January 2, 2011

Achievements for Classic Tomb Raider Games

Recently my friend Eldin came up with an awesome idea for fans of the classic Tomb Raider games. I liked it so much I just had to share it here. For players who crave more challenge than simply beating each level, we've decided to create achievement lists for each of the first six Tomb Raider games. Making the lists is going to be a task in itself, so we'll need your help!

Classic Tomb Raider Achievements

In case you're not familiar with Xbox 360 achievements—and similar systems like PlayStation trophies and Steam achievements for PC games—they're basically in-game challenges players can beat to earn points. These points are then added to the player's total Gamerscore, a general indicator of how many games the player has beaten and how thoroughly they've played. For example, my Xbox GamerCard, displayed in the right margin of this blog, shows off my own feeble 8,000-point Gamerscore. ;)

The new Tomb Raiders, developed by Crystal Dynamics, already incorporate achievements and trophies. (Here are lists for Legend, Anniversary, Underworld and Guardian of Light.) But since the classic Tomb Raiders obviously don't have real achievements built in, we're going to make up our own.

This isn't a totally new idea. Back in the early days, sites like tombraiders.com featured "Expert Challenges" invented by fans. Similarly, Tomb Raider speed runners have been racing through the levels since long before Tomb Raider: Legend first incorporated official time trials.

Now we're asking you to help us design a list of achievements for each game from Tomb Raider through Angel of Darkness. We're open to anything, provided it's challenging and fun for players but not impossible to do. Windows, Macintosh and PlayStation gamers are all welcome to contribute. We'll use as many of your suggestions as we can. Maybe we can all vote on the best ideas. The final lists will be available for players to use, post on their own fan sites, etc.

Ideally we'd like to follow the Xbox 360 model, so the total points for each game add up to 1,000—with 250 extra points for each expansion pack (Unfinished Business, Golden Mask, Lost Artifact). So keep that in mind when building your lists. You can write complete achievement lists for each game or suggest individual challenges.

We've already come up with a few ideas for the Peru levels in Tomb Raider 1, but none of these are set in stone.

Tomb Raider 1 Peru Achievements
Find all secrets in Caves( 10 points )
Complete Caves without killing any enemies( 15 points )
Don't use any medpack(5 points )
Complete Caves in 5 minutes or less( 20 points )
  
Find all secrets in City of Vilcabamba( 15 points )
Don't kill any bear( 10 points )
Open middle Red-Roofed door
   without falling in the pool
(5 points )
Complete City of Vilcabamba in
   8 minutes or less
( 20 points )
  
Find all secrets in Lost Valley( 20 points )
Obtain the shotgun( 10 points )
Kill T-Rex with pistols( 15 points )
Don't kill any small dinosaur( 15 points )
Complete Lost Valley without dying( 15 points )
Do swan dive to the water at the end of level(5 points )
Complete Lost Valley in 15 minutes or less( 20 points )
  
Find all secrets in Tomb of Qualopec( 10 points )
Don't use shotgun in fight( 10 points )
Beat Larson without using a medpack( 10 points )
Complete Tomb of Quolopec in
   10 minutes or less
( 20 points )
  
TOTAL: 250 points

Those are just a few of our ideas to start. We're open to anything, provided it's challenging and fun for players but not impossible to do. We'll use as many of your suggestions as we can. Maybe we can all vote on the best suggestions.

To join the discussion, post a comment below, chime in on my Facebook page or visit the page Eldin has set up on his Tomb Raider forum. We'd love to hear your ideas!

35 comments:

  1. Angel of Darkness Achievement:

    "Get game to work!"

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  2. LOL! Indeed. Or maybe something like play through with fewer than 50 full-on crashes to desktop. ;)

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  3. TR1-: Complete Level 15: The Great Pyramid Without dying more than twice- 15/20 points? (sorry, im not too familiar with the how many points you'd receive on an achievement as i dont own Xbox)

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  4. Angel of Darkness- Never shoot/close combat the undead/fire knights in the hall of seasons and the levels directly connected to it. just run from them

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  5. TR1 Complete Lost Valley without killing any dinosaurs.
    TR2 Complete Tibet without shooting anybody.
    TR3 Complete Antartica without using any Medpacks.

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  6. Guys its good idea to start from Tomb Raider 1 first, not AOD or TR3:D

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  7. tr2 the great wall, kill everything exept lara

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  8. Tr2 acheivments

    Complete great wall shooting a single bullet 20g
    Complete great wall 15g
    Kill your first enemy 5g
    Drived a boat 5g
    Use the tnt 15g
    Complete venice, batarlis hideout and opera house 55g
    Escape from your cell 10g
    Find the pistols, AGAIN 5g
    Jump the toxic water 20g
    Complete offshore rig and diving area 60g
    Kill both sharks 30g
    Found your way into the ship 10g
    Get the key from the water with out killing the shark or barracuda 25g
    Used the sereph 50g
    Complete 40 fathoms, wreck of maria doria, living quaters and the deck 70g
    Complete all 4 water levels without drowning 70g
    Drive the snowmobile 10g
    Run over an enemy 10g
    Killed a yeti 10g
    Complete tibeten foothils, barkhang monastry, catacombs and the ice palace 70g
    Unlock and complete tibet on foot 50g
    Killed the giant spider 25g
    Killed the dragon 100g
    Complete the dagger of xian, floating islands and the dragons lair 100g
    Complete home sweet home 40g
    Found all the secrets 70g
    I think thats 1000 you will have to over check
    Tomb raider 2 golden mask
    Escape the water without being bit by the shark 25g
    Kill 5 enemys 10g
    Kill 10 enemy 25g
    Kill the t-rex 20g
    Found the butler 20g
    Complete the golden mask 150g

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  9. Well, I'm not very creative so I'm not going to be good with coming up with unique achievements, but I have some that should make up a good portion of the achievements/gamerscore.

    Just like the ones that are actually there for the recent TR games, have ones for beating each level, getting all the secrets in each level and the whole game, and defeat enemy X without dying. Not very creative I know, but that's all I've got right now.

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  10. I think we should think of harder achievements. Not achievements like Beat this levels and this bad guy. We already HAVE to do those things. I think this is an opportunity for us to challenge ourselves and add some spice to the classics, for instance, beat The Lost Valley without killing the T-rex. (Is that even possible? It's Tomb Raider instinct to pull out our pistols and start firing.lol.)

    In TR2, I like, complete Tibetan Foothills without using the snowmobile. That's the level that's possible, right, Stella? Or Kill the Dragon with only your pistols. Or even, kill the dragon without being caught on fire! (2 different achievements, you'd have to replay the level or we could just choose one). And let's think of some cool Croft Manor achievements. I like this one:

    Lady-bug...Access the roof of Croft Manor(TR3)...5 Points

    I do like the idea of finding all secret awards and beating the game awards, however. Also, we could have some sort of website that allows us all to post our Classic achievements on. Or maybe someone could devise a tool for us to share our accomplishments. Anybody have an idea?

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  11. Yeah its possible to beat the Lost Valley without killing T-Rex:D
    I made it, its not hard.. you just need to hide in caves.

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  12. Great ideas guys:D
    Hunter, if only someone can make patch or something to add those achievements in the game or place we we can post them or something like that. Thats great idea you have :D

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  13. I have one idea, we can also add something like Best Tomb Raider Player.
    Person who can bet all those challenges can be reworded with something:)
    I like this idea for Classic Tomb Raider games achievements. Thanks Stella!

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  14. These are some great ideas, everyone. I especially like Hunter's notion of adding more obscure/difficult achievemens, maybe not for every single level, but definitely a few in each section of the game.

    "Lady-bug" is awesome! Let's definitely not forget to name our achievements like the Xbox people do!

    If the lists come out great--and I think they will--I will definitely include them in my waltkhroughs, and I think we should also post them on some of the forums so other players can share in the fun.

    And, yes, you can finish the entire Lost Valley without killing a single enemy. It's hard as hell, but I've done it.

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  15. Oh, and as for earning the achievements, I guess players would have to work on the honor system or post videos showing they'd done the various things. I'm guessing it wouldn't be legal to hack the games to actually recognize those achievements, even if someone could figure out how to do it.

    P.S. Sorry to double post but it is my blog. ;P

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  16. How about in Greece:

    Animal Lover...Kill all animals in St. Francis Folly...choose point value

    Horsing Around...Defeat the centaur with only pistols...choose point value

    The Golden Touch...Touch Midas' hand without turning gold...choose point value

    FireFly!...Complete the Fire Trap Puzzle in Temple of Midas without catching on fire or falling into the water...choose point value

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  17. Here are new ideas from me:


    Greece Achievements

    Find all secrets in St.Francis's Folly ( 15 points )

    Complete Damocles Room without daying ( 15 points )

    Complete St.Francis's Folly in 20 minutes of less ( 20 points )

    Find all secrets in Colosseum ( 10 points )

    Kill all animals ( 15 points )

    Complete Colosseum without shooting at Pierre ( 15 points )

    Complete Colosseum in 13 minutes or less ( 20 points )

    Find all secrets in Palace Midas ( 15 points )

    Complete the fire trap room in one try ( 15 points )

    Touch Midas hand without turning into gold ( 10 points )

    Complete Palace Midas in 25 minutes or less ( 25 points )

    Find all secrets in Cistern ( 10 points )

    Win Pierre with guns only ( 15 points )

    Complete Cistern in 20 minutes or less ( 20 points )

    Find all secrets in Tomb of Tihocan ( 15 points )

    Kill Centaur and Pierre with guns ( 15 points )


    TOTAL: 250 points


    But I never test those Time Trial Challenges, I think that they are possible to make. I am looking to download Play Station 1 Emulator and Tomb Raider 1 game from one Play Station Site, just to try it and I heard that music is much better in play station version:D

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  18. I have some boss battle points for TR1 Main Bosses (Natla,Torso, Cenataur and Trex + others)

    Complete Lost valley with out taking any damage 20 Points
    Complete Lost Valley without Landing in the water when your going to the bridge at the top 15 Points
    Defeat T rex without taking damage 15 Points
    Complete Tomb Of Tihocan without taking damage 15 Points
    Increse and decrese the water 3 times in Tomb Of Tihocan 10 Points
    Defeat One Cenataur without taking damage 10 Points
    Defeat the two cenataurs without taking damage 20 Points
    Complete The Great Pyrimid without taking damage 25 Points
    Defeat The Torso without taking damage 20 Points
    Defeat The Torso without hiting a wall 15 Points
    Defeat Natla without taking damage 25 Points
    Defeat Natla standing on the same podiom 50 Points
    Defeat Natla within 5 minutes 50 Points

    Total: 295 Points

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  19. I was testing out how well I would do with what may become the achievements for TR1 as listed by Stella, and found Tomb of Qualopec to be too easy for me (3:27 with all requirements). Also, for some reason, when I was practicing on City of Vilcabamba, something happened which I've never even heard of or seen before. While I was trying to get to the exit, that stupid bear kept ramming me, and then it randomly teleported me to the ceiling where I fell where I already was (by the keyhole). It's like the Lost Valley all over again. :V

    Also, would glitches be allowed in the runs? Those may make significant differences.

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  20. @Agent of the BSoD: I think glitches can be used for the runs. After all, glitches are what get people the best speedruns on Tombrunners.com.

    I think we about got TRI achievement ideas so I'll stretch my brain to TR2 memories from this past summer...

    -Lost Valley, Again?...Find the Lost Valley...
    -Extinction...Kill both T-rexs with pistols...
    -Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon I...Find all secrets in Venice
    *NEED VENICE IDEAS*
    -Shark Attack!...Make it into the Maria Doria without losing damage to Sharks (is this too easy?)
    -Anti-Convenience...Make it through Tibetan Foothills on foot
    -Brotherhood...Don't shoot any monks in Barkhang Monastary...

    IDK,If I knew more about the classics, I'd be more of a help...

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  21. WHAT IS WITH ALL THE SPELLING MISTAKES!!!!!!!!!! First a few in the comments
    and second Qualopec was spellt right in the blog the first time but wrong the second!!!

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  22. @Astronomer (whoops, I meant Astronamer): Sadly, Eldin and I are both human, and occasionally a finger slips and types an 'a' instead of an 'e'. I fixed it. Thanks for so kindly pointing that out. ;)

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  23. I vote to complete each game using just your pistols. I've done it for TR1, 2, & 3....still working on the others.

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  24. I like Stella's Achievement list for Peru.
    I have 120 points now :D

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  25. I just don't see the point in achievement systems in games. I just want the adventure.

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  26. Great ideas, people! :D

    @Chris: That's actually Eldin's list, though I did contribute a couple ideas.

    @Richard: I know what you mean. I like the adventure too, but after beating a game once or twice, it's also fun to go back and try some more challenging stuff.

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  27. i recon we should also have random or humerious challanges - like some trophies ( im ps3 cause its better :p) that you dont want to get. so ive come up with a (large) number of achievement which add an extra dimention of humiliation and challange to tombraider:

    try and try again: miss the same jump three times on any level

    atlantisian acrobat: dont stop to calculate your jump at the leap of fate at the end of the great pyramid

    oops: you missed the jump at the end of the great pyramid

    miscalculated leap: mis-time a jump ( i goes from 1-5 ( like miscalculated leap 4)

    uncoordinated: recieve all 5 miscalculated leap awards

    the harder they rise, the harder they fall: drop lara from the top of the platform at the begining of the level the great pyramid

    murder suicide: kill an ememy while falling to your death

    persistance: continued to shoot lara's doppelganger for 10 seconds +

    painful irony: die after defeating the final tombraider boss


    amuture survivalist: dont use a medipack in one level

    survivalist: dont use a medipack for 4 levels

    survuval of the fittest: dont use a medipack for 9 levels of the game

    aquaphobic: dont enter the river in the level "the lost valley" (the pool at the end of the river can be entered, because you cant avoid getting into it)

    true raider: finish the final level without losing any health

    My trusty companion: played the entire game using only pistols

    flexing muscle: play the entire game using only the usiz ( need to complete the game for that one)

    An eye for detail: collected everything item in the game (secrets and game items are not included)

    diamonds are a girls best friend: use all the save game crystals in the game

    gem conservationalist: dont use any same crystals for one level

    gem hoarder: dont use save crystals for 5 levels

    Im crash bandicoot!: dont use 25 save game crystals

    queen of crystals: dont use any save crystals

    Déjà vu: start a new game after finishing the game.

    the senic view: swan dive off all the major locations in the game (the waterfall in lost valley, off the main structure in st frances folly, the spinx head (where you get the usiz) in sanctuary of the scion, and from the top of the great pyramid in the level the great pyramid.

    Gold raider: complete all the challanges

    ultumate raider: complete all the challanges in one run through the game (the ones that are possible to get - like you would get the achievement if you need to pick one achievement over the same achievement - if you get the diamonds are a girls best friend achievement, you cant get the other non crystal collecting ones. But you still get the untimate raider achievement because you got one OR the other)


    thats all i can think of at the moment haha - i should try tombraider 2 XD

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  28. I agree with Hunter W. above; the achievements should be for doing challenging or unusual things rather than the things that are generally required for game completion.

    Also, cheats should prevent players from activating achievements. For instance, an achievement for firing 500 uzi bullets would be much easier if the player used a cheat for all weapons; the challenge is to find the ammo in the first place.

    My ideas:


    All games:

    Risky Raider (1/2/3) - On TR, TRII or TRIII, complete the game without saving more than 20 times - 25 points

    Cheater! - Activate a cheat code on any game - 0 points


    TR (1):

    Nostalgia - Move Lara off the starting square on the Caves level! - 0 points

    Pacifists Beware - Complete the Caves level without firing a single bullet - 15 points

    Dinocidal maniac - Kill all the dinosaurs on the Lost Valley level, using only pistols, without using any medipacks (small or large) - 20 points (Is dinocidal a real word?)

    Walking in the Air - Collect the uzis on the invisible ledge - 10 points (I gave this one low points since most players will know of the uzis and how to get them, and generally would collect them during one run through of the game anyway)


    TRII:

    You can't touch me - Complete The Great Wall, including all secrets, without taking any damage - 30 points

    You said go between them! - Using a speedboat, race to the end of the Venice level by going up the ramp and through the narrow passage - 10 points (The name is a reference to the movie Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is said by Elsa when Indy is in a speedboat)

    Why didn't she take Midas' hand? - Access the hidden treasure-filled room on Croft Manor - 20 points


    TRIII:

    (Name) - Complete the India chapter of TRIII without shooting any monkeys - 25 points

    Expert Treasure Hunter - Complete All Hallows - 50 points (Obviously you need to collect all secrets to access the level in the first place!)

    Record Breaker - Set a new record on the assault course on TRIII - 10 points


    TRLR:

    Watch your back, old man - Collect all 8 golden skulls and beat Von Croy to the Iris - 25 points


    TRC:

    David vs. Goliath - Defeat the Animated Statue on Trajan's Markets without being hit by its attacks - 25 points
    Sniper - Complete the 13th floor level firing no more than 30 bullets - 30 points

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  29. Sorry, I meant Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

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  30. I also just realised the "Pacifists Beware" achievement is essentially identical to the "don't kill any enemies on Caves" achievement above. Coincidentally, I did give the achievement the same number of points! :)

    I also realised that "negative" achievements (the ones you don't want) are pretty much meaningless since it is up to the player whether or not they post evidence of completion of the said achievement. It will also make it difficult to check that players haven't used cheats... They would work IF the achievements were recorded automatically like on Xbox games, but not on a voluntary basis.

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  31. I think this whole thing is going to either be based on self-challenge, the honor system or having to video every level you play (not to mention take the time to watch other people's videos) in order to prove that you've done these things. For me it's more like a self-challenge thing. Just fun stuff to try when playing the old games for the zillionth time.

    And I'm loving all these new ideas. It's going to be hard to narrow it down to 1,000 points per game. Maybe we'll need to post a larger list, more like an "expert challenge" section than a set list of achievements.

    What do you guys think?

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  32. "Expert Challenge" sounds great to me.
    And yes its so hard to narrow it down to 1,000 points per game.
    I think its great idea to try different strategy:D

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  33. I agree, Stella. I think an Expert Challenge section sounds good. Doing achievements is cool and all, but there are just so many things we could try out, that it would be a shame to limit it down to a 1000 Point value (unless we gave each item 10 points...lol) So what if we selected the toughest achievements from what we have come up with, and then made a list. And that way, if anybody ever comes up with something new, we can add to the list of possible achievements without rearranging the point values. (Did that make sense?)

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  34. I like the idea. If the whole point was to challenge yourself rather than to compete to get the highest score, then why should a points system be needed anyway? There's just a sense of satisfaction in meeting these challenges. Isn't that why players buy games in the first place?
    I can already see myself printing off a list with checkboxes and seeing how many I can fill.

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  35. Hey Stella, great idea. I don't know any achievements, but the ones that have already been posted are excellent. This is Matthew Lyga by the way. Great idea!

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