KIKO
07-08-08, 22:45
This is something that I would like to see in Tomb Raider since some time ago and I wanted to share this idea. Though this isn't really necessary, it would test the players' capabilities of surviving and Intelligence. You can always recommend me a game that is PRO in this field, however I think Tomb Raider should be more complex at the point of focusing at various things at the same time (Exploration, Puzzle, Climbing, Killing, Surviving). So we should expand it, innovate and take Tomb Raider to a new level. A dangerous level...
Surviving certain situation would require acting. Surviving isn't a quick time event where we need to press buttons in order to survive, no. Neither something that happens during the cutscene because that would allow the player to put his fingers on the keyboard/controller and being ready for the thing. No, it's something that happens in-game and makes the player act fast and move Lara as quick as possible in order to survive. That scares them. An in-game boulder running scares me more than one in a cutscene that continues rolling after it. So the surviving time should happen in those times. Again not a QTE. It's a situation where the people would need to find a way to survive by himself using the methods that come to his mind. Surviving by running? Surviving by using Equipment? Surviving by entering a safe place? Etc... There are lots of possibilities to escape danger and CD should allow many of those possibilities.
Surviving in the Scenario
Other aspects of surviving in the Environment are the environment own rules. Now let's think of Nepal. It's cold, snowy and icy. Well what would we need to survive in Nepal ? Since Tomb Raider is trying to bring some realism, I think this should also be considered. And it's here that CD should let the players pick up any outfit available. Let them customise Lara, with their own accessories choice. Now you will tell me, this isn't Sims Kiko. Yes I know, but the outfit you choose would also affect the chances of surviving in Nepal. It always bugged me that we could use Lara's bikini in Nepal and she would never get cold, frozen, etc...Now you see, depending on the accessories and outfits you choose, you would raise or not the chances of surviving in Nepal. And Lara should also have a new bar. Other than Health and Breath. The Bar named Cold.
Hypothermia Bar
This should also make a return, I was disappointed it didn't in TR5 (Russia Levels). More surviving and I love it. We should think first of what are the chances of getting to that place before dying of Hypothermia.
NO STRENGHT BAR !!! It's stupid because it kills a vital piece of TR, which is Climbing!
Water Bar
Yes, it can easily be applied in the desert. We should make her drink water when that bar is almost at the end. We should also take in account the size of the item where we bring the water and the amount of water in it. Letting the bar being almost empty should result in Lara having hallucinations making it appear water in the middle of the desert, the player should be the one to see and Lara's walking should be different too. And when you think she's drinking water, she's actually eating pure sand. Empty Water Bar ? R.I.P
Breath Bar
30 seconds underwater? Only that? Oh come on. There are people who can hold their breath for more than that, I've seen a video where the women hold her breath for 4 minutes. 1 minute should be enough for Lara.
Burning Lara
Small Fire should act like in TRA, big portion of Fire should result in the fire burning Lara until she dives in the water, emptying her Health Bar at the same time.
Health Items
These sure help a lot if you get injured. First Aid Sprays on the floor in odd places don't make any sense, but finding them in Mercenaries corpses or skeletons would make much more sense. First Aid Sprays, Healing Herbs, Poison Antidotes, Bandages, vaccines (to fight diseases when necessary), some to treat burns or broken bones. And the Healing Herbs can have some kind of desadvantage at least for the player. How would he know that the herb that Lara is eating would heal her ? It should be like in real life, there are poison plants. Now we should just pick one and how would we know if it's the right one ? Simple. Use your luck or Google it :D
Liberty of moves
Another big problem of the game nowadays is this. Most of the times, players don't have the chance to do what comes to their minds. And simply because the developers didn't make the game with free moments. 1500 animations for Lara, that sure is great. I like that. There should be a lot of moves that we can do whenever we want and if we want. Motion Capture sure helps a lot in that. There's also more to dive in, in this filed of Liberty of Moves. I'm currently thinking and making a list of things that we could be free to do in the game, making it more natural and "free", and at the same time making Lara use some human moves like simply touching a wall or using an old knife.
Enemies
Lots of enemies have their own reactions to certain attacks. Some strike back, run, defend or simply die. To make if more free, natural and complex CD should think of some insects, reptiles and other animals that could be in the jungle for example. Bees (disturbing a Bees nest would result in a huge amount of them going after Lara), Mosquitos (argh, so irritating), Flies over dead bodies (disgusting), Snails (simply there living), sneaks, tigers, jaguars, wild hogs, frogs, rabbits, ants, locusts, turtles near sea. Some interesting animals and can easily ignore Lara, or are simply small to attack her. Can be smashed, thrown, used as bait or simply ignored. They make it more natural and it gives the feel that the place isn't dead. Some of these can even act if bothered like the bees. Some can use their camouflage methods to hide and attack Lara. Some can act in group, some can climb trees like the black bears, some can jump and climb staff, pick up objects (monkeys), swim (dogs) just to kill Lara. That's a good AI.
Traps
Wow. These ones were given a lot of attention by the fans, the quick death traps from TR1, 2,3. CD should include many of them. They make it more interesting and dangerous.
Now what do you think of all these ideas ? :D I must be crazy but this could work :ton:
Surviving certain situation would require acting. Surviving isn't a quick time event where we need to press buttons in order to survive, no. Neither something that happens during the cutscene because that would allow the player to put his fingers on the keyboard/controller and being ready for the thing. No, it's something that happens in-game and makes the player act fast and move Lara as quick as possible in order to survive. That scares them. An in-game boulder running scares me more than one in a cutscene that continues rolling after it. So the surviving time should happen in those times. Again not a QTE. It's a situation where the people would need to find a way to survive by himself using the methods that come to his mind. Surviving by running? Surviving by using Equipment? Surviving by entering a safe place? Etc... There are lots of possibilities to escape danger and CD should allow many of those possibilities.
Surviving in the Scenario
Other aspects of surviving in the Environment are the environment own rules. Now let's think of Nepal. It's cold, snowy and icy. Well what would we need to survive in Nepal ? Since Tomb Raider is trying to bring some realism, I think this should also be considered. And it's here that CD should let the players pick up any outfit available. Let them customise Lara, with their own accessories choice. Now you will tell me, this isn't Sims Kiko. Yes I know, but the outfit you choose would also affect the chances of surviving in Nepal. It always bugged me that we could use Lara's bikini in Nepal and she would never get cold, frozen, etc...Now you see, depending on the accessories and outfits you choose, you would raise or not the chances of surviving in Nepal. And Lara should also have a new bar. Other than Health and Breath. The Bar named Cold.
Hypothermia Bar
This should also make a return, I was disappointed it didn't in TR5 (Russia Levels). More surviving and I love it. We should think first of what are the chances of getting to that place before dying of Hypothermia.
NO STRENGHT BAR !!! It's stupid because it kills a vital piece of TR, which is Climbing!
Water Bar
Yes, it can easily be applied in the desert. We should make her drink water when that bar is almost at the end. We should also take in account the size of the item where we bring the water and the amount of water in it. Letting the bar being almost empty should result in Lara having hallucinations making it appear water in the middle of the desert, the player should be the one to see and Lara's walking should be different too. And when you think she's drinking water, she's actually eating pure sand. Empty Water Bar ? R.I.P
Breath Bar
30 seconds underwater? Only that? Oh come on. There are people who can hold their breath for more than that, I've seen a video where the women hold her breath for 4 minutes. 1 minute should be enough for Lara.
Burning Lara
Small Fire should act like in TRA, big portion of Fire should result in the fire burning Lara until she dives in the water, emptying her Health Bar at the same time.
Health Items
These sure help a lot if you get injured. First Aid Sprays on the floor in odd places don't make any sense, but finding them in Mercenaries corpses or skeletons would make much more sense. First Aid Sprays, Healing Herbs, Poison Antidotes, Bandages, vaccines (to fight diseases when necessary), some to treat burns or broken bones. And the Healing Herbs can have some kind of desadvantage at least for the player. How would he know that the herb that Lara is eating would heal her ? It should be like in real life, there are poison plants. Now we should just pick one and how would we know if it's the right one ? Simple. Use your luck or Google it :D
Liberty of moves
Another big problem of the game nowadays is this. Most of the times, players don't have the chance to do what comes to their minds. And simply because the developers didn't make the game with free moments. 1500 animations for Lara, that sure is great. I like that. There should be a lot of moves that we can do whenever we want and if we want. Motion Capture sure helps a lot in that. There's also more to dive in, in this filed of Liberty of Moves. I'm currently thinking and making a list of things that we could be free to do in the game, making it more natural and "free", and at the same time making Lara use some human moves like simply touching a wall or using an old knife.
Enemies
Lots of enemies have their own reactions to certain attacks. Some strike back, run, defend or simply die. To make if more free, natural and complex CD should think of some insects, reptiles and other animals that could be in the jungle for example. Bees (disturbing a Bees nest would result in a huge amount of them going after Lara), Mosquitos (argh, so irritating), Flies over dead bodies (disgusting), Snails (simply there living), sneaks, tigers, jaguars, wild hogs, frogs, rabbits, ants, locusts, turtles near sea. Some interesting animals and can easily ignore Lara, or are simply small to attack her. Can be smashed, thrown, used as bait or simply ignored. They make it more natural and it gives the feel that the place isn't dead. Some of these can even act if bothered like the bees. Some can use their camouflage methods to hide and attack Lara. Some can act in group, some can climb trees like the black bears, some can jump and climb staff, pick up objects (monkeys), swim (dogs) just to kill Lara. That's a good AI.
Traps
Wow. These ones were given a lot of attention by the fans, the quick death traps from TR1, 2,3. CD should include many of them. They make it more interesting and dangerous.
Now what do you think of all these ideas ? :D I must be crazy but this could work :ton: