Sidestepping and Custom controls

[Martin The Actor]

So, I first played Tomb Raider on the Sega Saturn and then the PC. I kinda need to know now why it was that the devs thought that removing side-stepping as dedicated controls was a good choice?!

I'm instantly thinking of the Fire Pillar puzzle, and the Egyptian uzi puzzles. They require deft control and side-stepping is a core part of that.

Perhaps most damning though is that having player through the first four levels (which I can complete in 37 minutes on Sega Saturn (which I still have), 38.5 minutes on PC (Dosbox versions), it took over an hour using the remaster's control system. That right there is an indictment of just how bad the control system is (both 'Tank' and 'Modern' controls.

So would it really have been that much of an issue to have coded the controls in such a way to allow remapping and more customisation than the two options we have ended up with.

Is it just me? Am I the only one bothered by the loss of the dedicated side-step buttons? Am I the only one who finds sidestepping combined with walk less intuitive and actively more difficult to utilise? Or am I correct in thinking this was a grave error by the developers?

[Binho]

Is the Fire Pillar puzzle you are taking about the one in Midas Pallace? I was able to pass trought on 2nd try with modern controls. I just aim my runing and jumping with my mouse.
So far I did not find any need to use sidestep at all, and I find it easier to traverse using modern controls compared to tank controls. If you are using modern controls, just remember that the control of the camera is crucial, as Lara movements are relative to it.

[metal_hamster]

On my xbox controller, it works fine. You're just nitpicking.

[Martin The Actor]

So, this could be because I played it way back when and have long ingrained muscle memory from back then.

I know that my methods around many of the puzzles involved sidestepping. For example in the Caves (the very first level), in the main room where you find secret 3 there is a lever that opens a door. You can on the original game (on dosbox) pull the lever, sidestep twice, jump left once, sidestep once, and jump left again. It was a great way to make it through the door before it's timer forces the door closed again.

Sidestepping was incredibly useful for precise and quick positioning. Now granted, I am used to motoring through the levels and playing in a way I'm used to, but I just cannot wrap my head around the walk and sidestep being combined.

[dml!]

You're not the only one, since I played a lot of TR1 and a bit of TR2 and got so used to the dedicated sidestepping keys and the ability to always turn with walk held. The combined walk and sidestep function was introduced in TR3 and developers obviously presumed we'd all want that rather than giving us the option.

[timambua]

Originally posted by Martin The Actor:

So, I first played Tomb Raider on the Sega Saturn and then the PC. I kinda need to know now why it was that the devs thought that removing side-stepping as dedicated controls was a good choice?!

I'm instantly thinking of the Fire Pillar puzzle, and the Egyptian uzi puzzles. They require deft control and side-stepping is a core part of that.

Perhaps most damning though is that having player through the first four levels (which I can complete in 37 minutes on Sega Saturn (which I still have), 38.5 minutes on PC (Dosbox versions), it took over an hour using the remaster's control system. That right there is an indictment of just how bad the control system is (both 'Tank' and 'Modern' controls.

So would it really have been that much of an issue to have coded the controls in such a way to allow remapping and more customisation than the two options we have ended up with.

Is it just me? Am I the only one bothered by the loss of the dedicated side-step buttons? Am I the only one who finds sidestepping combined with walk less intuitive and actively more difficult to utilise? Or am I correct in thinking this was a grave error by the developers?

I agree with you! It should be possible to use the mouse without free movement to the four corners of the world! It's not some kind of dark ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ souls!

[TxCForever]

Tank controls are more or less the same is it were back then so I don't get what is troubling you with them. Modern controls do need some tinkering though, and adding a side-step button is really something they should do as soon as possible.

[dml!]

Originally posted by TxCForever:

Tank controls are more or less the same is it were back then so I don't get what is troubling you with them. Modern controls do need some tinkering though, and adding a side-step button is really something they should do as soon as possible.

It's because for the remasters they used the TR3 scheme for sidestepping, whereby there are no dedicated sidestep keys and you have to do it whilst holding the walk key. Whereas those of us used to TR1 and 2 used the dedicated sidestep keys and were always able to turn when the walk key is held. So ideally they would have given us the option to use whatever scheme we liked for this, since it's actually quite hard to adjust for some of us - I'm still trying to press the sidestep keys automatically sometimes because it's what I'm used to, and I'm already half way through TR1.

[metal_hamster]

Originally posted by dml!:

Originally posted by TxCForever:

Tank controls are more or less the same is it were back then so I don't get what is troubling you with them. Modern controls do need some tinkering though, and adding a side-step button is really something they should do as soon as possible.

It's because for the remasters they used the TR3 scheme for sidestepping, whereby there are no dedicated sidestep keys and you have to do it whilst holding the walk key. Whereas those of us used to TR1 and 2 used the dedicated sidestep keys and were always able to turn when the walk key is held. So ideally they would have given us the option to use whatever scheme we liked for this, since it's actually quite hard to adjust for some of us - I'm still trying to press the sidestep keys automatically sometimes because it's what I'm used to, and I'm already half way through TR1.

I had Tomb Raider since year one and I've got use to it just fine. Here's an idea, get your entitlement in check.

[dml!]

Originally posted by metal_hamster:

I had Tomb Raider since year one and I've got use to it just fine. Here's an idea, get your entitlement in check.

Well good for you, no need to be rude because your brain is more capable at adjusting to different controls. And where did I claim entitlement? I said "ideally", I didn't demand that they change it but rather give us the option to use either, because better accessibility is always welcome and benefits all types of players. So here's an idea, get your narrow-mindedness in check.

[EmzElf]

I don't mind the combined walk and side step, i'm using Left Shift to walk and side step since we used Shift to walk in the old Tomb Raider I and II games anyway, why not just keep it as Shift?.

Left Shift is right next to the WASD keys that i'm also using while using the usual arrow keys for movement, the advanced keys feel way better i can just rest my left hand on the keyboard.

Nothing has changed with the old keyboard configuration apart from the combined walk and i'm still able to turn using the arrow keys in any direction while walking. To side step i just press the left and right direction keys like i normally do, to walk i'm pressing all the direction keys like normal. Having the one key to press simplifies it which helps because i kept forgetting which button is walk.

[Martin The Actor]

Originally posted by EmzElf:

I don't mind the combined walk and side step, i'm using Left Shift to walk and side step since we used Shift to walk in the old Tomb Raider I and II games anyway, why not just keep it as Shift?.

Left Shift is right next to the WASD keys that i'm also using while using the usual arrow keys for movement, the advanced keys feel way better i can just rest my left hand on the keyboard.

Nothing has changed with the old keyboard configuration apart from the combined walk and i'm still able to turn using the arrow keys in any direction while walking. To side step i just press the left and right direction keys like i normally do, to walk i'm pressing all the direction keys like normal. Having the one key to press simplifies it which helps because i kept forgetting which button is walk.

Yeah, back in the 90's I had real trouble adjusting from Saturn controls to a Keyboard. My girlfriend at the time pushed me to try TR on PC and the default control system was such a learning curve. However, the biggest advantage of good PC control systems has always been the customisation possible. I feel like the devs didn't bother though.

I've also gone back to the Android versions of TR1 and TR2 which I have on my Play Store Library (Aspyr delisted them years ago) and actually I have another theory. That theory being that the reason the controls are mapped as they are is because they lifted the control systems from the more minimalist Android/iOS versions and never bothered to do further coding.

Whatever the reason, I have nailed down that I don't personally like the combined walk and step. I think it negatively streamlines the control system. The real issue then is lack of customisation for the control systems. A shame, and I'd still suggest the dosbox versions over this one, but not the end of the world for those willing to put up with these kinds of issues.

[EmzElf]

I read a patch is already coming so maybe they'll let you separate walk and side step or have it the same key.

They could always change it where we can have two keys using the the same key bind or a different one like we can with most games today. The old controls it only lets us bind it's own unique key. I think that would help more with the modern controls.

[jagär3AD]

iam hoping this feature could be added. i wish sidestepping could be rebinded to it's own keys.