Changes

The designers called for a game with elements of puzzle-solving and exploration, fitting in with the "pyramid concept" - naturally, the lead character would be an archaeologist.  They also wanted plenty of action and an epic storyline to tie everything together.  And the lead character was changed to a woman, after the first initial drafts bore too much of a resemblance to Paramount's "Indiana Jones".  At first rejecting "muscle women" and militants with a blond, "Nazi" look, Gard settled upon a tough South American with a long braid he initially named "Laura Cruz".  Hitting resistance from Eidos, Core Design's parent company, Gard went with their request that the character be British, and soon, "Lara Croft" - with the riches and pedigree of an English lordship - was created<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p1.html#</ref>.  The addition of in-game cinematics tied to the storyline was another first, and in November 1996 ''Tomb Raider'' was released, becoming a number 1 hit within hours and staying in that position for months<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p2.html</ref>.

The designers called for a game with elements of puzzle-solving and exploration, fitting in with the "pyramid concept" - naturally, the lead character would be an archaeologist.  They also wanted plenty of action and an epic storyline to tie everything together.  And the lead character was changed to a woman, after the first initial drafts bore too much of a resemblance to Paramount's "Indiana Jones".  At first rejecting "muscle women" and militants with a blond, "Nazi" look, Gard settled upon a tough South American with a long braid he initially named "Laura Cruz".  Hitting resistance from Eidos, Core Design's parent company, Gard went with their request that the character be British, and soon, "Lara Croft" - with the riches and pedigree of an English lordship - was created<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p1.html#</ref>.  The addition of in-game cinematics tied to the storyline was another first, and in November 1996 ''Tomb Raider'' was released, becoming a number 1 hit within hours and staying in that position for months<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p2.html</ref>.

[[File:Rhona mitra 01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Actress Rhona Mitra was the first model hired by Eidos to promote the ''Tomb Raider'' franchise.]]

[[File:Rhona mitra 01.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Actress Rhona Mitra was the first model hired by Eidos to promote the ''Tomb Raider'' franchise.]]

As ''Tomb Raider'' became a phenomenon, critics of the game clamored for attention.  Feminists were critical over her physique: a large-breasted, well-proportioned woman who seemed too perfect, never mind the fact that her chest size was the result of an accidental mouse click which was ordered to stay before creator Toby Gard could revert it.  The scientists claimed that such a woman just couldn't move around as was done within the game.  Animal rights activists had to have their say, as there was just too-much animal-involved killing, despite the fact that some of the animals gunned down by Lara were represented by the mythological (mummified cats and [[centaur]]s), or the extinct (''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'').  Eidos ignored all of it, as their profit margin jumped to over $14 million in less than a year as a result of ''Tomb Raider''; prior to that, they were looking at over $2 million in deficits and possible bankruptcy<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p2.html</ref>.

As ''Tomb Raider'' became a phenomenon, critics of the game clamored for attention.  Feminists and  scientists were critical over her physique: a large-breasted, well-proportioned woman who seemed too perfect making seemingly impossible moves within the game, never mind the fact that her chest size was the result of an accidental mouse click which was ordered to stay before creator Toby Gard could revert it.  Animal rights activists also had their say, complaining of too-much animal-involved killing, despite the fact that some of the animals gunned down by Lara were represented by the mythological (mummified cats, [[centaur]]s, and [[dragon]]s), or the extinct (''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]''), or the impossible (monstrosities of human experiments).  Eidos easily ignored the criticisms as their profit margin jumped to over $14 million in less than a year as a result of ''Tomb Raider''; prior to that, they were looking at over $2 million in deficits and possible bankruptcy<ref>http://retro.ign.com/articles/856/856183p2.html</ref>.

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

====Protecting the brand====

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.

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 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 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 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>