Help
Getting Started
The first thing you will need is the Tomb Raider level editor. It comes free with Tomb Raider Chronicles (if you buy Tomb Raider Chronicles make sure the Tomb Raider Level Editor is with it!) or you can download it for free online. Here is a link to Skribblerz.com where you can download it:
http://www.skribblerz.com/editortools.htm
This is a big download of 175 Mb so if you’re on dial up you may want to consider buying Tomb Raider Chronicles to get it on CD.
When you install the level editor, choose Custom Install NOT Full installation. This is an old game and the full installation includes an old version of DirectX7 which you don’t want. So select custom install and in the next screen scroll down and untick the DirectX7 box and then install the game. If you select Full Installation with XP you will get a critical error message. This is due to trying to install the older version of DirectX onto your machine. The Editor will still play despite the error message, so don’t worry about it if you’ve already done it.
If you’re running XP you will find the load times between levels unacceptably long so you will also want to download the trle XP Patched TRLE Exe available at this link:
http://www.skribblerz.com/resources.htm
When you’ve downloaded this new file, find your Tomb Raider level editor folder on your machine. Click My Computer – local disk (C Drive) – Programme Files – Core Design – trle. You are now looking at the files and folders in your trle ROOT folder and they should look something like this:
If you've used the editor that came with the CD you should be able to see these eight yellow folders entitled audio, data, graphics, logo, manual, maps, script and sound. If you've downloaded the online version the files will perhaps be a little different. But don't worry, the important folders you need to remember for now are the Audio and Data folders.
You will also see a small icon of Lara in red called Tomb4. This is the exe file that starts the game. If XP is your Operating System, replace this file with the XP Patched TRLE exe that you just downloaded. You can simply copy and paste the new file or drag and drop it. Now your level editor is ready for use.
You will also need to now add the Revised WADs, which were released by Eidos, to the Graphics/WADs folder. Download the Revised WADs from the Editor Resources page at the Skribblerz link above.
Once you've downloaded the Revised WAD files, follow the instructions in the enclosed readme and copy all the files into your graphics/wads folder. Click the folder called graphics, then the folder called wads and copy the files in there, overwriting the existing files.
It is a good idea to now save a complete copy of your entire trle folder into a separate folder in My Documents or burn it onto CD. Keep these original files you’ve just copied safely so that after playing a custom level you can replace all the original files and make your editor ready for your next custom game.
Download a Game you want to Play
Now find a game you wish you download and play. If you are new to the Level Editor you need to download and play Tomb Raider custom levels that have been released in tr4 format rather than TOM format. So go to your favourite Custom level download site and download the level you wish to play. I recommend this site:
http://www.trle.net
Choose a tr4 game because they are much easier to set up than TOM games. Once you’ve learned the editor and understand how it works you will be able to play TOM games but for now stick to tr4 games. Yes, the downloads are bigger, but trust me, they are much easier to set up and work with.
Let’s say you download my level, The Imprisoned Spirits - Next Generation which is 157 Megabytes, available here:
http://www.skribblerz.com/reports/ImprisonedSpiritsNG.htm
When you download it, the folder will be zipped. Unzip the folder and carefully check the files inside and MAKE A NOTE OF THEM.
You will see two yellow folders, one called AUDIO and one called DATA. You will also see two DAT files called English and Script. The authors notes (the Word Doc) should also be read as this includes installation instructions, the story of the game, numbers of secrets and the credits. The MAC scripts should be used in place of the English and Script DAT files if you run a MAC. Otherwise, ignore those files.
Inside the DATA folder you will find thirteen tr4 files entitled spirit1.tr4 to spirit 11.tr4, spirithub.tr4 and title.tr4. Inside the AUDIO folder you will find 28 sound tracks.
To Setup The Imprisoned Spirits - Next Generation
Open your trle ROOT folder by going the My Computer – local disk (C Drive) – Programme Files – Core Design – trle route again and open the DATA folder. Now open the DATA folder in the download which contains spirit1 - spirit11, spirithub and title.tr4's and copy them into your trle DATA folder.
Now put the 28 audio tracks in the AUDIO folder from the download into the trle AUDIO folder.
Now put the two DAT files from the download (the English and Script DAT files) into the trle ROOT folder. Copy over the existing files.
And that’s it. There is nothing else to do. Start the game from your programmes menu by going Start – Programmes – Core Design – Tomb Raider Level Editor – Run Tomb Raider and enjoy your first custom level adventure.
Preparing the Editor to Play another Game
Remember the note you made of the files that came with the Imprisoned Spirits download? Do you also remember that you made a copy of the entire level editor in My Documents or on CD? Good, open the trle folder and then open your saved copy. Delete the AUDIO folder in the trle ROOT folder and copy in the SAVED ORIGINAL folder complete with all the sound tracks. Now delete the thirteen spirit.tr4 files from the DATA folder. If the game you downloaded overwrote any of the original tr4 files, replace them from your saved originals. Now replace the 2 DAT files, English and Script. Your level editor is ready for your next adventure!
*Please Note*
This tutorial is for complete beginners who wish to PLAY custom levels, not BUILD them. If you wish to build levels, there is a manual included with the editor.
Alternatively, you could download and install the Tomb Raider Level Manager by Paolo Buratti - details and tutorials on the Editor Tools page - which will do all this automatically for you!
Posted 14 January 2006 - 03:31 PM
