture pack complimented the simple, blocky shapes to sell the rat map look. The idea stemmed from the moment I created a triangular ramp using a bright yellow texture and realized it looked like a block of cheese. While it was made quickly, the map is still very charming and memorable and has some fun secrets. The title is taken from a Tom & Jerry cartoon of the same name in which Tom tries to design a better mouse trap.