The Abandoned Base is the third Deathmatch level of Quake and the only one designed by John Romero. According to Romero, this was the first level of Deathmatch Arena to be designed; he dates completion of this map back to January 17, 1996 [1].
Its name comes from it being the only level of the idBase Level Theme that doesn't have Enemies due to it being a Deathmatch level. The level is considerably large and has every Weapon in the game, plus nearly all the Powerups. This level does not have a Rune or Key due to being a Deathmatch level, but also is lacking a Biosuit or Green Armor. This level is one of the most popular Deathmatch maps packaged in the game. Due to the large size and balanced Weapons or Powerups, this level is considered by the majority of the Multiplayer community to be the best map for Team Deathmatches and Clan Wars.
This level was ported from Qtest with a few little changes between the two versions. At 928 KB, this is the largest map made for Deathmatch Arena, being 41 KB larger than DM2: Claustrophobopolis.
Spawn Locations
- At end of Teleporter Hallway, looking into Computer Room.
- Corridor leading to Pit Room from Main Staircase Room.
- Under staircase of Three Pillar Room.
- Windowed alcove overlooking Large Water Room.
- At end of Teleporter Hallway, looking into Main Staircase Room.
- Hole at top of series of 3 Elevators in Courtyard, leads to hallway between the Computer Room and upper floor of Pit Room.
Important Item Locations
Weapons
- Double-Barrelled Shotgun - Between third and fourth light of Three Pillar Room.
- Nailgun - On bottom floor, in the center of the Main Staircase Room.
- Super Nailgun - Top of computers in Computer Room.
- Grenade Launcher In Water of Large Water Room on wall by underwater tunnel near Pit Room.
- Rocket Launcher - In windowed alcove overlooking Large Water Room.
- Thunderbolt - In Water near center of Large Water Room.
Powerups
- Ring of Shadows - On Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor of Pit Room.
- Quad Damage - On Three Pillar Room/Window Room side of second floor of Pit Room.
- Pentagram of Protection - At middle of Courtyard.
- 100 Health - On alcove in Computer Room, accessed by jumping from top of computers.
- 100 Health - On small hill on the lower floor of the Pit Room.
- 100 Health - Raised platform of Courtyard, reached by following the edge of the room.
- Yellow Armor - In alcove under second floor platform of Three Pillar Room.
- Red Armor - At top of staircase in Main Staircase Room.
Room-By-Room Summarization
DM3 - The Abandoned Base
Computer Room
- 100 Health in alcove accessed by jumping from top of computers.
- Super Nailgun on top of computers.
- Shells on upper pathway.
- Shells in computer maze on near side of 100 Health.
- Nails in computer maze on far side of 100 Health.
- Nails on top of computers.
- Rockets in center of computer maze.
- Rockets on top of computers.
- 25 Health and 15 Health in computer corner opposite upper pathway on far side of 100 Health.
- 25 Health and 15 Health in computer maze on near side of 100 Health.
Teleporter Hallway
- Nails by Main Staircase Room.
- Cells by entrance to Computer Room.
- 25 Health at bend in corridor leading to Computer Room.
- Teleporter in middle of corridor leads to Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor of Pit Room..
Main Staircase Room
- Red Armor at top of staircase.
- Nailgun in center of bottom floor.
- Shells on bottom floor between staircase and pillar.
- Shells between middle and upper floor of staircase.
- Shells in on middle of small staircase in corridor leading to Pit Room.
- Nails on middle floor of staircase near upper stairs.
- Nails in corridor leading to Pit Room.
- Rockets behind divider leading to Teleporter Hallway.
Pit Room
- Ring of Shadows on Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor.
- Quad Damage on Three Pillar Room/Window Room side of second floor.
- 100 Health on small hill on the lower floor.
- Shells on Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor.
- Shells on Three Pillar Room/Window Room side of second floor.
- Nails on Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor.
- Nails on Three Pillar Room/Window Room side of second floor.
- Rockets on Main Staircase Room/Computer Room side of second floor.
- Rockets on Three Pillar Room/Window Room side of second floor.
Large Water Room
- Grenade Launcher in Water on wall by underwater tunnel near Pit Room.
- Rocket Launcher in windowed alcove overlooking Water Room.
- Thunderbolt in Water near center of room.
- Shells at intersection of second floor platform.
- Nails on platform leading to Pit Room.
- Nails in windowed alcove overlooking Water Room.
- 2 Nails in Water on wall by underwater tunnel near windowed alcove.
- Rockets and Cells in Water on wall opposite underwater tunnel near staircase.
- Cells in Water on wall opposite underwater tunnel near Pit Room.
Three Pillar Room
- Yellow Armor in alcove under second floor platform.
- Double-Barrelled Shotgun between third and fourth light.
- Shells on second floor platform leading to Pit Room.
- Rockets at bottom of staircase.
- 15 Health between first and second light.
- 25 Health under staircase.
- Teleporter in alcove under second floor platform leads to Window Room.
Window Room
- Window overlooks and allows easy access to Courtyard.
Courtyard
- Pentagram of Protection in middle of room.
- 100 Health on raised platform, reached by following the edge of the room.
- Water leads to Large Water Room.
- A series of 3 Elevators leads to a hole where the player can drop in between the Computer Room and upper floor of Pit Room.
Trivia
- According to John Romero, when given a choice, people often tend to take the path that goes to the right (it is assumed this has something to due with the majority of people being right handed). A skilled player can take advantage of this fact, creating a strategy to exploit this weakness. This was extremely common in DM3: The Abandoned Base in the alcove with the Yellow Armor. The skilled player could force another player underneath the stairs and into the Teleporter. Upon teleporting, the lesser skilled player will take a right, heading towards the Quad Damage. The skilled player, knowing this, could head up the staircase by the Double-Barrelled Shotgun. At the entrance to the Quad Damage side of the Pit Room, the skilled player could fire their Rocket Launcher and most likely hit the unskilled player who would be entering the opposite side of the Pit Room. [2]
- The Slipgates in Quake were originally intended to be more elaborate to be "powered" by a Cray supercomputer. A deal was made with Cray that id Software would get one for $500k as long as the supercomputer was put in Quake, preferably all over the place. When the company was bought out in February of 1996 by SGI, Silicon Graphics, Inc, the deal was cancelled. The computer room was designed as a homage to the dream of working with a supercomputer. [3]
- This level was referred to as JRBASE3 during development.
- Originally, the level was supposed to be part of Single Player.
Changes from Qtest
- The Yellow Armor room has no Teleporter.
- The hall connecting the Super Nailgun room and the Red Armor room has no Teleporter.
- The Nailgun and Rocket Launcher locations have been switched.
- The file name is test3.bsp.
Gallery
John Romero’s original sketch. The original name (jrbase3) exists in this sketch.
References
| DM2: Claustrophobopolis | Quake Levels | DM4: The Bad Place |