The Underground Met Gala of Concrete: Welcome to the Quake Brutalist Game Jam
Deep within a concrete murderzone lies a secret underground world - or rather, a digital one. The Quake Brutalist Game Jam is an event where passionate game developers and enthusiasts come together to create new maps and missions themed around brutalist architecture. This year's jam has seen 77 brutalist-themed maps created in just six weeks.
The brainchild of Ben Hale, a professional game developer, and Fairweather, a veteran modder, the jam was inspired by a set of concrete textures designed by Hale for Quake. The event quickly gained popularity, with the first jam producing 35 levels in two-and-a-half weeks. The second jam ran in 2023, spawning an additional 30 grey levels.
This year's iteration has taken the concept to new heights - or rather, depths. The jam has seen a total conversion of Quake, resulting in almost every available weapon being new or heavily modified. Enemies have also been redesigned and reimagined, with some even featuring entirely new foes.
The featured map, Escape from KOE-37, is an epic three-hour affair that pays homage to Half-Life. Created by Mazu, a veteran of the Quake mapping community, this map showcases the remarkable work done by the community in preserving a lost art form - complex 3D maze design.
Events like the Quake Brutalist Game Jam are keeping traditional game design alive and thriving. With games like Arcane Dimensions and The Immortal Lock pushing the boundaries of virtual architecture, it's clear that the genre is far from dead.
The jam has also become a platform for newcomers to get involved in mapping and modding. This year's start map features a dedicated section for those with little experience. On the other end of the spectrum, industry professionals like Robert Yang have contributed their expertise to the event.
Yang's contribution, One Need Not Be a House, is an open-ended map that blends elements from Myst and Halo: Combat Evolved. For him, the jam represents a socialist utopia where handcrafted video games are a free public good that brings people together.
As for Ben Hale and his team, they plan to take a break from modding and mapping for Quake to focus on creating their own game. After years of participating in the event, it's clear that the Quake Brutalist Game Jam has become an integral part of their creative journey.
Deep within a concrete murderzone lies a secret underground world - or rather, a digital one. The Quake Brutalist Game Jam is an event where passionate game developers and enthusiasts come together to create new maps and missions themed around brutalist architecture. This year's jam has seen 77 brutalist-themed maps created in just six weeks.
The brainchild of Ben Hale, a professional game developer, and Fairweather, a veteran modder, the jam was inspired by a set of concrete textures designed by Hale for Quake. The event quickly gained popularity, with the first jam producing 35 levels in two-and-a-half weeks. The second jam ran in 2023, spawning an additional 30 grey levels.
This year's iteration has taken the concept to new heights - or rather, depths. The jam has seen a total conversion of Quake, resulting in almost every available weapon being new or heavily modified. Enemies have also been redesigned and reimagined, with some even featuring entirely new foes.
The featured map, Escape from KOE-37, is an epic three-hour affair that pays homage to Half-Life. Created by Mazu, a veteran of the Quake mapping community, this map showcases the remarkable work done by the community in preserving a lost art form - complex 3D maze design.
Events like the Quake Brutalist Game Jam are keeping traditional game design alive and thriving. With games like Arcane Dimensions and The Immortal Lock pushing the boundaries of virtual architecture, it's clear that the genre is far from dead.
The jam has also become a platform for newcomers to get involved in mapping and modding. This year's start map features a dedicated section for those with little experience. On the other end of the spectrum, industry professionals like Robert Yang have contributed their expertise to the event.
Yang's contribution, One Need Not Be a House, is an open-ended map that blends elements from Myst and Halo: Combat Evolved. For him, the jam represents a socialist utopia where handcrafted video games are a free public good that brings people together.
As for Ben Hale and his team, they plan to take a break from modding and mapping for Quake to focus on creating their own game. After years of participating in the event, it's clear that the Quake Brutalist Game Jam has become an integral part of their creative journey.
I'm so hyped about this underground gaming jam 
! The way these devs & enthusiasts come together to create crazy Quake maps is pure genius 
! Who knew brutalist architecture could be so cool? 
It's awesome that events like this keep traditional game design alive 
. I mean, we're not just playing games anymore – we're building entire worlds 
! And it's not just pros joining in; newcomers can learn & share their skills too 
. This jam is a true community effort 
! Now, if only they'd let me try out these maps on my gaming rig... 
Can't wait to see what Ben Hale & his team come up with next! 
and I am STOKED!!! Ben Hale and Fairweather are total legends for creating this underground world where devs can get crazy with maps and mods 
. Can't wait to see what Ben Hale and his team come up with next... maybe even a new game 
I'm so curious about this Quake Brutalist Game Jam! 77 maps in just six weeks? That's like a marathon session for me, but I guess game devs have more stamina 
. How do they even manage to create these brutalist-themed maps with such high detail? And what's the deal with the jam being inspired by a set of concrete textures designed by Ben Hale? Did he just wake up one day and think "you know what would be awesome? A Quake game made entirely out of concrete"? 
. I wonder if they'll release any of these maps as standalone games or DLCs. That would be epic! 
ben hale is a genius btw 
the community is so passionate about preserving 3d maze design it's amazing to see how far they've come. and the fact that newcomers can join in on the fun too is awesome 
plus they got industry pros like robert yang involved which is just wow 
️ the community is so talented theyre making quake feel like a whole new game again 
Mazu's escape from koe-37 map is straight fire 
anyway its awesome to see ppl keeping quake alive and modding is still a thing 
. All in all, this underground gaming scene is just a dream come true for gamers who love a good challenge 
just saw this underground gaming thingy called the Quake Brutalist Game Jam... 77 maps created in 6 weeks? 
this quake brutalist game jam is insane 
ben hale & fairweather are total legends 
. The fact that 77 maps were created in just six weeks is mind-blowing! It's amazing to see how passionate game developers and enthusiasts come together to create something new and exciting. I mean, who wouldn't want to play a map that's like a love letter to Half-Life? 
but overall, the quake brutalist game jam is definitely a highlight of my gaming year 
i'm so stoked to see traditional game design still thriving with events like this. it's awesome to see newcomers getting involved too, especially with a dedicated section for those with little experience 
ben hale and his team must be so proud of what they've created... can't wait to check out one need not be a house