Changes

====Protecting Lara Croft's image====

====Protecting Lara Croft's image====

Hackers were also attracted to the game, but in a more sinister fashion.  About 1998 a "nude raider" patch was released which allowed to gamer to install and play an undressed version of Lara Croft for several levels in the first three games of the series.  In a move to protect the integrity of their character, Eidos had initiated a crackdown against websites which had hosted the patch, threatening, or actually bringing, legal action.<ref>http://www.woa.tv/articles/ae_croftl.html</ref><ref>http://pc.ign.com/articles/067/067427p1.html</ref>  In a similar move, Eidos successfully demanded the removal of the ''Tomb Raider'' logo and the name of Lara Croft from the cover of a 1999 edition of ''Playboy'' after that magazine published a photo featuring the third model of the franchise, Nell McAndrew; Eidos promptly terminated her contract.

Hackers were also attracted to the game, but in a more sinister fashion.  About 1998 a "nude raider" patch was released which allowed to gamer to install and play an undressed version of Lara Croft for several levels in the first three games of the series.  In a move to protect the integrity of their character, Eidos had initiated a crackdown against websites which had hosted the patch, threatening, or actually bringing, legal action.<ref>http://www.woa.tv/articles/ae_croftl.html</ref><ref>http://pc.ign.com/articles/067/067427p1.html</ref>  In a similar move, Eidos successfully demanded the removal of the ''Tomb Raider'' logo and the name of Lara Croft from the cover of a 1999 edition of ''Playboy'' after that magazine published a photo featuring the third model of the franchise, Nell McAndrew, whose contract with Eidos was promptly terminated.

====The Croft "biography"====

====The Croft "biography"====

Keen interest in the game by fans resulted in a "biography" of Lara Croft, of which small elements made it into the games.  Officially, she is the Duchess of Abbington, the daughter of an aristocratic archaeologist Lord Henshingly-Croft and Lady Angeline Croft; an 11th-generation countess born on February 14, 1968 to a family that was granted the title and rights to Abbingdon, Surrey by King Edward VI in 1547.  She was privately-tutored before graduating Wimbelton High School for Girls at the age of 16; she was then sent to Scotland for Gordonstoun Boarding School for two years, taking up activities not related to a girl's finishing school (such as rock-climbing and mountaineering); she was expelled from it after showing "too keen an interest" in shooting.  She went to a Swiss finishing school at 18, but a school-sponsored trip to the Himalayas ended in a tragic plane crash deep in the mountains.  The only survivor was Lara, who walked into a village some two weeks later.  She afterwards realized that she was only alive when she was adventuring and away from the confining lifestyle of upper-British society.<ref>http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/l/lara.htm</ref><ref>http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/lara/info.html</ref><ref>http://www.google.com/search?q=lara+croft+history&hl=en&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=wVXOSvO-NYTM8Qb3y-SFBA&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11</ref>

Keen interest in the game by fans resulted in a "biography" of Lara Croft, of which small elements made it into the games.  Officially, she is the Duchess of Abbington, the daughter of an aristocratic archaeologist Lord Henshingly-Croft and Lady Angeline Croft; an 11th-generation countess born on February 14, 1968 to a family that was granted the title and rights to Abbingdon, Surrey by King Edward VI in 1547.  She was privately-tutored before graduating Wimbelton High School for Girls at the age of 16; she was then sent to Scotland for Gordonstoun Boarding School for two years, taking up activities not related to a girl's finishing school (such as rock-climbing and mountaineering); she was expelled from it after showing "too keen an interest" in shooting.  She went to a Swiss finishing school at 18, but a school-sponsored trip to the Himalayas ended in a tragic plane crash deep in the mountains.  The only survivor was Lara, who walked into a village some two weeks later.  She afterwards realized that she was only alive when she was adventuring and away from the confining lifestyle of upper-British society.<ref>http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/l/lara.htm</ref><ref>http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/lara/info.html</ref><ref>http://www.google.com/search?q=lara+croft+history&hl=en&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=wVXOSvO-NYTM8Qb3y-SFBA&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11</ref>

Her father's untimely death left Lara in possession of Abbington, and from there she devotes time - officially - to archaeological pursuits, and she is credited with at least fifteen major discoveries.  However, she has been critisized by other archaeologists and government officials for what they call her irresponsibility on the sites, such as destructive methodology or neglecting the documentation of her findings; some have suggested that she is a "glorified treasure hunter" who has removed potentially-valuable artifacts before informing officials of the locations thay have come from.<ref>http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/tr7/lara_croft_bio.html</ref>

Her father's untimely death left Lara in possession of Abbington, and from there she devotes time - officially - to archaeological pursuits, and she is credited with at least fifteen major discoveries.  However, she has been criticized by other archaeologists and government officials for what they call her irresponsibility on the sites, such as destructive methodology or neglecting the documentation of her findings; some have suggested that she is a "glorified treasure hunter" who has removed potentially-valuable artifacts before informing officials of the locations they have come from.<ref>http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/tr7/lara_croft_bio.html</ref>

Her income from writing supplements her lifestyle, and her books on travel include ''A Tyrannosaurus Is Jawing at My Head'' and ''Slaying Bigfoot''.<ref>http://www.woa.tv/articles/ae_croftl.html</ref>

Her income from writing supplements her lifestyle, and her books on travel include ''A Tyrannosaurus Is Jawing at My Head'' and ''Slaying Bigfoot''.<ref>http://www.woa.tv/articles/ae_croftl.html</ref>

====Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)====

====Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)====

Lara Croft returns, this time to battle an old friend believed lost in a Bolivian tomb as both search in various countries for the remnants of [[Excalibur]], the sword of legendary [[King Arthur]].

Lara Croft returns, this time to battle an old friend believed lost in a Bolivian tomb as both search in various countries for the remnants of [[Excalibur]], the sword of legendary [[King Arthur]].  Her missing mother and a misplaced friendship served as plot devices connecting this game with the two games which followed.

   

   

The first game of the ''Tomb Raider'' franchise created and published by a new contract with the American company Crystal Dynamics, Lara Croft and her surroundings were given a seamless look and feel, with revamped controls providing fluid character movement and an animation system giving Lara the ability to handle obstacles easily.   

The first game of the ''Tomb Raider'' franchise created and published by a new contract with the American company Crystal Dynamics, Lara Croft and her surroundings were given a seamless look and feel, with revamped controls providing fluid character movement and an animation system giving Lara the ability to handle obstacles easily.   

====Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)====

====Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)====

The second entry by Crystal Dynamics, ''Anniversary'' is a recreation of the first ''Tomb Raider'' game, celebrating its tenth anniversary.

The second entry by Crystal Dynamics, ''Anniversary'' is a recreation of the first ''Tomb Raider'' game, celebrating its tenth anniversary, yet done in a manner to tie-in with the plot established in ''Legend''.

====Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)====

====Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)====

''Underworld'' deals with an investigation into Norse mythology, and in her quest to unlock some of the secrets of those myths, Lara discovers that a weapon powerful enough to level mountians may fall into the wrong hands: the Hammer of Thor.

In ''Underworld'' Lara deals with an investigation into Norse mythology, and in her quest to unlock some of the secrets of those myths, she discovers that a weapon powerful enough to level mountains may fall into the wrong hands: the Hammer of Thor.

==Films==

==Films==

====''Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life'' (2003)====

====''Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life'' (2003)====

Jolie returns in this second installment, as Lara is sent by the British MI-6 to find the ''Cradle of Life'', a legendary place said to contain the [[Pandora's Box]] of Greek mythology; in the hunt as well is a ruthless weapons manufacturer who also wants the Box for himself<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325703/</ref><ref>http://www.tombraidermovie.com/</ref>.  ''Cradle of Life'' did not fare as well at the box office as the first film; it suffered from a weak plot, dialogue, and character development<ref>http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700003280/Lara-Croft-Tomb-Raider-The-Cradle-of-Life.html</ref>; additionally, movie-goers were shown what was essentially a remake of the first twenty minutes of 1981's ''Raider of the Lost Ark''<ref>http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/tomb_raider.php</ref>.

Jolie returns in this second installment, as Lara is sent by the British MI-6 to find the ''Cradle of Life'', a legendary place said to contain the [[Pandora's Box]] of Greek mythology; in the hunt as well is a ruthless weapons manufacturer who also wants the Box for himself<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0325703/</ref><ref>http://www.tombraidermovie.com/</ref>.  ''Cradle of Life'' did not fare as well at the box office as the first film; it suffered from a weak plot, dialogue, and character development<ref>http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700003280/Lara-Croft-Tomb-Raider-The-Cradle-of-Life.html</ref>; additionally, in the opening scenes movie-goers were shown what was essentially a remake of the first twenty minutes of 1981's ''[[Raiders of the Lost Ark]]''<ref>http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/tomb_raider.php</ref>.

==Links==

==Links==