File:DMAS02 - DeCarlo

Description
We reach the place where it all began. THRED, the level design software used to make this Add-on, was designed in this building. Being a level based on a real-life model, it comes as no surprise that it mainly consists of a lower and upper floor hub with some side rooms.

Interestingly, we get something similar to what we experienced back in Dark Hour. Though this is a Deathmatch level, we get two Enemies in this level which makes me play it in Singleplayer mode. I don't get what the point of these Enemies are, I guess they are a nice touch to keep me from getting bored from running through level geometry.

Though based on a real life location, Gregory A. MacMartin did change quite a few things in his conversion to it being a Quake level. Beyond the practical additions of Weapons and Ammo, plus the odd addition of Enemies, we get a hidden room found by swimming through a toilet or what I assume is a sink. Furthermore, the upstairs portion has several Teleporters and a pool of Water which allows for quick access to different rooms. Textures are different, they use the same ones we have seen in previous levels. Doors have been removed, this allows for a faster paced environment. The desks in the office also were not created, probably because they would have gotten in the way during heated combat.

This level is probably one of my favorites of the Add-on so far. It is very simplistic in texturing, but at the same time it is varied enough not to be a Q2 level. The stairs, toilets, and skylights are heavily detailed and pretty impressive based on how hard it is to create anything with THRED. The level is based on a small townhouse, though the developer was smart enough to change enough around so that the combat would not be slowed. This level has amazing connectivity, almost every room connects to another in some fashion. An End Tunnel still exists for whatever reason, though it is placed behind a Door on a side with little to nothing of interest; this means that it is unlikely that a player would accidentally blunder into it like the previous example. Overall, an impressive effort and one that I think would make for a great Deathmatch environment.