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I am very excited, because
this week, I had the chance to ask a few questions to
the Tomb Raider Queen Tina von Rotter. She gladly
accepted my invitation and took the time to answer all my questions :) She even sent in a little
drawing of her and Rout...
Ruthli!
For those who don't know who she is, she's a YouTuber
who specialize in LPs. She is mostly know for her Tomb
Raider LPs but she also do other games like Resident
Evil and Silent Hill. With her joyful personality, she
helped me to get
through Tomb Raider 3 & 4 and to appreciate the
series which is now one of my favorites. I
invite you to check out her channel at
TinaVonRotterGames and maybe get hooked on Tomb
Raider too!
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A few
questions
about you... |
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QG: It's probably a terrible
first question to ask a
lady, but how old are you --
like approximately ? :)
Tina:
It is not a terrible
question at all, don't
worry. My age is even
displayed on my Youtube
channel (I think, at least).
I am 24.
 QG: Where do you live and
what language(s) do you
speak?
Tina:
I live in the east of
Switzerland, pretty much at
the border to Austria. I
speak several languages.
First of all my native
language which is
Swiss-German. But I also
speak German, French and as
you all know English.
QG: Can you tell us a few
words in french? I know you
are not bad at all.
Something else than "crème
au chocolat" this time? :)
Tina:
I used to very good and
fluent with French but I
haven't used it for several
years unfortunately and
forgot so much of it :( J'ai
appris Français à l'école
primaire et à collège. Mais
j'ai oublié beaucoup des
mots ... haha, that's all I
can manage to say right now.
French, c'est le pipi du
chat ;)
QG: When you don't play
video games, what are you
doing in your life?
Tina:
I do a lot of things. Right
now I am in London, spending
3 months in a host family
and going to school. London
is such an amazing city and
there is tons of things to
do. Shopping, going to pubs,
cinema, concerts etc. But
when I am not out and about
I really enjoy drawing
comics, reading a good book
or writing my own stories
(currently I am working on a
Resident Evil Fanfiction one
called "Crimson and Amber",
you can find it here if
you're interested:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8591479/1/Crimson-and-Amber).
Yay, self-advertisement for
the win!
QG: Tell us how you met your
wonderful husband Routly?
Tina:
Actually it is spelled "Ruthli".
And it is a 'her', so she is
my wife. Oh, it is a
wonderful story to tell ;)
We met 16 years ago (I was
9). I was running around in
one of my mum's friend's
house and when I ducked
under a table I saw this
lovely cat sitting on the
chair. Actually, I almost
bumped into her with my head
and she stared at me with
big eyes. Back then she was
a few weeks old and it was
love at first sight haha. I
took her home with me and I
have her since then. She is
16 now but still very
healthy and I am positive
that she'll become very old.
I love her so much and I
can't imagine a life without
her anymore!
QG: What was your first
contact with the Tomb Raider
franchise?
Tina:
It was in my childhood when
I first got to know about
the Tomb Raider series. My
dad has bought a Playstation
1 and I always sat next to
him when he played Tomb
Raider 1. It scared me so
much back then. Especially
the pit with the bear in it
in the first level. It took
a few years until I dared to
take the controller into my
hands and play the game
myself.
QG: You once said that Tomb
Raider: The Last Revelation
was your favorite Tomb
Raider game, is it still
your favorite now?
Tina:
Yes, that is still the case.
I am very interested and
fascinated by the Egyptian
culture and history and
therefore I really enjoy
travelling with Lara through
the pyramids and tombs. I
think Core Design has done a
great job when it comes to
level design. They're all
beautiful!
QG: Which TR game have you
played the most?
Tina:
That's hard to say ... I
think it is Tomb Raider 1. I
have beaten it several times
already which is not the
case with the other ones.
QG: How do you fell about
being associated with Tomb
Raider so much?
Tina:
When I started Let's Playing
I would have never expected
to get so much attention
when it comes to Tomb
Raider. I feel very elated
about that of course!
Although, I would have never
earned that status without
my subscribers. I'd like to
thank them for their
enduring support and that
they have brought me to
where I am now.
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About Tomb
Raider 1 to
5... |
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QG: What is your favorite
level in each game?
Tomb Raider 1:
St. Francis Folly
Tomb Raider 2:
Floating Islands
Tomb Raider 3:
Madubu Gorge
Tomb Raider 4:
Desert Railroad
Tomb Raider 5:
Sinking Submarine or The Old
Mill
QG: And what is your favorite level
of all games?
QG: What do you think is
the most beautiful or
impressive level from the
old games?
Tina:
That's hard to choose ...
there are so many sceneries
that have stayed in my mind.
One that is the most
impressive and beautiful is
Madubu Gorge.
QG: What is your favorite
vehicle?
Tina:
Definitely not the UPV!
People who have seen my "Lud's
Gate" walkthrough will
understand why. I really
enjoyed riding the jeep in
Tomb Raider 4.
QG: What is your most
hated part/moment from the
old Tomb Raider games?
Tina:
Oh, that is a difficult
question. I have countless
moments in Tomb Raider that
I despised a lot. I think
every game has several
moments in it that make you
want to throw the controller
against the wall. Something
that really made me rage for
example is the rope swinging
section in the "Catacombs"
level in Tomb Raider 4. You
have to grab two ropes in
order to get to the other
side of the room. The tricky
thing is not grabbing the
first rope but to be able to
get over to the second one.
No matter how accurately you
aim Lara she NEVER grabs the
other rope! I can't even
count how many hours I've
spent trying to master this
bit.
QG: What is your favorite
cover art from Tomb Raider 1
to 5, including the US ones?
Tina:
I don't really have a
favorite cover, at least not
from Tomb Raider 1 to 5. The
designs back then were
pretty simple and not that
special in my opinion. I
like the newer ones better.
A cover that I find amazing
is the one from
"Underworld".
QG: What was the hardest
Tomb Raider level to LP?
Tina:
I'm kind of between Madubu
Gorge, Lud's Gate and Lost
City of Tinnos. All Tomb
Raider 3 levels.
QG: Have you ever raged
to the point of quitting a
recording? If yes, what
game/stage was it?
Tina:
Haha, of course I have. The
shooting range in "Red
Alert" in Tomb Raider
Chronicles for example. It
put me off recording for
several weeks.
QG: Have you ever cut-out
or edit some swearing
because you thought it was a
little too much?
Tina:
I receive a lot of
complaints about me burping
or swearing in my Let's
Plays. But I have never had
the urge to cut such bits
out. They belong to me and
if somebody doesn't like my
style of
commenting/behaviour they
simply don't have to watch.
QG: What is your proudest
LPing achievement/moment?
Tina:
When I was finally able to
beat Tomb Raider 3!
QG: How come each time
you burp you are sorry, and
then you do it again? You
were not so sorry aren't
you?
Tina:
No, like I said before. I am
not too bothered about it.
Also when other Let's
Players do it. I mainly
apologise, because the
etiquette askes for it.
QG: What compliment and
complaint do you get the
most from your viewers?
Tina:
I receive a lot of
compliments and positive
feedback, because I
communicate with Lara.
Everybody loves to hear
that! The complaints are
mainly about burping. This
only covers a small part of
the variety of comments I
receive.
QG: How come Lara's voice
sound so different than the
one in the game when she
talks to you?
Tina:
Well, when she talks to me,
she lets out her real
personality. When she talks
to others or has the feeling
to give an educational
introduction to something
she is trying to be all
"posh" and "impressive" in
front of you guys. But I
have achieved to dig out her
true self!
QG: How can I make Lara
talk to me?
Tina:
Oh, that's pretty simple.
You have to make a stupid
remark, pronounce something
wrong or insult her. Her
response will follow!
QG: What is the best
thing that happened to you
since you started doing LPs?
Tina:
That I got to know so many
other great Let's Players
that even became very close
friends. I'm very thankful
for that!
QG: Do you have any bad
experiences since you
started your channel? Like a
crazy fan, hateful or
hurtful comment, or
something that really
bothered you?
Tina:
I had it all. Stalkers, mean
and disrespectful comments,
insults ... the list is
long. But I think it is
something I have to learn to
deal with. Such people will
always be present on the
internet and therefore I
have learned to not bother
too much about such things.
I try to focus on the good
people and the great and
encouraging feedback they
leave. That is what keeps me
going!
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A few closing
questions... |
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QG: Do you prefer the
Core Design Lara or the
Crystal Dynamics Lara?
Tina:
I prefer Core Design Lara.
My favourite one is the
design from Tomb Raider 4
and 5.
QG: Do you prefer the
controls in the old games
(tank controls) or the newer
ones (semi automatic-Lara)?
Tina:
As unbelievable as it may
sound to many gamers, but I
prefer the tank controls. I
am just a lot better at such
games! That also includes
the old Silent Hill and
Resident Evil games. I'm not
really made for that
semi-automatic steering. I
tend to fail more often.
It's like Lara is even less
under my control with her
random ledge grabbing!
QG: What are your
feelings towards the new
Tomb Raider reboot in 2013?
Do you like the new Lara,
and do you plan to buy the
game?
Tina:
I have been asked this
countless times already and
to make it clear: I am not
going to buy the new Tomb
Raider nor do I like the new
Lara! It is just not Tomb
Raider for me anymore. I
grew up with classic Lara
and this is what Tomb Raider
will always be about for me!
They are just releasing the
reboot and put the name
"Tomb Raider" on it it to
make money. Unfortunately,
it is the same with a lot of
gaming series nowadays.
Silent Hill, Resident Evil
... they are all going
downhills. What originally
made them so good and
special is all gone. They
all become similar and all
that matters is graphics and
not good gameplay and good
riddles anymore. I'm very
sad about that and I will no
longer support these
franchises new releases.
Including "Tomb Raider".
QG: Do you have any plan
to LP the PC expansions
Unfinished Business, Golden
Mask or Lost Artifact ? (the
last one is amazing, I'm
sure you'd like it).
Tina:
I don't game on my PC, but I
have received several
requests to LP those
expansions. I'm sure I'll do
at some point!
QG: What do you think are
your best and worst LPs so
far?
Tina:
The one that I am proud of
the most is definitely Tomb
Raider 3. It might not have
been my best gameplay, but
I'm so proud that I have
beaten it. My worst one is
probably Resident Evil 4 or
Assignment Ada. Myself, I
enjoy these games, but I
have noticed that not a lot
of my subscribers don't seem
to enjoy seeing me playing
these kind of games, which
is a pity.
QG: Who would win in a
fight between Lara Croft and
Leon Kennedy?
Tina:
That's a tough question. But
I suppose Lara Croft would
make the game. She is a lot
more bad ass and knows what
she wants, whereas Leon lets
himself get distracted too
easily by the ladies.
QG: Thank you very much
for taking the time to
answer my questions! Say hi
to Lara for me!
Tina:
You're more than welcome. It
was a pleasure for me to
reply all the questions :)
Lara doesn't talk to me at
the moment ... she is mad
that I am abandoning her for
three months. I'll give her
your regards as soon as I am
back.
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