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Official Tomb Raider: Anniversary Thread

There's no way the original TR looked that bad on my PC way back when. It just... *boggle*... nope, no way. I just won't berieve it.
 
Alright i have a question about in-game stuff. When you are in the main area right next to where the hanging rope is that you are suppose to use to swing to the ledge on to the right there is a little piece of ledge that looks like it leads to somewhere else. So to get to this ledge, you have to drop down from a ledge that you are shimmying to get to the rope. However every time i drop to to that ledge lara cant hold on and i die. What button is it to make sure lara recovers and hangs onto a ledge without slipping off?
 
This is the first, well maybe second game, where one of the biggest things hyping me is waiting to hear the music. The music in Legend was incredible, and the same guy that composed that is doing Anniversery as well. :D

I was going to wait until the Wii version since I wanted better looking visuals (no 360 or PS3 port is pissing me off), but with the PS2 version supporting both 480p and 16:9, I can't imagine the Wii version looking much better anyways.
 
I never liked Tomb Raider back in the old days. Legend was the first I really enjoyed, because the controls ALWAYS got in the way of my playing even back in the mid-90s. I guess its because I played Mario 64 first, and no 3D game with the old rotate-and-turn style controls ever felt right to me.

I'm really looking forward to this, because I finally get to enjoy the first TR that everyone says is the best in the series.
 
I jsut Dled the demo and there seems to be a bit of a glitch where it makes your body appear wazy when you're by water (not in it)...

And yeah, for some reason I can't even link the pic as part of the URL is being edited otu and replaced with ************
 
That water glitch is present in many games. Starfox Adventures was the first one I saw it in. I'm not sure its entirely avoidable without a lot of work.
 
Kangu said:
There's no way the original TR looked that bad on my PC way back when. It just... *boggle*... nope, no way. I just won't berieve it.
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The shots here already have some nice filtering, thats what you got if you were one of the lucky playing it on a 3dfx card. For most Tomb Raider was much more like a cloud of pixels.
 
So, someone told me the Wii version won't be out until the 4th quarter of this year.

Why do I get the feeling the devs will bitch when it doesn't sell?
 
Flesh Into Gear said:
So I'm playing the demo and getting gang banged by hungry velocaraptors. What do I do when I first get to that huge outside area?
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Kill 'em; force them into rage, let them charge, dive, one shot kill them. Repeat.
 
I tend to forget I used to be a Tomb Raider fan. I loved the first game, but couldn't finish the second and never looked back until Angel of Darkness on PS2 and that sealed its doom for me -- until I read this thread. Just put a few minutes into the PC demo and now I'm pretty eager to pick this puppy up. Nostalgia's a helluva drug. Not to mention Lara controls a lot better now (when did they drop her tank controls?).
 
Someone MUST tell me which tomb raider game this is from. I remember walking to this corridor and eventually came upon a circular room at the end of the corridor that was massive and it had i think a tidal pool in the center of it, just sucking down water like mad. So you had to jump and grab onto the ceiling and shimmy your way to an open area ahead, any clue as to what tomb raider this was from?
 
I love tank controls, that way you always know in which direction to push...now you have to guess and often she doesnt move in the direction you would expect
 
quetz67 said:
I love tank controls, that way you always know in which direction to push...now you have to guess and often she doesnt move in the direction you would expect
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I don't mind tank controls, really. My observation that Lara controls better is mostly due to her responsiveness now. In the demo, it took me a bit to get used to the fact that pressing UP wasn't walking forward anymore.
 
Solomon87 said:
Someone MUST tell me which tomb raider game this is from. I remember walking to this corridor and eventually came upon a circular room at the end of the corridor that was massive and it had i think a tidal pool in the center of it, just sucking down water like mad. So you had to jump and grab onto the ceiling and shimmy your way to an open area ahead, any clue as to what tomb raider this was from?
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I believe that is Tomb Raider III, in the South Pacific islands section.
 
Midna said:
I totally agree with you. This is the same for me with Resident Evil. Resident Evil 1 was by far the scariest and I think that is in part to the primitive (by todays standards) graphics. There is just something about the graphics in Tomb Raider 1 and Resident Evil that really give it a creepy feeling. Many games today just looked so polished and clean.
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Exactly. There is no grittyness. All it seems too cinematic, with perfect super-rendered smooth graphics and unrealistic lightings.

Midna said:
P.S. You remember the part in Tomb Raider one with the Sphinx? The ceiling/sky in that was black. Talk about creepy.
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That enormous area near the end where you found the Uzi's? Yeah. But there were scarier parts. The raptors ungodly voice always made me cringe. And the way they walk...ugh. Nearly every level after level 2 is just frightning and I couldn't play it when I was alone. There was just too much tension; total silence in the environments and some creature could pop out anywhere. Not to mention the extreme isolation you were in.


GreekWolf said:
Yeah I'm part of that group too. I think one reason that TR1 had such an awesome effect was that the clunky graphics (though still quite impressive for the time) left a lot of visual interpretation up to the player. It was like you could "fill in the gaps" with your imagination, and literally see that majestic ruined coliseum, or feel the screen shake as the T-Rex chased you in the lost valley. I don't really know how to explain it. It was just a visceral experience, and something that's sorely lacking from any of the sequels.
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eshwaaz said:
I totally agree; that's exactly what I was thinking when I saw the screenshots. The fact that so much of the environment was hidden in total darkness is part of what made the original Tomb Raider feel so ominous and forboding. It's a shame that they weren't able to upgrade the graphics without losing the atmosphere.
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Yes. But you do know that most people are gonna bring up the "graphical limitation" card on this one dont you? While it may be true, or not, the darkness of the game added to the realism, since a real tomb isn't a lightstudio anyway.

It's really great to see more people share these opinions. Gives me a little hope that there still are people who can appreciate "outdated" goodness.
 
Attack You said:
I don't mind tank controls, really. My observation that Lara controls better is mostly due to her responsiveness now. In the demo, it took me a bit to get used to the fact that pressing UP wasn't walking forward anymore.
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I recently played TR1 on PSPPSX again and I have to admit the tank controls as implemented in the original were quite a pain in the ass and this remake controls a lot smoother.

btw. diving still feels strange but her new swim style is sexy
 
TrueReligion said:
This looks incredible for a PS2 game. I think we made the jump to next-gen too soon.
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I bought Ratchet & Clank 3 today and I agree with you. Next gen would be great if it were affordable but it's not. I guess Nintendo were right afterall.
 
Anyone remember that blue cave area when you first start the Atlantis level? You can swim around in the blue cave and then you find the train tracks and follow it into the level? I love TR so much. :)
 
Bearillusion said:
I bought Ratchet & Clank 3 today and I agree with you. Next gen would be great if it were affordable but it's not. I guess Nintendo were right afterall.
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I believe Sony were originally intending to bring the PS3 out a couple more years later than it did....but little Microsoft pushed them to go too soon.
 
Eteric Rice said:
So, someone told me the Wii version won't be out until the 4th quarter of this year.

Why do I get the feeling the devs will bitch when it doesn't sell?
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Yup, besides not getting to ride the hype of this re-release, if it comes out 3rd or 4th quarter its going to go up against Metroid Prime, Mario Galaxy, Smash Brothers, Madden and NBA Live, Mario & Sonic at the Olympics, NiGHTS, No More Heroes, Soul Calibur Legends, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy CC, Harvest Moon Heroes, new Crash game, Brothers in Arms, Naruto, Battalion Wars 2, Boogie, and Rayman Raving Rabbids 2.


Basically, this game isn't going to sell sh*t if it comes out this holiday season.
 
Zerostatic said:
Yup, besides not getting to ride the hype of this re-release, if it comes out 3rd or 4th quarter its going to go up against Metroid Prime, Mario Galaxy, Smash Brothers, Madden and NBA Live, Mario & Sonic at the Olympics, NiGHTS, No More Heroes, Soul Calibur Legends, Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy CC, Harvest Moon Heroes, new Crash game, Brothers in Arms, Naruto, Battalion Wars 2, Boogie, and Rayman Raving Rabbids 2.


Basically, this game isn't going to sell sh*t if it comes out this holiday season.
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And again, Nintendo will be blamed because "third party games don't sell on Nintendo."

*sigh*
 
So I downloaded the demo, too. The game runs at perfect 60fps at full detail on my PC and looks pretty. Also the 360 controller is already mapped, so it really feels like a console game.:D I remembered the level to be quite different than what we can see in the demo + platforming is the same as in TR Legend. The game is fine, but i won't buy it for full price.
 
Is this a sign of the 360 controller becoming the "standard" controller for PCs? You don't have to configure anything, and everything is already mapped out to the controller like mentioned above.

IMO this is a welcome change from the constant controller configuring in every game, and the 360 controller is superior to any other PC controller I know of, so I fully support this. :)
 
Flesh Into Gear said:
So I'm playing the demo and getting gang banged by hungry velocaraptors. What do I do when I first get to that huge outside area?
Click to expand...

Jumping is your best friend in every Tomb Raider. As you shoot jump about, this helps you to avoid enemy attacks. Also survey the landscape, sometimes you have ledges you can jump on and retreat to safety where you can pick off the enemies from a distance.

As McBacon stated, rage is very useful! When an enemy goes into rage make sure you wait for the targets to line up and turn red, then shoot.

As far as tank controls, I'm torn between the old and the new. The old had a great deal of precision, it was a reward in itself. Little nuances too like Lara running into a wall and giving an "oomph" sound while bringing her hands to her face made it special. Lara was like a little chess piece, she needed to be arranged just so and with a perfect placement she would make a wonderful jump.

The new movement though is very fluid and smooth. It's a sheer joy to perform and looks quite impressive.

Powerslave said:
Exactly. There is no grittyness. All it seems too cinematic, with perfect super-rendered smooth graphics and unrealistic lightings.
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Yes yes! This is why Silent Hill series still manages to scare me. It has that grittiness, while some will look at it and say it's ugly, that grittiness is there for a specific reason!


Powerslave said:
That enormous area near the end where you found the Uzi's? Yeah. But there were scarier parts. The raptors ungodly voice always made me cringe. And the way they walk...ugh. Nearly every level after level 2 is just frightning and I couldn't play it when I was alone. There was just too much tension; total silence in the environments and some creature could pop out anywhere. Not to mention the extreme isolation you were in.
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Oh yes, their footsteps were ominous. The roar was bone chilling too. I am very happy Anniversary retains the cry's although they are a bit polished and more realistic then they are ominous and eerie. I still appreciate that they add the calls now to let you know something is waiting ahead. Especially the hiss of the Velociraptor!

My only complaint with Anniversary though, is the animal enemy AI is rather dumb. Whereas in the original Tomb Raider, enemies would wander about on their own, sometimes giving their calls or just lay down and watch you intently and if you shot them they would either attack you or run and flee if you shot from a distance. To my dismay in Anniversary the animals upon seeing you will often run into walls and if you shoot them from a distance they will sometimes dumbly stand there taking every shot.

I love the touches in Anniversary though of slobbering/drooling wolves and Velociraptors.

Y2Kev said:
Anyone remember that blue cave area when you first start the Atlantis level? You can swim around in the blue cave and then you find the train tracks and follow it into the level? I love TR so much. :)
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Oh yes! That is just like the beginning where you see animal tracks in the snow and come upon wolves later in the level.

Eteric Rice said:
And again, Nintendo will be blamed because "third party games don't sell on Nintendo."

*sigh*
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Releasing Legend so late on Gamecube was a crying shame honestly. Gamecube is capable of some spectacular lighting effects and beautiful graphics and it's just sad to see it given something special so late in the party.
 
Powerslave said:
Yes. But you do know that most people are gonna bring up the "graphical limitation" card on this one dont you? While it may be true, or not, the darkness of the game added to the realism, since a real tomb isn't a lightstudio anyway.

It's really great to see more people share these opinions. Gives me a little hope that there still are people who can appreciate "outdated" goodness.
Click to expand...

Yep, you're right about the "graphical limitation" angle. It's just one of those rare instances where the restrictions of the technology actually resulted in something special, intended or not.

There have been several comments here about the amazing sense of isolation in the first game, which I also loved. As much as I enjoyed Legends, the constant radio communication with Lara's friends really destroyed that feeling of being totally alone; cut-off from the "real world." The frequent encounters with human enemies didn't help things, either.

Also, Legends still featured too many areas in modern, conventional settings. They're relatively enjoyable from a gameplay/puzzle standpoint, but largely forgettable when it comes to personality and atmosphere. There's just nothing awe-inspiring or wondrous about the interior of an office buliding or a scientific laboratory - at least not in the same way a sprawling, ancient tomb is.

I still wish Anniversary was coming to 360 (some of the lighting effects in Legend were gorgeous and really added to the "wow-factor" of some of areas) but it's still a day-one purchase for me. Even the brief taste I got from the demo brought back fond memories of the first game.
 
CurseoftheGods said:
So has a 360 version even been hinted?
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Perhaps Microsoft wanted this to be a timed exclusive on the GFW platform. It's a pretty good title to have and say you can't play this in HD anywhere else.
 
I'm trying to play the demo with my wiimote/nunchuck though I can't enable gamepad control. Has anybody else played it with a gamepad or joystick so far?
 
eshwaaz said:
Also, Legends still featured too many areas in modern, conventional settings. They're relatively enjoyable from a gameplay/puzzle standpoint, but largely forgettable when it comes to personality and atmosphere. There's just nothing awe-inspiring or wondrous about the interior of an office buliding or a scientific laboratory - at least not in the same way a sprawling, ancient tomb is.
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So true! Legends was wonderful but there were far too many modern locations, far too many human enemies. It was a really great game but Anniversary is so much better so far.

Also, remember the Core Anniversary Tomb Raider? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtvNYM1wY7s&mode=related&search=

Would be fun to play simply to see how it was. It appears like Core stuck to their old mistakes though, silly, unnecessary moves. Seems it has the more blocky geometric look, so maybe it would retain the creepiness. It's just so interesting.

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs2i1X_r0IA

elostyle said:
I'm trying to play the demo with my wiimote/nunchuck though I can't enable gamepad control. Has anybody else played it with a gamepad or joystick so far?
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I'm playing using a PS2 controller via Smartjoy adapter. It works wonderfully. It should recognize and map out the controls for you without you having to do anything.
 
joaomgcd said:
Is this a sign of the 360 controller becoming the "standard" controller for PCs? You don't have to configure anything, and everything is already mapped out to the controller like mentioned above.

IMO this is a welcome change from the constant controller configuring in every game, and the 360 controller is superior to any other PC controller I know of, so I fully support this. :)
Click to expand...

Having a PC gamepad standard is good. Tired of games getting the right analog stick on my Wingman Cordless completely messed up (games ALWAYS confuse one of the right stick axis with the useless throttle slider) plus it's d-pad is quite possibly the worst I've used in my history of playing video games. I think I shall pick up a 360 controller one of these days.
 
Sir Alemeth said:
This is correct. Not even the 360 version ran at 60 fps for some reason.
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Because they threw a bunch of gpu intensive shader effects at the 360 and PC version. I dunno if they were horribly unoptimized or what, but only now on my core 2 duo system with a 8800GTS am I able to get 60fps most of the time in the PC version. It still stutters now and then, because the game seems to want 512 megs of video ram in "next gen" graphics mode (I have a 320 meg 8800GTS).
 
Eteric Rice said:
So, someone told me the Wii version won't be out until the 4th quarter of this year.

Why do I get the feeling the devs will bitch when it doesn't sell?
Click to expand...


According to Eidos, the Gamecube version of TRL sold well, so I guess they're not worried. I bought the GC version and I don't have any complaints.
 
Midna said:
Also, remember the Core Anniversary Tomb Raider? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtvNYM1wY7s&mode=related&search=

Would be fun to play simply to see how it was. It appears like Core stuck to their old mistakes though, silly, unnecessary moves. Seems it has the more blocky geometric look, so maybe it would retain the creepiness. It's just so interesting.
Click to expand...
You may laugh at me, but this trailer has so much more atmosphere than Crystal Dynamics' Anniversary trailers that it really makes me sad. :(
BTW can you somehow play Tomb Raider on PC with modern GPU, but with enhanced Voodoo 3Dfx graphics?
 
I wonder when this will hit steam because I hope they'll bundle this with Legend for savings! I just tried the Legends demo and loved it, physics puzzles rock.
 
Gorgie said:
I wonder when this will hit steam because I hope they'll bundle this with Legend for savings! I just tried the Legends demo and loved it, physics puzzles rock.
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Infernal, another Eidos game, hit Steam on it's American release instead of its much earlier PAL release. I guess the same will be for TRA.
 
szaromir said:
You may laugh at me, but this trailer has so much more atmosphere than Crystal Dynamics' Anniversary trailers that it really makes me sad. :(
BTW can you somehow play Tomb Raider on PC with modern GPU, but with enhanced Voodoo 3Dfx graphics?
Click to expand...

I would not laugh Sir! It is for that reason that I would like to play the Core version. It's too bad we didn't get both as I'm sure fans would have died for a chance to play both versions.

As for your question, I'm not 100% sure. I bought the PC version myself many moons ago but sadly it doesn't run. However, they have patches available now and this site may have some downloads that might interest you. http://www.tombraiders.net/stella/downloads.html

If by any chance there is anything objectionable on that site, anyone please let me know and I will remove it. I believe it comply's by this sites rules.

szaromir You may want to try the utility called Glidos.
 
About the Core version that was canceled: I think it has a more faithful atmosphere because the art style seems to be a lot more like the original's. At the same time I think it would have played like shit in comparison to what CD has put out. Watching the trailer it's clear that Core's version was the same "tank" controls with only some minor upgrades (some new moves and abilities - but nothing like what CD has delivered). I personally have a thing for old controls (maybe just nostalgia) so I still would have liked to give that one a spin regardless. I just doubt it would have been nearly as good.

In the meantime if you want a darker Tomb Raider Anniversary, then turn the gamma way down in your settings.

985boi said:
Off topic here but related to Tomb Raider. Didn't Lara Croft die in one of the games?
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Yes, she "died" at the end of Revelations (the fourth game). Then Chronicles came out which was basically a bunch of her friends telling the stories of dead Lara's adventures, and you played thru those stories. I don't think it was ever really explained or even acknowledged since Legends.
 
Im definitely looking forward to this. The original tomb raider was fantastic because it made you feel isolated in this mysterious world, and the music was wonderful, which they seem to be keeping here. Big problem i have though is whether to get the ps2 or pc version. I only have a 6800gt and im wondering if the ps2 version will basically look the same as the pc except pc gets all the AA and AF and stuff. If thats the case ps2 for me, mainly because it seems the PS3 is finally getting some decent BC support and eventually im gonna get one and a good hdtv to upscale with.
 
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