I Love Tomb Raider

Haly · 22 Apr 2006 at 11:10

dirtydog said:
Has anyone here played this on the Xbox (not 360) yet? I gather that the Xbox version has a better framerate than the 360 version, apparently.

I've got the X-Box version. I never pay attentions to framerates or really care about them though as long as it;'s playable

It is definitely playable and seems fairly smooth to me.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 11:19

Tomb Raider: Legend is being released simultaneously for the Xbox, PS2, and Xbox 360, and it's essentially the same game for all three systems. Basically, the differences between them boil down to graphics and controls. Not surprisingly, the Xbox 360 version is the best looking of the bunch, but it suffers from some frame-rate slowdown when you're using the lighting device or panning the camera around. On the current-gen side, the PS2 game offers slightly easier-to-use (and tighter) controls than the Xbox, although it's the least visually appealing version of the three. Finally, the Xbox is the only one that runs at a buttery 60 frames per second, but the combat controls could use a little work.

http://uk.xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/tomb-raider-legend/701492p2.html

Sounds like the Xbox version might be the best one

Nismo · 22 Apr 2006 at 12:00

dirtydog said:
Sounds like the Xbox version might be the best one

So if you had the choise of Xbox, Xbox360 or PS2 you would go for the Xbox version?

Yes, the 360 may have the odd slowdown here or there, but its not like its every 5 seconds, and doesn't detract from a hugely enjoyable game.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 12:17

Nismo said:
So if you had the choise of Xbox, Xbox360 or PS2 you would go for the Xbox version?

I'd have it over the PS2 version certainly, because the PS2 version is limited to 30fps. Whether I'd have it over the 360 version I don't know, but from reading 360 owners' comments about the game on other forums, quite possibly.

Incidentally I tried the PC demo of the game and it runs superbly smoothly on my PC with a Geforce4, at 640x480... but when you up the res to 1024x768 it chugs at about 20fps. It certainly illustrates that you need a lot of extra power to run at higher resolutions

Nismo · 22 Apr 2006 at 14:49

dirtydog said:
I'd have it over the PS2 version certainly, because the PS2 version is limited to 30fps. Whether I'd have it over the 360 version I don't know, but from reading 360 owners' comments about the game on other forums, quite possibly.

/shrugs...

Sometimes I think you base your opinion too much on what the framerate of a game is, rather than taking on board what the game offers as a whole. I generally respect what you post these days, but this time I just think your being a little too picky.

Theres very little to not like about the 360 version, and I honestly dont see why anyone, given the choice, would pick an older-gen copy over the 360. The added graphical niceness, coupled with the achievements system and extra incentives to play the game more than once (or twice) outshines any odd slowdown in framerate you might encounter.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 15:20

The achievements system is of absolutely zero interest to me

I am not saying "I would not choose the 360 version" because I haven't played any of the versions (except the PC demo) so I can't say. Framerate speed and smoothness are very important to me as they help or hinder my enjoyment of the game - to a greater degree than fancy graphics do. That's just my personal view

Oh I forgot to say, going by the PC demo it is a fun game so I will no doubt get it at some point, on either PC or Xbox.

McDaniel · 22 Apr 2006 at 16:42

Framerate issues are no biggy to be honest, i notice the slightest one, but ive only experience it for a few seconds very very rarely in the game. Hardly enough to warrant the xbox version over it

Boogle · 22 Apr 2006 at 16:50

The framerate issues are blown all out of proportion as always. There are some people who like to think they're l33t by saying X game has framerate issues and therefore is rubbish and the spawn of satan. Its completely psychological.

Case in point: PGR3. Some people go out of their way to bash it for running at a lower resolution / 30fps, yet if they never heard about that feature and just played it they would never know.

Some people like to complain, some people like to feel l33t, some people like to follow other people who they think are l33t. The end result is the same: whinging about tiny things they have little knowledge.

Thank god there aren't framerate counters on consoles. You would have a whole load of 'hardcore gamers' (who don't play games, they watch counters) moaning that the fps went below 60 for .2 seconds.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 16:54

Are Eurogamer being harsh then?

But one thing that's simply unacceptable is the sludgy frame rate that seems to follow the game like a bad smell throughout. If the game could be seen to be pushing the mighty 360 beyond its means, then you'd accept that this was a small price to pay. But although the normal mapping, intricate texturing, lighting and particle effects help make this by far the best looking Tomb Raider adventure yet, there's really nothing outstanding or amazing on view to suggest that this should cause the game's frame rate to chug so noticeably for much of the time. It's not as if the levels are exactly epic in scale or ambition. Indeed, for the most part, they're tight, intricate and focused, and there's nothing on the scale of some of the more memorable ones in the original, ten year old Tomb Raider. Not even close.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63793&page=2

It doesn't seem right that the Xbox1 version apparently has a flawless high and smooth framerate but the 360 doesn't.

McDaniel · 22 Apr 2006 at 17:02

that follow the game throughout?

I certainly would not agree with that, it wasnt without them but it wasnt consistent nor constantly apparant either. Just here and there...for me anyway

Boogle · 22 Apr 2006 at 17:03

Reviewer's jobs are to **** off anything they can

They have to be overly critical.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 17:07

Boogle said:
Reviewer's jobs are to **** off anything they can They have to be overly critical.

Actually reviewers usually seem to gloss over or ignore the framerate but with Tomb Raider on the 360, a lot of review sites have commented on it, as have many players on Xbox forums so there must be something in it I would think.

Wyrdo · 22 Apr 2006 at 17:13

That Eurogamer quote really does sound overly harsh. I think the reviewer's cat must have got run over that day.

Not that I'm saying the game is perfect but I think any frame rate issue is being blown out of proportions there.

dirtydog · 22 Apr 2006 at 17:16

This person on the Xbox forums reckons it's smooth at 640x480 but less smooth at 720p and 1080i.

ok so i've been playing the *** outta this game on my 4:3 panasonic Standard Def TV with component. for not being HD it looks damn good. well tonight i took my 360 over to my friends house to play on his 16:9 57" toshiba HDTV and i popped in tomb raider.....wtf.... tons of slow down....frame rate drops, everything, it was a totally different game! and just to make sure i wasnt crazy, i went back home and played again on my standard tv and it was back to playing perfect..... so i reiterate...... wtf.....has anyone else experienced this?

Creature · 22 Apr 2006 at 18:04

Just rented this and currently half way through the second level, and i'm finding it a bit annoying as half the time the rooms are too dark to see what you're doing. I'm sure it'll be alright when the sun isn't shining on the screen. Good game none the less.

McDaniel · 22 Apr 2006 at 18:08

Creature said:
Just rented this and currently half way through the second level, and i'm finding it a bit annoying as half the time the rooms are too dark to see what you're doing. I'm sure it'll be alright when the sun isn't shining on the screen. Good game none the less.

in the pause menu, brightness and contrast - turn them up?

da_mic_1530 · 22 Apr 2006 at 18:11

what dirtydog has quoted may be true, as all these framerate issues you are reporting on these games i have never experienced, im on an old CRT, in a few months il get a HDTV and il notice if thers slow down

dannyjo22 · 22 Apr 2006 at 18:12

McDaniel said:
in the pause menu, brightness and contrast - turn them up?

Yeah I had to do that will the dell 2405. To start with I turned the monitor brightness up 10 clicks. Then I had to re set it after playing. Then I found the settings in the game, it was set way to dark according to the calibration.

Its now perfect.

Havent noticed any frame rate issues, now on level 5. To be fair the last game I worried about frame rate issues was R Type on the master system

even then that didnt bother me

NokkonWud · 22 Apr 2006 at 19:39

Personally I think reviews have been over-critical, however, I can't say there aren't annoying frame-rate issues.

However, no one has added why, and it's purely because it's an engine made for older-generation consoles that uses high resolution textures and particle effects on an engine that was not made to run it.

It's exactly why console games run poorly on PC's.

If the next Tomb Raider title was made on this technology for the engine it would not only play better, but look better.

Logsi · 22 Apr 2006 at 19:55

Got this yesterday and and thought i would be let down graphically, but i havnt been let down at all, ive actually been amazed with the graphics.

Just got to the Cornwall/England bit, it made me lol when when she said you mean "M5 to A30 Cornwall?".

Really liking it so far!

Notice regarding image hosts and attachments. See here.

I Love Tomb Raider

Woman of Honour