Can't seem to do basic stuff

[Morph492]

I am in the very first part, i try to jump onto a ledge but she doesn't grab them to pull herself up. also i found a lever on a different path but i dont know how to pull it. are there certain buttons i need to press? is anyone else having this problem?

[Groen90]

You need to press the action button to grab things, shoot and pull levers, default should be CTRL.

[TwoTailedCaperer]

You need to hold the action button when pulling up onto ledges and to grab edges when you're jumping. Highly recommend playing this game, and the other classic Tomb Raider games, with a controller if you're not already doing so. It makes everything SO much easier to manage that way.

[Calmly Frenetic]

The game was originally released on disc, in a box, with a comprehensive instruction manual. To read the manual (in .pdf format), find a link on the Steam Library detail view page, or by right-clicking on the game, or on the Properties window.

On the main menu of the game, there is a "photo" that takes you to a training level at Lara's home.

[Deathlok]

Originally posted by TwoTailedCaperer:

You need to hold the action button when pulling up onto ledges and to grab edges when you're jumping. Highly recommend playing this game, and the other classic Tomb Raider games, with a controller if you're not already doing so. It makes everything SO much easier to manage that way.

This is where I'm held up by these controls. I know Playstation users had controllers. Maybe the PC port didn't support controllers? Regardless, playing with a keyboard, while possible, is overwhelmingly counter-intuitive.

Since it was on Steam, I assumed the game supported controllers. I did not realize that it was quite a hack job. It runs, but needs so much work to run well. Valve should have put more effort into this port.

Orinignally, I was going to buy every game in the franchise, but backed out, deciding to try this and the Aniversary version first, to first learn how well I'd enjoy them. I'm glad I didn't buy the entire Tomb Raider library—else I'd have this problem many times over.

[TwoTailedCaperer]

@Deathlok
From what I remember, Tomb Raider 2 and after has controller support built in. Because TR 1 runs with DOSbox, it doesn't natively support them. If you use the guides to improve the graphics and add TR Gold, it includes a program you can use to rebind the keyboard keys to a controller

[Deathlok]

I downloaded one of the popular gamepad to keyboard programs, JoyToKey, but haven't tried using it. Clearly, while you are supposed to be able to map controller buttons from within the game, it just does not work—this version does not recognize anything you do with your controller!

I used another trick to get the game to run in windowed mode at 1280x960, and that is helping the graphics and allows me to do stuff like type this while the game runs (without crashing). I also saw setting for full screen allowing up to 8K resolution, but have no idea how to actually enable such a thing and get the game to run it.

Right now, I mind the graphics less than the controls.

Like the other guy, I'm trapped in the very first area. I am supposed to climb onto a short wall, slide down the opposite side a bit, and jump to another ledge. But I cannot grab onto the top of the wall and pull myself up. I did configure User controls. Space is my jump key. Action is the Enter key, and it worked well enough to fire guns at wolves. However, all Laura does is jump up with her hands overhead and come straight down. She jumps high enough to reach the top of this wall, but will not grab it—no matter when I press Enter.

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"Eureka!"
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It seems that I cannot configure Enter as my Action control. I changed some User controls back to match the defaults. With CTRL as the Action control, I can grab onto ledges, I can vault up onto low surfaces, and so on. ESC is another control you cannot actually reconfigure. This makes sense—Enter and ESC are used in the game menus. I still use WASD, Q, and E to move. Regardless, my hands hurt after just a few minutes playing with the keyboard. I need to get my Xbox 360 controller up and running with this game.

Anyone having trouble may be using custom controls—and the game does not care for some of them!

[TwoTailedCaperer]

@Deathlok
JoyToKey is actually the program that I was talking about. It works very well with this game. I find the Tomb Raider games to be completely unplayable with keyboard controls, especially Anniversary, where you have to run sideways on walls using the grappling hook and then jump off backwards, ugh...

[Deathlok]

I am using it now, and it makes the game playable. I did not download the profiles mentioned in the game guide, as I do ot have a Drop Box account and did not want to create one right now. With JoyToKey, I entered the assignments manually, copying from the screen shots in the game guide.

I am surprised Button 13 isn't assigned to ESC. Button 13 is the large illuminated button on an Xbox controller. Pressing it summons a pop-up that, right now, reads "Tap X for hint."

I wouldn't mind having the windowed mode a bit larger—1920x1440—but it does not seem to support this resolution. My monitor's native resolution is 2560x1440.

[Calmly Frenetic]

"Public" Dropbox links (like the one in the guide) can be downloaded without an account. If it gives you a "sign-in" window, just cancel it.

[Snarky McSne]

WOW I didn't realize how good I was back then playing all the Tomb Raiders with a keyboard for years. It brings a warm glow to my cold old jaded gaming heart to know just how well I did.

If I can remember correctly I used the keypad to move around. I have a vague recollection that alt did something. IT"S BEEN YEARS! I'm so out of practice. I also remember playing to the point that the numbers rubbed off and I was forced to memorize where the numbers were.