Features:

• It parses Tomb Raider 2 level data like models, animation, textures. Then it renders them back in unity3D.

• It uses data driven shader model instead of fixed function render pipeline.

• Uses vertex buffer instead of separate geometry commands.

• Original texture Id based UV mapping is replaced with single large texture atlas for performance gain.

• In original file models were not defined in complete mesh. Model parts are stored separately. They were rearranged procedurally using attached position and rotation information. Now it represents model with skeletal transformation hierarchy in unity3D.

• Animation is represented with Unity3D animation curve.

• Includes Character Controller with animation state machine and physics.

• Zones and Triggers are marked using Unity Box Collider for convinient collision detection.

• Auto detects grabbable platform of any level by analyzing room mesh, no floor data is needed.

• Properly scaled level, ready for Unity physics and GI lighting system.

• Included experimental day-night system.

Upgrades:

• Auto detection of water in level.
• Added under water caustic lighting effect.
• Added under water refraction effect.
• Extended Character Controller with diving-swimming-pulling up support.

Demo

• WebGL build http://tickleheadstudios.com/demo/unity/tr2webgl/
• Tomb Raider 2 Custom Level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8GPi6-G9CM

How to Build and Run the TR2-Level-Viewer Project

This project is built using the Unity3D engine. The C# code within the project is compiled into DLLs that Unity loads at runtime. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for setting up your environment and running the project.

Prerequisites

To build and run this project, you will need:

• Visual Studio (older) Visual Studio (official) 2022 or later (Community edition is sufficient).
• Unity3D Hub and Editor (version 2020.3.41f1 or later is recommended).
• The project source code from GitHub.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Install Necessary Software

Install Visual Studio and Workloads

Ensure you have Visual Studio 2022 installed with the required workloads:

• .NET desktop development
• Game development with Unity

If you already have VS 2022 installed but need to add these workloads, open Visual Studio and navigate to the menu "Tools" -> "Get Tools and Features..." to manage your installation via Visual Studio Installer.

Install Unity3D Editor

Download and install a compatible version of the Unity Editor (2020.3.41f1 or later) using the Unity release archive. The Unity Hub makes managing different versions easy.

2. Obtain the Project Source Code

Clone the repository to your preferred local folder using Git:

git clone https://github.com/suruz/TR2-Level-Viewer.git

Alternatively, you can download a ZIP file of the repository branch compatible with these instructions from this direct link:

https://codeload.github.com

Your final project folder must contain an Assets folder within it.

3. Open the Project in Unity

1. Open the Unity Hub application.
2. Go to the Projects tab on the left panel.



3. Click the "Open" button.
4. Browse to and select the folder you cloned or extracted that contains the Assets folder.



5. If Unity prompts a warning about the project version, you can usually select a later installed version from your installs list and "Continue" to automatically upgrade the project to your current editor version. The project should import without issues.

4. Generate the Visual Studio Solution File (.sln)

Unity automatically manages the C# project and generates a Visual Studio solution file (.sln).

1. Once the project is open in the Unity Editor, locate the Project tab/window at the bottom of the Unity interface.
2. Click on any C# script file (e.g., Assets/Settings.cs) to select it.



3. Double-click the script file to open it. This action automatically generates the Visual Studio solution file and opens the script within Visual Studio 2022.

Troubleshooting VS Integration:

If C# files do not open in Visual Studio, or the .sln file isn't generated correctly:

1. In the Unity Editor, go to the menu: "Edit" -> "Preferences..."
2. Select "External Tools" on the left panel.



3. From the "External Script Editor" drop-down box, select your installed Visual Studio 2022 instance.
4. Click the "Regenerate Project Files" button.

5. Run the Project

The project compiles automatically when you run it within the Unity Editor.

1. Ensure the Unity Editor is active.
2. Hit the "Play" GUI button located at the top center of the Unity interface (a small ▶ icon), or press Ctrl + P on your keyboard.

Frequently asked qustions about TR2 Level Viewer

Q. How can I browse a tr2 level file?

Ans. Now you can browse for tr2 level file in PC as well as in android. Thanks aeroson(Jakub Neuman) for fixing browsing limit. For android phone or tab, files should be placed in internal memory card (sdcard).

Q. Browser shows files with tr2 extension. But I cannot select it.

Ans. Browser can recognize files with *.TR2 extension by default. Try changing *.tr2 extension into upper case *.TR2 extension.

Q. What are the basic controls?

Ans. You can use keyboard + mouse to perform various actions. Basics are followings- On PC:

• Run - Up arrow
• Walk - Num 5
• Jump/swim - Right mouse button
• Look around - Move mouse while pressing left mouse button.
• Long Jump - Press jump while you are running.
• Short Jump - Press up arrow + jump same time.
• Pull up - Get close to a platform and press up arrow + left mouse button.

On Android Devices: Controls are not completed yet for android devices. I have planned to develop them in future. Meanwhile, Following controls are available:

• Run – Double tap screen and hold.
• Look around – Touch screen and move your fingers.
• Pull up - Get close to a platform double tap screen. Note: Optionally custom key can also be setup with KeyMapper prefab in unity.

Q. How can I configure global parameters of the project?

Ans. You can configure global parameter in Settings.cs script.

Q. How can I attach custom behavior to movable tr2 object?

Ans. You can attach custom behavior to movable tr2 object through AI prefab in unity. Place AI prefab in scene. AI prefab has component AICallBackHandler. You can attach your custom behavior script there in OnAttachingBehaviourToObject call back. Return value OnAttachingBehaviourToObject should be true if you want to attach your behavior script. Otherwise return false. callback for attaching behavior: public static bool OnAttachingBehaviourToObject (GameObject AI, int ObjectID, GameObject Player, Parser.Tr2Item tr2item)

Description of arguments:

AI : This is the unity game object where you can attach your custom behavior script. ObjectID : This is ID of the AI in TR2 to game engine. You can identify any TR2 AI type with this ID and script it. Player : Unity game object that represents Lara.

Q. How can I control animation state with my custom behavior script?

First set ShowObjectID to true in Settings.cs. This will print TR2 object ID in 3D text.
Alternatively you can look up this ID in Unity3D Editor’s Hierarchy panel. Search for game object starting ‘Object X‘ where X means ID.

Then, select TR2 object that you want to control based on this ID. Then, you have to attach AnimationTester.cs script to that object. AnimationTester.cs is a utility script for manual test of animations of a tr2 object. Game Object ‘AI’ in level scene has a component AICallBackHandler which handles a request with ObjectID argument. Check this Object ID . If this ID matches your selected TR2 object ID, then you can process it.

Q. What unity layers are used for objects? Layers are defined in MaskedLayer.cs and GlobalLayer .cs.Following layers are used - Switch = 8 Defines layers of switch objects - Player = 9 Defines unity layer of Lara - Default = 0

Q. What features can I play around? Possible areas where you can develop are:

• Sound System
• Day Night System
• Health Monitoring System
• GUIManager : It handles player statistics health, crossed distance, time of the day
• Shader
• Parser: It is core file IO class that parses TR2 level file into Unity.
• AnimationStatePlayer / Behaviour
• KeyMapper

Q. Can I generate entire level in edit mode?

Ans. Yes you can. From Menu TR2 Editor -> Create Level. Be sure to create new scene in that case. Otherwise you will mix-up objects already exist in scene with newly generated objects : ) There is a unit test scene in this project demostrating the feature.

Required prefabs should be placed in scene for minimum level funtionality:

• ThirdPersonCam (Prefav camera)
• KeyMapper (Prefav KeyMapper)
• Mouse (Prefav Mouse)

Q. Is it possible to load level file from http server?

Ans. Yes it is possible. You can play around Browser.cs . It uses WWW class to fetch level file data bytes from specified server url.

Known Issues

Project was developed in Unity 3.5.If project import fails because of meta missing in Unity 5 or higher just cancel import and try to reimport.

Q.How to contact the authour?

Let me know if you need help setting up your development environment or understanding the workflow between Unity and Visual Studio.

Here is my mail address suruzkento@gmail.com , you can contact me to asked some thing I missed here, to share your ideas, or to simply say “Hi” :)