Tomb Raider 4.5 Engine Patcher
From TRLE Wiki
Tomb Raider Engine Patcher (TREP) is a tool for editing Tomb Raider 4 engine (simply called tomb4.exe). The program is able to add new features to the engine, fix old bugs and remove some of the limitations the engine originally had.
TREP uses low-level patching methods to modify existing code/data and to add extra code/data into tomb4.exe file. It has simple built-in programming language (called FURR Language) to write custom flipeffects and racetimer events. Also it includes custom patch module (called DRACO module), which allows to write new patches and then save it to external database file. All code modifications are maintained inside tomb4.exe file, without involving external libraries and/or binary files. TREP features are ranging from simple bar and font colour editing to advanced custom patches, which can noticeably extend engine functionality.
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[edit] Name
First two versions of TREP were simply called TR 4.5 Patcher, but then name quickly evolved to Tomb Raider 4.5 Engine Patcher, and then to TREP. Technically, as full name defines, each executable patched by TREP becomes Tomb Raider 4.5 engine, unlike default, unmodified Tomb Raider 4 engine.
[edit] History
First primitive patches for tomb4.exe appeared in the middle of November 2005. At first, there was no specific tool to manage various patches, and all modifications were applied manually (via hex editors) or via already existing patch generators (for example, first patch that allowed to unlock unlimited drawing distance and distance fog was generated by TPE Patching Engine). Soon, with growing amount of patches, it was decided to write special utility that will unify all code modifications and allow to apply them in various combinations. It was the beginning of TREP development history. First TREP version (0.2) is dated 24 November 2005 (actually, there never was TREP version 0.1, because first stand-alone drawing distance patch counts as version 0.1).
[edit] Features
Currently, most important features of TREP include:
- Changing drawing distance and distant fog values
- Extending and remapping of various engine memory buffers
- Editing start-up inventory and inventory items configuration
- Modifying weapon and object parameters
Important custom patches:
- Climbable pushables (as in TR1—TR3)
- Static mesh hard collision (as in TR1—TR3)
- Extended level scripting patch (almost 190 extra script parameters)
- Lara's Diary
- Bink full motion videos playback (a feature that was previously removed from TRLE engine version)
- Widescreen aspect ratios support
- Ability to record and play demo files (multi-level demos supported)
[edit] Compatibility issues
There was a slight controversy regarding simultaneous yet independent development of TREP and NG Tomb4 engine. However, in a document published by Paolone (NG Tomb4 developer) it is said that TREP can be made fully compatible with forthcoming NG Tomb4 engine patch. Yet, differences between NG Tomb4 engine and normal tomb4.exe engine are still unknown, as NG Tomb4 remains unreleased.
