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Elite could be returning to a PC near you.

Started by Albion, 06 November, 2012, 07:33:22 AM

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Rog69

There is a free version of Frontier: Elite 2 with nice shiney open GL graphics here:-

http://tom.noflag.org.uk/glfrontier.html

It's based on the source code of the Atari ST version mixed with an ST emulator so it is pretty much the original game rather than a remake. It certainly runs better than it did on the ST originally, Frontier was a slideshow on my old ST. The ST did have what is considered by many to be the definitive version of Elite though.

There is a remake of Elite out there that was based on the original code, reverse engineered to make a PC version. It is absolutely spot on but it got taken down after the rights holders got a bit pissy about it (it's out there though, just do a search for The New Kind). It was even ported to the Gameboy advance, I still have it running on an old Flash2Advance cart.

Dash Decent

My brother was ace at this game but I always had to dock his ship for him until he got the docking computer.

Oh, and it was the C64 version that was the best! ;)
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Hero to Michael Carroll

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Mark Taylor

Manual docking in Oolite is easier than the original Elite due to the fact that every station has a navigational buoy lined up with its docking port. I only just realised/remembered that they didn't have these in the original Elite. Doh. (Having said that, manual docking in the original still was not really that difficult, just a bit tedious and long-winded).

Rog69

My docking technique was to do a close flypast of the station from behind and then centre the planet in my view, travel on for a little way before slamming the brakes on and flipping over to face the station. This should put you dead in line with the entrance. I would then fly up to it slowly and when I was pretty close to the entrance I would accelerate hard into it as it rotated into a horizontal position. It hardly ever failed  :D.


ThryllSeekyr

Used to play this on the old Comodore 64, and my highest ranking score was Deadly. Played it up to getting the misson where I had to hunt for the Constrictor ship stolen from the Intergalactic Navy by space pirates and couldn't find any further missons.

Quote from: Rog69 on 10 November, 2012, 06:46:47 PM
My docking technique was to do a close flypast of the station from behind and then centre the planet in my view, travel on for a little way before slamming the brakes on and flipping over to face the station. This should put you dead in line with the entrance. I would then fly up to it slowly and when I was pretty close to the entrance I would accelerate hard into it as it rotated into a horizontal position. It hardly ever failed  :D.

My method for docking was the same, except I would fly at top speed upon apporoach after I flipped over.

Works every time :)

Glad they are rereleasing it.


shaolin_monkey

My docking manouvre was to put 'the Blue Danube' on the record player (remember those kids?!?) and imitate that scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey.  On the rare occasions I crashed and burned I at least had some soothing classic music on to stop me smashing my Acorn Electron up with my chair.

Did someone mention Galaxy on Fire 2 on the iPad?  It's excellent - very free romaing like Elite, free markets, space pirates, different races, a fek load of ship types and even a story!  It has had a couple of expansions and to this day is the only iPad game that has hooked me for longer than a year.  Well worth a look!

Rog69

I played the demo of Galaxy on Fire 2 on the ipad, very impressive for a tablet game.

They have released it for the PC now too, it's on Steam for £12.99. I'll probably pick it up in the winter sale.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/212010/

Kanoobi

It would be nice to see David Braben's version get a release. I burned much Midnight Oil on the C64 version. Never quite got to Elite status, but the one before it. Deadly was it? I kinda lost interest after a while, and then Mega Drives came out lol.

Speaking of Commodore 64 games, anyone remember Tau Ceti? I first saw the special edition on my friend's Amstrad (CPC664 I think, with a built in Disk Drive). The C64 version was more colourful etc but it didn't have the Libraries in the cities, where you could read up lots of info about the game world.
Basically you piloted a hover craft (a Skimmer) on a planet where you 'hopped' from city to city via a jump pad, and destroyed all of the robotic defences in each city. It was a very immersive game.

Mercenary was cool too. Damn, I might have to look into a C64 emulator again, I used to use one when my PC was XP based, I have loads of Roms, both tape and disk files.



Rog69

I remember Tau Ceti, I had it on the Spectrum. I still have it in fact, I rescued my Speccy and 2 big boxes of games that my mum was going to throw out a couple of years ago and I remember seeing its distinctive triangular box.

I think I also still have Academy, the sequel to Tau Ceti.

Robert Frazer

#24
Elite was before my time and I never really got deeply into the 4x genre myself. I was quite enthusiastic about Star Control 2 for a while but I gave it up in disgust when it springs upon you, three-quarters of the way into the adventure, "oh, by the way? I hope you were doing all the main plot bits in double-quick time because we're killing the galaxy in six game-months! What, you thought this game was about exploration? Hahah, sorry chum, the big star map was a red herring! Funny, eh? Better reload and start again, lots of extra playtime!"  >:(
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ThryllSeekyr

Quote from: Kanoobi on 14 November, 2012, 03:26:30 PM
It would be nice to see David Braben's version get a release. I burned much Midnight Oil on the C64 version. Never quite got to Elite status, but the one before it. Deadly was it? I kinda lost interest after a while, and then Mega Drives came out lol.

As I said before I was ranked as deadly as well before I quit playing the game.

Do you remember any missons?

I think you have to complete some specific missons before attaining elite status, but I never got that far.

Quote from: Kanoobi on 14 November, 2012, 03:26:30 PM
Speaking of Commodore 64 games, anyone remember Tau Ceti? I first saw the special edition on my friend's Amstrad (CPC664 I think, with a built in Disk Drive). The C64 version was more colourful etc but it didn't have the Libraries in the cities, where you could read up lots of info about the game world.
Basically you piloted a hover craft (a Skimmer) on a planet where you 'hopped' from city to city via a jump pad, and destroyed all of the robotic defences in each city. It was a very immersive game.

I played this game as well, though not as much as Elite!

JTurner

I had the Acorn Electron version first which seemed to lack any missions. When I got the Atari ST version I beat the constrictor mission and the document transport mission (which involved you getting mobbed by thargoid destroyers all the time).

I also found the hex code editing screen that enabled you to change all sorts of values. One gave me a cargo bay full of refugees (enayone played this mission?) Never found out how to get them without cheating.

Richmond Clements

Quote from: JTurner on 15 November, 2012, 02:45:15 PM
I had the Acorn Electron version first which seemed to lack any missions. When I got the Atari ST version I beat the constrictor mission and the document transport mission (which involved you getting mobbed by thargoid destroyers all the time).

I also found the hex code editing screen that enabled you to change all sorts of values. One gave me a cargo bay full of refugees (enayone played this mission?) Never found out how to get them without cheating.

I seem to remember that on the Electron version, you had to reload the game every time you died..?

Kanoobi

Ah yes cheat codes that rings a bell. (Braben and Bell lol). I remember doing missions but can't recall specific ones. I remember the random one that everyone gets, something to do with a Prince of some planet, and if you agree to the mission, you get totally over run with Tribble-like creatures, purring and crawling all over your screen readout. I think you had to jettison your cargo to get rid of them.

Nice some of you chaps remember Tau Ceti too :)

shaolin_monkey

Quote from: Richmond Clements on 15 November, 2012, 02:48:35 PM
Quote from: JTurner on 15 November, 2012, 02:45:15 PM
I had the Acorn Electron version first which seemed to lack any missions. When I got the Atari ST version I beat the constrictor mission and the document transport mission (which involved you getting mobbed by thargoid destroyers all the time).

I also found the hex code editing screen that enabled you to change all sorts of values. One gave me a cargo bay full of refugees (enayone played this mission?) Never found out how to get them without cheating.

I seem to remember that on the Electron version, you had to reload the game every time you died..?

Correct re the missions - there were none.  It also lacked any suns in any system, rendering the fuel scoops a complete waste of cash, and making refuelling a nightmare.  the Electron version was very stripped down.  Also, it was completely balck and white, including the radar.  There weren't even any Thargoid Invaders!!!


As far as reloading, you didn't have to reload the entire game, only your last save.  The saves weren't very big files, so a minute or two of fiddling with the cassette deck and you'd be back into the action again.