(Link to video)
^ video is the first few levels, full playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo9vdI_FgEQdZCHNIbRYgGvIrmHIXd1rN

info

  • BIOS : SCPH5502.BIN
  • Heavy glitch abuse
  • Aims to get all "secrets" in the game

About the game

The second game of the action-adventure franchise, featuring Lara Croft as she sets out on an expedition to the Dagger of Xian.

Comments

Differences between PSX and PC versions

  • Loading times on PSX between levels
  • Hotkeys for medipacks and weapons on PC, this is a disadvantage for the PSX version as we have to go in the inventory to equip weapons/take medipacks, as the timer does not stop in the inventory.
  • multiple little visual bonuses on PSX, such as gradient bars, waving inventory background, etc.

but... why PAL?

the PAL version, out of all the other PSX releases of the game, moves Lara behind flares when she picks them up. This allows us to abuse it to embed into walls.

what are secrets?

Secrets are dragon shaped pickups. There are 3 in each level, Gold, Jade and Silver dragons. Picking them up cues a special secret sound, and getting all 3 in level grants a reward. Rewards could range from medikits to full weapons.

timing

generally aims for ingame time because including the loading screens in the timing is pointless. However, there are no real tricks that give advantage to the IGT over the real time, apart from delaying cutscene skipping 1 or 2 frames to get a proper end level screen instead of pitch black, but that's purely for "entertainment".

Lag

In big areas, lag happens as the game needs more frames to finish calculating everything. Most of the lag happens during the game's draw loop, meaning Lara's position technically still updates during the lag, so this was not very impactful. Although it made it harder to optimally move through a few areas, but nothing more than a 1 or 2 frames loss.

Speed and movement

MovementSpeed
Running47
Standing jump50
Rolling (first half of the anim)50
Swimming50
Sliding on a slope50
Running jump75
As you can see, the running jump is by far the fastest way to move, to the point where it is often better to take a seemingly non-optimal trajectory in order to make one more jump instead of running.
It's important to note that due to rounding errors in speed calculation, heading in certain directions gives a much bigger window to move at full speed at that axis, whereas at other directions you have to move at a perfect angle to get full speed.

Route planning

Pickups were kept to a minimum thanks to the rewards secrets give us. main pickups were flares.

Weapons

Weaponpowerdamage per second
Pistols16
Shotgun~18~16
Automatic Pistols212
Uzis115
Harpoon gun6-
M16330
Grenade Launcher6033
Grenade launcher has the highest DPS, and no pickups are needed for it as we get everything from secrets- simply perfect for this route. Note that secrets also give us other weapons like the Uzis, which were useful in a few levels where it was faster and more health efficient to kill the enemies with them than pistols, even with the inventory time.

Glitches and tricks

  • Corner bug: By clipping inside corners, the game thinks we are inside the wall we clipped in. which technically to the game means we are very deep in the floor (think of walls are raised up floors, if that makes sense), so the game corrects Lara's position, shooting us upwards.
  • Flare Wall Bug: Same as the corner bug, but using the flares allows us to clip in the middle of walls, not only on corners!
  • Dive Bug: If Lara performs a dive to a wall and hits the exact point where it meets the floor, Lara lands on the floor without taking any damage, even if the height would have normally killed her.
  • QWOP: A glitch when the game thinks Lara is falling, when in reality she is on the floor. As a result, the game keeps trying to push Lara below the floor at an incrementing rate. after a while the rate becomes as big as a step, forcing Lara to do the "step up" animation, and since this happens every frame, Lara is stuck in that animation, resembling the infamous QWOP game. This is useful when the rate becomes as big as half a block, where Lara can do a small vault- she travels below the floor ignoring all objects and collision, effectively skipping (some) doors etc. (does not work on all doors due to the rooms-portal system the game is built over)
  • Flare Cancel: Throwing a flare while Lara performs the landing animation makes her skip the landing and go straight to the next needed animation. sounds insignificant but each landing animation can be as long as 2 seconds! (Fun fact, devs knew about this, in fact they introduced it on purpose to avoid a soft lock!)
-I would be more than happy to answer any questions about any specific tricks seen in the game :)

levels and times

LevelTime
The Great Wall3:10.40
Venice2:42.63
Bartoli's Hideout3:18.53
Opera House3:51.77
Offshore Rig4:43.80
Diving Area3:48.63
40 Fathoms3:48.33
Wreck of the Maria Doria8:08.83
Living Quarters2:54.93
The Deck2:23.50
Tibetan Foothills5:24.33
Barkhang Monsatery4:47.13
Catacombs of the Talion3:12.27
Ice Palace4:13.87
Temple of Xian5:53.37
Floating Islands1:34.77
The Dragon's Lair1:41.07
Home Sweet Home1:54.47
Total Time1:07:02.62

possible improvements

As always: after finishing the TAS, an improvement in Temple of Xian was brought to my attention: the ability to skip 1 button in the 2 button room after dodging the flying spike things, using a special jump. after trying to splice it in, sync broke due to the game's high RNG dependency, and lag.

special thanks

suggested screenshot:

I still want the "Don't you think you've seen enough?" shot but I don't know if that'll be accepted, like last time

final words:

I like cheese, and happy pride month!

Memory: Claiming for judging.
Memory: INJECT THAT GOOD CLASSIC TOMB RAIDER SHIT STRAIGHT INTO MY VEINS.
Accepting as a new branch. Note to publisher, tag with 100% completion.

EZGames69: Processing...

TASVideoAgent
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Posts: 14776
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Lil_Gecko
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Joined: 4/7/2011
Posts: 520
Tomb Raider TASes are always a treat and this one is no exception. Very well done and easy yes vote from me. I guess "All secrets" should be added to the title.
Post subject: Movie published
TASVideoAgent
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Posts: 14776
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This movie has been published. The posts before this message apply to the submission, and posts after this message apply to the published movie. ---- [4712] PSX Tomb Raider II: Starring Lara Croft "all secrets" by Troye in 1:12:45.54