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"Deathmatch Dimension is an eight level take on a concept that many of us have had when first playing Quake: what if you took the deathmatch levels, and made them full single player experiences? The answer, in this case, is you get an excellent map set that is one of the best takes that goes well beyond most imaginations. Each level is based on a different deathmatch level, including the two extra levels in this release of Quake, Acrophobia and The Edge. They are not simple conversions with enemies dropped in, but entirely new spaces, extending beyond the original map's bounds, and with modern mapping standards. All these new spaces are instantly recognizable, with clever callbacks to the original architecture abound, and it delights in answering that childhood question while exploring levels and wondering what could've been behind this locked door, or behind an inaccessible wall."
— Addons mod description in the 2021 remastered edition of Quake
Deathmatch Dimension is a 10-level Quake episode mod initially released on June 9, 2023, by Andrew "Than" Palmer.
Taking inspiration from DOOM level remixes and the original Quake's single-player levels being Deathmatch-compatible, Deathmatch Dimension answers the question "What if Quake's Deathmatch levels were single-player-compatible?". More than simple level conversions with enemies dropped in, each multiplayer map has been completely overhauled with unique level themes and extensive environmental details, to the point that one probably wouldn't be able to tell that these were initially simple multiplayer maps.
On August 10, 2023, the mod was added as a downloadable addon
for the 2021 Quake remaster in conjunction with the release of the Quake II remaster during QuakeCon 2023, with an interview of its creator following suit.
The addon is comprised of the levels "Deathmatch Dimension", "It Begins with Two Deaths", "Hemophobopolis", "The Occupied Base", "The Bad Palace", "Round the U-Bend", "The Dark Portal", "Geophobia", "The Edge of Oblivion" and "Sludge Refinery".
This episode mod and its 2021 Remastered edition addon version show examples of the following tropes:
- Brick Joke: A message accompanying one of the secrets within "It Begins with Two Deaths" rewards the player with green armor, chastising the player to "Be grateful it's not a rotten health!". If the player finds the aforementioned unmarked secret in "Sludge Refinery", they are rewarded with a health pickup... that has gone rotten.
- Creator Cameo: Episode creator Than makes an appearance in the unmarked secret of "Sludge Refinery", congratulating the player on finding the secret and rewarding them with a health pickup, for which he apologises for letting it go rotten.
- Easter Egg: Most of the episode's levels contain one unmarked secret.
- Final Boss: Shub-Niggurath oversees the central courtyard of "DMD8 - The Edge of Oblivion". She's destroyed by the level's end, with the player smashing through her underside and exiting via the slipgate suspended above her.
- Harder Than Hard: The Nightmare difficulty button is located alongside the other difficulty selection pillars, but is blocked off by a large stone. A button hidden in a room directly beneath the pillars (visible from a grate in the floor) destroys this stone and is accessible from the right of the exterior walkway.
- Hub Level: "Deathmatch Dimension", comprised of a subterranean bastion with only the central chamber initially accessible, containing the difficulty selection buttons and a slipgate to play through the whole episode. Completing the episode closes off the first portal but opens up two doors on either side of the room, allowing the player to revisit each of the levels independently
- Mid-Boss: Chthon is encountered in the penultimate fight of "DMD6 - The Dark Portal", having arrived through and destroyed the eponymous Dark Portal following its activation and subsequent purging.
- Remixed Level: All the playable levels are remixed versions of Deathmatch maps:
- "DMD1 - It Begins with Two Deaths" - "dm1: The Place of Two Deaths".
- "DMD2 - Hemophobopolis" - "dm2: Claustrophobopolis".
- "DMD3 - The Occupied Base" - "dm3: The Abandoned Base".
- "DMD4 - The Bad Palace" - "dm4: The Bad Place".
- "DMD5 - Round the U-Bend" - "dm5: The Cistern".
- "DMD6 - The Dark Portal" - "dm6: The Dark Zone".
- "DMD7 - Geophobia" - "dm8: Acrophobia".
- "DMD8 - The Edge of Oblivion" - "dm7: The Edge".
- Secret Level: "Sludge Refinery". The level is entered from "Hemophobopolis", the secret exit hidden directly behind the main level exit. In the final arena, the player must first activate two switches hidden above & below the chain suspending the arena floor, activating a panel that raises up & temporarily blocks the exit slipgate. From there, the player is swept into the panel and drops to the room below, where they can then access the secret exit via a lift at the other end of the room.
- Updated Re-release: The episode originally began life as a series of standalone "Deathmatch Remix" maps, with "The Occupied Base" (dm3rmx), "Geophobia" (dm7rmx) and "Round the U-Bend" (dm5rmx) being released on July 19, 2006, June 7, 2012 and December 10, 2012 respectively. All three standalone maps were rereleased as part of Deathmatch Dimension's initial public release, with Than utilising the Trenchbroom editor to add colored lighting and general polish to them.
