Hi. I am new to this site. I just downloaded the older Tomb raider games, 1,2 etc. Can anyone tell me how to use a gamepad to play? I tried searching for it, but nothing shows up and google is no help. I start the game and my gamepad will move the menu left and right, but I can't select anything, not even with the ENTER button. I also don't know where I should have posted this. Thanks for any info

The games are old and don't have controller support but according to some people if you install this patch it should make gamepad work with all tomb raider games https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=53121

I don't think at least the first game has any gamepad support, it is meant to be played with the keyboard.

However, I recall that as it is a DOSBox game, you can go into the DOSBox settings and map your gamepad buttons etc. to the keyboard keys that the game uses, and that way be able to play it with the gamepad. I know because I did that once (with the GOG version of TR1).

https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Mapper

As for the rest of the games (TR2 and up), I think they are Windows games so naturally that DOSBox trick will not work. But I guess there are similar utilities also for Windows games where you can map controller buttons to keyboard keys... (XPadder, joytokey etc.).

Thanks. I had the first one when it originally came out and I remember using a gamepad for it. I have never been able to use a keyboard, it's impossible for me. It seems too difficult to do it now I guess. I'll probably just forget about it lol. I don't know enough about patches and mods and all that to bother trying. Thanks for your help though

PC Gaming Wiki has a link to a fan patch which lets Tomb Raider 2 use modern xinput controllers (Xbox, etc).

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Tomb_Raider_II

Sweet ***** my ******** eyes.

What the hell happened to that site
This is why when people complain about gogs forums you can quickly point to places like that in return.

I'm not sure what you mean?
If you mean the colour scheme there, it is imitating Commodore 64 startup screen, and as such fits the theme of older games.

If the point is that the colours aren't exactly right, or that they don't even try to imitate C64 screen fonts anywhere, that's a valid complaint I guess, but otherwise it's a retro look for a retro gaming site, so nothing wrong with that?

Here's the TR subforum: https://www.gog.com/forum/tomb_raider_series#1601851850 You probably played it on either a Sega Saturn or the Playstation.

You mean the PC version (not the Playstation version)? What kind of gamepad did you use with it, the original Gravis Gamepad?

Frankly I am not sure if and what kind of gamepads the game originally supported, but back when the game was released (1996 or so?), gamepads weren't much of a thing on PCs. Also as Tomb Raider was a MS-DOS game, that in itself limited how many gamepad buttons the game could support etc., unless if:
- the game had some integrated support for some specific multibutton gamepad
OR
- your gamepad buttons were mapped to the keyboard keys that the game used.

Anyway nowadays at least using the DOSBox Mapper is probably the most straightforward way to play the first game with a modern gamepad.

The rest of the TR games are Windows games so you must use some other methods to play them with a gamepad, if they don't have support for them. I keep forgetting many games appeared also on Sega Saturn. Poor Sega always playing its second or third fiddle with each generation (SMS, Genesis, Saturn, that-handheld-Sega, Dreamcast, RIP). Must feel like being an Atari user.

One of the best gamepads ever, Microsoft Sidewinder, comes from that time though.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Sidewinder_gamepad.jpg



Anyway, I no longer have my physical copy of Tomb Raider, but I found the readme file, and they clearly address the controller issue there, so it shouldn't be impossible to use some gamepad with the game, of course, back then gamepads were connected to soundcards and all that, so whether any of that helps with integrated soundcards and USB controllers is another thing.


*********************************************************************************************

1) Controllers: Joystick and Gamepads, Icons spin, No Controls.

Spinning icons or sudden movements is attributed to the
games incompatibility with your joystick/gamepad or
game port. Power down your computer and unplug the
joystick/gamepad then turn on the computer and play the
game. Regardless of the recommendation below, if the
problems continue to persist, then the game is not
compatible with the device.

Diamond Edge 2000 and 3000 series video card has a sega
gameport included, the only solution is to disable this
port manually. We suggest you carefully do so as it may
render your card useless if handled incorrectly.

Diamond 3D Rage and the menu ring just keeps on spinning:
You will need to get the latest drivers for the card from
Diamond (Version 2.21). This will give you a new Tab in
the Display Adapter Properties that controls your Joystick
Port on the card. You will need to disable the joystick
ports. If you have problems you will need to contact
Diamond Technical Support to set the card up properly.

How to disable the EDGE 3D Digital game port in DOS:
From the WINDOWS directory, edit DOSSTART.BAT. You will
see the following:

SET NVJOY=ON SET NVMIDI=P330 SET NVDIR=C:\EDGE3D NVWINDIR=C:\WINDOWS
C:\EDGE3D\DOS\RM.EXE

Change the SET NVJOY=ON to SET NVJOY=OFF. This disables
the EDGE 3D game port in DOS. Save the file and exit.
Restart the system in MS-DOS mode for the changes to
take effect. To enable the game port once again for
the EDGE 3D, simply reverse the procedure.

GRAVIS Grip owners, Gamepad Pro or Grip system, use
the multiport v1.2, the old multiport drivers, not
the new ones.

If you have a CH Gamepad, use the speed adjustable
driver in the autoexec.bat. CH Gameport: Please install
the DOS driver. You can get a copy from their website
for updated versions.

Gravis Gamepad Pro users, in Win95 only, you can use
the profiler or multiport drivers. Or for either Win95
or DOS, on the underside of the pad, make sure the
selector is set to 1-player mode only.

To set up the GRAVIS Grip Key program: set from regular
keyboard keys and put them on the game pad, save it as
"Tombraider.GKS" or any other name with .GKS extension.
Make sure the Tombraider.GKS (Grip Key Set) is
"Configured" in File/configure GRIP. Then hit the "!"
icon on the toolbar (8'th from the left) and it should
be in the bottom right conner. Load the game. To
download the upgrade for the GRIP KEY 2.10:
http://www.gravis.com/files/pc/joystick/grip/GRIP210A.ZIP

or http://www.gravis.com/files/pc/joystick/grip/GRIP210B.ZIP


-Contributor: Van Hoesen
Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad:
This pad will not work if you use the Sound Blaster
AWE32 sound card.

KNOWN JOYSTICKS THAT CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS:
THRUSMASTER T2/T1 STEERING WHEEL
MS SIDWINDER PRO
THRUSTMASTER 2 JS
GRAVIS THUNDERBIRD I
THRUSTMASTER F15E TALON
LOGITECH WINGMAN

How to change the keyboard control keys, avoiding the
Windows 95 key:
From the Main Title screen, select the Control icon. Use
the left or right arrow in order for the name to display
‘User defined keys.’ Use the down or up arrow to select
the action commands you want then hit Enter, the box
should move to the left. You can now select which keyboard
key you want to use for this particular action. NOTE: the
‘Default Keys’ can never be changed. Regardless of any new
keys you selected under User defined keys, you will be
able to use those keys at the same time. Flashing cursor
indicates that you have selected 1 keyboard key for two
or more actions. Another option to disable the
Windows 95 key is to get a shareware utility from
Microsoft that disables the Win95 key.


2) Configuring the Joystick/Gamepad Devices:

To use the gamepad or joystick, go to the Main Title
screen, select the Control icon, and go to the user defined
keys. Arrow to the action you want, hit Enter, the box
should move to the left, then hit any button. Ignore the
forward, backward, right, and left since it will be defaulted
to the stick. Also, no calibration will appear.

It looks like it has been made by barney the dinosaur for his flipper hands.

Oh wow, that's an incredibly hideous looking d-pad.

I'd be tempted to say play the game via emulation and using the PS1 version of the game instead. At least i think it was released on PS1...