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KickStarter Poll - Best Tomb Raider

Which is in your opinion the best Tomb Raider game?


  • Total voters
    174

Bad Sector

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
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Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Codex Year of the Donut Codex+ Now Streaming! Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Doughy:


Golden:


Huh, interesting. I never saw the bottom one, i just assumed the top was supposed to be gold because, you know, mid90s DOS 3D graphics :-P.
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
248
Just beat TR2. I have now played 1 and 2. I don't know why people like 2 more. The game picks up when you hit the Tibetan monastery late in the game but before that I thought the environments sucked, which is a big appeal of the games when you move through them so slowly. The oil rig and Maria Doria went on way too long and were quite bland, although there were some okay parts on the ship like the ballroom and changing room areas. The snowy area immediately after kinda sucked. Venice was novel for about one level then it started to wear on me. The old theater was a cool concept but wasn't fun to play through. But the last 3 levels, as soon as you unlock the door to the dagger in China, were great, including the music. The rest of the game's music was just inferior remixes of TR1 chimes and themes. So far I like the final acts of both games where there is clearly a push for more horror-themed exploration and the levels finally start to get challenging after having your hand held for 90% of the game. The lonely, isolating atmosphere is lost in 2 due to constant hitscan humanoid enemies with guns, at least until the final temple levels. Also all the guns were the same, M14 did a tiny bit more DPS than uzis, which did a tiny bit more DPS than auto pistols, which did a tiny bit more DPS than normal pistols. M14 also constantly stops firing and requires you to sit still which makes it kinda garbage for how much it's hyped up. Grenade launcher was good, though. The new climbing mechanic was too slow, and the flares I only used I think once in the entire game.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
TR2 was great because new gameplay innovations (flares, ladders, more than just 4 weapons, vehicles that actually added to the core gameplay unlike in most games), as well as good variety of locations.

Most of your criticism is accurate though I think you're too harsh on the level design. It's pretty fucking great overall, but yeah does drag in places. Though I put the dragging down to the combat and secret hunting being quite shit, the latter which is something you didn't touch on: only being rewarded after finding all 3 secrets rather than per secret is retarded. Leaves no room for error. If they wanted to reward being thorough they could have just given a one item bonus for finding all three or something. This is the worst thing about the game if you ask me.
The soundtrack you're also being hard on. Yeah there is a lot of reuse of TR1 (though this helps maintain the feel), but the game also focuses on ambience more than the original at times and it does this pretty well (e.g 40 fathoms is spooky as fuck, oil rig is pretty atmospheric). Nonetheless I agree there should have been a bit more effort here, just a touch.

M14 does indeed suck, largely because of the need to stand still. Autopistols are basically TR1's magnums, and serve well as a more powerful variant to the pistols. The only thing I'd change is make M14 single fire, more powerful, less ammo, better distinguish it from the other mostly same automatic weapons.

the flares I only used I think once in the entire game

Huh? This is definitely a flaw of you, not the game. It's dark as fuck everywhere, the game gives you lots of flares, lots of incentive to use them, and you only need press one button to use them. Did you crank up the gamma or what?
 
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Joined
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Chicago, IL, Kwa
I’m trying to get Tomb Raider working with a controller, but both controllers I’ve tried (XBOX One and Switch) aren’t working because the game seems to think the X axis is getting constant input even though it’s static. Can’t even leave the menu screen because it just cycles too fast. Anyone know of a workaround? Or should I just use m+kB (not opposed to this necessarily, I just generally try to play games with the control scheme they were primarily designed for)?
 

Biscotti

Arbiter
Patron
Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
561
Location
Belgium
When I played the PC version I used a key mapper to map my keyboard inputs to my gamepad. That was on Linux however, and the tool I used doesn't have any Windows binaries, but I think most people on Windows use Joy2Key. You could try that.
There's also Peixoto's patches which is an injector for multiple older games, including the classic TR games. The most interesting feature for you would be proper Xinput support, but it has other nice QoL features (I just hate that you have to open the software to read its documentation). Even then, it still provides a key mapper as a fallback because TR games just don't want to play nice on some systems.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
I’m trying to get Tomb Raider working with a controller, but both controllers I’ve tried (XBOX One and Switch) aren’t working because the game seems to think the X axis is getting constant input even though it’s static. Can’t even leave the menu screen because it just cycles too fast. Anyone know of a workaround? Or should I just use m+kB (not opposed to this necessarily, I just generally try to play games with the control scheme they were primarily designed for)?

Emulator? Key mapper? Open Lara? OpenLara (xproger.info) <- link goes directly to playing Tomb Raider in your browser

Why play the PC version though? It is a butchered port (has no music). And it's not like there's any other mods that make up for that. Just emulate PSX version.
 

Neuromancer

Augur
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
1,238
Why play the PC version though? It is a butchered port (has no music). And it's not like there's any other mods that make up for that. Just emulate PSX version.
The PC version has music.
The only thing, the original PC version of Tomb Raider was missing audio-wise,were some small audio cues. But these were re-integrated with the TombATI-Installer, I posted earlier.

Using this installer on a modern Windows system - apart from shiny golden Larry, that you only see in a few second long death cutscene - TombATI is actually the best looking and most stable version of Tomb Raider 1 around nowadays.
Even using emulation, the PSX 3D graphics are still very wobbly.
 

Neuromancer

Augur
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
1,238
Yes, it does play - at least it did it under DOS, when I first played it.
(Kind of mesmerizing moment):love:


I heard there were some problems with later repackaged versions on GOG, Steam and Abandonware sites.
Some were simply missing the CD audio tracks, some were not able to play these through a DOS executable in a Windows environment etc.

I remember, that under Windows XP, I had to install VDM-Sound to be able to hear the tracks.
 

Morpheus Kitami

Liturgist
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
2,476
I’m trying to get Tomb Raider working with a controller, but both controllers I’ve tried (XBOX One and Switch) aren’t working because the game seems to think the X axis is getting constant input even though it’s static. Can’t even leave the menu screen because it just cycles too fast. Anyone know of a workaround? Or should I just use m+kB (not opposed to this necessarily, I just generally try to play games with the control scheme they were primarily designed for)?
Tomb Raider '96 or Tomb Raider '13? If its '96, you'll have to fiddle around with DOSbox's control menu, ctrl+F1 IIRC.
Does this play in the main menu? That's the easiest way to tell. To my knowledge every official instance of Tomb Raider 1 on PC does not have music, just ambient sounds.
Didn't we have this conversation last page of this thread? I can confirm that the Gold version of TR has music, but its never worked in DOSbox in my experience.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Messages
4,099
Location
Chicago, IL, Kwa
I’m trying to get Tomb Raider working with a controller, but both controllers I’ve tried (XBOX One and Switch) aren’t working because the game seems to think the X axis is getting constant input even though it’s static. Can’t even leave the menu screen because it just cycles too fast. Anyone know of a workaround? Or should I just use m+kB (not opposed to this necessarily, I just generally try to play games with the control scheme they were primarily designed for)?
Tomb Raider '96 or Tomb Raider '13? If its '96, you'll have to fiddle around with DOSbox's control menu, ctrl+F1 IIRC.
Does this play in the main menu? That's the easiest way to tell. To my knowledge every official instance of Tomb Raider 1 on PC does not have music, just ambient sounds.
Didn't we have this conversation last page of this thread? I can confirm that the Gold version of TR has music, but its never worked in DOSbox in my experience.

‘96. I’ll poke around.
 

Bad Sector

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
2,223
Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Codex Year of the Donut Codex+ Now Streaming! Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
I’m trying to get Tomb Raider working with a controller, but both controllers I’ve tried (XBOX One and Switch) aren’t working because the game seems to think the X axis is getting constant input even though it’s static. Can’t even leave the menu screen because it just cycles too fast. Anyone know of a workaround? Or should I just use m+kB (not opposed to this necessarily, I just generally try to play games with the control scheme they were primarily designed for)?

AFAIK it is a DOSBox issue, try running it with DOSBox-X or something.

But i highly recommend using the keyboard (there is no mouse support), it is much better than using the controller because the buttons are spread over the left and side of the keyboard in a much better way than the PSX controller. Also the game wasn't really designed for any particular controller as all supported platforms had a different setup (and the PC had no particular setup aside from keyboard). The Saturn version was released first so some say that it was made for it, but the game in its very early development stages used freeform 3D environments made in 3D Studio that were a very bad fit for Saturn and they switched to quad-based maps not for Saturn but because making maps in 3D Studio was very slow and they couldn't get how to make characters move and interact with freeform 3D environments so instead they made a custom level editor with a grid-based approach that simplified things.
 

Semiurge

Cipher
Joined
Apr 11, 2020
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Asp Hole
At least try the real design instead:

JVQsvKo.jpg


d6b5tEw.jpg


image-url-https-static-onecms-io-wp-content-uploads-sites-6-2018-03-1997-gettyimages-829950704-200.jpg


That is Rhona Mitra, the original model for Lara Croft. You can see some similarity between her and the cutscene render.

Doughy:


Golden:


It looks like the PC version didn't load the correct gold textures, and during the cutscene Lara is stripped of her normal textures only to reveal a gold tinted textureless model.

Just beat TR2. I have now played 1 and 2. I don't know why people like 2 more. The game picks up when you hit the Tibetan monastery late in the game but before that I thought the environments sucked, which is a big appeal of the games when you move through them so slowly. The oil rig and Maria Doria went on way too long and were quite bland, although there were some okay parts on the ship like the ballroom and changing room areas. The snowy area immediately after kinda sucked. Venice was novel for about one level then it started to wear on me. The old theater was a cool concept but wasn't fun to play through. But the last 3 levels, as soon as you unlock the door to the dagger in China, were great, including the music. The rest of the game's music was just inferior remixes of TR1 chimes and themes. So far I like the final acts of both games where there is clearly a push for more horror-themed exploration and the levels finally start to get challenging after having your hand held for 90% of the game. The lonely, isolating atmosphere is lost in 2 due to constant hitscan humanoid enemies with guns, at least until the final temple levels. Also all the guns were the same, M14 did a tiny bit more DPS than uzis, which did a tiny bit more DPS than auto pistols, which did a tiny bit more DPS than normal pistols. M14 also constantly stops firing and requires you to sit still which makes it kinda garbage for how much it's hyped up. Grenade launcher was good, though. The new climbing mechanic was too slow, and the flares I only used I think once in the entire game.

Wait until you get to TR3, it's a sensory shock after TR2. The India music is some of the best in the classic games, and so are the respective levels. You get the most varied geographical hubs in this, and none are underdeveloped.
 
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Neuromancer

Augur
Joined
Jun 10, 2018
Messages
1,238
It looks like the PC version didn't load the correct gold textures, and during the cutscene Lara is stripped of her normal textures only to reveal a gold tinted textureless model.
I don't think that this is related to the texture, but to the fact, that the reflection effect from the playstation version simnply didn't exist in the PC version.
It is only used in this one scene anyway.
 

Lemming42

Arcane
Joined
Nov 4, 2012
Messages
6,041
Location
The Satellite Of Love
I don't think that's fair, TR2 is an astonishing game because they somehow managed to improve on and expand TR1's formula and core gameplay in under a year. Switching the tombs for a bit more of an action movie type plot didn't really hurt things, other than the occasional weirdness of locations that are meant to be fairly mundane (an oil rig where the workers have to leap across flaming vents and climb up through the roof of their bunk room just to access the core control room???). You typically end up in a tomb or historical location of some form anyway - the Maria Doria, the caves beneath the Tibetan monestary, the inside of the complex beneath the Great Wall.

Everything definitely goes to shit after that though, even taking into account TR3's occasional strong points.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
Eh TR3 continues the evolution, with engine upgrades, crawling and sprinting, non-linear level/country selection. It just so happens the devs fucked up taking away your inventory in Nevada and not giving it back (even 10 y/o me knew this was retard-tier design for goodness sake), and some of the locations are perhaps uninteresting or outstay their welcome.

AFTER THAT, then yeah the decline is apparent. Though some could acceptably make a case for 4 (more devolution than evolution, but that doesn't mean the design isn't still solid). 5 there is no argument to be made. It's lazy. Angel of Darkness is unfinished. Anniversary is just a dumbed down retread of the original. And Legend when it becomes modern definitive retard standard. Thanks Doug Church you sellout. Can't blame just him though. Crystal Dynamics just suck. Soulless assholes.
 
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Bigg Boss

Arcane
Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
7,528
Tomb Raider 2 I guess. After that they added vehicles but the story wasn't as good.
 

Lemming42

Arcane
Joined
Nov 4, 2012
Messages
6,041
Location
The Satellite Of Love
Eh TR3 continues the evolution, with engine upgrades, crawling and sprinting, non-linear level/country selection. It just so happens the devs fucked up taking away your inventory in Nevada and not giving it back (even 10 y/o me knew this was retard-tier design for goodness sake), and some of the locations are perhaps uninteresting or outstay their welcome.

AFTER THAT, then yeah the decline is apparent. Though some could acceptably make a case for 4 (more devolution than evolution, but that doesn't mean the design isn't still solid). 5 there is no argument to be made. It's lazy. Angel of Darkness is unfinished. Anniversary is just a dumbed down retread of the original. And Legend when it becomes modern definitive retard standard. Thanks Doug Church you sellout. Can't blame just him though. Crystal Dynamics just suck. Soulless assholes.

The new moves and engine features in TR3 are cool - except for the poison mechanic, which is just consistently annoying - but the level design just wasn't up to standard, IMO. Nevada and London are both basically write-offs, both mostly total messes with a few notable bright spots. India is solid but feels sloppy compared to TR1/TR2 design. South Pacific and Antarctica are pretty good for the most part, bar the kayaking nightmare, although I remember the penultimate Antarctica level before the boss fight dragging on for way too long.

Chronicles really must be the first TR game that everyone universally agrees is shit. Just thinking about the fucking Ireland levels gives me PTSD.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,230
I don't feel the same way about India and Nevada level design. In fact those are my favorite levels. India is one hell of an accomplishment given it is set in a jungle, ridiculous challenge to transition TR gameplay and early 3D engines to a jungle environment, and it does it so well, with so much creative variety to the challenges and overall design. the atmosphere of india is also crazy for an early 3D daytime outdoor level. Poison mechanic is poison...works the same as any other game, what's the problem exactly? You don't like that you have to actually use all those small medkits you've been hording? But I agree the level design across the whole game isn't up to par. Still good though.

Edit: I guess the poison is a bit of a bitch sometimes as some snakes and blow dart traps are unfairly placed.
 
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