==================================================================== ==================================================================== V3.2.3/63 12/09/03 ==================================================================== Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. AOD Bugs definitive list. ==================================================================== New information is [*[surrounded]*] New bugs cannot be highlighted due to their nature, but new bugs always go at the bottom of their section. -- This 'FAQ' is intended as guide to the various problems encountered in AOD. It can help players to determine whether the game is worth playing, and can be used as a spring-board for discussion. NB. This guide will contain spoilers...but I have not included detailed story descriptions. It is also a reference file for TR players with which they can either lobby Eidos/ Core or use in discussion. But please attribute any used information to me and the others that have helped in this guide's creation. -- I've noticed during my travails through alt.games.tombraiders that Bugs and problems in AOD are an interesting side-note to this game. This game was heralded as the next great venture by Eidos - the publisher of the Tomb Raider franchise - and perhaps this 'FAQ' can give some indication as to how the game was received. Most long-time TR players were disappointed with this game. Despite its heavy delays, it still has an unfinished or raw aspect to it. You may be interested to read the following article about schisms within Core, the game developers, during AOD's creation: http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines1424.html Many players are trying to campaign for either a re-release, or a 'Gold' expansion set that will address the following problems. At any rate, if you're thinking about buying AOD, you might want to review the following information, as it may help you determine whether you will enjoy the game or not. Please remember, however, that not all of the bugs are experienced by all players. Most players have experienced between two and ten of the following bugs, with an average at around 4 or 5 IMO. Some players have experienced nothing but bugs, and others have experienced no bugs whatsoever. -- Bugs that have been entered are done so according to a fairly liberal interpretation of 'game bug'. In this guide, bugs are defined as 1) inhibiting normal game play, and 2) distracting from the intentions of the developers. Now, obviously, I'm not a developer for this game, and so I've had to guess for the most part at the developers' intentions. The short and long of it is: the following bugs are not necessarily faults in the programme code. They're often just an annoyance. There are plenty more than what I've listed...I've been meaning to do this for a while, but have only started now. Where a patch and date are given, this bug has been 'fixed' by said patch, which was released on or around that date. Often, this has been the only way to find out about some bugs. I have included some bugs that have been fixed by various patches. While all bugs that have '(Patch dd/mm/yy)' added have been fixed, not all fixed bugs are listed as being fixed. That's for another update sometime. Posting Details/ Instructions are below. The guide is divided into 6 separate areas, covering the major headings under which the bugs can be found. Bugs are further subdivided. There is no real order to the individual bugs within their headings. Contribution acknowledgement is in the form of "(.contributor placefound datefound [dd/mm/yy])", where a.g.t stands for the newsgroup "alt.games.tombraider" and gfq stands for "GameFaqs (www.gamefaqs.com)". This FAQ is incomplete in so far as it will never be fully complete while people are discovering new bugs. I have yet to determine all platform-specific bugs, but I've indicated what some of these might be. I still very much need confirmation for many of the bugs. By confirmation, I am looking for people to tell me whether certain bugs are platform-specific, or even if some bugs exist [*[ Bug *6.3*, for instance, was without confirmation for quite some time.]*] ==================================================================== *1. Levels* 1.1 The Secret Garden. In between level One and level Two. Not really a bug...but 1) it's full of them anyway, 2) it's clearly meant to be included in the game, and didn't quite make it, and 3) it links in with (Bug *2.1*). This area is especially interesting. It is a clear indication that the game was released well and truly before it was completed. It can only be accessed through cheats, but I have yet to encounter it. There are, however, reports of ghost textures, non-existent textures, interactive objects which, when interacted with, do nothing, flashing objects that can be picked up, but are not entered into the inventory, and textures that disappear from different viewpoints. It contains speech, introductory tutorial-type lessons however, so it was intended as a set piece. It just never made it, and they didn't bother removing it completely. 1.2 Lara can steal Watch from house at entry to Graveyard...but Rennes dies before she can pawn it. The watch is behind the woman, in a sideboard. But Lara cannot exit from the house. She can only go to the graveyard, from which she returns to Rennes' pawnshop as Eckhardt is leaving. 1.3 Von Croy's Apartment. Continuous laser beams at end of hallway near end of level. The lasers all activate and Lara cannot move forward. She is in such a position that she cannot target The Cleaner. She is stuck. (.Fran 31/08/03) 1.4 Kurtis cannot return to earlier part of level after entering the room in which the Proto is first encountered. Kurtis approaches the room via a duct: he is crouched. If he turns around to return to where he came from (especially if one wants to go back and take out the new, wandering lunatics seen through the windows), he falls into infinite space. The box upon which he lands into this room will also sometimes disappear, and it will appear as if he's standing in the middle of a desk. 1.5 Wrath of the Beast invisible hang. (PC only?) During the final run, if she missed a step and grabbed the edge, she just kept hanging on to thin air after the walkway collapsed and fell down; only when the "grab bar" had been depleted. (.Taava Hein a.g.t. 6/09/03) 1.6 Final battle problems with Lightning effects. (Patch 6/09/03) 1.7 In duct after Luddick's death (what's the name of this level? Anyone remember? I've yet to check it). A guard should appear with pass, but doesn't. Lara can't advance further. Game crashes after playing from Eidos supplied savegame. (.Eddie a.g.t. 08/09/03) 1.8 Tomb of the Ancients no-load. Just after level splash screen, game will freeze. Occurs in last hallway: 'gauntlet run' with mirror floor. (.Paul E Kiefer Jr a.g.t. 13/09/03) 1.8.2 Lara can't grab ledges. Lara either grabs below or above the actual ledge. (.DarkKnight3217 gfq 7/7/03) 1.9 Sanitarium no-jump/ Key sequence error When jumping to achieve a medipak, jump works, but to jump back to original area doesn't. Numerical keypad rejects all combinations, by entering it's own number first. Fixed by entering an incorrect code, then the correct one. (.Peterbuilt 16/09/03) 1.10 Aquatic Research garden place, reverse pipe climb. To move left, you have to press right, and vice versa. Inconsistent with other climbing structures throughout the game. (.Peterbuilt 16/09/03) 1.10.2 Lara sticks to bottom of metal pan in main Research hub area. (.MouseNightshirt gfq 7/7/03) 1.11 St Aicard's Graveyard. On pipe, after shimmying right (as you should), you can shimmy back left. Suddenly, Lara is holding onto a non-existent rope, with no grap-bar limit. Eventually she is returned to the original drainpipe. (.Tim Scott 13/09/03) 1.12 Training level repeating Lara. When cancelling Lara's instructions, Lara began to repeat 'To move the barrel… To move the barrel… To move the barrel…'. (.Xian 042 gfq 26/06/03) 1.13 Prague, Mansion. In room where the Clock must be set to gain entry to the secret lower levels, it is possible to jump over railing from the second floor and bypass all levels. Lara lands in the lower level, and is able to retrieve an etching. Even though the stairs do not appear (they were never activated), Lara can still walk back up to the ground floor as if the stairs are there, but invisible. (.HauntedOne gfq 10/9/03) 1.14 Archaeological dig's lift does not respond. (.Seth87 gfq 10/9/2003) 1.14.2 Circle puzzle work-around. Move circle, save, exit, load save game, and the circle will be in the correct position. (.DarkKnight3217 gfq 7/7/03) 1.14.3 Lara's face etched onto screen. Even a reload won't remove the image. Total restart of machine required to remove image. (.Awesomebomb316 gfq 7/7/03) 1.15 Infinity and Beyond. Lara, in the second level, jumped through a wire fence, and could not get back. She then fell into infinity. (.cybermike gfq 28/6/03) 1.16 Le Serpent Rouge forgotten floor. Lara falls through floor after falling from lighting rig. (.Punk1 gfq 30/6/03) 1.16.2 Rouge thick-air. Lara floats down from the rig, then back up to the rig. (.dragon54b gfq 30/6/03) 1.16.3 Re-load insta-death. Lara would die in 'fall-death' animation after a reload, even though she hadn't actually fallen off anything. (.brianandvicki gfq 6/7/03) 1.16.4 Guard runs…and runs…and runs… Guard runs towards door, doesn't acknowledge Lara. An easy kill. (.wileee gfq 7/7/03) 1.17 Parisian Ghetto French man keeps talking. Let Frenchie answer the phone, then talk to him. Hear Frenchie continue to yabber on in the background (overlay of speech events). (.DarkKnight3217 gfq 7/7/03) 1.17.2 Boxing match loop. After winning bet, and exiting church through a certain exit, the cutscene showing the boxers fighting loops indefinitely. (.whitelightning gfq 7/7/03) 1.17.3 Lara's ponytail spins like a helicopter blade. (.MouseNightshirt gfq 7/7/03) ==================================================================== *2. Movements* 2.1 What! She can _COMMANDO CRAWL_??!! I, for one, had no idea this move even existed. It was in the manual but Lara never described it, and it was obviously meant to be explained in (Bug *1.1*). 2.2 Walking toggle button does not prevent Lara from falling over edge. This, however, may have something to do with the problems of running/ walking with the control stick on the PS2. This is unlikely, as it's reported on the PC as well. See the next bug. It mostly happens on broken stairways, or where the player tries to turn Lara when she's right on the edge of the platform. She'll stay on if the button is held down, but not if it's been toggled (tapped). 2.3 Lara is not really analogue: walk or run. Nothing in between, run often fails without walking first (which would be understandable if she's truly analogue, but she's not). 2.4 Look torso-twist. Lara will, at certain times, completely twist around, so that her torso is facing in the opposite direction of her legs. Multiple instances on multiple levels reported by multiple players. (.Paul E Kiefer Jr a.g.t. 09/09/03) 2.4.2 Look inside Lara. Look function will occasionally swim up through Lara's head and body, providing reverse-textures. 2.4.3 'Metal Bar' will come out of Lara's hip/ shoulder. (.Sas a.g.t. 09/09/03) 2.5 Next-level auto fall. After falling/ jumping off a structure, player is advanced to next level. (.Maurice Schellekens a.g.t. 10/09/03) 2.6 Lara wants IT! Lara will walk through walls and structures to pick up object after 'hand' icon appears (even though Lara is not near the object). (.Maurice Schellekens a.g.t. 10/09/03) 2.7 Look reversed axis through camera terminals. When Lara looks through a terminal, the look axis is reversed. (.Peterbuilt 16/09/03) 2.8 Extended side-step wait. When side-stepping, an extended amount of time is sometimes needed before game recognises side-stepping mode. If you don't wait long enough, Lara will rotate and not side-step. (.kh 16/09/03) 2.9 Look lock. The camera, after a certain point in the game where the camera swings around to face Lara, will not return to the traditional 3rd Person view. (.J. Rose a.g.t 21/09/03) 2.9.2 Spinning Camera (PS2) Camera will gently circle around Lara, even if the camera joy-stick is not being pushed. Circling stops after a slight tap to the joy- stick. The joy-stick is correctly set and centred. 2.10 Lara bends the Matrix Lara is trapped between two world-objects. One leg is lifted, a la 'Crane' kung-fu style. Camera can then be panned around to create the ultimate Matrix effect! (.nadwodny gfq 19/09/03) 2.11 Lara floats. Lara floats on a variety of objects. See also *1.16.2* and *2.10*. (.brianandvicki gfq 6/7/03) 2.12 Lara's hair won't die. Lara was swimming, drowned. Hair then stuck up. Straight up. Out of the water. (.DarkKnight3217 gfq 7/7/03) 2.13 Clipping Fun. Lara, when 'drowning' it vat of acid in laboratory, will stick her head through the floor, and be sucked into the wall. She also drowns in midair. (.Shiro Xetas gfq 7/7/03) ==================================================================== *3. Ammunition* 3.1 Two Bullets at once. (Fixed Patch 6/09/03) Lara will fire two bullets for every one recorded or seen shot (her ammo depletes faster than the amount of damage she inflicts). This may be an indication of the original idea of using 'dual pistols' mode with some weapons. 3.1.2 Two holsters, one weapon. Why is she given two holsters if there is never any option to use 'dual pistols'? 3.2 Re-spawning ammunition inside inventory (also Bug *5.2*). I'll admit, this is a friendly bug, but very rare. I experienced it. 3.3 Ammo Combination. The manual describes combination of ammunition, but there is not the opportunity to do so (Bug *5.1*). ==================================================================== *4. Weaponry* 4.1 Auto-aim is bung-o. The auto-aim switches to the farthest away target, even after trying to switch targets. The aiming seems to get confused (twitches between) but then ends up on the furthest target away. (.kh a.g.t. 10/09/03) 4.1.2 Aim through walls. Lara will aim through walls, corners at enemies. (.Paul E Kiefer Jr a.g.t 10/09/03) 4.2 Ammo count neutral. Ammo count for all weapons (except shot-gun) is always at 0. But the guns still fire. (.briandandvicki gfq 6/7/03) ==================================================================== *5. Inventory/ Menu* 5.1 Manual describes option to configure controls, option non- existent (PAL) -- 5.2 Re-spawning Periapt Shards...I mean, really! Strange, considering there are only three in the game, and they should decrease after being taken by Kurtis and used in final battle. 5.3 Maps useless. All the maps given are transparent, and do not help the player to find the 'right path'. Lara informs player to 'check the map' for the right location of the explosives, yet this is impossible (and unnecessary). 5.4 Game exit twice over. When exiting, the menu or 'exit screen' will appear twice, prompting player to choose to exist twice. (.kh a.g.t. 11/09/03) ==================================================================== *6. Misc.* 6.1 Diagonal texture-skin sprites after a load. Lara would have lines of texture-tiles spinning out from the centre of the screen to the edges. 6.2 Missing faces and body parts on people. (PC) Cafe owner (without Eidos' patch [6/09/03]), guards in Louvre (with and without patch). (.Taava Hein a.g.t 6/09/03) 6.3 Razor-lizard in Aquatic Research level does not inflict damage. It just sort of lovingly nuzzles against Lara's legs. (.Eric/ Garous a.g.t 7/09/03) 6.4 All sound events not always occurring. (PC only?) (.Pvt. Hudson a.g.t 7/09/03) 6.5 Quicksave produces empty filenames. (PC) (.Patch 6/09/03) 6.6 Lighting problems on 'staticly lit animated objects'. (.Patch 6/09/03) 6.7 Video files don't play. (PC) (Fixed Patch ??/??/??) First two and last video files do not play (but can be played on Windows Media Player). (.harlekin a.g.t. 16/09/03) 6.8 Re-spawning items. Most re-spawning ammo clips are there for a purpose, but others have been noted, such as in Von Croy's apartment. All items re-spawn when exiting and re-entering environment (as when going into Café Metro and back into Parisian Ghetto). (.Maurice Schellekens 16/09/03) 6.9 Shut up shut up shut up SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPP!! Lara, after a fall-death, will continue screaming all throughout the reload process. The scream sound has even continued to cycle when the new game is loaded, forcing a complete restart of the game/ machine. ==================================================================== *References:* Patch 6/09/03: http://www.eidosinteractive.co.uk/support/patchinfo.html?ptid=67 ftp://ftp.eidos.co.uk/pub/uk//tomb_raider_AOD/patch/TRAOD_PC_PATCH_V 42.exe ftp://ftp.eidos.co.uk/pub/uk//tomb_raider_AOD/patch/TRAOD_PC_PATCH_V 49_ALL_LANGUAGES.exe http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines1424.html ==================================================================== *Posting:* Only send new bugs/ problems etc., to *alt.games.tombraider*. Go to www.deja.com for help. Do not email me. Use subject header '(ATTN: DC) AOD Bugs Definitive List' if you start a new thread, otherwise just reply to the existing thread. If you do reply to the existing thread SNIP ALL IRRELEVANT INFORMATION. This guide is big enough as it is to post in a newsgroup, and with four hundred replies to it, the problem only gets worse. Thanks. Bugs are loosely sorted upon order of appearance. Please add new bugs *at the bottom* (after the last bug). Do not number them. If I ever feel the need, I'll order them meself. If you know of platform- specific bugs, or notice a platform-specific bug that I haven't listed as such, please do so *at the bottom*. Do not middle post, unless you're wanting to discuss the bug...other than that... Knock Yourself Out. ==================================================================== *Author:* [*[****Dragoncarer, of alt.games.tombraider, wrote this Bug List. It is available for free-range distribution, provided you retain the text in its entirety, and that you DO NOT in any way change or alter the text (this includes minor changes including but not limited to: spelling, grammar and syntax; and major changes, including but not limited to: truncation and removal or addition of text). You must, therefore, include this section, which contains contact details. Dragoncarer is Australian.]*] You can contact me through alt.games.tombraider. Please attribute this list to me (courtesy of alt.games.tombraider). I gratefully thank all of the peeps at a.g.t, and especially those who have given or edited bugs here. [*[I also offer gratitude to those at the gamefaqs (www.gamefaqs.com) forums (chiefly those surrounding TR and AOD).]*] If you feel that you drew special, new attention to a bug, or 'discovered' it (ie., it only seems to work on your machine, or you can provide evidence that you posted the first set of information regarding the bug) and I haven't cited you as a reference after the bug, please tell me so. Follow posting guidelines above. If I have cited you, and you do not wish to be cited, please also tell me. I'm more than happy to remove or include citations, if inclusions are for a valid reason. I want to make it clear that this guide is dependent upon those who have given help, advice, and information about these bugs, and especially everyone in alt.games.tombraider. They deserve the recognition. -- Version information is based on 1.2.3/4, where 1 is build number, 2 indicates a new paragraph in introductory notes, 3 indicates new bugs/ changed formatting/ general fiddling, and 4 indicates the number of listed bugs. [*[Each number is independent of the others (a change in 1 does not reset 2 or 3 as in a usual walkthrough version information scheme).]*] END END END END END END END. ==================================================================== ====================================================================