Celebrating 35 years of Elite!
- Thread starter Stephen Benedetti
- Start date
For me, I have to tell that the whole computer gaming started with the classic Elite. I was a little kid back in around 1991-1992, four years old, when during a summer holiday my brother played Elite all day long on our Enterprise 128 microcomputer. I enjoyed very much the tales he told while 'we' were flying, about the pirates who were constantly attacking us, or the fantastic stories that happened while we were docked at one of the stations. He did not let me fly the ship, but I could sit besides him and listen to his stories or sometimes launch a rocket, if I fetched raspberry drink for him at the stations from the kitchen. The room was darkened and we even built a ship cockpit to simulate the darkness and loneliness of space. From then, my only goal was to learn how to load the game on the Enterprise and fly alone. So the classic Elite had always a special place in my heart, I consider that my whole computer enthusiasm started with it! Maybe that's why I still play different versions of the classic game on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/kapitanygaming/search?query=elite
Thanks for starting me on my road towards the stars!
o7 CMDR Deck Narrow
Thanks for starting me on my road towards the stars!
o7 CMDR Deck Narrow
ExcelsiorUK.
I haven't been a modern Commander very long, so perhaps my fondest memories stem from Elite 2 Frontier although I first loaded Elite from a tape in 1984! They relate to the physics engine.
When assaulting a ground base, I would face insurmountable odds. But I had a secret weapon. Physics. I would attract the attention of the defenders near the surface, then burn for high orbit. They followed. Then, I'd head back down. They followed. Now, thing is, retro thrusters were much weaker than main engines. As the ground came up, I stood on my tail, full burn, and came to a stop. Much faster than my pursuers on their retros, who ended up smearing themselves across the planetary surface. I then took my leave, mission accomplished. Physics was my friend in Elite 2. It also helped when Fuel Rats didn't exist, but that's another memory!
Whilst we're talking memories, please have a look at the LEGO project I've done for the 35th and support it for free - it'll need a lot for it to have a chance of getting made! Thank you Cmdrs! o7
Cobra and Coriolis LEGO Ideas
I haven't been a modern Commander very long, so perhaps my fondest memories stem from Elite 2 Frontier although I first loaded Elite from a tape in 1984! They relate to the physics engine.
When assaulting a ground base, I would face insurmountable odds. But I had a secret weapon. Physics. I would attract the attention of the defenders near the surface, then burn for high orbit. They followed. Then, I'd head back down. They followed. Now, thing is, retro thrusters were much weaker than main engines. As the ground came up, I stood on my tail, full burn, and came to a stop. Much faster than my pursuers on their retros, who ended up smearing themselves across the planetary surface. I then took my leave, mission accomplished. Physics was my friend in Elite 2. It also helped when Fuel Rats didn't exist, but that's another memory!
Whilst we're talking memories, please have a look at the LEGO project I've done for the 35th and support it for free - it'll need a lot for it to have a chance of getting made! Thank you Cmdrs! o7
Cobra and Coriolis LEGO Ideas
My favourite memory was spending weeks then a final week making many trips in a community goal in my AspExp earning enough credits to buy my first Python, it took a long time and I really felt like I earned it. Then, again with my Anaconda, I worked for it, I struggled for it, I achieved it and I felt like I had really earned it. Although, with the Anaconda, I hated it 
Working for and achiving the AspExp too, after spending time in the glorious Cobra III. Then I worked hard for my first two Elites, Trading and Combat.
each and every upgrade cost me credits that took me time to earn and I was able to relish the better ship as I embarked on the journey to earn enough credits for the next upgrade, each was hard fought for and hard won.
Sigh, happy times... It's just not the same any more, even on my second account.
Cmdr Haud Wesq
Working for and achiving the AspExp too, after spending time in the glorious Cobra III. Then I worked hard for my first two Elites, Trading and Combat.
each and every upgrade cost me credits that took me time to earn and I was able to relish the better ship as I embarked on the journey to earn enough credits for the next upgrade, each was hard fought for and hard won.
Sigh, happy times... It's just not the same any more, even on my second account.
Cmdr Haud Wesq
Going back to the ZX Spectrum day with this one.
I think the single most thrilling thing about Elite was the fact that you could actually save where you were in the game. Of course it wasn’t on a hard drive or even a floppy, I had to wait for the Amiga version for that.
I had a special C9O tape for all my Spectrum saves, the tab broken off so to stop accidental erasure by anyone when I wasn’t playing it. Was always having to clean off the sticky tape gum from the cassette.
Had all the save positions written on the cover with the tape count so I knew which saves were the best.
Just thinking about that tape is a happy memory because it was tangible proof of my adventures in Elite.
CMDR Kyle
I think the single most thrilling thing about Elite was the fact that you could actually save where you were in the game. Of course it wasn’t on a hard drive or even a floppy, I had to wait for the Amiga version for that.
I had a special C9O tape for all my Spectrum saves, the tab broken off so to stop accidental erasure by anyone when I wasn’t playing it. Was always having to clean off the sticky tape gum from the cassette.
Had all the save positions written on the cover with the tape count so I knew which saves were the best.
Just thinking about that tape is a happy memory because it was tangible proof of my adventures in Elite.
CMDR Kyle
I attempted to dock a few times, at my friend's house using his Spectrum. It didnt go so well, though trying to achieve combat through out of control jousting gave me a serious appreciation for newtonian movement! Once (and only once) I was able to use my ship as a battering ram, ending both pilots' whole careers in a fine scattering of spacedust. I wish I could have practiced more often, as my friend hated the game. I think it was just jealousy of his dad's expertise, as I asked him about it and the man brightened up, and told me just how hard it was to get that Cobra fully outfitted to 'Iron Ass' status. Great stories, and I was in rapt attention as I got to share something with his pa that my sulky, impatient, controller-throwing friend never got to. His loss!
PC CMDR Pavel Mirsky
PC CMDR Pavel Mirsky
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CMDR name: thetrooper7
The whole Distant worlds 2 was a great experience.. Every commander involved, from organisation to just flying around. Fuel Rats and Hull Seals to help commanders when in trouble..Getting at Beagle Point in time to get the decal..
The whole Distant worlds 2 was a great experience.. Every commander involved, from organisation to just flying around. Fuel Rats and Hull Seals to help commanders when in trouble..Getting at Beagle Point in time to get the decal..
My son was 7 years old when we bought the first Elite game for our Commodore 64. I still remember, to this day, the delight we both felt when we loaded it up for the first time and realised how different it was from the simple platform and puzzle games that we were used to. We could leave a space station in a spaceship, jump to another system and try (often unsuccessfully) to dock in a different space station to trade our goods..... incredible, awesome. We have never lost the awe we felt that day as we played through every iteration of Elite on Amiga and PC and even today at 65 years old (me) and 41 years old (son) we still wing up regularly on Elite Dangerous Horizons as Cmdr Alcohall2707 and Cmdr Dedmedix.
Cmdr AlcoHall 2707.
Cmdr AlcoHall 2707.
CMDR Papillon
The wireframe is awesome. My favorite memory is my first memory of Elite. I was a big fan of the Wing Commander games, but a friend of mine showed me a copy of Frontier Elite(around '95 or '96) and how his wireframe Cobra flew to a space station, and later a planet, where he could land, which I thought was so cool. I'd never seen Elite before that, and I was stunned by how much bigger it was than any WC game I'd played up to that point. Just the sheer size of the game universe had my imagination spinning for weeks while I learned the ropes.
The wireframe is awesome. My favorite memory is my first memory of Elite. I was a big fan of the Wing Commander games, but a friend of mine showed me a copy of Frontier Elite(around '95 or '96) and how his wireframe Cobra flew to a space station, and later a planet, where he could land, which I thought was so cool. I'd never seen Elite before that, and I was stunned by how much bigger it was than any WC game I'd played up to that point. Just the sheer size of the game universe had my imagination spinning for weeks while I learned the ropes.
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CMDR: phredd10
For me just playing the game on my C64 and being able to dock without the computer was epic! (disclosure, I did get a docking computer) More recent was joining DW2 and making it to Beagle Point. I don't know if or when I would have wondered out there myself, but figured just go for it.
For me just playing the game on my C64 and being able to dock without the computer was epic! (disclosure, I did get a docking computer) More recent was joining DW2 and making it to Beagle Point. I don't know if or when I would have wondered out there myself, but figured just go for it.
Having played the game on the BBC Micro back in 83 and as revolutionary back then as it was, my favourite moment would be during the Colonia Expansion Events that my player faction Privateers Alliance took part in. For whatever reason we managed to start a week behind everyone else so had to push harder than anyone, well push we did. I cannot be more proud and humbled by a group of people on the internets from all over the world than the group that took part in those few weeks. With the help of everyone involved we secured a station.
Weeks passed and unbeknown to me the higher ups in PA had chosen to put my name on the station as a kind of commendation and Kremmens Respite in Kioti 368 was born. Never in my wildest dreams did I think back in 1983 that 35 years later I would be playing that same game I loved and adored and have a station named after me. Genuine tears were shed when they informed me of their decision and they will all have a special place in my heart.
o7 Cmdrs
Cmdr ElvisKremmen
Weeks passed and unbeknown to me the higher ups in PA had chosen to put my name on the station as a kind of commendation and Kremmens Respite in Kioti 368 was born. Never in my wildest dreams did I think back in 1983 that 35 years later I would be playing that same game I loved and adored and have a station named after me. Genuine tears were shed when they informed me of their decision and they will all have a special place in my heart.
o7 Cmdrs
Cmdr ElvisKremmen
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I'm 7 or 8 years old and have a Spectrum 48k I share with my older sister. The computer is set up in my parents room on a little portable telly. I've opened a new game which has a story and the manual reads like I'm actually a pilot who has just bought his first spaceship! There is a cardboard keyboard overlay that cunningly fits over the computer so you know what all the controls are. Flying with the keys S/X and N/M, and A is fire. Thinking Mongooses are cool I name my commander Monguse because I don't know how to spell it. And I sit there hunched over for days and weeks flying around a monochrome galaxy fitting military lasers to all 4 view ports. The tactic of shooting a ship head on, rolling and switching to a side laser to continue shooting as they pass, then switching to the rear laser and continue to blast them, with the directions all reversed, as they turn for another run. Got me to the heady heights of Dangerous!
(Elite Dangerous Commander Name is Ayaron)
(Elite Dangerous Commander Name is Ayaron)
Commander Name: JimOndi
Platform: C64
I was about 12 - 13 yrs old, somehow i convinced myself that the game kept track of the visited planet and therefore decided to visit all of them to see if i could get another "incoming message" ....
With transparent paper over the monitor i made a carbon copy of each single planet in every galaxy and then proceeded to visit every single one of them, using often the escape pod to speed up the process.
There were no message at the end, but it was still worth it because i found an easter egg that was years later confirmed by Ian Bell itself via email. To my knowledge nobody else found it
Platform: C64
I was about 12 - 13 yrs old, somehow i convinced myself that the game kept track of the visited planet and therefore decided to visit all of them to see if i could get another "incoming message" ....
With transparent paper over the monitor i made a carbon copy of each single planet in every galaxy and then proceeded to visit every single one of them, using often the escape pod to speed up the process.
There were no message at the end, but it was still worth it because i found an easter egg that was years later confirmed by Ian Bell itself via email. To my knowledge nobody else found it
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CMDR Minamir
It's difficult to choose one best memory from Elite: Dangerous. For me, there's no single "best one"; what I perceive as memorable are collections of events, some of them were planned, others were a surprise or just happened during gameplay, whether good or bad in outcome. I started playing the game with some friends, seeing their big ships blasting NPCs while I was sitting in a tiny Sidewinder, many hours later I was the one showing the ropes to newcomers.I remember doing CG cargo runs to Maia in an unengineered Type 6, getting Sol permit, visiting mysterious Guardian Ruins, meeting people at Beagle Point during Distant Worlds 2, and the sweaty palms experience of PvP fights. There's also the feeling of being one of many Commanders, sometimes you take part in a big event, other times you're just casually space-trucking in some forgotten system on the rim of the Bubble. There's also many ou-of-game memories, from player made guides and theories, through talking to friends about our latest achievements, to some heated discussions on forums an other platforms
It's a bit like real life, the unique or unexpected memories are remembered for a long time, while routine tasks quickly fade away. I can safely assume my collection of memories will still grow as I continue to play, and I'm hoping that the next year's update will help create even more memorable events in the future. o7
It's difficult to choose one best memory from Elite: Dangerous. For me, there's no single "best one"; what I perceive as memorable are collections of events, some of them were planned, others were a surprise or just happened during gameplay, whether good or bad in outcome. I started playing the game with some friends, seeing their big ships blasting NPCs while I was sitting in a tiny Sidewinder, many hours later I was the one showing the ropes to newcomers.I remember doing CG cargo runs to Maia in an unengineered Type 6, getting Sol permit, visiting mysterious Guardian Ruins, meeting people at Beagle Point during Distant Worlds 2, and the sweaty palms experience of PvP fights. There's also the feeling of being one of many Commanders, sometimes you take part in a big event, other times you're just casually space-trucking in some forgotten system on the rim of the Bubble. There's also many ou-of-game memories, from player made guides and theories, through talking to friends about our latest achievements, to some heated discussions on forums an other platforms
It's a bit like real life, the unique or unexpected memories are remembered for a long time, while routine tasks quickly fade away. I can safely assume my collection of memories will still grow as I continue to play, and I'm hoping that the next year's update will help create even more memorable events in the future. o7
CMDR StRiPeD here.
I've played Elite on my ZX Spectrum a lot. In parallel, I've studied ZX Basic programming language. One day I've decided to experiment with the game using the craziest idea in my life.
I saved on my tape a big file consisting of only 'FF' bytes and used it as a game save file.
It worked! I've found out myself in a galaxy with number 65535 with 65535 alien items in my cargo! No checksums, no save file data validation! Wow!
I've played Elite on my ZX Spectrum a lot. In parallel, I've studied ZX Basic programming language. One day I've decided to experiment with the game using the craziest idea in my life.
I saved on my tape a big file consisting of only 'FF' bytes and used it as a game save file.
It worked! I've found out myself in a galaxy with number 65535 with 65535 alien items in my cargo! No checksums, no save file data validation! Wow!