About
CroftEngine is an open-source engine remake of Tomb Raider 1, distributed under the LGPLv3 license. It requires the player's own original Tomb Raider game data, and runs on Windows and Linux. It is actively developed, with a Beta 15 setup wizard that walks users through installation.
How it differs from the original
It adds features not in the original game: native game-controller support, native Glidos texture pack support, customizable graphics settings (bloom, dynamic lighting, CRT filters, FXAA, HBAO, depth of field, and more), extensive play statistics, reworked water rendering, and an optional online co-op mode where players can see each other's "ghosts" (visual only, via a community-run server). It also includes two hidden cheats not present in the original.
Getting started
Download the latest release (an installer is recommended on Windows; openSUSE users can use a distro package), then separately obtain the required soundtrack files. Place the game data in a specific user data directory (%LOCALAPPDATA%\croftengine on Windows, ~/.local/share/croftengine on Linux). Default controls are WASD to move, Q/E to sidestep, Space to jump, Shift to walk, Ctrl for action, number keys 1-6 for weapons and medi packs, and F5/F6 to quicksave and load.
History
CroftEngine began as a fork of the older OpenTomb engine, but the project describes itself as a complete rewrite with only negligible remnants of OpenTomb's original code, even though it still carries OpenTomb's commit history in the repository.
Media
Additional notes
- Controls quirk
- Two undocumented cheats exist beyond the standard ones: ending a rotation sequence with a left jump grants 5 small and 5 large medi packs (confirmed by Lara sighing), while ending it with a right jump halves every enemy's health in the level (confirmed by a shotgun sound).
- Multiplayer note
- Co-op play via the community server is visual only as of now — there is no gameplay interaction between players, just seeing each other's ghosts.