Level Editor
Comments
Vagrant to Adrian Smith, 9/14/99:
"Hello sir, please hear me out;thanks. While it seems that your latest TombRaider game will enjoy many new improvements over the previous games.
Let's remember that graphics and special effects are but a small piece of TombRaider's appeal.
Sadly(IMHO) lacking in either TR2,TR Gold or TR3 was the original game's premise of TombRaidin' Indiana Jones style of adventure.Still they were good games/I like them a lot,too. (TombRaider Gold had IT!) Let's hope that TR4 returns to the magic.
In the meantime,wouldn't you consider releasing a TombRaider(original game) level editor? or at least some of the code source,so that folks could build one
Seriously sir,who would even be interested in that game engine except the most loyal(and talented) game hobbyists?
Contrary to what may have been said about the general public not being able to 'handle a TombRaider editor',folks who build game levels on their own can hardly be called 'the general public'...
FYI....I use 3D Studio Max too,(electricity's my day gig) and have a bank of machines at home.. I'm an educated Joe;well read & I'm certainly Not fooling when I said that you missed the ambient feel in TR2 & TR3...
so please consider letting a few of us return Lara to that 'Lost Valley'...we all want to see what's on the other side of that waterfall Temple.Think about it?"
Derek Oswald, 9/7/99:
"okay first of all, I'm sick of those idiots out there who make fake level editors, or say they are gonna make one but never do.
I emailed the guy from editor raider..no response, I cant ge past the beta message,either.
How sick of chris to use "us" to make 100 bucks.
I think it's about time for someone with good programming knowledge to create a level editor that even the most non-experience can understand.
Or if editor raider is a real program... maybe someone could hack past the message.
Core is being a bunch of idiots over this level editor buisness and I'm sick of it.. This time I am creating a REAL petition where people can sign it and I will send it by the end of this month. They can email me then I will store all the adresses and names in a text files and with the peoples comments. I think it is time to take action and make them release a level editor before the final and last tomb raider is released this here is a link"
Richard Hatch, 9/6/99:
"As far as the whole 'will Core/Eidos ever release a level editor to the public?' thing goes, yes, on the one hand I wish they would, but on the other hand, sooner or later a game will be released that has the same 'adventure' kind of feel to it, and whoever makes it will probably be a lot more willing to either release their level editor, or support those who wish to make one, so if Core/Eidos want to dig their own grave, maybe we should let them."
RavenFire (aka ‘Lara’s Accomplice’), 7/11/99:
"I can’t speak for Core (I’d get sued). I can’t read their minds (which is probably a good thing). I really don’t have any clairvoyance as to their reasoning on anything (and I’m not sure I’d want to).
Core seems to be forgetting something; their livelihood as a company is based on the quality-and more importantly the reputation-of their products. If people like and respect what they make and sell, people will buy their products. People will respect their products, and in turn, respect them.
I respect Tomb Raider. I love the game. It’s got a depth and an immersivness I’ll never truly fathom.
Core, on the other hand...
Core-and Eidos, too, if you’re reading this-you need to understand something: fans ask for something because they want it and will use it. When you don’t give it too them, or can’t produce a legitimate reason why their request is impossible, they either lose respect for you, become angry, or make it themselves. This is the way things are done in the computer gaming industry. It is how the industry balances itself.
All the way back during 1995 when Activision released MechWarrior II: Mercenaries, they included tools and some instructions on how to build new missions or levels, and some pushes in the right directions for constructing entirely new ‘Mechs, which was a huge task. But they did it because the fans wanted it.
That game broke sales and technology records that had been in place since the release of the 80086 processor. The game sold millions of copies. It has recently been re-released in a remastered Direct 3D trilogy (circa 1998). That too is selling fast. New Mechs popped up in regiments and missions were everywhere. Most of them were good; there were some bad ones, and a few were butt ugly. But it was, overall, a bonus to a legend.
Duke Nukem 3D, Quake, Quake 2, and Unreal all shipped with level and mission editors. id Software’s Doom series did not have an ‘official’ level editor, but hundreds of fan-made level builders and editors were produced, many of which are still locatable on the internet today, asking only that any editors be made to not work with the shareware copies of Doom (no shareware Doom 2 was released). All of these have each sold tens, maybe hundreds, of millions of copies. Can you say the same for the Tomb Raider Series?
One argument I read a Core employee pose to the creation of a room editor is that a ‘vast library of files and source code, etc’ is needed for it to be truly useful. Yet, minus the drivers and FMV, TR2 took up only about 100 MB. A CDROM can hold at maximum 650. If enough code can be left on the CD to store, read, parse, process and display the game files in real-time, what prevents a simple editor from using the data already on the CD, or creating / importing new data?
In 1997, Cavedog Entertainment released Total Annihilation -a real-time war simulation similar to Command and Conquer-with roughly 150 units, 40 missions, and 20 multiplayer maps. Very quickly, hordes of high-quality, innovative new units, as well as home-written unit and mission making programs, followed. Missions and multiplayer maps also rolled out. None of these were authorized by Cavedog, but it did not oppose it, either. The fans made that game. If that response had not been there, the two following expansions-the Core Contingency, and Total Annihilation: Battle Tactics-as well as the sequel-TA: Kingdoms-would most likely not have been made. Let me rephrase this to be more pertinent to you; if Tomb Raider had not been a huge hit (from the game, and from-you have to admit it-Nude Raider and other editors), there would have been no Tomb Raider 2. If Tomb Raider 2 had not been a masterpiece (from the game, the fans, the pop culture, the websites, the game editors, the shotgun shell hack, and yes… Nude Raider…), there would have been no Tomb Raider 3. When fans love a game, they will improve the game on their own.
You, on the other hand, choose to sue and threaten fans that try to do the same thing with the Tomb Raider series. You have crushed a number of editors and more than a few websites for the sake of a monopoly on a game we respect and enjoy.
The choice to buy your game belongs to us, the people. You cannot force us to buy Tomb Raider games. When the fans make an editor for the game, it is because they like the game and want to do more with it for their enjoyment. When a fan enjoys a game more, the fan is more likely to buy a sequel or add on (if it is a quality product and the fan still respects the company). We are having trouble why you, Core and Eidos, are choosing to snub us with your refusal to release a level editor that would allow us to more freely expand and enrich the Tomb Raider series. Yes, some levels made by some fans may not be the greatest, but some truly masterful levels could be built, too. In fact, if you really need to see the possible benefit to you in everything you do, a really well-done level could-with the builder’s permission-possibly be included in a future game or level pack (similar to what id did with the Final Doom).
Core, Eidos, for the sake of your fans, and for your own commercial well being, give us something that can make levels. All we really need is the ability to place enemies, build rooms, place triggers (for actions like doors / traps / sounds, etc., and CD tracks), and some way to import new textures. Although it isn’t a must, being able to import new character models from 3ds or Lightwave formats would be nice (although it is conceded that movement scripting for new models would be difficult-note that difficult is not synonymous with impossible).
I thank you for your time; Please treat my respect for you appropriately."
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