Recap / Quake Rubicon 2

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"Rubicon 2 is a three map episode released in 2011 by the duo of metlslime and czg. Both longtime veterans of the Quake community, with source ports, websites, and countless maps under their belt, Rubicon 2 would come about as a result of their collaboration. Taking a more sci-fi and industrial approach to the maps, Rubicon 2 makes heavy use of the base Quake theme, but its use of new textures creates a distinct look for itself. The most notable addition in Rubicon 2 is the new enemies. While the first release was limited to the grunt, enforcer, and dogs, Rubicon 2 extends the bestiary with new thematically appropriate opponents: the flamethrower-wielding Dreadnaught is lethal at close range, the Centurions who will shoot nails from a flying platform, and Automatons who will detonate on death. Some new gameplay elements are also present, with the addition of ladders, steam vents, and lasers, an early example of how single player add-ons can extend the classic Quake gameplay with some sensible additions. Rubicon 2 has been highly regarded since release, becoming one of the essential add-ons in community recommendations."

— Addons mod description in the 2021 remastered edition of Quake

Rubicon 2 is a three-level Quake episode mod originally released on November 2, 2011, by John "metlslime" Fitzgibbons and Christian "czg" Grawert (of MachineGames, Honey and Terra fame).

The mod's levels feature large, sci-fi industrial complexes, featuring original sounds & models that expand on the military/sci-fi aspects of Quake and its "idbase" level theme. In a notable first for a Quake addon, Rubicon 2 also includes new enemies that accompany Quake's terrestrial foes^note Rottwielers, Grunts & Enforcers; flamethrower-wielding Dreadnoughts, airborne Centurions & laser-shooting Automatons.

On August 18, 2022, the mod was added as a downloadable addon for the 2021 Quake Remaster, with an interview of its creators following suit.

The addon is comprised of the levels "Welcome to Rubicon 2", "Hydroexpurgation Plant", "Subterranean Spookworks" and "A Thousand Years into the Past".

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The addon and its 2021 Remastered edition version show examples of the following tropes:

• Airborne Mook: Centurions are nailgun-wielding Enforcers that float around levels on flying platforms & are usually encountered outdoors.
• Close-Range Combatant: Dreadnought flamethrowers are deliberately short-ranged, with the enemy possessing no other ranged attacks beyond it.
• Defeat Equals Explosion: Automatons explode upon being killed.
• Energy Weapon: Automatons are armed with three laser cannons embedded into their chest, beneath their visor-like "eye".
• Faceless Goons: Much like the Enforcers that their models are based on, Dreadnoughts & Centurions wear full biosuits with tinted helmet visors.
• Harder Than Hard: The Nightmare difficulty button is located on the second-level catwalk of the "Level 02" room accessible from the river. The catwalk itself is accessed via a pipe from the room containing the slipgate to "Hydroexpurgation Plant", the entrance of which is located behind a destructible grate in the slime pit beneath the slipgate. This pit also contains a Biosuit necessary for traversing the pipe without expiring.
• Hub Level: The aptly named "Welcome to Rubicon 2".
• Playing with Fire: Dreadnoughts are flamethrower-wielding Enforcers.
• Shout-Out:
  • The Dreadnoughts' melee-focused gameplay loop is patterned after the Strogg Enforcers from Quake II.
  • The Centurions take their name & flying disc-based locomotion from the Air Centurions featured in the 1987 ''Masters of the Universe'' film.
  • The Automatons are directly inspired by the Work Robots from Super Metroid.
• Tin-Can Robot: The Security Automatons evoke this, being little more than enclosed metal cylinders on stubby, flexi-tube legs.
• Unusable Enemy Equipment: The Dreadnoughts' flamethrowers & the Centurions' nailguns cannot be acquired when killed.

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