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Old 01-06-19, 08:25   #1
Maverin
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Lightbulb Limitations?

I'm actually referring to the technical limitations that are spoken about ever so often. Didn't want to put the word in the title because people would think this is a technical issue thread.

So my question is:

What are these technical limitations that are linked with TRI. They had to remove the braid because of them and had to place a lot of 2D objects like the fire. Then there's also the absence of proper lighting: there is no extra light coming from Lara's gunshots. Etc.

I mostly interpret it this way: the game was pushing the limitations of the PSX and therefore they couldn't add more to the game. This would be due to the limited hardware I suppose. But then I always wonder why they were suddenly able to give Lara a braid after all in TRII and make a lot more 3D objects in TRIII. It still had to run on the same hardware. How did they do it? Why couldn't they do it back then?

Is it really just software advancements that made all of this possible?

Last edited by Maverin; 01-06-19 at 08:27.
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Old 01-06-19, 08:46   #2
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Developers are able to more efficiently use the same hardware to achieve better results as time goes on in the same console generation because their skill level and experience with the systems or those engines improves. They are always learning and literally learn what they can do to better maximise the same amount of power.

In current generations, Sony can update it's own system software in a way that frees extra RAM, which can be put towards future releases, interestingly.

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Old 01-06-19, 08:55   #3
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I think the braid could have been in TR1, it's just that they didn't had time to fix all the bugs ? Or they thought about a better way to implant the braid and that's why we had it in TR2 ?

About lights and 2D objects, it's like a lot of old PS1 games.
Between 1995 and 2000, they learned a lot about saving memory space to make more things. I think they couldn't fully use the console features because they were still learning ?
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Old 01-06-19, 10:50   #4
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There was no braid in TR1 because the game was developed for Sega Saturn. PSX version was just a port.
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Old 04-06-19, 19:51   #5
_Seth
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I always wondered why they didn't just manually hand animate canned braid movements to pair with each move, like they did with her her limbs. Sure, it would have moved predictably exactly the same for each animation, but the result would be decent enough, I'm sure.
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Old 04-06-19, 20:22   #6
croftyboy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by _Seth View Post
I always wondered why they didn't just manually hand animate canned braid movements to pair with each move, like they did with her her limbs. Sure, it would have moved predictably exactly the same for each animation, but the result would be decent enough, I'm sure.

Even a non-animating one -just like in archfiend's braid mod- would've worked. Lara's braid is one of my softspots in TRI. -everything about TRI is, actually - Maybe at least they could remove the braid from the FMV's also so there wouldn't be any inconvenience..


Last edited by croftyboy; 04-06-19 at 20:29.
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Old 04-06-19, 21:17   #7
_Seth
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^That is one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. No, a solid, static giant log sticking out of Lara's head would not have been a fine alternative. How can anyone think that abomination looks good.

Even in a still frame it looks awful due to it just being a thick braid stuck to Lara's loose hair before the bun; it would have at least needed tighter pulled hair like TR2.
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Old 04-06-19, 21:22   #8
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^^^
Well obviously that's just the head mesh and can be altered. I was talking about the concept of at least having something like it. It could look different to make it more aesthetic of course. Actually now thinking,she already has a tighter packed hair in the pre alpha video when she had braid.
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Old 04-06-19, 21:35   #9
_Seth
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If the only other alternative was for it to be solid, even if it was styled better, would have been awful. If she looks upwards it would be poking out of her abdomen. Nah, it could have been hand animated.
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Old 04-06-19, 23:03   #10
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The first game came out on PS1 and Sega Saturn. TR2 was a PS1 exclusive.

Maybe that's why the graphics kicked up a notch.
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