LEVEL 1:
Began adding blue text 9/12/06.
Von Croy Speech
#1: “Careful, all is not as it seems…”
Von Croy Speech #
2:” “Good men have died…”
The first
free-standing column has no bugs. Attempts to crawl into corners (slightly over
45 degrees from the wall) fail. Turning until Lara shifts on jump also
doesn’t allow crawl or roll bugs. However, entering either face of the NE
corner while attempting a jump corner bug causes VCS1 to play; subsequently
entering either face causes VCS2. Normally, VCS1 would play when entering the
four squares one row before the first paired columns, and between lines from
their opposing faces. If you do not use the free-standing column to play VCS2,
it will play if you imbed in either corner where the straight side walls begin.
Normally VCS2 plays when Lara nears the left turn at the stone lion. You may
have to jump Lara three or four times after imbedding to produce a VCS.
The two tree stump corners
“work”, but of course Lara just drops to the ground. The tree in
the corner shows an aborted corner bug at its NE-pointing corner. The corner at
the left turn is bugless.
The corner at the
right turn before the disappearing spikes evokes two more VC speeches, both for
areas she hasn’t reached yet (of course).
The four corners
of the doorway beyond the first gap all show thwarted corner bugs: that is,
Lara imbeds by both jumping or crawling, but if she jumps then, her toes
don’t leave the ground.
The two corners
of the divider ahead show thwarted corner bugs. The two uphill corners
don’t permit imbedding on each uphill face.
The various
corners along first wall of the waterfall area trigger three VCS. You could
invoke all three and run continuously over the jumps, perhaps that would be a
slight advantage. The two large doorway corners on the waterfall room side also
allow the crawl bug to pop Lara to the ceiling and drop her for a few percent
damage, so you want to use different corners to save time & health.
Interestingly, the jump bug does not work there (the roll bug works,
but you have to imbed with Crawl while carefully releasing it before it works,
so there’s no point). At least this proves that crawl & roll bugs
work where the jump bug is aborted, even though imbedding occurs. Lara falls
while facing directly at the wall, so perhaps she could catch or jump. To evoke
a VCS, the crawl corner bug must start the right distance from the corner and
be the correct angle, although there’s leeway.
The fast way is
to drop to the low level, take a jumping run at the bottom of the incline
beyond the third skull, backflip to the walkway, and head for the traverse.
This skips ALL the jumps and their associated Von Croy speeches. From Ewil’s speed run on Speedrun Demo
Archive.
After picking up the third
golden skull in the room with the fountains (first open-sky area), the
northeast-pointing corner nearby allows the arch bug; Roll is required. This
lets Lara skip the spiels for the two jumps. Under the shelf, the corner bug
does not work, and the attempt triggers Von Croy’s next advance and set
of instructions.
The two northeast corners at
the other jumps have corner bugs on both faces.
The corners on the west side
of the above area show no bugs.
After the pull-up
from the traverse, the corner at the right turn evokes “In deep
pools…”.
I couldn’t
find a corner to evoke the two speeches before Lara climbs the ladder to the
switch.
Instead of
swimming, Lara can make a curve jump to beyond the drawbridge. From Ewil.
At the south side of the
area with the two lion door guardians, a northeast-pointing corner allows Lara
to bug up and catch the edge. Use the left face while holding Action; do one
jump at a time, so she doesn’t jump off the top. But there’s
nothing to do but drop back.
Where Von Croy asks Lara to crawl to the back pack,
the left edge of the doorway she just exited allows Lara to bug to catch the
top of door frame. However, she must press and hold Roll just before the bug
works in order to catch the edge. Use the outer right edge of the doorframe for
an easier bug; hold Action and do one jump at a time. Then a pullup to a jump
with Roll, while Action is held, allows her to catch the ledge on the opposite
side of the area.
At the rope swing
over the pool, just before the end of the level, don’t go left to crawl
through the tunnel to the shelf where you jump to the rope. Instead, turn right
off the stairs and perform a crawl-corner bug at the corner with vertical
stripes above horizontal stripes. The cubbyhole beyond that corner allows a
normal corner bug to take Lara to the shelf, but it’s slower and harder.
No other
crawl-corner bugs found.
LEVEL 2: RACE FOR THE
IRIS (Training Level - part 2)
On the easy path, Lara comes to an alcove backed by a wooden grate. A
crawl-corner bug from within the alcove traps her in the wall, and provides
some interesting views.
The ground-level shortcut near the decorative gate allows a crawl-corner
bug at each end that takes Lara to the higher level, but it’s not good
for anything. If Werner beats Lara to the exit, he closes a door with vertical
strakes behind him. After Lara climbs through the hole to the other side, the
right side of the doorway permits a crawl-corner bug; the right face leads to a
fall back, the left leaves her standing in the passage Lara just used. Crawling
into the left corner of the doorway just causes some music to play.
On
the easy path, Lara comes to a room with a pit which contains blocks in
diagonally opposite corners. At the doorway on the far side, the left edge
allows an arch bug on the left face; Roll is required whether Lara activates
the bug by jumping or running forward. There’s no bug from the right
face. A black rectangular floor exists at both ends of the room. Travel between
them by traversing along the edge below the slope. The fourth side of the room
has no space above the moulding. A crawl-corner bug
works quickly from the south corner of both doorways. Jumping from the black
“roof” across the pit works only when Action is held! Is this
because the landing level is lower?
Shortcut: At the beginning
of the hanging log bridge overhead, the outside face of each corner allows a
crawl-corner bug that takes Lara to the closed doors at the end of the bridge;
there’s an unlocking-hole on the right. It saves about 20 seconds. Discovered by Roy_Hess.
Note that often only one face of a corner permits the crawl-corner bug.
On the hard path, at the exit of the second room,
with the two spike traps: the right side of the door initiates the arch bug; a run forward or roll is required to leave Lara on the
(invisible) roof. This opens up to exploration the adjoining rooftop areas of
three rooms.
Lara can take a shortcut to the pool near the end of the race (light green at the
right edge).
At the peaked doorway
flanked by crocodile carvings: the arch bug works on both edges, but the roof
slopes and Lara falls back. To overcome this, imbed Lara into the wall at
either corner until the bare part of one leg is hidden. Press and hold Action.
Press Jump, and on the way up, let it go and press and hold Roll. Keep Action
and Roll held until Lara is hanging quietly. She will miss her grip once, but
will reposition and make the catch. The most she can do from there is to
traverse right to the last square, and pull up and jump to land on a sloping
tree root, with no damage. The column to the right of
the doorway permits Lara to use a crawl-corner bug to get into the same rooftop
area as the in the previous paragraph.
Lara was "racing"
very slowly, because I'm searching for corner bugs. But she caught up with Von
Croy in the room with the irregular-bottom pool. He was running around in the
pool up to his waist in the water.
There are many overhangs. Is
this an effort by the game makers to eliminate the corner bugs?