Gamefest 2011

After a long wait with no news about Tomb Raider, the Square Enix team and Crystal Dynamics with Koch Media (the Spanish publisher) came to Madrid to present the Tomb Raider (2013) reboot in the Gamefest 2011.

For this event we meet with other Croft Generation fans to enjoy the day, and we even had the opportunity to see the game (day 2 and 4 from the Lara’s arrival to the island), and even ¡play the game! although only some members from Croft Generation had the press entry, it’s a pitty.

Bellow you can download the documentary video prepared for this event; and because it wasn’t allow to record inside the booth, I included scenes from previous videos from the E3 and make a new video Podcast to describe and answer to the Croft Generation community answers (from facebook, twitter and our forums). Enjoy the video.

Gamefest 2011 event videos

Gamefest 2011 Photos

Below you can also see a selection of photos we took for the event with Croft Generation users, even while we were able to try out the demo!

You can also read a very descriptive article where you can read directly the answers to the community and other questions, and a description of the two levels. Article written by Vince, our most loyal contributor.

TOMB RAIDER DEMO REVIEW

“Forget everything you know about the old Tomb Raiders because this is something totally new and different”.

Darrell Gallagher

These are the words that start showing the demo Meagan Marie, Manager of Tomb Raider in an exclusive session behind closed doors to press and CroftGeneration, Gamefest 2011 in Madrid, even allowing us to try the first level of the demo.

This presentation was also with us, Anthony, manager of Square Enix London that translate us all the words into Spanish from Meagan Marie.

The first level is the same as the E3 Gamespot and the second is the removed and leaked video.

Level 1: Day 2 after the shipwreck

Everything happens during the day 2 after the accident, letting us understand that on day 1 occurs everything seen in the official trailer of the game and assuming that the survivor Lara Croft is kidnapped on the coast where the trailer ends.

The young Lara with only 21 years old is struggling to survive into a terrible situation by setting fire to the strings that tie on the roof and falling on a big metal bar to the floor that leaves sore and dizzy.

Trying to escape she finds that the cave is filled with sacrifice tables and candles filled with corpses where people are killed and Lara seems to know.

When Lara starts to walk out of here is surprised by a strange character as he grabs her leg and shouts that he wants to help. In this situation we are faced with two options:

• To trust that person and leave her face which would lead to a wrongful death in a sequence in which the castaway repeatedly stabs Lara as she covers her mouth and see how her blood splashing,
• Fight to get rid of him and block his path so he can’t follow us.

Puzzle time

After arrival of the famous puzzle boxes in a room full of aircraft and ship wreckage and where Anthony tell us that all this had all been built by the mysterious character.

We will have the option to use extra help called “survival instinct” to solve it. This aid is to show the path or object to which we must pay attention. Since this option remained absolutely all the difficulty of the puzzle I asked Anthony why they included, and he said:

“We understand that veterans of the game fans are very intelligent and you have experience to solve complicated and puzzles and you like real challenges, but this option is completely optional, you don’t have to use it, but we include it to detract from frustration to players who prefer to go faster or have less time. We must consider all types of players. “

Anthony

We must recognize that the puzzle without help it takes some time on the first try, it’s completely based on physics, and Anthony said:

“The physics is present throughout the game, is something that makes it much more real and boxes are not always ignited by the fire entered the cage for later to push them”.

Anthony

Testing Lara’s deaths

After solving the puzzle that opens the way for Lara to leave the room causing a huge explosion, this is set to run desperately because the cave begins to crumble and the floor to crack.

Lara falls to the ground while rolling with a scream of pain. The animations are very well managed and very natural, as like a real person fell. Lara keeps running and have to jump repeatedly from a piece of land to another to save her life, and that’s when Sermongar that was playing at the time the demo starts with your sadistic idea of let Lara dies in any way possible. He did not press the “jump” and Lara dropped by one of the huge cracks with a shuddering cry of defeat … it’s all dark.

The game resumed from the point before losing control and this time Sermongar press the button to make the leap.

Now witnessing one of the most discussed but has not yet come to light the scene. When Lara is running to escape the cave has to pass under a rock that is about to let go but is caught again by the mysterious character that grabs her leg and we find again two options, run away or leave carry.

So far we have always seen in the videos as Lara gave a kick to get rid of it and ran while the rock fell on the killing shipwrecked, but … What if we get carried away this time?

Well, Sermongar didn’t fight and a rock fell on to Lara so violent crushing her bones and Lara screaming for a very short time, Lara dies. All fans put the outcry to see such a scene that left us very impressed while Meagan Marie said from behind: “So cheecky and bad boy you are” meaning he left her die so we are be able to see this scence that never has not been shown in public. It was very shocking.

End of the level

We arrived at the end of the level where Lara can see the light at the end of a slope and she must climb to get it desperately, but some rocks begin to break off and Lara has to dodge.

Sermongar obviously want to continue killing Lara and dropped the first rock on it, but we were surprised because the only thing it happened is that Lara just make Lara go back and once she get back to make her balance, she continue climbing, however, Meagan Marie emphasized in numerous times that this level may still change in a matter of animation or game development.

Above and near the exit another rock twice as large as the previous shows and this time Lara is wound and fell into the moat becoming all black.

We return to the checkpoint and dodged, Lara gets to the light, leave the cave and see the island from the top exhausted, the level ends here.

The movements are very smooth and actually achieved, the controls were very similar to those of previous editions and the camera were improved.

It was comfortable to play the demo, her movements were so natural that she seemed like a real person. However, Meagan asked us not to give details on which button is used for each action because this aspect is likely to change for the final version of the game.

Other important details from Gamefest 2011

Here are our impressions of what we thought of this part of the demo shown at Gamefest 2011.

• Graphically, we found it very good and with good power engine, but anyway Meagan still insist that so many aspects to polish and improve, like the movement of Lara’s collar or her hair animations. She warned that the levels of the demo were from a very early stage of the game and asking not to be so exigents because it’s still much work to do.
• Sometimes the screen will fill with water, blood and mud.Nos gustó mucho detalles como que cada vez que demos un paso salpicara el barro o se escuchara el crujir de los huesos humanos que habían esparcidos por el suelo.
• We enjoyed with the plenty of details like when we take a step splashed mud or hear the creaking of the human bones were scattered on the floor.
• Anthony explained that in this game physics and elements like fire and water will be very important.
• The soundtrack and ambient sounds were spectacular and the perfect accompaniment to the situation that arises in each moment.
• Both Anthony and Meagan didn’t comment about the game’s combat system.
• From the minute you start the demo we were immersed in the game and makes us empathize with the young Lara Croft in all moments of despair and pain.

Level 2: Day 4 after the shipwreck

This level was developed during the day 4 and this time was played fully by Meagan Marie. Begins with an animation where we see Conrad Roth, mentor of Lara Croft, with twin pistols firing a wild wolf, unfortunately for him, he’s caught and bitten in the leg leaving him badly wounded.

Conrad manages to kill the animal quickly and Lara will help his mentor since he’s very weak. Our doubts about whether Lara will get two guns in this game were quickly answered by watching the animation, although it’s not confirmed, however it gave us hope that this to happens.

While Lara tries to help him dragging Conrad to one kind of “cottage” to protect from wind and rain, Conrad tells her that there is a first aid kit and a radio and she must pick them up, he collapses and Lara is scared that his friend Conrad might die. She goes to search a medipack and a radio transmitter.

The base camp

This kind of “cabin” in ruins seem to be our home base and where will start our search for adventure and exploration around the island.

We found endless ways by which we can get lost very easily and don’t know where to start to search to find the medipack.

Meagan use the option “survival instinct” that indicates the point of the mountain where these objects are and shall find our own way and shortcuts to get there.

Again we clarified that the “survival instinct” is entirely optional and players who like to get lost in the big island and find the kit on their own should not use this option.

The feeling we get if we did not use the survival instinct is that we could spend hours finding the exact place where these objects are.

Obstacles to overcome

Lara must overcome various obstacles in their way as the remains of a plane, which some pieces will soaked with rain water that had accumulated, we loved that detail.

Also when Lara is situated above the plane, while this is balanced by the weight of Lara, we find some shotgun shells, so it is confirmed the existence of this weapon in the game.

From there, you’ll need to grab and jump to reach the cave and all with a few jumps very well done and natural until she can reach the other side, although Lara is not an expert athlete.

The whole route will do armed with a bow that seems to accompany us throughout the adventure and a mountain piolet, and it’s very important, becuase Lara must be armed unless she wants to be haunted by the terrifying screams of wild wolves.

In one of the abandoned cabins to which we we will find several packs of arrows that Lara will pick up just going over them and adding to her inventory automatically.

The wolf den

Once we get to the cave where it seems that some animal or inhabitants had hidden our valued radio and first aid, Lara takes out a torch to light the way and that seems to appear from nowhere, this is a detail that we don’t like, but anyway, Meagan Marie clear out again that this is something to improve.

When Lara sight objects we see on the wall the shadow of a wolf that had been following us all the way, we were amazed at the effect, but suddenly and by surprise … a wolf lunges violently to tear it with Lara sharp teeth, she used all her strength as she struggles to get rid of it away and when she kicked the wolf (pressing the interactive buttons that light up on the screen, and which are faster than we are get use to, while the screen shakes and the struggle of the Wolf).

We loved the effect of the blood drops comming out from the wolf and the cry of this when Lara hits the wolf.

The wolf becomes insistent and is almost reach Lara’s face and she desperately grabs a metal object and stabs to the wild animal, Meagan answer when we ask that this objet is actually an arrow. Justifying this death Lara said:

“It was you or me”. Meagan says: “This is the first time that Lara Croft kills a living being, not by choice, but for a survival, the wolf would of killed her.”

Conrad Roth scene

Once Lara reaches the radio and medicine to the camp Conrad is still unconscious and Lara is scared if he died, she checks if he’s still breathing.

After checking he’s alive, she smiles slightly with an expression like “there is still hope”, then it show us an animation with Lara and Conrad’s leg, she heals it and makes a tourniquet, we see a very expressive Lara Croft, we could say more expressive than we’ve seen so far and I’ve even said many times, I think their expressions seemed almost like a real person, her actions spoke for themselves.

We see a long animation, where Conrad encourage the young Lara to go forward and with hopes, he says she has to be strong because she is a “Croft” and then Lara says, “I may not be that type of Croft. ”

He gives his peak climbing, we’ve seen in numerous pictures, and he encourages her and Lara while she smiles and see some hope at the same time showing her fatigue, she answers: “Although I guess I’m a quick learner” and then she walks away. Here it ends the demo.

The videos and animations that we saw in the demo are made with the game’s graphics engine as happened in the last three previous titles in the old Tomb Raider franchise.

We would of liked that the graphics animations would have been more polished because the polygons of the face and arms as the character of the animals as some areas were a bit checkered. We imagine that is due to the early development stage as clarified Meagan Marie.

Other important details from Gamefest 2011

Here are our impressions of what we thought of the second part of the demo.

Questions during the Gamefest 2011 demo

• When Lara in the camp walk next to a box, it appeared an icon with the mountain peak. We ask what does it mean and she said: “I was hoping someone would notice and ask, everything at this Tomb Raider will have a dual use.” We can Imagine that the box could be opened.
• Croft Generation ask Meagan Marie about the name of the actress dubbing in Spanish, to which she replied: “It is still early to talk about this, but we’re looking for someone suitable.” Then she asked: “Can I know the name of the actress Angelina Jolie dubbed in Spain?” Referring to Nuria Mediavilla. Evidently, we write it down for her and she responded with a smile: “I know that in Spain you really like his voice.” She also asked us if we liked the English dub of the demo, obviously we said we loved because it was really good.

Questions during the dinner at Madrid

As you know, the CG team was invited to a dinner with the guys at Koch Media Spain, Square Enix, I / O Interactive and Meagan Marie.

During this we asked about a possible collector’s edition in Spain and both told us that still nothing is confirmed but by the looks of it, we understood like they are thinking about it.

We discussed the issue of Steam for the PC version, since the previous Tomb Raider doesn’t have this kind of rewards and trophies like other consoles, and it was really acclaimed for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Meagan told us that is a very good idea, and she couldn’t understand how it wasn’t implemented yet. So they will keep in mind for Tomb Raider (2013).

Meagan threw a question at the table: “Who we would like to be the next actress to role Lara Croft in the new movie? All fans answered at the same time: Olivia Wilde! Meagan was amazed because it seems UK fans and France answered the same.

Finally and using the oportunity about the subject, we asked if the movie will be based or have somethign to do with the game, or despite will be totally independent as the previous movies. Her answer:

“It’s NOT independent, it will form part of the game universe, but still we can’t confirm whether the plot will be about this game, or just another different adventure with this new Lara.”

This was everything, and we hope you enjoyed this article. Hope that many questions have been resolved.

Thank you so much.

Greetings!