TombForge: New Fan-Made Tomb Raider Level Engine Announced by Tiernan Watson

TombForge: New Fan-Made Tomb Raider Level Engine Announced by Tiernan Watson The Tomb Raider community recently received significant news with the announcement of TombForge, a new fan-driven project designed to empower players and aspiring developers to create custom Tomb Raider experiences.

Revealed on social media last week, TombForge is the latest endeavor from independent developer and devoted Tomb Raider enthusiast Tiernan Watson, who previously developed URaider, a Unity-based framework for action-adventure games.

This project draws inspiration from the celebrated legacy of Eidos Interactive’s Tomb Raider franchise and seeks to modernize the level creation process for both fans and creators. TombForge distinguishes itself as a custom-built engine focused on the development of contemporary Tomb Raider levels.

Watson is constructing TombForge using a combination of C++ and OpenGL technologies, ensuring robust performance and compatibility on modern hardware, with a potential eye towards community-driven platforms such as the Nintendo Switch.

In a statement regarding the engine's features, Watson explained that TombForge includes an integrated editor "built into the same codebase as the engine," allowing users to seamlessly design and test levels without switching environments.

This integrated toolset is complemented by advanced features such as physically-based rendering (PBR), the implementation of the Jolt SDK for precise physics interactions, and support for Tomb Raider: Anniversary’s animation systems.

Additionally, TombForge will feature a GMX importer, enabling users to incorporate assets from Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness into their custom projects. When asked about the engine’s availability for public download and level creation, Watson responded that he is "eager to see what the community could achieve with TombForge" but noted that broader accessibility would depend on future development milestones.

"While the prospect of fans making exciting content with this tool is motivating, it’s too early to confirm distribution plans or release dates," Watson clarified, emphasizing that TombForge is still in active development.

Despite the uncertainty around a full public release, the project has already garnered encouragement and anticipation from both game development and Tomb Raider fan circles. TombForge marks another remarkable achievement in the fan community’s continued passion for the Tomb Raider series and highlights the ongoing influence of independent innovation within gaming.

To follow TombForge’s progress or to explore its development, interested developers and fans can access the project’s current codebase and updates via its official GitHub repository.

As the project evolves, it represents a promising tool for creative expression and a testament to the legacy of Lara Croft among both veteran gamers and new players alike.

Tomb Raider Lara Croft developer TombForge Tiernan Watson URaider Eidos Interactive Nintendo Switch OpenGL C++ Jolt SDK GitHub