Tomb Raider Custom Levels

[Blín D'ñero]

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However...: some weak style elements, like a monkeybar made of the same stones as the walls, oh come on... (The Abandoned Mine)
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Working Mine. A jumplever ON a ladder, Lara can climb right through the solid lever...
Also in Working Mine a very clumsy train cart (bumping to all sides because it does not drive in the track at all), and it's a huge problem for Lara to get out of the cart... Finally, after minutes desperately trying...i notice it's the motorcycle but without the motorcycle
I'm afraid that Working Mine is not the best level in this package...

Lara puts a dynamite stick into a (non-solid) box and then it explodes, it ignites all by itself. And instead of causing a crater, the explosion causes a mountain of sand. Arg!

Killing ghosts, by shooting at them...

And a next explosion causes a big opening in the rocks smouldering with fire, uncovering a pristine feather on a stone. (OK, it's a magic feather after all)
And the next Indian ghost attempting to attack Lara, keeps stuck with its ghosty transparent head against the rocks.
I so hope this level soon ends.
The pots, feathers, earth-shaking platforms... this part of the set is one of the worst custom levels i ever played.

[Blín D'ñero]

At some point (i desperately hope it is near the end!) Lara just walks through what appears to be moveable blocks.
(just for the picture i made her stick out a bit)

Without moving them Lara can walk straight to the 'hidden' passage and climb in.

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But that passage is not even needed, as moving the blocks through the corridors to their pushtiles is easiest since Lara can just walk through them.
It IS funny to pull/push a block when Lara is inside! How does that look? You just see the block moving.
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and another jumplever as door opener at the stupidest location.
I'm glad it's over!
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Now in The Abandoned Mine again.

[Blín D'ñero]

Abandoned Mine was good but short.

Now Ancient Temple, pretty good.
Friendly boulder: at the end of the corridor stand against the wall and you survive when it stops just close to you. And touching the boulder does not kill Lara. So it is possible.
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This was an excellent level!

[Blín D'ñero]

Back in Coyote Creek, not so much.
And it doesn't look that good... look at those caskets.

(the left one is lying still after it came rolling from the right)
Lara can't crawl under it, i wonder why, there's plenty room/.
After pulling the lever, the second casket (on the right) also rolled down, and ended exactly in the first one. So it's a double casket now.

Furniture looks out of proportion, chairs are way too big.

Not important but gives it all a clumsy look and feel.
+++
Stuck at the rope walk. Lara keeps falling down. Because there is too much a step down!
Gamma enhanced for a clearer picture:

She starts, then drops onto the rope and loses balance! Hopefully i'll succeed before the 50th attempt, or this will be the end of the entire game./
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Ah seen it now. You must hold ONLY Ctrl, then first patiently wait and watch while her feet slowly slide downwards onto the rope, AFTER THAT that's when you immediately start tapping forward (and balance of course)
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[Blín D'ñero]

Next part The Hunt For El Dorado was a bit better.

The Burial Chamber alas only was the short closing level.

Overall i rate it... starting from 8 and ending with an 8 and a 3 somewhere in the middle.
Certainly a must play, so
i rate it 8 / 10

[Blín D'ñero]

Back to Basics 2011.
I see this uses an 'overhauled engine', it looks extremely ugly to me, it hurts the eye. Light is not cast upon but coming from the objects. The tiles are oversized, shapes are coarse. Sound is ugly too, especially irritating is the metal clicking of Lara's boots.
1. Last Train To Paris by Jose
Ugly and also stupid. Played the first few minutes running over thick green marble stepwalks with lampless lamp posts in the ugliest failure of a paris impression, killing a ninja, a buzzerd and two dogs attacking me at the same time. Stepping on the grass triggered a distant fixed camera. I stopped.
0 / 10
2. Ghost Of Professor Belshazzar by Yoav
Almost as ugly. Overly usage of curley fences to block you (However Lara can rolljump over them or pushjump through them). But also invisible blockades, like: in the staircase, you can look down but cannot go there. The row of identical chandeliers: one close to the stairs is penetrable which is odd, but the second (further away), is solid for Lara to stand on. That's idiotic (that the first one isn't solid as well).
Maybe it's a limitation of this engine-package i don't know, but oh the lighting is so godforsaken stupid and ugly: the dark corridor with bright yellow grass and weeds on the floor (where i picked up the bundle of keys). And in the Inventory everything turns red as if something is wrong.
Still i got used to that easily because as a game though it is not half bad.
Funny bossfight because standing behind him in the corner you're safe as he can't turn around and hit you with its fire. You lose zero health even the bats stay away from there. Btw, the whole section isn't necessary because the fence where you see the Heart is penetrable for Lara with pushjump, but it's a fun enough part to play.
I only found the crowbar late, when i found you can't stand on the crate on the place outside so i had to move the inside crate to the outside, i planned to put it on the moveable tile to open the doors. And then saw it on the lamp post! Weirdest place i have ever seen a crowbar hidden!
Oh and you can move the inside crate through the outside crate. I would have liked to see both crates solid enough to stand on; would have saved me a lot of time.
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Argh! Why is it so hard to place the heart on that little pole standard, why only from one side, with the back to the wall. (this is seen in many other custom levels as well) I spent frustrating time searching elsewhere because it didn't seem to work.
Nevertheless despite my little complaints this is a really good game! I played it in one session, couldn't stop. Really makes you search and look again in a joyable way!
I rate this 8 / 10

[Blín D'ñero]

3 For A Handful Of Red Sand by BigFoot
Yes, another good one. On Mars so it says. Charming place there. Instantly a pleasure to play.
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VERY tricky timed jump with the torch, but i DID it! Rewarding...
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And then i had to do it all over again because Lara refuses to ignite the torch on the fires in the upper section.
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The Ninja dies with a male warrior cry!
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This game is good!
Oh and i must say the lighting is good and fine! So apparently it IS possible to make a decent looking game with atmosphere using this BTB project material as basis.

[Blín D'ñero]

Special way to end... Ninja way! A vertical stiffy!
It's not a bug, it's meant that way. Beautiful.

(somewhat cropped image)

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THE END. Wonderful. I had not played such a good one in a while!
10 / 10

[Blín D'ñero]

4 Vanilla Sky Ward Dragon
is like the builder threw all the available elements in a bowl and stirred it...
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Managed to get into a lava room, still not enjoying the game much. So i just quit.
4/ 10
Next!

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5 Moonlight Legacies by Kosmos
So, the train is standing on the water: the rails are resting on the water surface of a deep lake. Right.

Played for half an hour, but no connection. So i quit.
Next!
3 / 10

[Blín D'ñero]

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6 The Book Of 4 Elements by Thot
In the first part of any game, the builder presents the applying conditions. The way the previous game started made me quit.
Here in The Book Of 4 Elements the connection with me as a player is immediate! Great start. I just placed the red fuse and sofar i am finding the game awesome!
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I placed the fires and now i'm ready for the 4 challenges.
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"Modern Art (useless)"!

Very good! From the part with the 4 dragons, i.m.o. the game was sinking a bit, until the ending.
I rate it 9 / 10