One of the cities surrounded by the cracked desert.
Level 284 is the 285th Level of the Backrooms. While now a fractured hellscape, it was formerly an infinite desert with small city blocks scattered throughout. The dramatic change likely occurred when on 10/14/20XX Frontrooms Standard Time, a massive detonation of energy was felt in levels connected to 284, specifically in Level 11. This event would come to be known colloquially as "The October Surge," and shockwaves of this energy were detected even as deep as The Blue Channel. Interviews with well known reality warpers and other energy-sensitive individuals have described the surge as feeling "like a balloon bursting after continuously being filled with water." The M.E.G. is currently looking into what may have caused this reaction, but current theories suggest a high-tier reality altering being may have been using the level as a type of "spatial dumping ground" for any excess energy they couldn't internalize. As mentioned prior, research is still ongoing.
Description
Level 284 in its current form is an infinite stretch of barren land, twisted into a non-Euclidean plane sprinkled with a few areas safe to travel. Aside from the occasional decimated city, the only structures on the surface are massive fault lines and cracks in the ground that lead into unknown spaces in The Backrooms. The sky of Level 284 isn't even a sky at all, instead being an upside down mirrored version of the ground. The "ceiling" of the level is accessible, as after about 200m of vertical ascension, gravity will switch directions. Be advised, if you do wind up in Level 284, attempting to access the ceiling is not recommended. The "switch" takes place far up in the sky, meaning it's very likely that you will fall to your death if you attempt to reach the "roof." The unusual gravity isn't the only thing to be cautious of: It is strongly recommended that you do not stay in Level 284 for long to relieve the possibility of "White Blindness."
White Blindness
White Blindness is the name given to a phenomena that occurs to long-term exposure to the environment of Level 284. Minor exposure can leave one's eyes feeling aches, blur one's vision, and leave the mind in an almost "dreamlike" trance. More extreme cases cause ocular bleeding, and can even cause one's eyes to implode and burst from their sockets. It is theorized that this unique phenomena is caused from the combination of the residual distortive energy left from "The October Surge," as well as the psychological effects that the completely color-drained level can have on the human psyche. Considering early symptoms of White Blindness closely mirror that of the effects of "White Torture," (A type of sensory deprivation,) this might just be the case.
Discovery
Level 284's changes were discovered by M.E.G. researcher Seymour Watts, on an excursion to the Level in order to upload a large amount of files from his personal drive to the group's database.
Unique Entities
Something unique to Level 284 is the strange, disturbing, and esoteric entities that reside within the cracked desert. While this is par for the course in most levels of The Backrooms, the extremely unstable reality in level 284 has caused its inhabitants to "mutate" into almost unrecognizable creatures. Information on these special "mutations" is currently ongoing, but its estimated that most of them came into being from the fusing of existing entities that resided on the level before its sudden change. The majority of these known to the M.E.G. are from records found in agent Watts's field journal, which can be seen below.
This place gets weirder every day, I swear.
This morning I was reading through some
abandoned field journals, I came across
somethin' downright uncanny.
A rumblin' noise was shaking the building,
and when I looked out the window, I saw
this massive chunk of flesh oozin' on down
through the street. I did my best at stayin'
out of sight, and I managed to get a sketch.
What the hell happened here?
Back at it again with another discovery.
While traversing the desert, I caught sight
Of an inky-black entity around the size of a bus.
It was quadrupedal, and moved like it was made
'a that weird ooblek stuff kids play with… gross.
Stranger yet, the thing seemed to have this
Massive purple eye in the center of itself…
sort of like those neighborhood watch folk.
This time, I managed to grab a picture,'
right before I saw the damn thing turn
around and blast what looked like a laser
at a lone human sneakin' behind it with a shotgun.
The damn thing sucked him into its eye with that
tractor-beam of its, 'n I never saw him again,
kina' remind me of the neighborhood watch.
I encountered another strange entity today
on a food scavenging trip. Quite an unsettling
creature… it looked like two humans fused
together. It approached me, and I quickly
drew my sidearm to scare it off. The
creature, upon seeing my weapon, retreated
into a nearby building. As I passed by, I heard
what sounded like someone moaning in pain.
Much t' my surprise, it was the very creature
from before, huddling in the darkness on top
of another abomination, that appeared to be
injured. Testing a theory, I threw in a bandage
wrapping, and the creature picked it up and
started administering first aid on its companion.
Outdated Versions
Street view of one of the desert cities in Level 284
Description
Level 284 is a flat, infinite stretch of land, with identical city blocks every 1/2 mile in a grid pattern. While habitable, the level itself is quite dangerous, and the cities are prone to massive sandstorms. Wifi signals are very strong in the city areas, which often makes it a location favored by those who wish to browse the internet while inhabiting The Backrooms. Adventuring to Level 284 for this reason is not recommended, due to the danger of the level. Aside from natural conditions, various entities populate both the cities and the deserts. Species including but not limited to: Hounds, Wretches, and Clumps. It should be worth noting that while Level 284 may share some visual similarities to Level 11, the titular "11 effect" is not present here. There are entities in the cities, and they will be aggressive, so it's best to be prepared.
Bases, Outposts and Communities
Jim's Fruit Stand:
- Run by Jim, a kind, chlorokinetic man in his late twenties. Before setting up shop in Level 284, he was a member of the U.E.C. He left the organization with its prior leader, due to moral conflict. Jim is always down to chat, and is a very personable, well-liked member of the community.
- Buy some fruit. It has a calm and soothing effect, similar to that of Almond Water.
The Cafe
- A group of avid gamers who were trapped in the backrooms during the 2020s. They reside in one of the internet cafes in the level, and are a very polite group of individuals. They are very welcoming to newcomers, often inviting those interested to join them for a round or two of whatever they're currently playing.
- Ask them for information. Having been around the block a few times, they can provide you assistance in getting where you need to go.
The MDD (Mobile Desert Defense)
- A small militarized organization that frequently makes rounds throughout the cities in the infinite level, both policing the communities and making sure no hostile entities enter the residential areas. The group appears to be on good terms with The Eyes of Argos, having been sighted assisting members in tracking down any criminals that may have fled into the level.
- The leader of this organization, Cameron Black, is an ex M.E.G. member. He was sent on an expedition to Level 284, from which he chose to stay in the Level to assemble a functional protection team. While Cameron may appear stoic and apathetic at times, he never stops to perform acts of kindness for the communities he travels through. Chat him up if you see him, he may be able to point you in the direction you need to go.
Entrances And Exits
Entrances
At this time, the only known entrance to level 284 is by random chance when exiting a building in level 11.
Exits
Exits are just as sparse as the entrances. To exit level 284, search for any fast food restaurant in the city block areas. It will bring you to level 6.1.
Written by 
Spectre48
Credit to Chrono72 for the theme template :)
drawings by me :3
First image is public domain via the Library of Congress.
Final image is public domain licensed by the Indian government.
