Garou
Member
That feeling when you have to point out that the PC-version wasn't a "port", back then PC was by far the most supported version with patches for most major graphics cards.
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Best way to play Tomb Raider 1?
- Thread starter Garrett Hawke
- Start date
That feeling when you have to point out that the PC-version wasn't a "port", back then PC was by far the most supported version with patches for most major graphics cards.
Toe-Knee
Member
I fired it up after this conversation yesterday and I agree the saturn one runs terribly.
My childhood is ruined!
eot
Banned
I think Anniversary is a harder game than TR1. There's nothing automated about the platforming, the game doesn't fudge your jumps. Try doing some of the speed run challenges.
They're pretty different though so I don't see the point of comparing them directly. OP said TR1 not Anniversary. I would say play it on PC, the resolution of the other versions is so horribly low and the save crystals are just annoying.
eot
Banned
Nah we need a remake of Ii or III. Personally I think III is the better game, but II might be more suited for a remake.
Worst 3d controls ever :S
TheRazielim
Member
Only if I had to play with those controls in a modern game. The original games are built around the controls, and the controls are tight and precise for that purpose.
SilverArrow20XX
Walks in the Light of the Crystal
I just slap my PSX disc into my laptop and play it on an emulator. Plays perfectly. The save points are all invisible though which was weird.
Daffy Duck
Member
KainXVIII
Member
In comparison Anniversary version feels very wonky even with analog controls, i can't make precise jumps every time i want 😑 At least you can disable manual grab on ledges, that's a nod for old school fans, i guess..
daninthemix
Member
Yeah they went completely off-the-rails, chasing that Uncharted money.
sublimit
Banned
I wouldn't mind playing a new IP from them. Just keep them away from Tomb Raider.
FairFriend
Member
I would emulate the PS1 version on PC. If you are patient, you could wait for openlara to be completed, which is a whole new engine capable of playing the original game at 1080p @ 60 fps with added graphical effect.
Stay away from anniversary, which is a pos. People recomending it, or saying that the old games have not aged well, have unsophisticated tastes in gaming.
Stay away from anniversary, which is a pos. People recomending it, or saying that the old games have not aged well, have unsophisticated tastes in gaming.
Rellik
Member
I respect your opinion, but lol...
They're some of the best controls from that era. So precise.
I remember someone posting a video on here explaining the controls and the system they were based on. Wish I could find it.
How the hell did this turn into a TR1 vs. Anniversary debate lol? Anyway, the original is a hard game to recommend simply because of the dated control scheme, but once it clicks (if it ever does), you get one of the most unique platforming experiences in gaming where speed and fluency are cast aside in favor of careful positioning and methodical planning. I understand that many prefer Anniversary and I think it's a great game, but that feeling when you scan the area and perfectly execute a series of maneuvers is something no other platformer has given me really. It's slow, but it's tense and rewarding.
That's just my two cents though.
That's just my two cents though.
boredandlazy
Member
Playing the PS1 classic on the Vita. 
Oh my.....is there a way to do this with normal PC games? A lot of old games just look horrible in high res, but become blurry with low res....basically I want the Devil Daggers effect
eot
Banned
They're not working on TR
My tastes in gaming are not unsophisticated in any way for saying TR1 has not aged well. It's very true, but I'm completely opened in having a debate about it. I actually want to hear your points, especially of the mindset of insulting ones taste in games for saying an early 3D title has aged poorly.
Soulblighter31
Banned
It aged perfectly, its timeless. Its been said many times the game has a particular control scheme and its entire design around it. Its not bad, its not aged, its different.
You not being able to adjust to anything outside the modern norm doesnt mean games aged, its literally just you.
What? Uhm, no. Anniversary has got a ton of magnetic ledges (which in and of itself is automation because you don't have to aim very well or pay too much attention to jump distances for Lara to grab one), plus, it's replaced most of the original's platform-to-platform traversal with ledge-to-ledge traversal which is less complex (basically reducing the traversable space from three to two dimensions), more linear and scripted, less challenging and just so very boring. It also means that pretty much all of the levels are covered in the eyesore that is white, glowing ledges. Anniversary is most assuredly not more challenging than TR1.
Aged Perfectly? Timeless? Just who are you trying to convince with such broad statements?
Of course the games control scheme was designed around the game itself, as should all control schemes. But just because it works doesn't mean it's timeless and certainly not perfect. It's absolutely fair to judge it by today's standards and saying an old game can't be is some serious hand-waving. It hasn't aged well because modern games are better in some very crucial departments. I think you misunderstand what judging a game for "aging well" really means.
FairFriend
Member
This is your opinion, which is just as good as mine.
You can't insult "one's taste". You may feel insulted by my opinion, but I don't see why. Even though it's not possible to draw a direct comparison between gaming and literature, one medium being much older than the other, would it be insulting to say that someone has unsophisticated taste when it comes to reading if she said Shakespeare has not aged well?
If you think that that's the case with Tomb Raider, perhaps it is you who should explain exactly why, so that, by arguing against your case, I may be able to substantiate my opinion. If one simply says "Tomb Raider has not aged well" and his only argument is that it is an early 3D title, which is not an argument at all but merely a fact, there's not much to go on, except the claim itself, to which I reply with a fairly innocuous observation.
Like hand holding? That's the problem with the remakes and a lot of modern games, there is just lack of freedom and the path is always highlighted for you. The original Tomb Raider are more of adventure simulators where each step counts and each jump if miscalculated will cost you your life. On top of that, due to the graphics, there are times were you're not really sure if you can grab a ledge or not, anything that is angled can be grabbed and jumped of. The tank controls play a huge part in all of this to give you a better precision to your movement.
The original games have a different feel to them that is lost when it comes to modern game designs. This game is really not about combat per se, it's about adventure, and enemies that you have to deal with are not one shot kill or have a life bar, they can be quite a challenge to kill. The only thing that didn't age well is of course the graphics: lol poly models, not overly detailed environment, etc. I still feel like the games have their own charm to them and set a mood with the choice of geometry and environments. If anything, I would play it on an emulator to increase the resolution and quick saves to alleviate some frustration.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I've been using the Tomb Raider Automated Fix thing linked earlier and enjoying it. Wow, it really is stupid how the T. rex is just a QTE in Anniversary. Whereas in this you just see one small dinosaur, kill it, then another, kill that, then out of the darkness comes a T. rex.
Also having done the Croft Manor tutorial the controls seem fine
Also having done the Croft Manor tutorial the controls seem fine
That's so subjective, though. Personally, I think the old TR games' controls are far better than those of most modern games with 3D platforming elements. Saying that "today's standards" are better just because you like them better is entirely arbitrary. It all depends on what you value in a 3D platformer's controls. If you like quick response times and smoothness, sure, the old TR games' controls aren't very good at that. But if you like absolute player control and precision, those games blow almost any modern game out of the water.
NeoZeedeater
Member
It's sad that when a 3d game doesn't have auto-platforming, it gets criticized for having "bad controls". It's not just old Tomb Raider-style controls either. The Jet Set Radio remaster had tons of newcomers complaining. "You mean it's possible to miss a jump?! This game sucks!".
ProgenitorCastle
Banned
Funny, this thread ended up being pretty useful to me, as for some time, I wanted (and still want) to experience Tomb Raider series beginning with the original...I WAS gonna get the PC version, but found out it has missing music from PSX...thanks to this thread, I found out about the Tomb Raider automated fix!
Some things I'd like to know as well:
-Is there a way to play it with the unmodded graphics if you use this mod, and keep the rest of the enhancements it brings?
-Controller support for this mod? Was gonna use the Steam controller, but it doesn't have a true D-pad (in most cases, I prefer using it for tank controls)
Some things I'd like to know as well:
-Is there a way to play it with the unmodded graphics if you use this mod, and keep the rest of the enhancements it brings?
-Controller support for this mod? Was gonna use the Steam controller, but it doesn't have a true D-pad (in most cases, I prefer using it for tank controls)
Did the other Tomb Raider PC versions get similar treatment?
I know the first three games on PC are "definitive" in the sense they all have more levels, but by being older PC games, they have some technical fuzz built up on them.
KainXVIII
Member
What do you mean by unmodded? You can disable bilinear filtering and force 480p if you want.
Controller is supported (steam have PS1 DS4 bindings from some user and i have updated profile too, with quick save-load on touchpad 😀
, i beat the game with DS4 on dpad.For TR2-5 there is Peixoto's patch, read about it (and other useful info) on PCGamingWiki
https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Tomb_Raider_II
ProgenitorCastle
Banned
What do you mean by unmodded? You can disable bilinear filtering and force 480p if you want.
Controller is supported (steam have PS1 DS4 bindings from some user and have mine uploaded profile too, with quick save-load on touchpad ��
By unmodded, I mean graphics as close to the PS1 version as possible, which I'm assuming the game as-is is like (I read in a tutorial that the mod "enhances" the graphics, and there doesn't seem to be an option for the original graphics to be retained)
Aah...good to know that a DS4 (which I already got) can be used with Steam as well to customize the controls how you like! At first, I was confused how to get the DS4 working properly w/ Steam, but thankfully, the error message in Steam showed me how to
KainXVIII
Member
There is not much "enhances" for TR1, but you can edit *.ini file for this mod to make game as close as possible with TR1 on ps1 =) Maybe even force 320x240.
Ophiuchus
Member
I recently finished it on PC with some patches installed and played ps1 version on my ps2.I think I prefer pc version because right now there doesn't exist any problem with it: music and some problems were fixes with the updates and patches.
Just please do not compare this game to Anniversary.And play the unfinished business after you beat the game,it is worth it.
Just please do not compare this game to Anniversary.And play the unfinished business after you beat the game,it is worth it.
Some dude is making a modern source port on PC iirc, there's also the fantastic Anniversary remake, but I know some old school fans feel it changes the game up too much.
There was a DF Retro about Tomb Raider 1 and he goes into that source port in the video (along with all the other ports). Suddenly I got some mad cravings for Last Revelation, that game is so good and I fucking love the Egypt theme. We need more games taking place in Egypt and in ancient lost tombs and shit.
There was a DF Retro about Tomb Raider 1 and he goes into that source port in the video (along with all the other ports). Suddenly I got some mad cravings for Last Revelation, that game is so good and I fucking love the Egypt theme. We need more games taking place in Egypt and in ancient lost tombs and shit.
Play it on Saturn or PS1.
And close GAF until you finish the game, because a lot of people will answer you with "play the remake duh, originals are shit, overrated games etc etc"
Everything is bullshit.
Original TR is still a good game, even for our modern taste used to like only refined controls and complex stories.
And close GAF until you finish the game, because a lot of people will answer you with "play the remake duh, originals are shit, overrated games etc etc"
Everything is bullshit.
Original TR is still a good game, even for our modern taste used to like only refined controls and complex stories.
pretty done
Member
The Uncharted-esque (non)platforming is probably my biggest issue with it. The original was actually a platformer.
Man, a Tomb Raider Legacy Collection with 1-4 would be one of the hypest announcements.
There are in fact two separate projects trying to remake the original TR1 engine from scratch - TRE/Open Tomb and OpenLara. You can even play a browser version of OpenLara in its current state here (no need to download anything): http://xproger.info/projects/OpenLara/