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This document was created to clarify some facts about TREP utility. After one year of development, opinions related to TREP became highly biased. Many people think of TREP as good program that allows many things that weren't possible in TR level editing before, but unfortunately, they don't know another, dark side of TREP — the dark side of a clumsy program which was created through doubtly-successful bug-fight, technical failures and misfortune events.

Many builers praised all new features introduced by TREP. A lot of thank words were said in various forums, a lot of people downloaded and used these patches believing that it's the beginning of the new era of bug-free TR level editing. However, it is highly doubtful that usage of TREP will not result in various unknown bugs. If you want to use TREP, you must know that initially this utility was programmed by amateur non-talented smatterer, who even didn't know DirectX API, Windows API, assembly language and couldn't tell debugger from hex editor. As result, many undiscovered bugs may surface after thorough testing, and you must note that using this program is somewhat walking on the edge.

Who knows?..
For example, few people compained at TombRaiderForums that they have unexpected crashes and item disappearing with «Increase enemy / object limits» option. It means that it's highly doubtful that 256 object limit is broken.
Next problem is «Remap scene memory» option. It was programmed long ago, and depsite the fact that it allows to use much more complicated geometry without crashes, it doesn't work without Bump Mapping option activated, so it was hardly programmed that if you'll use this option, TREP will also force bump-mapping. This technical flaw resulted in massive (and objective) TREP critic in italian TR forums.

What if?..
What if TREP's patches were not completely tested in all possible circumstances? What if some so-called «new» option will sometimes produce ridiculous bug which result in game crash? Or it may result in messing-up gameplay, corrupted animations, etc. etc.! For example, not too long ago there was a patch that allowed you to climb from ladder to monkeyswing. When this patch was released, many people complained that it allows Lara to grab monkeyswing even if there's large gap between her and ceiling. Then author of the patch supposedly fixed it, but what if there are many other bugs left? No one knows...

New patches are on their way
TREP is not only program used to patch TR4 engine. There are great, independent, stand-alone patches by other people, and they can do things that isn't possible in TREP (like weather, increased amount of objects in WinRoomEdit, more TexInfos for Tom2PC.exe converter etc.). Moreover, there are MUCH MORE wonderful patches on the way, and these patches will be programmed by professionals. Of course, these new patches aren't released yet, but sometimes it's better to wait for a better solution than to use dubious software.
Moreover, right now TPascal programs his absolutely new, free clone TR engine designed especially for custom level building. You already can read some info on his DXTre3D site.
So think now, what is better — to use new engines and level editors with enormous possibilities or to use TREP and badly patched 7-year-old executable? 

MAC players discrimination
Besides quite unstable and buggy code, TREP also discriminates MAC (Macintosh) players. There are A LOT of Macintosh TR custom level players, and when TREP was released, they've faced an unfortunate situation — they were left all alone and without possibility to play custom levels bundled with EXEs modified by TREP! Now think about it - how you will feel, if after years of enjoying newest TR levels someone will simply release some «new» utility and say: «Sorry, but this utility is for PC only, and you can't use it for MAC». This is catastrophe. No one will throw out Mac and change it to PC only because there's no patches for Mac.
Fortunately, many custom levels with modified EXEs still CAN be played on Mac. 99% of modified executables contain only cosmetic changes, like bar or font colours and distance limit increase, and all these levels STILL CAN BE PLAYED on Mac. Right now, almost no one is using so-called «new features» like Filpeffect Editor etc. in their levels, so these levels are fully playable on Macintosh.

So think, and think harder:

DO YOU REALLY NEED TREP?

Are you ready to face undiscovered bugs? Are you ready to make such a doubtful compromise? Are you ready to leave Mac players all alone with sadness in their hearts? Hopefully, you can make a right decision.