Support Note: 287
Product: Apocalypse 3D, Apocalypse 3Dx, Apocalypse 5D, Apocalypse 5D Sonic
Subject: PowerVR Tomb Raider installation and troubleshooting

September 1997

Introduction

This support note describes how to:

Contents

Installation

Installing the PowerVR Patch on the Full Retail Version
Installing the PowerVR Patch on the Special Edition
Upgrading from the Special Edition to the Full Retail Version

Troubleshooting

Graphics Issues
Sound Issues
Joystick
CD-ROM
Cyrix/IBM 6x86 processors
Finding out your Tomb Raider version

 

Installation

Installing the Tomb Raider Patch on the Full Retail Version

The Tomb Raider Full Retail Version can be purchased from games retailers. This version does not support any 3D acceleration out of the box, so a patch is available to upgrade this version to support PowerVR. The patch works for Apocalypse 3D, 3Dx and 5D.

To install the patch:

  1. Download the patch.

  2. Unzip the patch file tombpvr2.zip to where you have installed the Full Retail Version on your hard drive, e.g. C:\TOMBRAID.

  3. You will find included two short cuts that are set up already to run the PowerVR version of Tomb Raider. These are named "PowerVR PCX1 Tomb Raider" and "PowerVR PCX2 Tomb raider". Double-click the short cut for your board.

Installing the Tomb Raider patch on the Tomb Raider Special Edition

The Tomb Raider Special Edition is shipped with Apocalypse 3Dx and Apocalypse 5D. This version supports PowerVR acceleration, but with reduced game levels.

If your Tomb Raider Special Edition is version 1.04, you can download patch version 2.00, to update to the latest version. This includes some bug fixes and allows you to run Tomb Raider through Windows. To find out the version of your Tomb Raider please refer to "Finding out your Tomb Raider version".

To install the patch:

  1. Download the patch.

  2. Unzip the patch file tombpvr2.zip to where you have installed the Special Edition on your hard drive, e.g. C:\TOMBRAID.

  3. You will find included two short cuts that are set up already to run the PowerVR version of Tomb Raider. These are named "PowerVR PCX1 Tomb Raider" and "PowerVR PCX2 Tomb raider". Double-click the short cut for your board.

Upgrading from the Tomb Raider Special Edition to the Full Retail Version

You can easily upgrade from the Tomb Raider Special Edition, which is PowerVR accelerated but with fewer levels, to the Full Retail Version which contains more levels. This means that you can run the Full Retail Version, with all levels, under PowerVR acceleration.

To upgrade to the full version under PowerVR acceleration:

  1. If you have not already done so, install the Tomb Raider patch on the Tomb Raider Special Edition, as described above.

  2. Insert the Tomb Raider Full Retail Version CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. If the CD-ROM auto-plays, click Exit at the Tomb Raider setup menu.

  3. Double-click the shortcut for your PowerVR board.


Modifying short cuts if Tomb Raider is installed in a directory other than C:\TOMBRAID

If you have installed Tomb Raider in a directory other than 'C:\TOMBRAID' then you can modify the short cuts as follows:

For example if your Tomb Raider is installed in your D drive, i.e. D:\TOMBRAID

  1. Right-click the PowerVR PCX2 Tomb Raider icon if you have PCX2, or PowerVR PCX1 Tomb Raider if you have PCX1.
  2. Click Properties.
  3. Click the Program tab.
  4. Change the cmd line line to D:\TOMBRAID\TOMBPCX2.EXE
  5. Change the Working line to D:\TOMBRAID
  6. Click OK.

Troubleshooting

Sound Issues

No audio with Ensoniq soundcards

In DOS mode, Ensoniq soundcards cannot work without EMM386 (a line in config.sys that simulates expanded memory), whereas Tomb Raider PowerVR cannot run with EMM386 present. As a result, Ensoniq soundcard users will get no audio at all when playing Tomb Raider.

Please update your Tomb Raider with Patch v2.00 which allows you to run the game through Windows. Ensoniq soundcards are compatible with Tomb Raider PowerVR v2.00 when running through Windows.

Sound settings in DOS and Windows

If you want to run Tomb Raider both in Windows 95 and in real DOS mode then you should configure your soundcard so that its DOS and Windows settings (Port, DMA and IRQ) are exactly the same.

 

Joystick Controllers

Joystick and Gamepads, Spinning menu.

If you are getting a spinning menu and are unable to make menu choices, your joystick or gamepad may not be compatible with Tomb Raider.

Joysticks that cause problems are as follows:

Thrustmaster T2/T2 Steering Wheel
MS Sidewinder Pro
Thrustmaster 2 JS
Gravis Thunderbird I
Thrustmaster F15E Talon

 

Graphics Issues

If you have a Matrox graphics card, please ensure you are running Matrox Power Desk v3.63 or later, and disable the Matrox on-board 3D.

If your screen locks up, is distorted, or only shows a certain section, do one of the following:

If you get an error message "SGL could not set up a valid video mode?" when you press F1 or F2 to change the display size (eg. from 640x480 to 800x600), try using the UVBE command line option.

 

CD-ROM Issues

Cannot initialize FMV device

If you get the "Cannot initialize FMV player" error, try the following:

Cyrix 6x86

Cyrix 6x86 compatibility

Tomb Raider Special Edition (version 1.04) and Tomb Raider Power VR Patch version 1.04 are not compatible with the Cyrix/IBM 6x86 processors. Patch version 1.06 or later fixes this problem. Please download and install the latest Tomb Raider PowerVR Patch. To find out the version of your Tomb Raider please refer to "Finding out your Tomb Raider version".

 

Finding out your Tomb Raider version

You can find out the version number of your Tomb Raider Special Edition or PowerVR Patch by using the command line option INFO

For example:

If you have Tomb Raider Special Edition:
C:\TOMBRAID> TOMB INFO

If you have Tomb Raider PowerVR Patch and PCX2:
C:\TOMBRAID> TOMBPCX2 INFO