Elite is a game franchise with a solid following from the 8-bit gaming world.
As we have been working through my archives we have realized how much
great information there is on Elite.
This is our journal of the game.
There are links to the runtime versions of the game, period and modern reviews
and of course the obligatory fiction pieces.
Introducing the Elite franchise
The Game Franchise Elite has a solid following in the 8-bit gaming world.
The original Elite game released in 1984 on the on the BBC Micro was probably
the first game to be a space opera in a
sandbox.
The game seamlessly blends trading, space combat and deep space exploration.
As we have been working through my archives we have realized how much great
information there is on Elite. Royal Mail even released a video game stamp collection
that featured the 1984 release of Elite.
This is my journal of the game.
The popularity and critical reception of a game can be influenced by many factors such as graphics, gameplay, story, innovation, and cultural impact. Elite was considered a groundbreaking game in the space trading and combat simulation genre, with its open-world design, procedurally generated galaxies, and 3D graphics.
It offered players the freedom to explore and make choices, making the game highly replayable.
The scope of the space trading game Elite and its subsequent versions is
an amazing feat for the hardware available. The Beeb (BBC microcomputer)
version of Elite fit into 22 kilobytes of memory. In order to achieve
this increadable feat of software engineering, the developers used Fibonnacci
sequences to calculate the scope of the universe.
Known ports for the game include:
IBM MS-DOS, Acorn 32-bit, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, BBC Micro,
Commodore 64, MSX, NES, Tatung Einstein, ZX Spectrum
Microcomputer Run-time Versions
If you don't believe us, you can find out just how good the Game Franchise Elite
is. Elite is one of the most original space trading games available.
And to think that all of this trading gameplay was built on the humble 8-bit
microcomputers such as the Apple II and Commodore C64. We have put together
some links to the web-versions of the game. Play the different Elite franchise
ports on each 8-bit platform.
As someone who has played Elite on various microcomputer run-time versions, I find the browser version to be the most enjoyable. The smooth graphics and sound make for an immersive experience. It's great that I don't need to worry about hardware issues like monitor compatibility or disk drive failures. The browser version is much more accessible and convenient for me to play, especially with the easy-to-use keymapping. I also appreciate that the browser version has retained the original C64 music, which adds to the nostalgic atmosphere of the game. Overall, the browser version of Elite allows me to experience the classic game in a way that is both faithful to the original and convenient for modern gameplay.
Variations between releases
Gamers often realize how groundbreaking Elite was. Elite pushed the boundaries of what can is possible in an open game. Porting Elite to different 8-bit machines did lead to compromise. Gamers became confused about these variations. There were noticeable variations between the disk and cassette versions as well.
Elite was first released on the BBC as a diskette version. The desk version kept gaming data on the disk to remember the state of the game. The developers had to remove expansions such as Galactic Hyperspace and detailed planetary data. It was not possible to save the state of the game onto a cassette. Cassettes read and write data sequentially. Data can read and write randomly on a diskette. It would be embarrassing to have the player save the game to tape and overwrite the game code.
These compromises increase across platforms. Elite on the Acorn Electron was even more limited. Even more was removed from the game code to improve speed. The Electron version of Elite has a reputation for being slow. An estimated seven galaxies were removed.
Other tricks that to trim the microcomputer requirements down were employed. Mining lasers were removed so that you cannot mine asteroids. Military lasers with even more firepower were removed. Those special details like rotation planets, suns (no free fuel), and various enemy ship classes are other items that vary between editions. These detail change the game mechanics and game play. Hard core elite collectors will want to play each version.
