Elite Dangerous Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
Elite Dangerous Wiki
Elite Dangerous Wiki
2,781
pages
in: Elite series

Changes: Elite

Back to page
Sign in to edit
(Added Relics info)
Tag: Visual edit
(→‎Gallery: Added Elite logo outline 1984)
Tag: Visual edit
(44 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
[[File:Elite-1984-Product-Image.png|thumb|300px|Elite 1984 product image]]
 +
[[File:Elite-1984-Official-Art-Restored.png|thumb|250px|Elite 1984 official art]]
  +
'''Elite''' is a space trading and combat simulator, originally published by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in September 1984.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100127094607/http://frontier.co.uk/games/elite Games by Frontier - Elite]". Archived from [http://frontier.co.uk/games/elite the original] on 27 January 2010.</ref> It is the first installment of the legendary [[Elite series]]. Elite is the longest running space simulation series in history. This is verified by Guinness World Records.<ref name=":0">https://twitter.com/gwr/status/611537566299463681?lang=en Guinness World Records, 18 Jun 2015</ref>
   
  ⚫
The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their [[Pilots Federation#Ranks|combat rating]] to the exalted heights of "Elite". It was written and developed by [[David Braben]] and [[Ian Bell]], who met while they were both undergraduates at Jesus College, Cambridge. Versions of the game for other platforms were published by Firebird, Imagineer and Hybrid Technology.
−
'''Elite''' is a space trading video game, originally published by Acornsoft in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers. It is the first instalment of the [[:Category:Elite series|Elite series]].
 
   
  ⚫
Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics with hidden line removal. Another novelty was the added twitch gameplay and the inclusion of [[Elite: The Dark Wheel]], a novella by Robert Holdstock which influenced new players with insight into the moral and legal codes to which they might aspire. The Dark Wheel was the first novella to be included for distribution with a video game in history.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070211011328/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=78368 Games that changed the world: Elite".] ''Computer & Video Games''. Archived from [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=78368 the original] on 11 February 2007.</ref><ref name=":3">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_(video_game)</ref> According to Guinness World Records: ''"Elite was the first game to feature a (3D) procedurally generated world."''<ref>[http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-use-of-procedural-generation-in-a-video-game/ First use of procedural generation in a videogame - Guinness World Records]</ref>
⚫
The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their [[Pilots Federation#Ranks|combat rating]] to the exalted heights of "Elite". It was written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell, who had met while they were both undergraduates at Jesus College, Cambridge. Versions of the game for other platforms were published by Firebird, Imagineer and Hybrid Technology.
  
   
  ⚫
Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history.<ref>LaMosca, Adam (18 July 2006). "[http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_54/324-Lost-in-the-Void Lost in the Void]". [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Escapist_(magazine) The Escapist]. Retrieved 17 November 2007.</ref> Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, No Man's Sky, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series. Jumpgate Evolution, Battlecruiser 3000AD, Hard Truck: Apocalyptic Wars and Flatspace have likewise credited Elite as a source of inspiration.<ref name=":3" />
⚫
Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics with hidden line removal. Another novelty was the inclusion of [[The Dark Wheel#The Dark Wheel novella|The Dark Wheel]], a novella by Robert Holdstock which influenced new players with insight into the moral and legal codes to which they might aspire. The Dark Wheel was the first novella to be included for distribution with a video game in history.<ref>''Computer & Video Games. Archived from on 11 February 2007. ''https://web.archive.org/web/20070211011328/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=78368</ref><ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_(video_game)</ref>
  
   
  ⚫
Elite is one of the most significant computer games ever. Elite changed the face of computer gaming dramatically with its combination of believability, considered design, compelling gameplay and longevity.
⚫
Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series.
  
   
  +
Elite has often been regarded as the yardstick by which subsequent space trading games have been measured. Since its release Elite has been credited as being the title that defined the modern space flight simulation genre, a significant source of inspiration for later games in the genre as well as being influential upon gaming as a whole.<ref name=":3" />
⚫
Elite is one of the most significant computer games ever, Elite changed the face of computer gaming dramatically with its combination of believability, considered design, compelling gameplay and longevity.
  
  +
  +
It has been named as one of the most influential games in history, and has been credited as being the first truly open-ended open world game and opening the door for future online persistent worlds such as Second Life, World of Warcraft and EVE Online.<ref name=":3" />
   
 
== Gameplay ==
  
== Gameplay ==
Line 15: Line 18:
 
[[File:The_Original_Elite%2C_1984.jpg|thumb|200px|The original Elite by David Braben and Ian Bell]]
  
[[File:The_Original_Elite%2C_1984.jpg|thumb|200px|The original Elite by David Braben and Ian Bell]]
   
−
The player starts at [[Lave/Lave Station|Lave Station]] and pilots a [[Cobra MkIII]]. The default pilot name is Commander Jameson, whom the station [[Shinrarta Dezhra/Jameson Memorial|Jameson Memorial]] is named after in [[Elite Dangerous]].
 +
The player starts at [[Lave/Lave Station|Lave Station]] with a [[Cobra MkIII]]. The default pilot name is Commander Jameson whom the station [[Shinrarta Dezhra/Jameson Memorial|Jameson Memorial]] is named after in [[Elite Dangerous]].
   
 
[[Trader|Trading]] is considered the primary way to earn [[credits]], but [[Bounty Hunter|bounty hunting]], [[Pirate|piracy]], [[Miner|asteroid mining]], illegally [[Salvage|salvaging]] cargo found in space, and [[Smuggler|illegal trading]] are available as more dangerous alternatives. Credits can be spent on [[Outfitting|upgrades]] to improve the ship's capabilities.
  
[[Trader|Trading]] is considered the primary way to earn [[credits]], but [[Bounty Hunter|bounty hunting]], [[Pirate|piracy]], [[Miner|asteroid mining]], illegally [[Salvage|salvaging]] cargo found in space, and [[Smuggler|illegal trading]] are available as more dangerous alternatives. Credits can be spent on [[Outfitting|upgrades]] to improve the ship's capabilities.
Line 22: Line 25:
   
 
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
  
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
  +
File:Acornsoft_Elite_-_Promo_Video_1984_-_VHS
−
Elite_-_30th_Anniversary
 +
File:Elite_-_30th_Anniversary
−
Docking_in_Elite
 +
File:Docking_in_Elite
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
  +
  +
=== 3D Open World Space Game ===
  +
Jamie Sefton of GamesRadar explains: "The first truly open-world game was made for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron back in 1984 – David Braben and Ian Bell’s Elite. Until then, space games were flat, 2D experiences where you were restricted to a choice of when to move your ship and fire laser bolts at ever-descending dot-matrix aliens. Elite created a believable open-ended wire frame universe of planets, political systems, economies, trading routes and space stations, in which you could explore the galaxies and define your Commander Jameson – would you live the life of a bounty hunter, a miner, a trader or a pirate?"<ref>http://www.gamesradar.com/the-roots-of-open-world-games/</ref>
  +
  +
Rich Moss of Ars Technica said: "<em>Elite</em> changed everything. It was <em>the</em> home computer game to have in the mid-1980s—an open-ended spacefaring romp through eight 256-planet galaxies, which were fixed in their composition but cleverly generated on the fly by an algorithm in order to save on storage space. Its abstract 3D wireframe planets and spacecraft provided just enough detail to instill the appropriate sense of scale, with the rest left to your imagination."<ref>https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/youre-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming/</ref>
   
 
== Music ==
  
== Music ==
Line 38: Line 47:
 
[[File:Elite.jpg|thumb|200px|Elite]]
  
[[File:Elite.jpg|thumb|200px|Elite]]
   
−
Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series.
+
Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series.<ref>https://classicreload.com/c64-elite.html</ref>
   
 
The former creative director of DMA Design Gary Penn cited Elite as a major influence for the original Grand Theft Auto (1997), "But I'd been working on Frontier, which is very different and there were definitely other people on the team who had things like Syndicate, Mercenary and Elite very much in their minds as well. That combination definitely led to the more open plan structure there is now. The game as it stands now is basically Elite in a city, but without quite the same sense of taking on the jobs. You take on the jobs in a slightly different way, but incredibly similar structurally. It's just a much more acceptable real world setting. The game was cops and robbers and then that evolved fairly quickly -- nobody wants to be the cop, it's more fun to be bad. And then that evolved into Grand Theft Auto".<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134644/the_replay_interviews_gary_penn.php Gamasutra - Gary Penn interview"]</ref>
  
The former creative director of DMA Design Gary Penn cited Elite as a major influence for the original Grand Theft Auto (1997), "But I'd been working on Frontier, which is very different and there were definitely other people on the team who had things like Syndicate, Mercenary and Elite very much in their minds as well. That combination definitely led to the more open plan structure there is now. The game as it stands now is basically Elite in a city, but without quite the same sense of taking on the jobs. You take on the jobs in a slightly different way, but incredibly similar structurally. It's just a much more acceptable real world setting. The game was cops and robbers and then that evolved fairly quickly -- nobody wants to be the cop, it's more fun to be bad. And then that evolved into Grand Theft Auto".<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134644/the_replay_interviews_gary_penn.php Gamasutra - Gary Penn interview"]</ref>
  +
  +
[[File:Elite-Series-Guinness-World-Record-Longest-Running-Space-Simulation-Series.png|thumb|200px|Elite series Guinness World Record for Longest Running Space Simulation Series]]
  +
  +
The [[:Category:Elite series|Elite series]] spans over 30 years. On 18 June 2015, David Braben and Frontier Developments received a certificate from Guinness World Records, because Elite is officially the longest running space simulation series in history. The certificate says ''"The longest running space simulation series is Elite created by David Braben and Ian Bell and was released on 20 September 1984. Officially amazing."''<ref name=":0" />
   
 
== History ==
  
== History ==
Line 48: Line 61:
 
=== The Original Elite, 1984 – 1992 ===
  
=== The Original Elite, 1984 – 1992 ===
   
−
It’s hard, at this stage, to return to the pre-Elite days of computer gaming in the early 80s. Back then games were largely simplistic, clones of arcade games or following very closely in their designs. Games were specifically designed to play through in a few minutes, featuring ‘lives’, ‘scores’ and ‘levels’. There were games that broke this mould, but they were few and far between, and often easily forgotten.<ref>[https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-history-the-original-elite/ Elite Dangerous History: The original ‘Elite’]
 +
It’s hard, at this stage, to return to the pre-Elite days of computer gaming in the early 80s. Back then games were largely simplistic, clones of arcade games or following very closely in their designs. Games were specifically designed to play through in a few minutes, featuring ‘lives’, ‘scores’ and ‘levels’. There were games that broke this mould, but they were few and far between, and often easily forgotten.<ref name=":1">https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-history-the-original-elite/
 
</ref>
  
</ref>
   
−
Elite was born out of the dissatisfaction with the confines of traditional gaming. With no score, what was the purpose? The Thatcherite years of the 1980s provided the answer – money. But money isn’t a score, you can spend money. On what? On upgrades… so your ship had to be inferior to start with. What would be the purpose of upgrading your ship? To defeat other vessels. Why would those other vessels attack you? Because you carried a cargo… so trading was required alongside piracy. There was always a reason for the game mechanics, and the concept developed from there.
 +
Elite was born out of the dissatisfaction with the confines of traditional gaming. With no score, what was the purpose? The Thatcherite years of the 1980s provided the answer – money. But money isn’t a score, you can spend money. On what? On upgrades… so your ship had to be inferior to start with. What would be the purpose of upgrading your ship? To defeat other vessels. Why would those other vessels attack you? Because you carried a cargo… so trading was required alongside piracy. There was always a reason for the game mechanics, and the concept developed from there.<ref name=":1" />
   
−
The true genius, however, lay in providing the player with choices. Yes, there were pirates out there, but you could become one yourself if you so desired. You had moral choices in the game, with no predetermined path.
 +
The true genius, however, lay in providing the player with choices. Yes, there were pirates out there, but you could become one yourself if you so desired. You had moral choices in the game, with no predetermined path.<ref name=":1" />
   
−
Read the full article at [https://www.drewwagar.com/lore/elite-dangerous-history-the-original-elite/ Elite Dangerous History: The original ‘Elite’].
 +
Read the full article at [https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-history-the-original-elite/ Elite Dangerous History: The original ‘Elite’].
   
 
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
  
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
 
Brits_Who_Made_The_Modern_World_-_The_Making_of_Elite
  
Brits_Who_Made_The_Modern_World_-_The_Making_of_Elite
  +
David_Braben_on_the_Making_of_Elite_From_Bedrooms_to_Billions_Funstock.co.uk
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
  +
  +
== Versions ==
  +
  +
[[File:Elite-Game-1988-Atari-ST-port.png|thumb|200px|Elite 1988 Atari ST port]]
  +
  +
Due to the great commercial success of the BBC Micro version, Elite was ported to every contemporary home computer system such as Amiga, Atari ST, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Tatung Einstein and IBM PC compatible. British Telecom's computer software division Telecomsoft won a bidding war for the rights to publish Elite on other platforms.<ref>"[https://archive.org/stream/MicroAdventurer14-Dec84#page/n6/mode/1up Elite Auction]", Micro Adventurer (14): 7, December 1984</ref><ref>"[https://archive.org/stream/home-computing-weekly-092/Home_Computing_Weekly_092#page/n4/mode/1up Elite for Spectrum]". Home Computing Weekly. Argus Press (92): 5. 11 December 1984.</ref>
   
 
== BBC Micro Package ==
  
== BBC Micro Package ==
Line 65: Line 85:
 
[[File:Elite-BBC-Micro-Package-1984.png|thumb|200px|Elite BBC Micro Package 1984]]
  
[[File:Elite-BBC-Micro-Package-1984.png|thumb|200px|Elite BBC Micro Package 1984]]
   
−
The arrival of Elite heralded a new concept in game presentation. Instead of just the game media and an instruction sheet, Elite came packaged with a hefty manual, a novella based on the game, a ship poster and various other items.<ref>http://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Elite/bbc_tape.html</ref>
 +
The arrival of Elite heralded a new concept in game presentation. Instead of just the game media and an instruction sheet, Elite came packaged with a hefty manual, a novella based on the game, a ship poster and various other items.<ref name=":2">http://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Elite/bbc_tape.html</ref>
   
−
As with all other games on tape, loading the game was a laborious process, taking around 7 minutes to complete. Due to the nature of the cassette medium, no further loading took place at any stage, meaning docking and hyperspacing took place without delay. This was the reason why a number of features were missing compared to the disc version, as the latter loaded in fresh data during the game.
 +
As with all other games on tape, loading the game was a laborious process, taking around 7 minutes to complete. Due to the nature of the cassette medium, no further loading took place at any stage, meaning docking and hyperspacing took place without delay. This was the reason why a number of features were missing compared to the disc version, as the latter loaded in fresh data during the game.<ref name=":2" />
   
 
== Elite Badge ==
  
== Elite Badge ==
Line 73: Line 93:
 
[[File:Elite_Badges.jpg|thumb|200px|Elite Badges for people who reached Elite status]]
  
[[File:Elite_Badges.jpg|thumb|200px|Elite Badges for people who reached Elite status]]
   
  ⚫
The Elite badge is a very exclusive badge. It was only given to people who reached Elite status, and a few others who worked or did work for Firebird. People had to send in their 'Order of the Elite' postcard with a code they received when reaching the Elite status. Then they would receive the exclusive Elite badge from Acornsoft. Two badge versions were produced by Acornsoft. The third golden version of the badge is visible on Elite boxes produced by Firebird.
−
The Elite badge that Acornsoft sent to people who sent in their 'order of the Elite' postcard with the code they got at Elite level.
  
−  
⚫
The Elite badge was a very exclusive badge only given to people who reached Elite status, and a few others who worked or did work for Firebird. People had to send in their Order of the Elite postcard with a code they received when reaching the Elite status. Then they would receive the exclusive Elite badge. Acornsoft produced two badge versions. The third golden version of the badge is visible on Elite boxes produced by Firebird.
  
   
 
== Elite Logo ==
  
== Elite Logo ==
Line 81: Line 99:
 
[[File:Original-Elite-Logo-1984.png|thumb|200px|A scan of the Pilots Federation logo from the original Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, which was issued with the 1984 version of Elite as issued for the BBC Microcomputer 32K]]
  
[[File:Original-Elite-Logo-1984.png|thumb|200px|A scan of the Pilots Federation logo from the original Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, which was issued with the 1984 version of Elite as issued for the BBC Microcomputer 32K]]
   
−
The Elite logo is a combination of Pilots wings, the Elite text and a stylized Griffin which was added by artist Philip Castle. He also worked on the Cobra and Coriolis cover for the original Elite.
+
The [[Elite logo]] is a combination of Pilots wings, the Elite text and a stylized Griffin which was added by artist Philip Castle. He also worked on the Cobra and Coriolis cover for the original Elite.
   
 
David Braben said "The Elite logo took a while to get right. The inspiration was a mix of pilot's wings and logo. The Griffin thing was Philip Castle's idea."<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/15od2s/i_am_david_braben_cocreator_of_elite_creator_of/ I am David Braben, co-creator of Elite, creator of Frontier, Frontier II and the upcoming Elite: Dangerous]</ref>
  
David Braben said "The Elite logo took a while to get right. The inspiration was a mix of pilot's wings and logo. The Griffin thing was Philip Castle's idea."<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/15od2s/i_am_david_braben_cocreator_of_elite_creator_of/ I am David Braben, co-creator of Elite, creator of Frontier, Frontier II and the upcoming Elite: Dangerous]</ref>
Line 88: Line 106:
   
 
== Relics ==
  
== Relics ==
  +
⚫
Some gaming conventions and museums have a retro-gaming area. Such as PAX AUS in Melbourne had David Braben’s own BBC microcomputer, signed by him, on display in a glass cabinet. It's presumably the same machine purchased to work on the original Acornsoft contract all those years ago. There was also a signed copy of BBC Elite in its original box.<ref>http://suprmasv.czausov.com/happy-birthday-mr-braben/</ref>
  
  +
[[File:David-Braben-Signed-BBC-Microcomputer.png|thumb|200px|BBC Microcomputer signed by David Braben]]
  +
  ⚫
Some gaming conventions and museums have a retro-gaming area with Elite. Such as PAX AUS in Melbourne had David Braben’s own BBC microcomputer, signed by him, on display in a glass cabinet. It's presumably the same machine purchased to work on the original Acornsoft game all those years ago. There was also a signed copy of BBC Elite in its original box.<ref>http://suprmasv.czausov.com/happy-birthday-mr-braben/</ref>
   
 
== Elite 30th Anniversary ==
  
== Elite 30th Anniversary ==
Line 97: Line 118:
   
 
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
  
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
−
30_Years_An_Elite_Anniversary
 +
File:30_Years_An_Elite_Anniversary
  +
File:Elite_Dangerous_-_Thirty_Years_on_the_Frontier
  +
File:Elite_Dangerous_-_The_Evolution_of_Elite_(Part_1)
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
   
 
== Trivia ==
  
== Trivia ==
  +
* The original Elite was one of the first video games to use 3D vector shapes, and it used less memory than a single email does today.<ref>https://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/File:Elite-1984-3D-Vector-Shapes.png</ref>
⚫
* Most of the ships were named after snakes, and this came about because of the wireframe models looking a bit like snake heads.
  
  +
* The game's title is derived from a player's goal to raise their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite".
⚫
* Frontier Developments offers this game for free on their store page for PC, Mac and the original platforms.
 
  ⚫
* Most of the ships were named after snakes. This came about because of the wire-frame models looking a bit like snake heads.
  ⚫
* Frontier Developments offers this game for free on the [https://www.frontierstore.net Official Store] site for PC and Mac.
  +
* The song [https://youtu.be/w9gOQgfPW4Y M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume] has a map of the original Elite at 2:28. This is 4AD's first UK number one single from 1987.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9gOQgfPW4Y M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume (Official Video)]</ref>
   
−
== Further Information==
 +
== Related==
 
* [http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/manual.htm Original Elite manual]
  
* [http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/manual.htm Original Elite manual]
−
* [http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/dkwheel.htm The Dark Wheel novella]
 +
* [[Elite: The Dark Wheel]]
  +
* [[Elite series]]
−  
  +
* [[Elite logo]]
⚫
== References ==
  
⚫
<references />
  
   
 
== Gallery ==
  
== Gallery ==
−
<gallery>
 +
<gallery hideaddbutton="true">
−
Elite-1984-Product-Image.png|Elite 1984 product image
 +
File:Elite-1984-Product-Image.png|Elite 1984 product image
  +
File:Elite-1984-Official-Art-Restored.png|Elite 1984 official art restored
−
Elite.jpg|Elite
 +
File:Elite.jpg|Elite
−
The_Original_Elite,_1984.jpg|The original Elite by David Braben and Ian Bell
 +
File:The_Original_Elite,_1984.jpg|The original Elite by David Braben and Ian Bell
⚫
Elite-BBC-Micro-Package-1984.png|Elite BBC Micro Package 1984
  
−
Elite-Original-Poster-1984.png|Elite orignal poster 1984
 +
File:Elite-BBC-Micro-Package-1984.png|Elite BBC Micro Package 1984
−
David-Braben-Ian-Bell-Elite.png|David Braben and Ian Bell are the creators of Elite in 1984
 +
File:David-Braben-Ian-Bell-Elite.png|David Braben and Ian Bell are the creators of Elite in 1984
−
Elite_The_Dark_Wheel_Novella.jpg|The Dark Wheel, by Robert Holdstock
 +
File:Elite_The_Dark_Wheel_Novella.jpg|The Dark Wheel, by Robert Holdstock
  ⚫
File:Elite-Original-Poster-1984.png|Elite orignal poster 1984
−
Elite_Badges.jpg|Elite Badges for people who reached Elite status
 +
File:Elite_Badges.jpg|Elite Badges for people who reached Elite status
−
Original-Elite-Logo-1984.png|A scan of the Pilots Federation logo from the original Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, which was issued with the 1984 version of Elite as issued for the BBC Microcomputer 32K
 +
File:Original-Elite-Logo-1984.png|A scan of the Pilots Federation logo from the original Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, which was issued with the 1984 version of Elite as issued for the BBC Microcomputer 32K
−
Golden-Elite-Logo.png|Golden Elite Logo
 +
File:Golden-Elite-Logo.png|Golden Elite Logo
⚫
Acorn-News-magazine-Article-on-Elite-December-1984.png|In December 1984 Acorn News magazine published this article on Elite, together with a photo of the two authors
  
−
Elite-30-Years-on-the-Frontier.png|Elite - 30 Years on the Frontier
 +
File:Elite-Game-Logo-Outline-1984.jpg|Elite logo outline 1984
  ⚫
File:Acorn-News-magazine-Article-on-Elite-December-1984.png|In December 1984 Acorn News magazine published this article on Elite, together with a photo of the two authors
⚫
Space-Trader's-Flight-Training-Manual.png|Space Trader's Flight Training Manual scan
  
−
Elite 1984 Ship Identification Chart.png|Elite 1984 Ship Identification Chart
 +
File:Elite-30-Years-on-the-Frontier.png|Elite - 30 Years on the Frontier
  ⚫
File:Space-Trader's-Flight-Training-Manual.png|Space Trader's Flight Training Manual scan
  +
File:Elite 1984 Ship Identification Chart.png|Elite 1984 Ship Identification Chart
  +
File:David-Braben-Signed-BBC-Microcomputer.png|BBC Microcomputer signed by David Braben
  +
File:David-Braben-Signed-BBC-Elite-Box.png|BBC Elite Box signed by David Braben
  +
File:Elite-Series-Guinness-World-Record-Longest-Running-Space-Simulation-Series.png|Elite series Guinness World Record for Longest Running Space Simulation Series
  +
File:Elite-Game-1988-Atari-ST-port.png|Elite 1988 Atari ST port
  +
File:Elite-1984-3D-Vector-Shapes.png
 
</gallery>
  
</gallery>
   
  ⚫
== References ==
−
[[Category:Previous Games]]
  
  ⚫
<references />
 
[[Category:Elite series]]
  
[[Category:Elite series]]

Revision as of 13:42, 17 May 2020

Elite-1984-Official-Art-Restored

Elite 1984 official art

Elite is a space trading and combat simulator, originally published by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in September 1984.[1] It is the first installment of the legendary Elite series. Elite is the longest running space simulation series in history. This is verified by Guinness World Records.[2]

The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite". It was written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell, who met while they were both undergraduates at Jesus College, Cambridge. Versions of the game for other platforms were published by Firebird, Imagineer and Hybrid Technology.

Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wire-frame 3D graphics with hidden line removal. Another novelty was the added twitch gameplay and the inclusion of Elite: The Dark Wheel, a novella by Robert Holdstock which influenced new players with insight into the moral and legal codes to which they might aspire. The Dark Wheel was the first novella to be included for distribution with a video game in history.[3][4] According to Guinness World Records: "Elite was the first game to feature a (3D) procedurally generated world."[5]

Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history.[6] Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, No Man's Sky, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series. Jumpgate Evolution, Battlecruiser 3000AD, Hard Truck: Apocalyptic Wars and Flatspace have likewise credited Elite as a source of inspiration.[4]

Elite is one of the most significant computer games ever. Elite changed the face of computer gaming dramatically with its combination of believability, considered design, compelling gameplay and longevity.

Elite has often been regarded as the yardstick by which subsequent space trading games have been measured. Since its release Elite has been credited as being the title that defined the modern space flight simulation genre, a significant source of inspiration for later games in the genre as well as being influential upon gaming as a whole.[4]

It has been named as one of the most influential games in history, and has been credited as being the first truly open-ended open world game and opening the door for future online persistent worlds such as Second Life, World of Warcraft and EVE Online.[4]

Gameplay

The Original Elite, 1984

The original Elite by David Braben and Ian Bell

The player starts at Lave Station with a Cobra MkIII. The default pilot name is Commander Jameson whom the station Jameson Memorial is named after in Elite Dangerous.

Trading is considered the primary way to earn credits, but bounty hunting, piracy, asteroid mining, illegally salvaging cargo found in space, and illegal trading are available as more dangerous alternatives. Credits can be spent on upgrades to improve the ship's capabilities.

Thargoids can interrupt Hyperspace jumps, forcing the player to fight them in witchspace before attempting to finish the jump.

3D Open World Space Game

Jamie Sefton of GamesRadar explains: "The first truly open-world game was made for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron back in 1984 – David Braben and Ian Bell’s Elite. Until then, space games were flat, 2D experiences where you were restricted to a choice of when to move your ship and fire laser bolts at ever-descending dot-matrix aliens. Elite created a believable open-ended wire frame universe of planets, political systems, economies, trading routes and space stations, in which you could explore the galaxies and define your Commander Jameson – would you live the life of a bounty hunter, a miner, a trader or a pirate?"[7]

Rich Moss of Ars Technica said: "Elite changed everything. It was the home computer game to have in the mid-1980s—an open-ended spacefaring romp through eight 256-planet galaxies, which were fixed in their composition but cleverly generated on the fly by an algorithm in order to save on storage space. Its abstract 3D wireframe planets and spacecraft provided just enough detail to instill the appropriate sense of scale, with the rest left to your imagination."[8]

Music

The original Elite theme was composed by Aidan Bell and arranged by Chris Abbott. It also features The Blue Danube by Johan Strauss II which played during automated docking with the docking computer.

Hugely Influential Game

Elite

Elite

Elite's open-ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as Space Rogue, Eve Online, Freelancer, Jumpgate, Infinity: The Quest for Earth, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, the Escape Velocity series, the X series of space trading games and the Grand Theft Auto series.[9]

The former creative director of DMA Design Gary Penn cited Elite as a major influence for the original Grand Theft Auto (1997), "But I'd been working on Frontier, which is very different and there were definitely other people on the team who had things like Syndicate, Mercenary and Elite very much in their minds as well. That combination definitely led to the more open plan structure there is now. The game as it stands now is basically Elite in a city, but without quite the same sense of taking on the jobs. You take on the jobs in a slightly different way, but incredibly similar structurally. It's just a much more acceptable real world setting. The game was cops and robbers and then that evolved fairly quickly -- nobody wants to be the cop, it's more fun to be bad. And then that evolved into Grand Theft Auto".[10]

Elite-Series-Guinness-World-Record-Longest-Running-Space-Simulation-Series

Elite series Guinness World Record for Longest Running Space Simulation Series

The Elite series spans over 30 years. On 18 June 2015, David Braben and Frontier Developments received a certificate from Guinness World Records, because Elite is officially the longest running space simulation series in history. The certificate says "The longest running space simulation series is Elite created by David Braben and Ian Bell and was released on 20 September 1984. Officially amazing."[2]

History

David-Braben-Ian-Bell-Elite

David Braben and Ian Bell are the creators of Elite in 1984

The Original Elite, 1984 – 1992

It’s hard, at this stage, to return to the pre-Elite days of computer gaming in the early 80s. Back then games were largely simplistic, clones of arcade games or following very closely in their designs. Games were specifically designed to play through in a few minutes, featuring ‘lives’, ‘scores’ and ‘levels’. There were games that broke this mould, but they were few and far between, and often easily forgotten.[11]

Elite was born out of the dissatisfaction with the confines of traditional gaming. With no score, what was the purpose? The Thatcherite years of the 1980s provided the answer – money. But money isn’t a score, you can spend money. On what? On upgrades… so your ship had to be inferior to start with. What would be the purpose of upgrading your ship? To defeat other vessels. Why would those other vessels attack you? Because you carried a cargo… so trading was required alongside piracy. There was always a reason for the game mechanics, and the concept developed from there.[11]

The true genius, however, lay in providing the player with choices. Yes, there were pirates out there, but you could become one yourself if you so desired. You had moral choices in the game, with no predetermined path.[11]

Read the full article at Elite Dangerous History: The original ‘Elite’.

Versions

Elite-Game-1988-Atari-ST-port

Elite 1988 Atari ST port

Due to the great commercial success of the BBC Micro version, Elite was ported to every contemporary home computer system such as Amiga, Atari ST, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Tatung Einstein and IBM PC compatible. British Telecom's computer software division Telecomsoft won a bidding war for the rights to publish Elite on other platforms.[12][13]

BBC Micro Package

Elite-BBC-Micro-Package-1984

Elite BBC Micro Package 1984

The arrival of Elite heralded a new concept in game presentation. Instead of just the game media and an instruction sheet, Elite came packaged with a hefty manual, a novella based on the game, a ship poster and various other items.[14]

As with all other games on tape, loading the game was a laborious process, taking around 7 minutes to complete. Due to the nature of the cassette medium, no further loading took place at any stage, meaning docking and hyperspacing took place without delay. This was the reason why a number of features were missing compared to the disc version, as the latter loaded in fresh data during the game.[14]

Elite Badge

Elite Badges

Elite Badges for people who reached Elite status

The Elite badge is a very exclusive badge. It was only given to people who reached Elite status, and a few others who worked or did work for Firebird. People had to send in their 'Order of the Elite' postcard with a code they received when reaching the Elite status. Then they would receive the exclusive Elite badge from Acornsoft. Two badge versions were produced by Acornsoft. The third golden version of the badge is visible on Elite boxes produced by Firebird.

Original-Elite-Logo-1984

A scan of the Pilots Federation logo from the original Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, which was issued with the 1984 version of Elite as issued for the BBC Microcomputer 32K

The Elite logo is a combination of Pilots wings, the Elite text and a stylized Griffin which was added by artist Philip Castle. He also worked on the Cobra and Coriolis cover for the original Elite.

David Braben said "The Elite logo took a while to get right. The inspiration was a mix of pilot's wings and logo. The Griffin thing was Philip Castle's idea."[15]

In the Elite universe it's the emblem of the Elite Federation of Pilots. The body awards and administers the Elite ratings. The gold badge is for Elite pilots and silver for all other ranks.

Relics

David-Braben-Signed-BBC-Microcomputer

BBC Microcomputer signed by David Braben

Some gaming conventions and museums have a retro-gaming area with Elite. Such as PAX AUS in Melbourne had David Braben’s own BBC microcomputer, signed by him, on display in a glass cabinet. It's presumably the same machine purchased to work on the original Acornsoft game all those years ago. There was also a signed copy of BBC Elite in its original box.[16]

Elite 30th Anniversary

Elite-30-Years-on-the-Frontier

Elite - 30 Years on the Frontier

20th September 2014 was the 30th anniversary of the day the world first experienced Elite. This is the classic 3D space trading and combat game written by Ian Bell and David Braben in 1984. The technology used fits 8 galaxies each with 256 planets to explore on 32k of memory. It began on the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and appeared on most gaming platforms of the era. Elite Dangerous continues the Elite series into the future.[17]

Trivia

  • The original Elite was one of the first video games to use 3D vector shapes, and it used less memory than a single email does today.[18]
  • The game's title is derived from a player's goal to raise their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite".
  • Most of the ships were named after snakes. This came about because of the wire-frame models looking a bit like snake heads.
  • Frontier Developments offers this game for free on the Official Store site for PC and Mac.
  • The song M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume has a map of the original Elite at 2:28. This is 4AD's first UK number one single from 1987.[19]

Related

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Games by Frontier - Elite". Archived from the original on 27 January 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://twitter.com/gwr/status/611537566299463681?lang=en Guinness World Records, 18 Jun 2015
  3. ↑ Games that changed the world: Elite". Computer & Video Games. Archived from the original on 11 February 2007.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_(video_game)
  5. ↑ First use of procedural generation in a videogame - Guinness World Records
  6. ↑ LaMosca, Adam (18 July 2006). "Lost in the Void". The Escapist. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  7. ↑ http://www.gamesradar.com/the-roots-of-open-world-games/
  8. ↑ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017/03/youre-now-free-to-move-about-vice-city-a-history-of-open-world-gaming/
  9. ↑ https://classicreload.com/c64-elite.html
  10. ↑ Gamasutra - Gary Penn interview"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 https://canonn.science/lore/drewwagar-history-the-original-elite/
  12. ↑ "Elite Auction", Micro Adventurer (14): 7, December 1984
  13. ↑ "Elite for Spectrum". Home Computing Weekly. Argus Press (92): 5. 11 December 1984.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 http://www.frontierastro.co.uk/Elite/bbc_tape.html
  15. ↑ I am David Braben, co-creator of Elite, creator of Frontier, Frontier II and the upcoming Elite: Dangerous
  16. ↑ http://suprmasv.czausov.com/happy-birthday-mr-braben/
  17. ↑ http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/thirty/index.htm
  18. ↑ https://elite-dangerous.wikia.com/wiki/File:Elite-1984-3D-Vector-Shapes.png
  19. ↑ M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume (Official Video)
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms