Tomb Raider: Legend

Author: bit-tech Staff
Published: 11th April 2006
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Next Generation Content

As we mentioned earlier, the full retail game comes with an option disabled in the PC demo - the ability to enable "Next Generation Content". What exactly does that mean? Rather than the more traditional approach of allowing the adjustment of multiple advanced graphics options like High Dynamic Range (HDR) lighting, Crystal Dynamics have adopted a simplified approach, presumably based on the assumption that the more casual gamer that this franchise attracts won't have a clue what HDR is all about.

The good news for us graphics geeks is that you're getting more than just mere HDR. Let's compare two identical scenes: on the left, we have anti-aliasing and every other game option enabled, but Next Generation Content disabled. The second screenshot adds this option.

Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content
As you can see, the difference is substantial. Where previously we had been reasonably happy with the graphics, this one option just blows it out of the water. Parallax mapping - an advanced form of bump mapping - enhances ground detail and adds real depth to what it still a geometrically flat surface.

Look closely in the middle ground on the left and right and you will see the addition of realtime soft environmental shadowing. Lara herself gains soft shadows and also self-shadows, where for example her arm will cast a shadow over her torso. That might not sound like much but it is quite intensive to calculate.


Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content
Get up close & personal with Ms Croft and differences are just as pronounced. Her hair looks more natural and there are semi-transparent layers to give the illusion of individual strands waving around. Her skin tone is more natural - look how uniform it is at low detail. Indeed, you can even see the skin pores under her right eye at maximum detail. Dare we say it, even her lips are more detailed... (get a room will you? Ed)

In the background, you can see the same Parallax Mapping on the ground, the shadowing on the right and even her gun has extra detail thanks to higher resolution texturing.

Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content
Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content Tomb Raider: Legend Next Generation Content
By now you should be getting the picture: by enabled Next Generation Content you gain higher resolution textures, advanced shadowing including realtime environmental soft shadows, Parallax Mapping, really cool water and just generally looks bloody nice. Of course, all this is not without cost and we will look at the performance penalty on the next page.

Xbox 360 Version

A quick note about the Xbox 360 version of Tomb Raider: Legend. In short, it looks stunning. It includes all of the above Next Generation Content and arguably looks slightly better somehow. We had no problems running at 720p HD (1280x720) and found the gamepad controls to be a more natural way of throwing Lara around the screen than keyboard and mouse.

The Xbox 360 version of the game may cost £49.99 compared with £29.99 for the PC edition but it is obvious that no PC costing "only" £279.99 could possibly hope to run the game at the same level of detail or speed.

Let's find out what it takes, eh?

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