Tomb Raider II is being ported to Sega Saturn by a fan

Togh

Member

Here's my holiday gift for all you loyal Saturn and classic Tomb Raider fans. I've been very busy with this project lately, to say the least! Since my previous update video, I've decided to completely ditch the concept of E3 levels and focus on the final game instead. The E3 levels understandably have no finished gameplay objective and I think Saturn players deserve a more gratifying experience after all these years. Enjoy this brand new sneak peek of what's to come.Current stateThe following levels are either near completion or mostly done gameplay wise (disregarding wading and/or climbing mechanics, which are planned for later):
  • The Great Wall
  • Bartoli's Hideout
  • 40 Fathoms
  • Living Quarters
  • The Deck
  • Catacombs of the Talion
A few more levels have potential, but I first need to polish the current levels and implement the aforementioned wading and climbing mechanics (the latter which is probably going to be the biggest feature yet). Sound effects are also currently not yet properly implemented, simply because I couldn't find the time yet.Two levels so far have been tested on original hardware, by my friend ‪@retrodadandmodernlad9857‬. These levels perform remarkably well and are perfectly playable from start to finish. A big thanks to him for confirming they're working as intended! Also, thank you to Troye for offering some solid advice on TR2 code implementation.What the future holdsAs previously mentioned, the next time period will be spent polishing all current six levels and implementing a few more essential gameplay mechanics. This is going to take a while. Sound effects will probably follow after. Down the road, perhaps a two-level demo will be released when I feel they're 100% ready, with more to come in the foreseeable future. I can't promise a date, but a demo sometime mid next year seems realistic for now.Thanks for watching!If you'd like to support me and my work, feel free to donate through this donation link: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...

This is being made by RetroRaiderJohn, the same dude who ported Unfinished Business, the Tomb Raider 1 expansion from the PC version of the first game that included four bonus levels spread across two chapters, for the Sega Saturn. It was done by heavily modifying the engine used on the original Tomb Raider that released on the Saturn in 1996. RetroRaiderJohn wrote his onw tools to convert PC data into something the Saturn could use, transferring level assets from the PC port into the Saturn base game. That port had better graphics and SFX quality compared to the OG Saturn releases, several bug fixes and much more.

At first he was only porting the E3 Demo of the second game, but now it seems he's trying to port the entire game! Here's hope he can finish this project! Tomb Raider 2 was my favorite game from the OG Lara Croft and I'm really happy someone is making it happen!
 
It won't look or run as good as the PS1 version (which IIRC had engine changes to specifically utilize features of PS1 the first game didn't utilize), but I'm always interested to see how these games could run on a Saturn.

Something that'd of probably happened back in the day if the system did better at retail outside of Japan.
 
Sick. I have a kid I pay to burn saturn disks for me because I've never done it successfully and it pisses me off lol.

I just kicked brosky here some euros. I can't wait to see how this shapes up!!!
 
It won't look or run as good as the PS1 version (which IIRC had engine changes to specifically utilize features of PS1 the first game didn't utilize), but I'm always interested to see how these games could run on a Saturn.

Something that'd of probably happened back in the day if the system did better at retail outside of Japan.
what but i was told that they jjust needed more time to make the Saturn version better

You're telling me 30 years isn't enough time?
 
The developer, RetroRaiderJohn, provided clarifications on the scope of his expanded plans on an extra paragraph that was added in the description of that video:
Keep in mind that certain elements, such as dynamic lighting and Lara's extended weapon arsenal, are unlikely to ever be ported over, due to scale and/or complexity. Memory limits also play a huge factor for the bigger levels, although I haven't yet investigated the feasibility of implementing extended RAM. That's why the fate of some levels is still very much unknown right now and that a port of the full game is far from guaranteed.

He also wrote the following in the comments section of the video:
Certain elements are still extremely unlikely to be ported over. It's just that a bunch of levels don't necessarily "need" them. A few other levels that do need them might be ported eventually, but perhaps with some compromises. There's also memory limits that are currently in their way. This is why their fate is still unknown for now. I do have to say, I may have underestimated what my approach does allow for. So who knows what the future may hold, I guess...
My plan isn't necessarily to port the full game. I never made that claim. I'm still focusing on a selection of levels and will see what else the future might hold

Nevertheless, it still very impressive what he is managing to make using the TR1 engine which almost doesn't use the VDP2 if at all, it's basically only using the VDP1 and is rendering an amazing draw distance and textures that doesn't warp like on the PS1 version. I wonder what could have been if the engine was changed to use both VDPs more efficiently
 
Really like playing the Saturn version of TR1. Subjectively it has a more colourful palette and Lara's proportions are a bit wider. Objectively it has this neat water distortion under the surface that's not present on PC and PSX.

eeQvTnC.jpeg


Looks great in motion.
 
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Really like playing the Saturn version of TR1. Subjectively it has a more colourful palette and Lara's proportions are a bit wider. Objectively it has this neat water distortion under the surface that's not present on PC and PSX.

eeQvTnC.jpeg


Looks great in motion.
Also, it has better draw distance than the PSX version
 
what but i was told that they jjust needed more time to make the Saturn version better

You're telling me 30 years isn't enough time?

Keep in mind that certain elements, such as dynamic lighting and Lara's extended weapon arsenal, are unlikely to ever be ported over, due to scale and/or complexity. Memory limits also play a huge factor for the bigger levels, although I haven't yet investigated the feasibility of implementing extended RAM. That's why the fate of some levels is still very much unknown right now and that a port of the full game is far from guaranteed.
A few other levels that do need them might be ported eventually, but perhaps with some compromises. There's also memory limits that are currently in their way
The Sega Saturn is a very weak console.

What the homebrew programmer tried to prove was that it had hidden power, and he ended up proving the opposite.

When he says there's a lack of memory, Saturn fans say, "It's impossible Saturn has 2MB of ram like the PS1." Yes, the Saturn has 2MB of RAM, but not like the PS1. The PS1's ram is 2MB in a single pool, while the Sega Saturn has 1MB of slow ram and 1MB of fast ram. They're two pools. This means that if content takes up 1.5MB of memory, dividing it between 1MB and 1MB is problematic; it's not always possible. Other die hard homebrew programmers tried to make RE2 and Crash Bandicoot and encountered the same problem. This is because we're talking about memory, because if we talk about polygons, textures, and the like, we'll conclude that the PS1 is twice as powerful as the Saturn in 3D games. Sega preferred to call this weakness ''difficult to program''.
 
The Sega Saturn is a very weak console.

What the homebrew programmer tried to prove was that it had hidden power, and he ended up proving the opposite.

When he says there's a lack of memory, Saturn fans say, "It's impossible Saturn has 2MB of ram like the PS1." Yes, the Saturn has 2MB of RAM, but not like the PS1. The PS1's ram is 2MB in a single pool, while the Sega Saturn has 1MB of slow ram and 1MB of fast ram. They're two pools. This means that if content takes up 1.5MB of memory, dividing it between 1MB and 1MB is problematic; it's not always possible. Other die hard homebrew programmers tried to make RE2 and Crash Bandicoot and encountered the same problem. This is because we're talking about memory, because if we talk about polygons, textures, and the like, we'll conclude that the PS1 is twice as powerful as the Saturn in 3D games. Sega preferred to call this weakness ''difficult to program''.
cdc.jpg
 
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As per the Saturn version of the original, it looks dark with frame rate issues.

Still I'd have brought this back in the day on Saturn rather than trading it in for a PlayStation (largely due to this game being absent there).
 
The Sega Saturn is a very weak console.

What the homebrew programmer tried to prove was that it had hidden power, and he ended up proving the opposite.

When he says there's a lack of memory, Saturn fans say, "It's impossible Saturn has 2MB of ram like the PS1." Yes, the Saturn has 2MB of RAM, but not like the PS1. The PS1's ram is 2MB in a single pool, while the Sega Saturn has 1MB of slow ram and 1MB of fast ram. They're two pools. This means that if content takes up 1.5MB of memory, dividing it between 1MB and 1MB is problematic; it's not always possible. Other die hard homebrew programmers tried to make RE2 and Crash Bandicoot and encountered the same problem. This is because we're talking about memory, because if we talk about polygons, textures, and the like, we'll conclude that the PS1 is twice as powerful as the Saturn in 3D games. Sega preferred to call this weakness ''difficult to program''.
winnie-the-pooh-hmm.gif
 
difficult is refute me
There is nothing to refute, friend. You are a crusader. Your crusade is about bashing the Saturn and SEGA in every possible thread. Thing is, you are constantly proven wrong. There is no need to refute anything. You are fighting an imaginary enemy that nobody, except you, cares about. Your arguments make no sense, they are biased and built on ignorance of the facts and bad-faith. Move on to something else, because you will never convince anyone of something distorted, exaggerated and objectively wrong.
 
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You guys just better be glad that I have yet to encounter a genie and get three wishes because 1 wish would be that all video games from here on out WOULD ONLY be made for the Saturn, PS1, and N64. :messenger_open_mouth:
 
It won't look or run as good as the PS1 version (which IIRC had engine changes to specifically utilize features of PS1 the first game didn't utilize), but I'm always interested to see how these games could run on a Saturn.

Something that'd of probably happened back in the day if the system did better at retail outside of Japan.

Core always said that Tomb Raider 1 was a multi-platform game. But the first media shown for the game was for the Sega Saturn. The Sega Saturn version was the lead console for TR1, due to the way the maps were constructed for quads, the game was designed within the limitations of the Saturn.

I am pretty sure some of the very first media for TR1 appeared in November or November 1995 issue of Game Fan Magazine with early Saturn beta screenshots.


Tomb Raider II's engine was redesigned to take advantage of the PS1, and the Playstation one became the lead development system for Tomb Raider II to Chronicles. Tomb raider II was originally planned for the Saturn, and I think Core even had a playable version of it at some trade show. But Tomb Raider 1 sold like like crazy on the PS1 (and PC), and Sony paid for every numbered sequel to be PS1 exclusive.
 
It won't look or run as good as the PS1 version (which IIRC had engine changes to specifically utilize features of PS1 the first game didn't utilize), but I'm always interested to see how these games could run on a Saturn.
But why? There are many fully polygonal games on the Sega Saturn, and they all run very poorly, everything was cataloged.
To summarize, think of a PS1 game, then worsen the textures, remove lighting effects, transparency and shadows, reduce the game's in 10fps to 15fps and you will have the Saturn version.

At that time Core Design said this

''Following the cancellation announcement, Adrian Smith cited technical limitations of the console to program an adequate conversion. Core Design had been planning for a Saturn version of Tomb Raider II to use the 3D accelerator cartridge designed for the Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 3; this cartridge was cancelled before Tomb Raider II was completed''.
 
But why? There are many fully polygonal games on the Sega Saturn, and they all run very poorly, everything was cataloged.
To summarize, think of a PS1 game, then worsen the textures, remove lighting effects, transparency and shadows, reduce the game's in 10fps to 15fps and you will have the Saturn version.

At that time Core Design said this

''Following the cancellation announcement, Adrian Smith cited technical limitations of the console to program an adequate conversion. Core Design had been planning for a Saturn version of Tomb Raider II to use the 3D accelerator cartridge designed for the Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 3; this cartridge was cancelled before Tomb Raider II was completed''.

Not totally disagreeing with your last statement, but how much stock can you put into Core Design's comment. Considering the big bag of cash Sony gave them.
 
how much stock can you put into Core Design's comment. Considering the big bag of cash Sony gave them.
total.
Sega Saturn has significantly inferior 3D technology to the PlayStation, but it's not because of quads, complexity or anything like that, the Saturn's 3D chip doesn't have the same HP as the PS1's GPU that's the reason.
 
But why? There are many fully polygonal games on the Sega Saturn, and they all run very poorly, everything was cataloged.
To summarize, think of a PS1 game, then worsen the textures, remove lighting effects, transparency and shadows, reduce the game's in 10fps to 15fps and you will have the Saturn version.

At that time Core Design said this

''Following the cancellation announcement, Adrian Smith cited technical limitations of the console to program an adequate conversion. Core Design had been planning for a Saturn version of Tomb Raider II to use the 3D accelerator cartridge designed for the Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 3; this cartridge was cancelled before Tomb Raider II was completed''.
How about you stop taking for granted every single thing you read on the internet. Because something is written somewhere doesn't mean it is an absolute truth. Use your common-sense a bit. It feels like you guys only know history through stuff read on the internet decades later... And don't build your facts with chatGPT. The only thing that AIs have learnt is to tell us what we want to hear, while making constant mistakes.

Why in the world would Tomb Raider II require a "3D accelerator card" on Saturn when the first game runs on the console without any ? Have you played the games ? TR2 is pretty much the exact same thing with a couple new moves and some bigger levels. Knowing that TR1 was lead on Saturn, was rushed for the deal with SEGA, that Core Design had a working build of the second game on the console, it makes absolutely no sense that this sequel would require anything like this. It is BECAUSE the game was going to run on Saturn and PC that Sony bought this exclusivity.

Back then, PR would also spread BS after receiving a shitton of money from Sony to block the release of its game on a console. It is the same as today, unbelievable ! Shit like "Not releasing the game on Saturn and PC will ensure we provide the best experience for our customers". PR BS.

A single person on her free time has managed to inject the entirety of TR2 in the TR1 engine on Saturn, and this entirely via hacking and code injection, and you doubt that the super talented team of professional people working full time at Core Design would have managed to have TR2 running on Saturn ? Use your common sense.
 
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At that time Core Design said this

''Following the cancellation announcement, Adrian Smith cited technical limitations of the console to program an adequate conversion. Core Design had been planning for a Saturn version of Tomb Raider II to use the 3D accelerator cartridge designed for the Saturn conversion of Virtua Fighter 3; this cartridge was cancelled before Tomb Raider II was completed''.

Translation: Sony paid us millions of pounds for exclusive rights to Tomb Raider just like they done with Namco & Squaresoft as they can't make a decent game themselves to save their lives
 
So, according to the info in the YT page of the video, this runs on original hardware. Hopefully one day this port will be accessible, even if distributing it would surely be illegal?

It doesn't look pretty, but neither does the PS version from the remaster blown up on a 4K TV.
The frame rate is definitely its weakness.
 
So, according to the info in the YT page of the video, this runs on original hardware. Hopefully one day this port will be accessible, even if distributing it would surely be illegal?

It doesn't look pretty, but neither does the PS version from the remaster blown up on a 4K TV.
The frame rate is definitely its weakness.
These games really suffer from not being displayed on a CRT. Pixel salad all over the place. TR1 on Saturn looks pretty good on CRT if you ask me, and the fact that it was "properly dark" with great contrast (unlike the overly bright PS1 game) benefits from the CRT technology, as brighter pixels diffuse their light to the neighboring pixels. You never need, nor want, to go overly bright on CRT, in my opinion.

Aspyr did get this in their remakes, the contrast is very high, with very dark areas, and this is I think how it should look.
 
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These games really suffer from not being displayed on a CRT. Pixel salad all over the place. TR1 on Saturn looks pretty good on CRT if you ask me, and the fact that it was "properly dark" with great contrast (unlike the overly bright PS1 game) benefits from the CRT technology, as brighter pixels diffuse their light to the neighboring pixels. You never need, nor want, to go overly bright on CRT, in my opinion.

Aspyr did get this in their remakes, the contrast is very high, with very dark areas, and this is I think how it should look.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I'd like to put this on my Mister and try it on a CRT, which is as close I can get to original hardware.

I've played the remaster of the first trilogy very recently and I'm not sure I agree with some contrast and lighting decisions they took there. TR3 especially looks very different from the original, and it's so easy to miss one of the dozens of levers and switches every level has and consequently get stuck for hours. In some cases, switching to the original graphics gives you a very different picture. Also in TR2, some areas that were pitch dark on PS are perfectly readable in the remaster, so much so that flares are useless except for two or three rooms in the whole game.
 
it's so easy to miss one of the dozens of levers
They don't stick out as much as before I agree. Overall I like what they did, some places were pitch black back then and aren't anymore, but others have become darker. I think it is okay overall, there is a shortcut for the flare and I find that I use it a ton more with the remastered visuals, and actually like this.
 
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Sega fans really are the modern equivalent of that one Japanese soldier who refused to stop fighting WW2 from the jungle.
SEGA fans are talented and dedicated, and will eventually have translated all the most relevant SEGA games, fixed and enhanced games, developed their own games and made a ton of great homebrews on the consoles they love. While PS fans can't do shit.
 
Translation: Sony paid us millions of pounds for exclusive rights to Tomb Raider just like they done with Namco & Squaresoft as they can't make a decent game themselves to save their lives
Sony's Japanese studios alone made about 100 games, Sony had studios in America and Europe no one needed Namco or Tomb Raider, don't be foolish. TR1 multi, sold more on PS1, as if it were a PS1 exclusive.
 
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Don't always rely on AI. Back in the day I've never read about a 3D cart for this game in any mag ever. Maybe these stories existed, but I can't remember.

According to Core's Paul Douglas Tomb Raider 2 was in development until the Sony deal forced them to stop. He didn't say anything about limitations. They were investigating an N64 version too, but had no devkits. This idea was also let go because of the contract.

I think this makes the most sense as Fighting Force Saturn was also cancelled and that game was even featured on a demo disc being pretty far in development. Ninja, which was very far into development too, was cancelled as well. Eidos simply abandoned Saturn in 1997, and had a console exclusivity deal on the TR franchise with Sony. I think thats that.

If you rationally think about it, this contract was signed somewhere in 1997, well after Saturn was already going down the drain and Bernie as Sega CEO even publicly distancing from it. You think Sony signed this to beat Sega, who were already irrelevant in the west? No, I think they did this to block Nintendo from getting Tomb Raider, which at the time was becoming a cultural phenomenon and Sony obviously wanted their console to be associated with it.
 
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Sony's Japanese studios alone made about 100 games, Sony had studios in America and Europe no one needed Namco or Tomb Raider, don't be foolish. TR1 multi, sold more on PS1, as if it were a PS1 exclusive.
You are completely delusional and blatantly lying.

Outside of the two Gran Turismo games, all the best selling games on PS1 are from third parties. Square, Namco, Capcom, Konami, Naughty Dog, Core Design : all third parties.
 
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Why in the world would Tomb Raider II require a "3D accelerator card" on Saturn when the first game runs on the console without any ?
The first game in the series, despite being a game that pushed the Sega Saturn to its limits (I have the data here regarding memory usage, CPU, and polygon count), ran at only 15fps, because despite the frame rate being unlocked and therefore reaching 30fps, it only takes a single 3D enemy to appear in the scene to drop to 15fps. Can you understand that Tomb Raider 2 has larger levels and that means more RAM and VRAM requirements? Consider whether a 3D accelerator would not be necessary, after all, TR2 could be at 10fps without lighting effects.
A single person on her free time has managed to inject the entirety of TR2 in the TR1 engine on Saturn
about ''entirety of TR2 in the TR1 engine'' let's read what he says
Keep in mind that certain elements, such as dynamic lighting and Lara's extended weapon arsenal, are unlikely to ever be ported over, due to scale and/or complexity. Memory limits also play a huge factor for the bigger levels, although I haven't yet investigated the feasibility of implementing extended RAM. That's why the fate of some levels is still very much unknown right now and that a port of the full game is far from guaranteed.
A few other levels that do need them might be ported eventually, but perhaps with some compromises. There's also memory limits that are currently in their way
and you doubt that the super talented team of professional people working full time at Core Design would have managed to have TR2 running on Saturn ? Use your common sense.
In my opinion, this homebrew programmer is as good as the CD professionals, the problem is that it's not about the human side, the machine just isn't there.
 
The first game in the series, despite being a game that pushed the Sega Saturn to its limits (I have the data here regarding memory usage, CPU, and polygon count), ran at only 15fps, because despite the frame rate being unlocked and therefore reaching 30fps, it only takes a single 3D enemy to appear in the scene to drop to 15fps. Can you understand that Tomb Raider 2 has larger levels and that means more RAM and VRAM requirements? Consider whether a 3D accelerator would not be necessary, after all, TR2 could be at 10fps without lighting effects.

about ''entirety of TR2 in the TR1 engine'' let's read what he says



In my opinion, this homebrew programmer is as good as the CD professionals, the problem is that it's not about the human side, the machine just isn't there.
Here we go again. You simply keep repeating the same things, please check previous posts for the answers.

The homebrew programmer is working by injecting code in TR1 binaries bro. Have you ever hacked a game ? Because I have. And it is nothing like having the source code and being able to build whatever you want. This guy works alone on his free time with no source code. This will never be comparable to a team of full time professionals that can adjust all the assets to the specific needs of the hardware, dealing with whatever memory limitations or organization that are required for the console. You are clueless.
 
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The first game in the series, despite being a game that pushed the Sega Saturn to its limits (I have the data here regarding memory usage, CPU, and polygon count), ran at only 15fps, because despite the frame rate being unlocked and therefore reaching 30fps, it only takes a single 3D enemy to appear in the scene to drop to 15fps. Can you understand that Tomb Raider 2 has larger levels and that means more RAM and VRAM requirements? Consider whether a 3D accelerator would not be necessary, after all, TR2 could be at 10fps without lighting effects.

about ''entirety of TR2 in the TR1 engine'' let's read what he says

In my opinion, this homebrew programmer is as good as the CD professionals, the problem is that it's not about the human side, the machine just isn't there.

The first TR didn't push the Saturn to it's limits. Not even close.
It was rushed out on the Saturn, due to an temporary exclusivity deal of 6 months.
If you want to see what the Saturn could do at the time, take a look at the cancelled version of Shenmue on the console.

 
Is it just me or do Saturn games always look lower resolutuon than PS1 games?. I mean you can always tell a Saturn game just from looking at it compared to PS1 if you get me.
I'm certain apart from the odd game running in the consoles higher resolution mode, thatboth Saturn and PS1 ran games at 240p, yet at least to my eyes Saturn games always look lower resolution.
Maybe they just look over sharpened or somehting.
 
So what the consensus, would Tomb raider 2 have been feasible on the Saturn or not?
It was way into development and going well, with low level coding right to the metal, the only reason it got pulled was because of a cool $100 million off SONY to Edios.
No, it wouldn't have been as good as TR2 on the PS1 version, but still good and making far more use of the hardware than TR.

The likes of Edge mag did various interviews with the teams at CORE

yOETTOg.jpeg
 
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So what the consensus, would Tomb raider 2 have been feasible on the Saturn or not?

Core created this game with a team of about 20 people in about 8 months because they reused a lot of tools from the original. Saturn version was in the works as far as we know (Talks of Eidos about to sign a contract surfaced in the summer, so it might've been in development for about 3 or 4 months). It might've run or looked worse than the PS version, but it was 100% possible. Like the rest of their 1997 lineup, such as Ninja and Fighting Force. They were all well underway.
 
Or you know on an actual CRT
Why do you write in a way that it seems like I didn't thought of that when I wrote my previous post?

Honestly, I am really not interested in CRTs anymore - IMO, they are obsolete, even the still unsused units, especially considering that old games look far better with shaders on modern displays with better contrast, and overall picture.
 
The first TR didn't push the Saturn to it's limits. Not even close.
I have the data here extracted by homebrew programmers. TR1 is the limit, any improvement on similar games is just art.
For example Daytona 1995 (launch game) pushes the Saturn hardware more than Sega Rally. however SR looks better.
 
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