No replies to this topic

[Moonpooka]

The Tomb Raider Level Editor or TRLE

The TRLE is the tool in which you can play or build your own custom levels. Custom levels are built by members of the pubic, and shared on the internet with other Tomb Raider fans. Levels made with the TRLE can not be sold and are offered free of charge for everyone to enjoy.

The TRLE CD comes with the TR Chronicles game; you will have two CD’s and CD 2 is the TRLE disk. You do not need to install the full Chronicles game to play custom levels however, and the TRLE is now available to download here…

TOMB RAIDER LEVEL EDITOR

Scroll down to where you see Tomb Raider Level Editor Tools
Official Tomb Raider Level Editor (UK version, bundled with Tomb Raider Chronicles)


GETTING STARTED

First install the TRLE. Please note that on XP systems an error may occur, if this happens just ignore it and hit ok to continue the install. There is also an tomb4.exe XP Patch for XP users which speeds up the long loading time and you can download that from here..

TOMB4 XP PATCH


Just replace the old tomb4.exe with the new one by copy and pasting it into the root folder of the TRLE.


ABOUT THE ROOT DIRECTORY

The Root Directory is the main folder where everything from the TRLE installs to. You will work with this a lot so I find it easier to have a short cut to it on my desktop for easy access. The root folder can be found in C:/Programme Files/Core Design/trle.

Open the Root Directory (trle folder) and you will see this..



Make a new folder on your desktop and name it trle2 or what ever you please; this is for a special reason but it doesn’t matter what you name the new folder as long as you know what it’s for.

Now copy and paste the files from the TRLE Root Directory into that new folder on the desktop, remembering to add the new XP tomb4.exe, and then close the original Root Folder as you won’t need this again.

If you work from this newly made TRLE folder, you can add new levels each time without messing up the original Root Directory, because as you install different levels the files get overwritten and eventually there will be a clash causing you to have to re-install the entire TRLE, so this is why I do things this way.


INSTALLING A CUSTOM LEVEL

First you need to download a level. You will find a large collection of custom levels here at Tomb Raider Community, and I would like to thank trle.net for their assistance with providing the levels.

TOMB RAIDER COMMUNITY CUSTOM LEVEL DOWNLOADS


Save the download to desktop for easy access. You will see it comes in a zipped file and you will need to unzip it to your desktop.

Open the level file and see what it contains. Some levels differ but they are basically the same, except for a few small details. The best way to explain this is if I simply list where each file goes that you find in the level download. All files must be placed in either the Root Directory or one of its sub folders.

Eng.Dat and Script.Dat = place these two files into the main Root Directory. You will be asked to overwrite the original files and must say yes.

If there are non English versions, such as Italian.Dat and Italian.Script, the English versions should be removed, and the Italian files added; there may also be German versions and the same applies to all.

Data = These files go into the Data folder. They will be named accordingly followed by .tr4 i.e catacomb.tr4. If you are asked to overwrite, you must say yes.

Audio = These files go into the Audio folder.

Note: some audios are in MP3 format to save download size, so if you see within the audio folder a madplay exe, you must run the madplay “start_me” before placing the audios into the Root Directory. The madplay will then convert the audios to wav format and you can then place them into the audio folder. If you are asked to overwrite, you must say yes.

These files you may or may not get with the download, if you do get them here is where they go.

Load.bmp - Strings - Objects = These files all go into the main Root Directory. If you are asked to overwrite, say yes.

Script and English in the form of a note pad = These files go into the Script folder. If asked to overwrite, say yes.

Sounds = These files go into the Sounds/Samples folder. If you are asked to overwrite say yes.

Tom files = These files go into the Graphics/Wads folder. See below for installation instructions **


READY TO PLAY?

Now you have all your files in place you’re ready to go. Open the Root Directory and double click on the tomb4. The game will load. Hit New Game and away you go!!!!

To save, hit esc to bring uop the inventory and you will see the save function there, or hit F5 to do a quick save. Also in inventory you will see the load function. To leave the game hit P then go down to exit.

**
ABOUT TOM FILES

Tom files are files that have to be converted to a Data tr.4 file before you can play them. Not many new builders use them now but they can be found in older levels or levels where the builder has tried to keep the download size down.
If you encounter Tom files, they must be placed in the Graphics/Wads folder of the Root Directory, and it’s best to make a note if you can of their name i.e. Catacomb.Tom, this will help when using the conversion window.

There may also be other files with the Toms such as WAS, WAD, SWD, CD, SFX, LAR, TAG, TGA and a few other bits, but don’t be daunted by all these, if they are all contained within the downloaded level’s wad’s folder, then they must all be placed in the graphics/wads folder. Say yes to overwrite.

Then close the graphics/wads folder down, and double click on the tom2pc file you see in the root folder. A window will open click add and see a list of all the Tom files. Double click on the files with the sane Tom name you installed to the graphics/wad folder and it will appear in the batch window.
If you have more than one file named Tom, i.e Catacomb. Tom and Newcity.Tom, you can add both, but in some cases where there are quite a few toms, it’s best to convert separately to stop any errors occurring.

Once the toms are in the batch window, hit the Build All tab on the lower right hand side of the window, then watch as your tom is converted in the right hand side output window. It will then become a TR.4 file and will automatically be placed in the Data folder of the Root Directory. The output window will say Build All Complete when the process is over.
If the output window seems to be static and giving no information, this is because there is a lot of converting going on and it can’t always be displayed, but you will notice if you click your mouse on the outer part of the window, the window can not be moved, this means the Tom is still being converted. To test if it has finished, click your mouse on the outer part of the window and if the window can be moved the conversion is complete.

If you encounter bad graphics; Go to the tomb4.exe and right click on it. Go down to properties and bring up the window. Change the compatibility to windows 98 and apply. This normally corrects the problem.

In newer levels, the new and revised Wads may be needed. You can download them from here...

Revised Wads

The files contain a readme. Follow the instructions carefully, or ask for help if you need it.

There is also a level manager available which installs the levels for you, but I had some problems with it and I have never used it again, so I will be unable to help with any questions regarding it.

For Mac Users

Please visit

MACRAIDER


Final note


You can make as many folders as you wish on the desktop and this enables you to play more than one level at a time. As long as you have all the Root Directory files in a folder, you can add any level to it and play from that folder.
I also delete the contents of my desktop Root Directory when I have finished playing a level; this ensures a clean install of a new level. So, simply delete the contents of the Root Directory folder when you have finished a level, then copy and paste the original Root Directory files back into your desk top folder, not forgetting to add the XP Patch.

Edited by Moonpooka, 28 January 2007 - 01:01 pm.