Details ont the Next Tomb Raider

[Zenien]

TOMB RAIDER UNDERWORLD EXCLUSIVE
Copyright 2007 www.tombraiderchronicles.com

[ December 13th 2007 ]

PLAY magazine has scored an exclusive unveiling of Tomb Raider Underworld, Lara Croft's third adventure under the aegis of U.S. developer Crystal Dynamics. The issue features a world-exclusive including screenshots and an interview with Eric Lindstrom and can be purchased online and downloaded right now.

According to PLAY, "Lara's adventure takes place after the events of Tomb Raider Legend. Her adventure will be a thrill ride for anyone new to the franchise. The emphasis is on bringing Lara's world to life, a lush, vast interactive world that reacts and remembers. It's pure woman versus wild."

Commenting on one of Lara's locations, PLAY says, "In the level where Lara explores Southern Mexico, she leaves footprints in the mud, but it's raining so they wash away. The bodies she leaves behind in combat encounters will stay, however, as will the debris from any destruction she causes."

On an immersive and epic environment and weather system, Eric Lindstrom says, "we developed a hybrid lighting model that combines dynamic lights with carefully created light maps to make our world look stunning in ways that none of the available methods could achieve alone."

Crystal Dynamics have also given Lara full motion capture "to bring a more natural fluidity to her movements, with proper weight and secondary motion." Moreover, when Lara kneels on a muddy outcrop, only her knee will be covered in dirt and this will gradually dissipate as she continues on her journey.

The game has been tentatively pencilled in for a 2008 release and is expected to court Xbox 360, Sony PS3 and Windows PC. Stay tuned for more info soon.

 

[블라스]

Yes

 

[GFreeman]

I hope they got a good physics engine.

 

[블라스]

For the boobs?

 

[GFreeman]

Don't be such a perv, geez.

 

[Havok83]

So its going to be called Tomb Raider Underworld? I was hoping for TRL2 but this is good. Love the new look on Lara. It suits her. Im glad they are making it exclusively for the next gen systems. Dont want it dragged down by the PS2

 

[블라스]

So its going to be called Tomb Raider Underworld? I was hoping for TRL2 but this is good. Love the new look on Lara. It suits her. Im glad they are making it exclusively for the next gen systems. Dont want it dragged down by the PS2

It seems to be taking a more adventure-y approach than "Legends", too.
Legends is ****ing great (well, what little I played....I can't wait to get back to it), and I am NOT missing "Anniversary" as soon as I buy my 360.

I can't wait

 

[블라스]

Don't be such a perv, geez.

You made me this way!

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Engine tech info is only worth knowing for the fact that this is the engine for Deus Ex 3.

 

[Zenien]

They could always work on adapting the game to lower spec systems after the fact, releasing a PS2/Wii version later.

I like her new look, it's much more honest, and less bimbo pin up girl. I hope they're making it a bit free roaming, and i they do it like I think they will, Drakes Fortune 2 will have some big competition.

 

[블라스]

 

[블라스]

 

[블라스]

 

[gtkilla]

WHAT?! I'm not the first to make a thread about this?!

I come bearing lots of very juicy info!

- All the screens have very photorealistic lighting (an inhouse method that Crystal Dynamics developed that is more realistic than anything on the market...a blend of HDR and strategically placed light maps) and look very detailed as well as busy with life.

- The environment is VERY interactive. Debris will no longer disappear and will stay there, along with fallen foes. Lara leaves mud prints in the mud which will wash away over time from the rain. Also water will cause Lara to slip on climbable surfaces. The weather changes, and rain/new lighting comes here and there.

- It is RUMORED to be very easy to get lost in this game and the journalist saw no clear routes on how to get to a certain place. In fact Crystal said they made the decision to leave debris and dead foes stay so that you can use them as place markers, much like in the classics. I guess the world is that big that you NEED them to not run around in circles.

- Underworld means exactly what you think it means. She will venture below ground, and underneath tombs to encounters foes of an unhuman nature..foes that are not natural in their occurance

- The world is rich with color, however the weather itself dictates how colorful everything is. As you can imagine, when it rains everything takes on a real dark gloomy feel and Lara herself looks very muddy and...miserable. In one shot it shows Lara looking very messed up from the elements (mud) only to have a passing storm clean her off and get her soaking wet.

- Melee attacks are meant to ward off enemies who do head on attacks. They are available from the start and are there to give Lara enough time (hopefully!) to pull out her guns and fight back with her weapons.

- Lara's outfit actually is smart for a change and is not done for fashion. The top and bottom look to be made of the same thing sports bras are made out of. It is a modification of the Legend outfit with a new (more sporty) backpack.

- Yes, the sun comes out and Lara gets very dirty, and then a passing rainstorm comes and washes her off.

- Oh, and there was no mention of a knife...however when lara goes through foliage she will put her arm up to protect her face as she goes through, much like in the one TR3 FMV

- Also, its not so much a specific MOVE that will blow you away but how many little ones they added to make it look more realistic. The majority of it was mo-capped to give Lara more of a 'weight' although some of the more fancy moves were done by hand as lets face it...Lara has always been able to do things real people cannot. Right now I'm most excited about the newly added hand to hand combat and melee attacks.

- Natural tools eh? As in her new motorcycle I read about... that can be driven all over the place and USED FOR PUZZLE SOLVING?

A few key things from the PLAY article, I didn't post all of it because it would be too much!

 

[블라스]

Yesssss

 

[Havok83]

Haha, I was waiting for GTkilla to get in here. Good stuff. So Im guessing its a Oct-Nov 08 release for this?

 

[gtkilla]

Haha, I was waiting for GTkilla to get in here. Good stuff. So Im guessing its a Oct-Nov 08 release for this?

Lol

Hopefully, it'll have an Autumn or Winter release. I don't want this baby out till it's nice and ready.

The game looks so gorgeous, I can't wait to see it in high-res! Unfortunately, the official high-res stuff isn't due till January, so these low-res pics will have to do until then..

 

[WhatsHisFace]

They could always work on adapting the game to lower spec systems after the fact, releasing a PS2/Wii version later.

I like her new look, it's much more honest, and less bimbo pin up girl. I hope they're making it a bit free roaming, and i they do it like I think they will, Drakes Fortune 2 will have some big competition.

You're never allowed to call me an idiot again.

 

[shadowdog]

I just finished TR Anniversary and it was a lot of fun and beautiful. I can't wait for this one!

 

[Master Chief]

This is the first time I splooged and it wasn't just because of the super hottness womans. This game sounds sexy. :heart:

 

[Electro UK]

I love it when she's got the mud on her.

 

[GFreeman]

They always make the games sound good at first. Then they come out...

 

[gtkilla]

I love it when she's got the mud on her.

Ditto! XD Take a look at the dirty-wet and clean-wet comparison!

Gorgeous!

 

[GFreeman]

The mud makes her look like a chameleon or something, I don't like it. Just looks like blotchy skin instead of dirt.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

Yeah... that's not what dirt looks like.