E1M1: The Slipgate Complex

The Slipgate Complex is the first level of the Dimension of the Doomed. The level serves as a relatively gentle introduction to the gameplay of Quake (even on harder skill settings). It consists of two buildings with a small River between them. The smaller building is where the player starts and it is relatively safer. The larger building is where most of the action takes place - it features several larger rooms, a large Slime pool, and a series of platforms above it.

The only enemies found in this level are Rottweilers and Grunts, which can be easily dispatched with the Shotgun and, later, the Double-Barrelled Shotgun or Nailgun. The Secrets are also easy to find, often having two ways of accessing if the first way is missed.

This level was referred to as JRBASE1 during development. A version of this map was released on May 18, 1996 alongside the source code for QuakeEd. This version was untextured, but can be easily retextured by modifying the .MAP file to reference the BASE.WAD texture file.

Quick Level Completion

 * Take first left and ride Elevator down. Cross the bridge and enter the building.
 * Follow the path left to pool of Slime and push Button to reveal bridge.
 * Follow path down ramp whilst pressing three Buttons to open the door at the bottom.
 * Follow corridor to exit.

Walkthrough
Proceed forward and head through the archway straight ahead to reach the next room. Turn right, then head to the ledge straight ahead. Jump onto the ledge, then turn right to hit a Wall (#1) . Turn around, then return to the floor below. Head to the raised ledge, then turn right to reach a platform. Jump to the ledge straight ahead while ignoring the Door to the right. Turn right, then follow the platform to reach a small alcove while collecting the Shells. Turn right to proceed down the alcove and collect the Green Armor at the end. Return to the Door you previously ignored and go through it. Proceed forward to reach an Elevator, press the Button straight ahead to lower it. At the bottom, turn right to reach an outdoor section. A Button to your right allows for you to lower the Elevator again if needed. Proceed forward to reach a bridge. Turn right and head to the wall to collect two 25 Health, then return to the bridge and cross it to reach the opposite side. Kill the Rottweiler and Grunt. Ignore the Door straight ahead and instead proceed to the upper left corner of the outer section to collect the 15 Health. Return to the bridge, then drop to the left or right side to reach the Water below. Turn left, then head through the archway to reach the next section. Follow the Water to the right, then to your left. Head up a flight of steps to the left to collect a 100 Health (#2) . Follow the Water as it heads to the left, then turn right and head to the wall. Turn right once more, then proceed forward to reach an Elevator. Proceed up the Elevator to reach a Wall straight ahead that will open to allow access back to the alcove with the Green Armor.

Return to the previously ignored Door and go through it. Kill the Grunt that patrols in this section and hit the Radioactive Container beside the wall opposite the Door. Turn right to head to a small section containing a pillar. Collect the Shells in the lower left corner. Turn right, then proceed forward to reach the corner overlooked by a ledge. Turn around, then look to your left to hit a Globe, which will cause the section of Floor you are standing on to rise. Turn around once more, then collect the 15 Health in the corner to the left. Hit the Wall to your left with a globe to reveal an alcove beyond  (#3) . Return to the entrance of the pillar section, then head past the Door. Collect the 15 Health to your right, then head up the small flight of stairs. Turn right at the top, then cross the room while ascending another flight of stairs and killing a Grunt. Ignore the staircase to your right and instead go on the Elevator to the left. Turn around at the top, then follow the platform to the opposite side. Turn left, then cross the bridge to reach a small room. Collect the Nailgun in the middle of the room, which will cause the lights to turn off and for the Wall straight ahead to open to reveal an alcove. Kill the Grunt in the alcove and the Nails on the ledge overlooking the alcove, the latter will cause the lights to come back on. Return to the previously ignored staircase and head up it. Turn right to look over a pit of Slime, then press the Button on the right wall. Turn left, a Ledge was extended when you hit the Button. Cross the ledge to kill 2 Grunts. Return to the middle of the ledge, then turn right to hit a Shootable Button. A Wall will open in the upper right corner to reveal a small alcove  (#4) . Turn right to cross the ledge once more, then proceed through the archway, continuing forward to reach a wall.

Turn right, then proceed forward down a small staircase. A Wall to the right allows access to  (#3) . Proceed forward to reach a ramp as a light comes on in the room. Head down the ramp, then continue straight ahead to press a Button. Turn left to kill a Grunt, then head down the ramp straight ahead. The light will turn on as you step onto the ramp, proceed down it to hit another Button. Turn left to head down another ramp with another light that turns on, then collect the 15 Health at the bottom while pressing the Button. Jump onto the ledge to the right, then leap to the light to the left, then turn left to walk onto the Button. Jump to the platform to your right, then turn left to ascend the series of platforms. Turn right at the top to reach a small alcove  (#5 . Turn left, then return to the floor below as a light turns on behind you. Turn around to descend the ramp, then turn left at the bottom to descend another ramp. Kill the Grunt at the bottom. Collect the Biosuit behind the structure to your right, then turn around to jump into the Slime. Turn around once more, then cross the room to the opposite side. Go through the doorway to your left, then turn left and follow the tunnel to the end. Turn right to follow the next section of Slime tunnel, then follow it to the opposite end. Rise out of the Slime through the hole in the ceiling to reach the platform above  (#1) , (#6) . Return to the bottom of the series of ramps. Go through the doorway straight ahead, this previously contained a Door that was opened by the 3 Buttons in this room. Turn left, then head down the corridor and collect the 15 Health at the end. Turn right, then head up a ramp to kill a Grunt. Collect the Nails to your left beside a Crate, the 15 Health a little further up to your left, and the 25 Health to your right. A Wall by the 25 Health allows for access to  (#2) . Turn left, then proceed straight ahead to reach the Slipgate by a series of Crates.

Differences from Easy to Normal

 * A Grunt is on the starting area Elevator
 * A Grunt  and Rottweiler  pair is by the Radioactive Container
 * A Rottweiler  is next to the Elevator with the Grunt  and Slime.
 * A Rottweiler  is on the catwalk by the Nailgun 
 * A 3rd Grunt  is added to the area across the Slime 
 * A Grunt  between the Slime room and the 1st Button.
 * Another Grunt between the 3rd Button and the Biosuit  room.
 * A Grunt  just in front of the exit Door to the spiraling staircase room.
 * A Grunt just behind the exit Door to the spiraling staircase room.
 * A Grunt and Rottweiler pair is between the exit Door to the spiraling staircase and the Slipgate.
 * A 2nd Grunt  is next to the Slipgate.

Differences from Normal to Hard/Nightmare

 * A Grunt is next to the alcove that contains  (#1) 
 * A Grunt is in the doorway that leads to the Green Armor
 * In the Water room, a Grunt is located on the side the room is entered to the left. Also there are 2 more Grunts  on the opposite side, 1 straight across the bridge and 1 to the right.
 * A Grunt  is located at  (#2) .
 * By the Pillar leading to  (#3)  there is a Grunt  on the near wall.
 * A Rottweiler  is located to the left of the Radioactive Container room.
 * A Grunt  is with the Rottweiler on the catwalk by the Nailgun
 * A Grunt  is in the room with the Nailgun  before it is taken
 * 2nd Grunt  appears when the Nailgun  is taken
 * A 4th and 5th Grunt are added to the area across the Slime
 * A 2nd Grunt  is between the 1st and 2nd Button.
 * A Rottweiler  is added with the Grunts between the 3rd Button and the Biosuit room.
 * A Grunt  is located at  (#5) .
 * A 2nd Rottweiler  added to the final Grunt  and Rottweiler  pair.
 * A 3rd and 4th Grunt are next to the Slipgate.

Differences

 * Nailgun in first hallway
 * Nails on wooden platform leading to Green Armor
 * Double-Barrelled Shotgun on bridge
 * Rockets below the catwalk
 * Rockets and Shells in Nailgun room, Nailgun replaced with Rocket Launcher
 * No Buttons to unlock final Door.
 * Super Nailgun at final turn of giant staircase
 * Grenade Launcher and Rockets at  (#6) . Area after Teleporter has Pentagram of Protection.

Spawn Locations

 * By exit Slipgate
 * By start Slipgate
 * By  (#3)  pillar
 * By pit of Slime
 * On stairs where first Button would have been

Trivia

 * The original name for this level was JRBASE1, signifying it was the first idBase map by John Romero.
 * The level originally would start with the player in the outside area at the spot the Elevator lands. The first building was added to show off some of the 3D aspects and allow the player to jump more.
 * As this level was designed to be the first serious level of play, it is intended to give players the ability to get used to the mechanics. The Water under the bridge, for example, starts out shallow before getting deeper. This gives players the ability to get used to swimming in a relatively safe environment.
 * There are more hints given to the player in this level than in later maps, logically due to this being the first level of actual gameplay. The first secret tells the player they can shoot a Movable Wall. Jumping across to the Green Armor alcove presents the player with another message.
 * John Romero designed this level in a similar fashion to other "first level" maps of the time, creating a basic horseshoe shape where the exit is relatively close to the start but requires the player to go around in a "U" shape to reach it. This style was initially created by John Romero for E1M1: The Hangar in Doom. Other levels that have this horseshoe shape include E1F1 of Wolfenstein 3D, Map01: Entryway, made by Sandy Petersen for Doom II, and E1M1: The Docks for Heretic.
 * Another golden design rule of John Romero was that the levels had to be impossible to make in the previous engine. As the big focus on this engine was the use of full 3D, the ceilings were designed with more detail than those found in the Doom series. Other 3D features of this level include the Moving Platform near the Slime that give a visual appearance that it could be moved or walked on, the sloped ramps with the three Buttons, and the 5th Secret with the 100 Health.
 * Another showcased feature was the usage of triggered lights, such as the lights that turned on as the player would descend down the ramps with the three Buttons. Triggered lights were built directly into the engine, meaning that it was rather simple to implement.

JRBASE1 Differences

 * No Quad Damage in  (#3) . Instead, the Yellow Armor is located here, which means there was none located in  (#6) . The Quad Damage is located in the exit room, meaning the player would need to kill most opponents to reach it.
 * The Movable Wall over the Slime is temporary. There is a Button on the far side to slide it across once more.
 * The Crates had a more plain texturing.
 *  (#5)  was worthless to reach on Hard, due to the lack of a 100 Health.
 * The Teleporter in  (#6)  was textured differently. It used the same texture that was used by the sky.

Differences in Quake 64

 * 1) No pillars under catwalk to Nailgun and in spiraling ramp room
 * 2) No (#5). Grunt on Hard/Nightmare will be on railing but no 100 Health