Arcane Dimensions was created by a large community team of level designers, artists and coders over many years and the latest version has finally been released. This mod is all about projectile combat, breakable environments and encouraging all players to become multi dimensional explorers!
The mod features 30+ richly detailed and uniquely themed environments to explore and a whole new army of monsters to test your skill and reflexes along the way. The beginning of the mod is full of portals in all directions that are visually themed by what lies beyond their black star veils. There is no fixed order or preferred path to how you explore this mod, the choice is yours.
There are regular updates to the mod every couple of years with new content and there is a massive community over at the Quake mapping discord that can help with creating your own dimensions. Most map editors are supported with special config files and there are various packs of test maps to show new features and documentation is included within the main download.
Articles
It has been a long journey from the first release back in 2015 to the latest version 1.8 that came out a couple of months ago. What started as a small project to replace all hitscan weapons with projectiles eventually turned into a mod with new weapons to find, many monsters to fight and a large collection of maps to explore created by a small team of dedicated Quake fans.
Arcane Dimensions 1.42 was trying to be an alternative universe where Quake Ranger could explore giant maps and fight new monsters. With loads of updated models, a new code base and a more compact style of start map (portals were themed based on what lies beyond), AD was trying to feel like quake but different. There was also visual updates with particles, skyboxes and better lighting from the latest compilers and plenty of new game play features like breakables that monsters could use just as well as Ranger!
Eventually AD 1.50 came out with even bigger maps to explore and a brand new list of features for the community to find and enjoy. Each new map was a complete dimension, full of surprising events, nooks and crannies to explore and plenty of replayability with multiple routes and different setups.
After several years of releasing screenshots and gnashing of teeth with technical problems, AD 1.6/1.7 came out with the final last chapter map, the Forgotten Sepulcher. A map so complex and limit breaking that it initially required its own engine and special compiler tools to cope with all the new features.
With the Lost Chapters complete and only bugs remaining this was suppose to be the end of AD, however more features got added over time and more limit breaking maps were developed and eventually AD 1.8 was a thing worth releasing. Featuring new giant non linear maps to explore and a new special set of Castlevania style powerups to collect, hopefully more players will discover Arcane Dimensions.
Arcane Dimension 1.8
News 27 commentsAfter a couple of years of development, Arcane Dimensions 1.8 has arrived with new maps to play and many more features to discover!
20th Anniversary - In-Universe Excellence
Feature 25 commentsWhen franchise owners don't deliver, modders pick up the slack, like these twenty fan-driven mods that add stories to the universes we love to explore.
The Making of Grendels' Blade
Feature 8 commentsHow a small doodle map inspired by DM4 turned into a vanilla only texture project spiraling around a gigantic sword!
Top 10 Mapper Hints
FeatureThis guide is aimed at level designers who want to create their first Arcane Dimensions map and release it to the community.
Files
Arcane Dimensions 1.80 with patch 1
Full Version 77 commentsArcane Dimensions version 1.8 with Patch 1 included
AD 1.8.1 Map Variables
TutorialA small collection of test map showing how map variables in Arcane Dimensions 1.8+ work. These maps are aimed at level designers who want working examples...
AD 1.8.1 Chaos Test Map 1
Tutorial 2 commentsA small test map designed for Chaos mode in Arcane Dimensions 1.8+ which is aimed at level designers who want to know how the new system works.
AD 1.8.1 Test Map Pack
TutorialCollection of 60+ test maps for Arcane Dimensions 1.8+ aimed at level designers who want to know how the new features work.
AD 1.7+ Source maps
Tutorial 11 commentsCollection of source maps for Arcane Dimensions 1.7+ aimed at level designers who want to know how stuff works in the released maps.
Arcane Dimensions 1.70
Full Version 1 commentArcane Dimensions 1.70 is not the latest version. Uploaded for archive reasons
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Having some trouble with music playback. I don't hear anything in the background no matter what map I'm on. I'm using vkQuake sourceport with Quake on Steam(not the Kex Engine of course)
I skiped last few years and do not track any updates.
Could you say, is AD compatible with remastered version?
AD 1.81 was not really designed for the KexEngine (Enhanced). Even though some maps will work, its not 100% guaranteed that everything will be fine. I would recommend using either Quakespasm or the VulKan engines.
I found this article on reddit claiming that the remaster will fully support AD now. (https://www.reddit.com/r/quake/comments/wu8dt5/with_the_newest_update_of_quake_remastered_you/). Do you know anything about this? If not, do you have an updated list of quake source ports that can run AD without issues?
Any plans for a 1.9 release with some newer AD maps integrated into the hub area? Because running them separately kinda breaks the immersion.
P.S. This runs really well on vkquake.
Sorry, I have no plans to do anymore AD versions.
Arcane Dimensions is an absolute work of art. It contains some of the best levels ever created for the original Quake. Thank you for your amazing work. It would be great if you could give us more!
Thanks for the compliment, AD certainly did have a great team of level designers. If you are wanting more AD content, there are tons of extra stuff released over at Quaddicted. Link+filter = Quaddicted.com
I just tried playing Arcane Dimensions with Ironwail, I just don't like how close the split HUD is to the middle of the screen
The default HUD is 4 (doom style) which can appear different depending on what client is used, some clients will reduce the space in the middle while others are fine. My personal favourite is HUD layout 5 with all HUD elements locked to sides of the screen instead. The HUD layout can be changed either by editing the CONFIG.RC file (just need text editor like notepad) or using the key binding H to cycle through the different HUD versions available.
There is an article on this site showing all the different HUD changes - Moddb.com
AD supports several different HUD layouts! Please read the fine manual how to switch between them.