Ms.Croft Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 So, I've just finished the demo, and I'm mostly impressed...mostly. Firstly what strikes me most about this game is how much more the environment has evolved. Underworld's Coastal Thailand level is eye-stunningly beautiful to look at in the first 3 seconds of the game and is drop-dead gorgeous even without the settings maxed. Beautiful locations! Secondly, I'm rather impressed with the new skill getting the artefacts has become. Some are very easy...and some are not so easy to find, e.g. some require cracking open a pot, and others require finding their secret locations. Without a walkthrough, I predict finding these artefacts will be challenging...perfect, especially over 'Legend'. Alternate routes around the area help find you hard to reach secrets What I'm not so impressed with however is the camera. It tends to be the tool that ruins the game completely and with such a stunning game, it's a shame the camera is so difficult to control on a PC. I've heard the same for the 360 users, and I hope the same troubles are not in the final build of the game. It can be infuriatingly frustrating when Lara jumps the completely wrong way from where you intended her to go and makes combat so much more difficult than it should be. The generosity of the health pickups was a problem for me too. In the player tailoring, I had it set to the hardest difficulties and somehow always found myself unphased as I had plenty of medipacks in reserve. I could of course just not picked any up, but I would still like it to be a bit more challenging as I don't feel the need to be careful. One of my favourite moves! Lara's gymnastics are still as fantastic as ever and add to the variety of traversing around the level, plus it's a nice detail. Speaking of details.... "I saw something crawling over there..." Lizards running around you, foliage moving with the wind and reacting to your body, beautiful music cues...the details are just fantastic and I hope they're in each level. Every time I play the demo, I find something else crawling out of the corner of my eye and it's detail like this that truly makes it feel next-gen. Overall I was impressed with the demo, I just hope some of the little problems are sorted for the release of the game. I look forward to hearing your views and seeing your screenshots! MsC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicri Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 Yes I have to agree, the graphics in this game are gorgeous to look at. On my first playthrough, everything was on High, 4xAA and 2x Anistropic. I'll further experiment on my next playthrough. The camera leaves a lot to be desired and I had the same experience as you did MsC particularly in combat and the platforming puzzles. Instead of the mouse/keyboard combo, I will use my gamepad and see if that improves gameplay at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 I'm rather pleased because it ran quite nicely on my PC. I may have to turn the graphics down a bit during intense bits of the game, but otherwise it ran better than I expected. What I'm not so impressed with however is the camera. It tends to be the tool that ruins the game completely and with such a stunning game, it's a shame the camera is so difficult to control on a PC. I've heard the same for the 360 users, and I hope the same troubles are not in the final build of the game. It can be infuriatingly frustrating when Lara jumps the completely wrong way from where you intended her to go and makes combat so much more difficult than it should be. I completely agree, the camera drove me absolutely mad at some points. What also drove me a bit nuts was that I couldn't re-assign any controls to the mouse buttons, so I couldn't customise the controls to be like the ones I used in Legend and Anniversary. I find the default controls to be quite awkward to work with so I like to customise as soon as I start playing. I'm hoping this'll be fixed with the final release though. I must say, stomping on spiders and kicking bats out of the air is loads of fun Also, one should not attach a sticky grenade to a tiger which is attacking one The game looks absolutely gorgeous. I'm going to take some time out tomorrow to explore and get used to how Lara moves now and see if I can find any of the hidden treasures. For me, the more health packs the better because I'm lousy at combat and tend to panic and start button-mashing when things jump out at me Oh look, somewhere high up... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Splat! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself... I'm a horrible horrible person... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guested Account Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 WHOA Shrenshy!! You had the Demo not even 5 hrs and you are already killing Underworld Lara on purpose?!? You cruel Tomb Raiderette, You!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 Actually I've only had the demo for about an hour and a half due to excessively long downloading times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guested Account Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 Actually I've only had the demo for about an hour and a half due to excessively long downloading times that makes you an even more crueler Tomb Raiderette!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 One thing I do like from what I've seen in the demo is the new swimming controls. I much prefer using the mouse to move Lara around underwater, and I had a fair amount of difficulty in Legend and Anniversary getting used to the swimming controls because I was constantly trying to use the mouse to get her to swim up and down. Now for some more screenshots, just because I love taking screenshots This game is really beautiful, I just want to stop and stare at the scenery all the time... Handstand! I did this by mistake and then had to go up and down the ledge until I managed to do it again. I can't remember exactly how I got it to work, but I think it may have involved shift and spacebar. EEK, SPIDER!!! Squish! You can see in this screenshot Lara's health is really low. She got killed by bats shortly thereafter. Dive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicri Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 On my second run through, I found using a gamepad much more intuitive than with using the mouse/keyboard combo. Shrensh, I wouldn't worry about the lack of customizing/configuring buttons that personally suit you --- it is afterall just a demo. I'm certain that this will be possible in the final retail version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Fusion Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Oh look, somewhere high up... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Splat! I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself... I'm a horrible horrible person... i love you lol. can we expect a video? you know im a subscriber to Lara's torture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guested Account Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 stupid thing won't run on my new PC and I even used the Eidos System Scan and it passed I am reading at the Eidos TR Forum that people with older and low end PC are running it and people with newer and high end PC can't run it I even uncheck all the checkmarks and drop the resolution to 1024x768 and 800x600, no luck 3D will not initialize :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 On my second run through, I found using a gamepad much more intuitive than with using the mouse/keyboard combo. Shrensh, I wouldn't worry about the lack of customizing/configuring buttons that personally suit you --- it is afterall just a demo. I'm certain that this will be possible in the final retail version. Yeah, I'm sure it will be. The control re-assigning in the demo seems to be very buggy in general so I'm sure it's one thing they're aware of and will fix. I thought about going and whining on the Eidos board about it, but some people have already done that for me i love you lol. can we expect a video? you know im a subscriber to Lara's torture lol, I'll see if I can get some good videos stupid thing won't run on my new PC and I even used the Eidos System Scan and it passed I am reading at the Eidos TR Forum that people with older and low end PC are running it and people with newer and high end PC can't run it I even uncheck all the checkmarks and drop the resolution to 1024x768 and 800x600, no luck 3D will not initialize :angry: With the amount of people who meet the minimum requirements and are having this problem, this is hopefully just a bug with the demo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonCroyJr. Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 The game seems to chug along at some points for me, I probably should look into getting more CPU strength. That aside: :o This game is amazing!!! The environments, the acrobatics, the sheer fluidity of everything is wonderful. You can swing on poles, scale massive pillars, shoot tigers, stomp bugs, there was never a dull moment in the demo for me. I always found something to do. Goodbye walking through stone hallways for five minutes in between puzzles (the hallways that are in the demo are acrobatic puzzles within themselves!!!) Also, hmm, the intro cutscene seems to have been abridged for the demo. I remember seeing a video where the cutscene included the three talking about Helheim, Natla, and Lara's mother among other things, but not in the demo. Maybe CD didn't want to spoil people that hadn't seen all the press and just wanted to play the demo. Thoughtful. I thought I got all the secrets, but come to find out there are eleven just in the twenty minute demo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPanther Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I'm playing the demo for the 2nd time, because I had to stop playing last night and you can't save (That annoys me a bit). So I started again and managed to go most of it again, and I think I'm very close to the end of it - I had to stop again to do some work - left it open tho! Our computer had no problems to play the game and we're playing everything on full specs. I'm using a controller and I think that makes a huge difference. I suggest you try that, if you can afford a controller. Everything is very natural. And I don't have problems with the camera either! I'm very impressed so far!! Looking forward to play the real thing!! Oh... I found the location of 2 hidden secrets at the start of the game. Anyone found them? BPanther Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonCroyJr. Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 In the first area (as in, from first surfacing to right after the first pole-swing), I found three. -If you climb the greenery far right and up, you can jump up to some ledges and eventually drop into a small cave (with spiders ) -There's a treasure among the seaweed in the water around the place where you jump to get the first treasure -Right after the pole-swing, you can drop and hang to the right and climb down some loose stones, jumping behind into a small outcrop. Three down, eight to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BPanther Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Three down, eight to go. I found the same, except for the one hiding in the seaweed. How do you know there's 11 of them? And how do we know if we got them all? I wasn't counting! BPanther Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicri Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 stupid thing won't run on my new PC and I even used the Eidos System Scan and it passed I am reading at the Eidos TR Forum that people with older and low end PC are running it and people with newer and high end PC can't run it I even uncheck all the checkmarks and drop the resolution to 1024x768 and 800x600, no luck 3D will not initialize :angry: Hmmmm... I have a fairly high end PC and had no problems running it on Vista. What are your system specs (and what is the maxixmum resolution of your monitor)? Did you install the demo in XP or Vista and is it up-to-date, including the video drivers? DirectX 9/10 updated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guested Account Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 Hmmmm... I have a fairly high end PC and had no problems running it on Vista. What are your system specs (and what is the maxixmum resolution of your monitor)? Did you install the demo in XP or Vista and is it up-to-date, including the video drivers? DirectX 9/10 updated? here are my specs and the Eidos scan says I passed everything http://www.laracroftonline.net/index.php?s...&hl=finally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Croft Posted November 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 @Shrensh. To do the handstand, you hold down the jump button (climb button) instead of just pressing it. Also if you hold shift underwater, she'll dolphin swim which is a nice feature. I found 4 secrets in the beginning area...I think I've found them all, I'm not so sure though...here they are if you want to know them. Secret 1: In the water at the beginning of the game. Search around though, I'm not going to tell you exactly where. 2. As you climb up the mountain side after getting out of the water, head right instead of left. You'll find some more rocks to grab onto if you jump to the right and some ledges above that. Follow the ledges to the second secret. 3. After sliding down and swiming on the poles, continue slowly into the next area. Before you leave the cave, look to the right and you should see a stone ledge. Hang off of it and let go to grab some rocks. Climb down and to the left as far as you can and jump into the cave. The secret is waiting for you there. 4. Reach the top of this area and look back out over the water. Below you, you'll see a large rock to jump onto that has the secret on top of it...you'll lose some health if you do though, so make sure Lara has enough! MsC EDIT: I just remembered that in an interview, it said that if you play the game as linearly as possible, you'll only see 50% of the game...a whole 50% dedicated to exploring! Wooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonCroyJr. Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I love this screenshot it's my new desktop : The original is a whole lot bigger than that, Photobucket just shrunk it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 To do the handstand, you hold down the jump button (climb button) instead of just pressing it. Also if you hold shift underwater, she'll dolphin swim which is a nice feature. Thanks, I'll try that out when I get home tomorrow I'm really terrible at getting Lara to do special moves and sometimes she just totally ignores me when I tell her to do something Plus I went and switched all the buttons around, but when you do that you end up with two actions mapped to the same button, which leads to great confusion when trying to work out how to do stuff like that I've figured out how to get her to do handstand/flip thing when she's grabbing a pole on the ground, and I've gotten her to swan-dive, which is a start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Croft Posted November 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 In the first area (as in, from first surfacing to right after the first pole-swing), I found three. -If you climb the greenery far right and up, you can jump up to some ledges and eventually drop into a small cave (with spiders ) -There's a treasure among the seaweed in the water around the place where you jump to get the first treasure -Right after the pole-swing, you can drop and hang to the right and climb down some loose stones, jumping behind into a small outcrop. Three down, eight to go. I went through the demo again and counted the ones I had found and it totaled 11, so I guess I found them all. I don't know how you know there's 11 either, is there a way to find out like a statistics page? MsC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 I don't think it's natural for someone's arm to bend this way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonCroyJr. Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 (edited) I know because I'm magical. Duh. No, I just looked at a walkthrough. Also: EXCELSIOR! (Lara somehow rolled onto a weird pointed rock when I was trying to get the really complex secret in the tiger area and made this pose. ) Edit: Although it doesn't look like it, the arm position in Shrensh's screenshot is quite possible to do. It's just really awkward and would probably break some bones if you tried to fire and Uzi with it like that. But hey, she's Lara flipping Croft, she probably farts Kalvin Klein for all we know. Edited November 2, 2008 by BeansOnToast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicri Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 here are my specs and the Eidos scan says I passed everything http://www.laracroftonline.net/index.php?s...&hl=finally Have you updated your video drivers since you got your rig? Do update if you haven't done so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrensh Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 Thanks to a very intelligent person in this thread at the Eidos boards I've gotten the Underworld controls re-mapped to match my Legend and Anniversary ones (although switch weapon, which I always have mapped to middle mouse button, didn't carry over for some reason). I wish I could've done this from the beginning, because it's so much easier to play now. Not being able to map jump to the right mouse button completely messed up all the other controls for me and made my life very difficult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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