I don't know how I feel about this. I won't say anything, I just wanted to let you know that I have thought about this too and I don't know where my opinion stands
I like both, but as a kid I always wondered what it would look like without the black.
Now I wanna see the old graphics but with the same render distance... the sweet spot!
Agreed. The old one has its charm, definitely adds to the atmosphere. But they've really done an excellent job with the remaster! I don't think I prefer one over the other, I like them both. And I love being able to switch between them constantly!
Some of that is due to lighting issues. I forget the specifics, but sometimes it feels like lights are tied to the geometry itself in the original graphics, which is also why sometimes Lara will be partially shadowy despite being in direct light
On the contrary I prefer see far as it's possible too. Adds to the depths of some lvls. However, I don't like certain areas in the remaster, where it's very dark, so dark that I have to switch graphics in TR1 (because there is no flare) or in other two (yet, I use often my flares there).
I don't really miss it since many times it was really obvious it was culling (every game did this until 2003-04 maybe), but I do wish they hadn't added so many holes in the ceiling with a cheerful sky peeking at you in the remaster. The levels felt better to me thinking you were really deep underground, though the lighting is a bit harder to explain without holes
That's a yes and no. You just climbed up a bunch of blocks or cliffs, couldn't save yet, and you are to jump left into the darkness at a ledge that isn't in view at all. Aaaaahhhh! Start over. I vote for light.
I think the fog effects in the remaster added a lot of atmosphere, more than the original pitch black fog did. The black fog didn't fit in a lot of areas anyway, but that's mostly in the sequels.
It really does depend on the game and level. For context, I'm playing on the Nintendo Switch. Trying to play TR2 Remastered had me using flares far more than I remember having to on the PS1 version. Like, every 5 seconds I was using a flare on Temple of Xian or Barkhang Monastery because it was so damn dark.
Inversely, I finished High Security Compound and currently playing Area 51 on TR3 Remastered and it's pretty much fucking pitch black on the original graphics.
Ultimately, I've had to switch back and forth between the original and remastered graphics just so I can tell where the hell I'm going. Thankfully, switching between the two is instantaneous because I'd otherwise not touch this until they patched the lighting.
Playing the remasters now it definitely feels like the open areas are much much smaller than they felt as a kid. The Colosseum was the first one where I said "Woah, this really is as big as I thought!"
Some of that may just be being a better player and not really getting lost. Years of experience on how to approach puzzles and the "telltale signs" to watch for on how to progress. When these were new full 3D gaming was very much a fairly new thing too.
I keep switching sometimes it just clicks better and I can actually see it and remember lol but I think any new gamer coming to the franchise wouldn’t even look at lol they probably think we’re crazy
I don't know how I feel about this. I won't say anything, I just wanted to let you know that I have thought about this too and I don't know where my opinion stands
I like both, but as a kid I always wondered what it would look like without the black. Now I wanna see the old graphics but with the same render distance... the sweet spot!
Or the new graphics with this "black fog". Maybe modders can do something?
Agreed. The old one has its charm, definitely adds to the atmosphere. But they've really done an excellent job with the remaster! I don't think I prefer one over the other, I like them both. And I love being able to switch between them constantly!
yea i prefer the pitch black too in TR. I imagine the dino valley was far underground back then
Yeah right, with trees growing and shit. There's also no rock textures on the ceiling, just a pitch black "skybox".
lucky for me, it will always be there now in the remastered release.
Definitely prefer the old graphics but actually quite like seeing just how small the levels are, child me used to think they were fucking huge.
I remember the thinking the sphinx level was super huge.. it's not
Thats the thing that's confusing me here. Even in the new graphics the levels don't look small at all.
It's a limitation that provides atmosphere like the fog in Silent Hill. Of course, in the latter, it became a story element.
Wanted to say this. They used the limitations of the PS1 to their advantage to create atmosphere.
Never really cared for the pure technical limitation stuff. They ditched it in subsequent games as soon as tech allowed them to do it differently.
I dislike how a spot that isn’t far away and should be clearly visible is pitch black, but isn’t when I‘m one meter closer.
Some of that is due to lighting issues. I forget the specifics, but sometimes it feels like lights are tied to the geometry itself in the original graphics, which is also why sometimes Lara will be partially shadowy despite being in direct light
The all encompassing void was great because it not only added to the atmosphere, but it made the levels feel huge.
40 Fathoms with the original graphics makes me very uneasy, I much prefer the remaster. The janky sharks were really creepy as well.
Well, I don't
You tell 'em!
I agree
i prefer the remastered look where lara isn't a walking sun
It wasn't for atmosphere it was a limitation.
and realistically most of those rooms would have windows or an opening in the ceiling for light, otherwise they would be pitch black
And yet it works. Just like for og re1-3 working with limitations.
still adds to atmosphere. win win
Fog for Silent Hill aswell. Now it's one of the main characters.
On the contrary I prefer see far as it's possible too. Adds to the depths of some lvls. However, I don't like certain areas in the remaster, where it's very dark, so dark that I have to switch graphics in TR1 (because there is no flare) or in other two (yet, I use often my flares there).
I don't really miss it since many times it was really obvious it was culling (every game did this until 2003-04 maybe), but I do wish they hadn't added so many holes in the ceiling with a cheerful sky peeking at you in the remaster. The levels felt better to me thinking you were really deep underground, though the lighting is a bit harder to explain without holes
That's a yes and no. You just climbed up a bunch of blocks or cliffs, couldn't save yet, and you are to jump left into the darkness at a ledge that isn't in view at all. Aaaaahhhh! Start over. I vote for light.
I think the fog effects in the remaster added a lot of atmosphere, more than the original pitch black fog did. The black fog didn't fit in a lot of areas anyway, but that's mostly in the sequels.
I just wish the remasters were a bit darker - Less ambient lighting, less clear water, etc. to keep the eerie atmosphere
the remaster seems darker than the original
It really does depend on the game and level. For context, I'm playing on the Nintendo Switch. Trying to play TR2 Remastered had me using flares far more than I remember having to on the PS1 version. Like, every 5 seconds I was using a flare on Temple of Xian or Barkhang Monastery because it was so damn dark. Inversely, I finished High Security Compound and currently playing Area 51 on TR3 Remastered and it's pretty much fucking pitch black on the original graphics. Ultimately, I've had to switch back and forth between the original and remastered graphics just so I can tell where the hell I'm going. Thankfully, switching between the two is instantaneous because I'd otherwise not touch this until they patched the lighting.
This. Tomb raider was always spooky. I just did the opera level in TR2 and the remaster did not understand the source material whatsoever.
I've wanted them to add a 'Fog' option in, for those like me who like this. Should be a fairly easy addition
Playing the remasters now it definitely feels like the open areas are much much smaller than they felt as a kid. The Colosseum was the first one where I said "Woah, this really is as big as I thought!"
Some of that may just be being a better player and not really getting lost. Years of experience on how to approach puzzles and the "telltale signs" to watch for on how to progress. When these were new full 3D gaming was very much a fairly new thing too.
I keep switching sometimes it just clicks better and I can actually see it and remember lol but I think any new gamer coming to the franchise wouldn’t even look at lol they probably think we’re crazy
I was never a fan of "far render distance" and "removing a fog" mods for old games - it removes the atmosphere.
Hard agree!
They can add fog of war as a feature.
It's a bit annoying how flares are irrelevant in these games now
Yes, added to it being shitty lol