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Elite - Best platform?

T

tezza

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Hi,

I see the game Elite is mentioned a lot. I've never played it or (to my knowledge) even seen it, but it seems to be of historical significance as part and parcel of vintage gaming therefore vintage computing.

So I have a question. On what platform is the best "original" Elite represented? BBC? Apple II? IBM-PC?? Others?? I'd like to get a copy for one of my vintage machines to show the game off as part of computing history, but what platform would be the most "authentic"?

Any thoughts?

Tez
 
As it was originally written for the BBC Micro, one would suggest it is the ideal platform, as it runs exactly like David Braben envisioned it. I think there even is an improved version for the BBC Master 128K. All the other versions are ports more or less. Some are better, some are worse. I don't know about the IBM PC version(s), but given the higher processor speed it should run very smoothly if programmed right.
 
carlsson said:
As it was originally written for the BBC Micro, one would suggest it is the ideal platform, as it runs exactly like David Braben envisioned it. I think there even is an improved version for the BBC Master 128K. All the other versions are ports more or less. Some are better, some are worse. I don't know about the IBM PC version(s), but given the higher processor speed it should run very smoothly if programmed right.
Click to expand...

For anyone that is interested, there is a link to the original author's website near the bottom of the WikiPedia link. They are giving away every version of Elite, including a couple for the IBM PC. Anyone wanting to experiment with the game (or just re-live it) might want to take a look.
 
Oh please don't show it off! Elite (the game) became part of my software collection when Amstrad Action Celebrated their 100th issue - dubbed the best CPC game of all time!

Honestly I played it for a couple of minutes and only had fun turning my ship around zapping the space station I came out of - which sent out some ships to zap! :-D

Elite the Software company made some great games for the CPC, I feel that was the mistake AA made! :-(
 
CP/M User: I agree. Space simulation games like Elite rarely does anything for me. I'm too impatient for most strategy or simulation games, with a few brilliant exceptions. But for those who like this kind of game, Elite was groundbreaking in many aspects and should be recognized for being so. In particular in an era of constantly increased gaming where the heritage - vintage - history often is forgotten, ignored or even poked fun at.
 
As I said in another post, The BBC B was the original machine for it, and it was very exciting in 1984... but that was in 1984 when having 5 minutes of absolutely nothing happening was normal for a game! (In real life we had days and days of nothing happening)
It was also a bitch to steer using the keyboard and keep an idea of orientation especially with 3 bandits on your botty!
 
Man, I totally missed out on gaming from the mid 80's through the mid 90's. I did some on my VIC-20 and then C-64 in 1982-1983, but after I got my first TRS-80 (Model IV) in late 1983, then my first PC clone (Tandy 1000) in 1985, I was totally absorbed by hacking (the good kind). I really don't think I played anything more substantial than "Colossal Cave" or "Zork" for better than 10 years. Every time I fired-up a computer, I was working on some program or another.

I did play the occasional arcade game (in an arcade), and my first wife actually worked for Bally's Alladin's Castle in Virginia Beach, which got me free tokens! ;-)
 
I would have to say that the original version on the BBC B would be the best.

I think I will dig my copy out tonight, and give it a go. May also try the CPC version.
 
carlsson wrote:

CP/M User: I agree. Space simulation games like Elite rarely does anything for me. I'm too impatient for most strategy or simulation games, with a few brilliant exceptions. But for those who like this kind of game, Elite was groundbreaking in many aspects and should be recognized for being so. In particular in an era of constantly increased gaming where the heritage - vintage - history often is forgotten, ignored or even poked fun at.

Yeah perhaps it was too ambitious of me to mention it again - I've probably stated my views about this since I've signed up!

In terms of Elite being ground breaking the only thing I can see ground breaking is the scale of the actual game, which is what I don't like about it ironically enough. As you here said though the game was originally written for the BBC Micro which is perhaps what it meant to be like. The CPC version does rate well though amongst Reviewers and gamers on that system, though it's hard to say.

I would not have said the vectors graphics ruin Elite since I've had fun with other games on the CPC which use Vector graphics quite well - perhaps my favourite being Tankbusters which dates from around the same period as Elite, though the plot maybe somewhat simple the game itself can be enhanced through a huge options list.
 
The one I have is "Elite Plus" for IBM compatibles. I never got too far in it (just tested it out) but yeah it's a scalability thing. Like one of my favorite games on the bbs "Trade Wars" which is just a very large number of space sectors to teleport through and search surrounding sectors (5000 was the max number I think until the newer versions bumped it up again) but lots of NPCs flying around, Feringi threatening you when they find you, etc made it a great game even though you were technically the only player.

Elite had the same charm, space trading in a world that exists without you unlike most linear games (even still) where the world revolves around you. Hardwar is one of my all time favorite games which is a smaller but 3d world based on similar gameplay to Elite but you can just hover there and the world goes on without you.. hundreds of "people" (NPCs) trading, fighting, scavaging all trying to play the same game you are and they mind their own unless you have something they want or attack them.

I think the charm might be missed in our older years but if you were a serious gamer or a kid with unlimited free time I'm sure this emense world in any game (but Elite being one of the first) would have been unbelievably awesome.
 
You can ask yourself if Elite had become successful if networking was 10-15 years ahead so people already in the mid-80's commonly were connected. Of course modems and BBS:es already existed, and the BBC in particular has its Econet which even impressed Bill Gates at the time, but I suppose nobody thought about making Elite a multiplayer game over Econet.
 
Thanks Guys,

I have now got a copy of Elite for my BBC. It looks complicated! I'll do a Google search to see if I can get some instructions or hints on how to play it well.

I've decided there is some value in getting original "notable" software (packaging and instructions) for my machines, particulary looking further ahead to public viewings. Software is part and parcel of vintage computing history. Once I've secured most of the machines I want (I say most because I'm sure I wont get them all), the intention is to turn my attention to the software side of the coin.

Tez
 
tezza wrote:

I have now got a copy of Elite for my BBC. It looks complicated! I'll do a Google search to see if I can get some instructions or hints on how to play it well.

That's the other problem with the game IMO because there's bound to be stacks upon stacks of notes for Elite out there, I've literally seen pages and pages of notes for Elite - it's easier just to pick up a book you want to read! :-o
 
tezza said:
So I have a question. On what platform is the best "original" Elite represented? BBC? Apple II? IBM-PC?? Others?? I'd like to get a copy for one of my vintage machines to show the game off as part of computing history, but what platform would be the most "authentic"?
Click to expand...

Since it came out for the BBC first, the BBC would be the most authentic. That's the computer it was developed on. (And running a 3d simulation on a BBC is impressive enough!)

The "fastest" version is the PC version, which also has filled polygons instead of wireframe polys.
 
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