Celebrating 35 years of Elite!

[StRiPeD]

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!

 

[CmdrMOSEPH]

Favorite memory...hmm...difficult one considering all the years & fun, but I'd have to say my fondest memories of Elite go back 35 years when I had the game on my Commodore 64 (which I still have!!). Two of my best friends would come over, we'd get plenty of snacks & sodas and embark as a crew, sitting in front of the TV. I was the 'pilot' (operating the keyboard) and we worked together making decisions on what systems to travel to & what goods we were going to trade. We spent countless hours playing the original Elite together and it was a blast.

 

[kinglemo2000]

Playing Frontier Elite on the amiga and then on the PC, I remember hacking the game files on the PC to give my Panther Clipper a 10000 ton cargo hold and a nice boosted jump range. Still a pain trying to hire the crew to fly it

 

[NealBeforeZod]

Favorite memory - finally mastering the obscure BBC Micro key layout (ASX<>/ and <space>) well enough to dock! It helped a lot figuring out that pushing both directions at once (S+X or <+>) would stop you dead with no inertia ;-)

Cmdr Halflite

 

[AntidotE]

My first impression was Elite 2 seen on someone's pc in computer's club

Cmdr AntidotE

 

[BanzaiZAP]

CMDR Jaistlyn
Elite (1984)

So as a young teenager, I enjoyed science-fiction and our family's Commodore-64. One afternoon, my Dad brought home a nifty black box labelled "Elite" and proceeded to play. I was curious, and looked forward to trying it out myself. Dinner time came and went. Dad was still playing. It was a school night, and I had to go to bed soon. Dad was still playing. I ended up going to bed, rather sullen. Dad was still playing.

But I got up again just after midnight. Everyone else was asleep, and Dad wasn't playing! The screen provided the only light, and I plugged in the bulky headphones to hide the sound. I settled in as the game loaded up. I was presented with a spinning form of a spaceship, and I knew something special was happening.

I was up until 3am. On a school night, in secret. I got up for breakfast, bleary but bursting with enthusiasm for the new game. I was desperate to talk to my Dad about it, but couldn't reveal that I had stayed up without getting into serious trouble. Breakfast was agony, until my Dad glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, and slyly said "So, are you still Harmless?"

Not only the best Elite memory, but one of the best memories of my Dad.

 

[Raxxla]

My favorite memory was playing the 1984 version of Elite on my Apple II computer, reading the Dark Wheel and looking for Raxxla in the game. I guess you could say the game has had a major effect on me. It's my favorite game from my childhood, and it's my favorite game today. It's wonderful that so many others can experience this same joy. - CMDR Raxxla.

 

[gravitysux]

Best memory was the first time I got my own Amiga 500 and started Elite on it. It meant I did not have to beg my friend permission to sit in hos room to play Elite all night while he was doing homework or playing football. I did get the savegame from his diskette, and reached Elite soon after

CMDR gravitysux

 

[Ronewird]

Greetings Commanders,

Over the years, the Elite series of games has grown and evolved, starting all the way from the first Elite (published on this very day in 1984) to the Elite Dangerous we have today!

For the 35th anniversary of Elite 1984, we want to look back and celebrate each and every Commander who has shared this incredible ride with us.

Haven't had the chance to earn your wings in the iconic Elite? Claim your free copy on the Frontier Store for PC and Mac here.

As a gift for every Commander, head over to the in-game store, and you will be able to claim your own Retro Thargoid Bobblehead, available until 23 September (16:00 UTC) for 1 ARX.

View attachment 143682

​

But that's not all! Alongside this octagonal interloper, we've got 35 Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Jobs to give away. To be in with the chance to win one of these Paint Jobs, all you need to do is reply to this thread, telling us about your favourite memory playing one of the Elite games. Don't forget to include your Commander Name to be eligible to win!

The competition will run from now until 23 September (11:00 UTC) and winners will be contacted by 25 September (11:00 UTC). With the aid of the Elite Dangerous development team, our top 35 favourite comments will be rewarded with the Paint Job.

You can also get involved over on Steam, Twitter and Facebook! Please find all of the Terms and Conditions below.

View attachment 143684

​

Whether you've only just donned your flight suit, or you've been with us over the last 35 years, thank you for all of your passion and support!

Fly safe.



TERMS AND CONDITIONS (FORUM/STEAM)

• Prize: One (1) Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Job. (35 per platform – Frontier Forums, Steam, Facebook and Twitter)
• One submission per person (per platform).
• You only officially enter the competition when you reply, with your favourite Elite Dangerous memory, to the relevant competition thread/post.
• Be sure to include your Commander Name in your reply to be eligible to win.
• The competition closes on Monday 23 September (2019) at 11:00 UTC.
• The winners will be announced by Wednesday 25 September (2019) and prizes will be credited directly to the winner's account.
• The winners will be chosen by a panel of Elite Dangerous developers.
• Objectionable or offensive content will be disqualified.
• No submission should violate the Elite Dangerous EULA and TOS.
• Frontier Developments has the right to remove any entry at their sole discretion
• Frontier Developments employees are excluded from participating in the event.
• Frontier Developments reserve the right to exchange any prize for a prize of similar value.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS (FACEBOOK/TWITTER)

• Prize: One (1) Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Job. (35 per platform – Frontier Forums, Steam, Facebook and Twitter)
• One submission per person (per platform).
• You only officially enter the competition when you reply, with your favourite Elite Dangerous memory, to the relevant competition thread/post.
• Be sure to include your Commander Name in your reply to be eligible to win.
• The winners will be contacted by the Frontier Community Team via Facebook DM, Twitter DM or Forum DM. Please ensure you are following @EliteDangerous on Twitter to allow us to contact you.
• The winners have 7 days to respond and claim the prize; if no response has been received after 7 days, you forfeit your prize.
• The competition closes on Monday 23 September (2019) at 11:00 UTC.
• The winners will be announced by Wednesday 25 September (2019) and prizes will be credited directly to the winner's account.
• The winners will be chosen by a panel of Elite Dangerous developers.
• Objectionable or offensive content will be disqualified.
• No submission should violate the Elite Dangerous EULA and TOS.
• Frontier Developments has the right to remove any entry at their sole discretion
• Frontier Developments employees are excluded from participating in the event.
• Frontier Developments reserve the right to exchange any prize for a prize of similar value.

As a first i'm an old customer. I born on 1973. And i had all you elite serie games the fist 3 for c64. Nice age!

I had elite, frontier, and frontier first encounter.

Best memory ? Me playing elite hidded from my parents as my scool performance was poor anf i was one mount without c64.

CMD NAME Ronewird......and i want my military drive back!!!!

 

[Strobia]

My first memory, being that I was all but 7 years old, was watching my eldest brother play on the Acorn Electron, and then the BBC model B - both computers I bought off him as he progressed to the newest computers on the market (started out on the ZX Spectrum 48K).

I played with my then vintage space LEGO, whilst brother was flying through the galaxy earning his Elite wings - I was pre-hooked and eager to join in the action.

So after acquiring his BBC model B, it must’ve been the age of Charles & Diana getting married or thereabouts, but I was in love with Elite from the start playing on the keyboard.

A generation later I bought the Amiga 1200 with HD upgrade; and bought Frontier First Encounters - I loved this game perhaps even more in some ways with the colour 3D ships - especially the Imperial Clipper! Ohh and the sound tracks! - accompanied with playing with a joystick!

But what started it all off was playing the original, the graphics were ground-breaking, I can still hear the sound of the pulse lasers, beam lasers, and hyperspace!

I think my favourite specific memory is approaching and docking the space station - flying close to the letter box entrance. Oh such joy!

CMDR Strobia

PS, last night after playing Elite Dangerous after now 2 years on the PS4, I finally earned my Imperial Duke ranking, which means I can see if I can trade in my Krait MK2 for the Imperial Cutter!

 

[chenzo1331]

My favourite moment in any of the elite games was in frontier:elite 2. I was a master pilot in previous game and all its releases and excitedly ran out to get a copy of frontier the second it launched.
The way the ships handled were terrible! The old game was fairly simple, but frontier seemed shaky, hard to control and required some dedication to master.
I could not get into the game because of it and it sat unplaid for a few months until i desided i was gonna master it. Once i realised why it felt so different and i got the hang of it, i was able to slingshot off planets, skim planet surfaces and dog fight like a boss. My favourite moment in elite was realising how big, advanced and ground breaking frontier was. I cant pick out a single moment that shines above the rest.. the whole game was one big masterpiece of enjoyable moments that didnt end.
Xbox
Game tag : Chenzo1331

P.s. frontier:Elite 2 is sharware now. If anyones not tried it... give it a go a bask in the genius of it.

 

[Abel SCP 072]

Cmdr name : Abel SCP 076 2

Losing my Imperial clipper in pvp without a rebuy. Re evaluating my life choices. Booting up the game and finding out that I could win Credits in CQC to re buy said clipper. I got competitive and ended up with a kd of 7.45 just because I wanted my Clipper back. After couple of days full on sweaty deathmatch I got my Clipper back. This one was the one you got for doing the ALV event. Still have said Clipper ( also went out and killed those gankers in said clipper). Oh and met cool people while playing CQC ( this was back on its hey day in Xbox). HAPPY 35 years 5 more and you get a mid life crisis.

 

[GroG79]

Around '94-'95 my older brother convinced my father to buy an Amiga for us. We had many years of fun playing a lot of games on this wonderful machine. Frontier Elite II was one of those games we played for hours and hours on end. So about one year ago I got all the Amiga hardware from the house of my parents and took it home with me. The monitor had some power issues but I manage to resolve those by cleaning the inside from all the accumulated dust.

Then the moment of thruth after 20 years. Will it still power up?… Would the Amiga still work at all? Not only did it 'just' work but I also found an old gem installed on the 40 Mb harddisk...


CMDR A.I. GroG

P1090105.MP4

drive.google.com

 

[Galbrine]

My Favourite memory from elite was watching a stream while playing the game and meeting CMDR Alesgriff79 then eventually meeting her in person and now we live together happily all thanks to Elite Dangerous. Without this game i don't think i would ever have met her.

CMDR Galbrine

 

[ataribaby]

Hello Commanders!
My best memory is from playing Elite on ZX Spectrum back in early 90s. I had only cassette from friend without manual as it was too early for getting legal games here in 1991 (former Czechoslovakia - just one year after fall of Iron Curtain)

I just had that C90 tape with 48K version of ZX Spectrum Elite and few guides from game magazines that just emerged back then. Elite was full of mystery for me and I has been enjoying every moment playing it and gaining combat rating towards --- E L I T E --- goal. I tried find famous Generation Ships that I read about in magazine and of course never found any even I flew half a day away from star I still believed it is out there somewhere. I was mining, pirating, bounty hunting and terrorizing Rock Hermits. I spent full summer in front of B/W CRT telly to became --- E L I T E --- finally.

My best moment was when I jumped to new system one day and encountered strange group of ships - there was few Kraits or Adder (I can't remember as ZX Spectrum had limited ship list and one side of cassette contains Added and other Krait, something I learned 20 years later as my pirated C90 had only one version). After I killed those ships strange reading appeared on radar - blinking blip that goes on/off constantly. I looked like ASP ship that disappears and reappears for few seconds. I was shocked as I never expected or encountered such a strange ship. After I managed to kill him, exploding ASP left single cargo canister and when scooped I got message about Cloaking Device and activate it with Y key. I was so happy I got this. From now I used it during my bounty hunts. Device drained energy fast but advantage to be invisible was great.

20 Years later when I got original complete ZX Spectrum Elite game box with novel, manual, poster and so on I learned form internet that every 8bit Elite version has unique missions. In my ZX Spectrum playthrough I got Super Nova, Pirate base, Cloaking ASP and Thargoid Invasion ones. Just Cloaking Device was my best Elite moment. I did't know about missions back then and it came totally unexpected. When I learned trigger conditions for this mission I has been very lucky...

Fast forward another 8 years and I am showing Elite Dangerous to my 8 year daughter in full VR and she have exactly same stars in eyes like me in front of old B/W CRT TV in 1991.

And I know now for sure that Elite is game of Lifetime like on that old advert in Crash magazine. Elite Dangerous materialized all that I imagined when I flew above single circle that was planet. Thanks a lot for this experience and I wish Elite will be here for next 10 years so my daughter will experience same as me.

CMDR ataribaby

 

[Peckoslav]

Hi there,
My memory is very old. It's from a time when I was playing Elite on a ZX Spectrum computer. At that time there was no such thing as the Internet. My friend and I always shared our experiences at school. So we talked once and brought the computer to my friend's home. We brought 2 TVs, connected computers and enjoyed elite "online" even though we were offline. Great atmosphere and great fun for many hours. That was and is Elite for us.

CMDR Phoenix CZ

 

[Surgeon Commander]

Elite Dangerous is my first exposure to the Elite universe and I have to say I've really enjoyed the incredible scope and immersiveness of the base game, aside from some bugs I've encountered, I appreciate this game very much! Definitely one that I'll love for years to come.

Best memory so far is my first encounter with a hostile commander in Open as I was interdicted. I had a well kitted Vulture (no engineering, not got that far yet) but he clearly had an advanced engineered FDL. Given that I've spent a lot of time within CQC and playing with some really brilliant individuals, my flying is arguably lot better than my combat rating would suggest.

A truly incredible battle played out over 10 minutes as we strafed, boosted, spun and spiralled on each other to get the advantage. True cat and mouse gameplay at it's best! I put all of my hard-gained CQC knowledge into this fight; in the end I was victorious against an elite rated, engineered Vulture.

As he FSD'd out of the combat zone, with his tail firmly between his legs, I felt an immense sense of pride and accomplishment. Looking at my combat rating I thought to myself - "not so "Harmless" after all..."

CMDR Dr_Sanghera_MD (PlayStation)

 

[zaberdust]

Well, I have poignant memories…and some unfinished business:

I played the original Elite 1984, on a BBC Acorn Model B computer with my elder brother who was physically handicapped and housebound. Despite his limited hand/arm coordination, he had a knack of being able to land the ship in a spinning Coriolis station easily whereas I always had problems with that manoeuvre

My memories of playing the game then was that it ‘blew our minds’ with the open play, the graphics, the combat, trading etc. We scribbled down pages of notes on the market prices at different stations and used to squabble (as brothers do) about all sorts of decisions & missions; and also who should pilot the ship. He loved the freedom the game provided of flying around, combat & trading
Then, as I progressed with my real-life engineering career in a different city, my brother kept the jointly-owned BBC computer; I left him to slowly go up the ranks in the game. Unfortunately, he passed away suddenly in 1985 before achieving Elite status

Now, 35 years later, I am about to retire from work and can soon focus on Elite Dangerous and complete our quest
With my brother accompanying me (in spirit), we will recreate those memories & dreams as we cruise and conquer the galaxy. The memories will surely grow…!

Commander Zaberdust

 

[Allikat]

I remember when one of the BBC Micro magazines published a listing to generate a Commander Slog, with an oddly set up Cobra and a bad rating with Galcop. That was fun to play. I restarted that commander so many times. Never got beyond Dangerous, because it was so much more challenging early on. Military beams burning up pirate Kraits at maximum range... and the adventure of docking. Commander Belle Mallissima

 

[Melocoop]

Greetings Commanders,

Over the years, the Elite series of games has grown and evolved, starting all the way from the first Elite (published on this very day in 1984) to the Elite Dangerous we have today!

For the 35th anniversary of Elite 1984, we want to look back and celebrate each and every Commander who has shared this incredible ride with us.

Haven't had the chance to earn your wings in the iconic Elite? Claim your free copy on the Frontier Store for PC and Mac here.

As a gift for every Commander, head over to the in-game store, and you will be able to claim your own Retro Thargoid Bobblehead, available until 23 September (16:00 UTC) for 1 ARX.

View attachment 143682

​

But that's not all! Alongside this octagonal interloper, we've got 35 Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Jobs to give away. To be in with the chance to win one of these Paint Jobs, all you need to do is reply to this thread, telling us about your favourite memory playing one of the Elite games. Don't forget to include your Commander Name to be eligible to win!

The competition will run from now until 23 September (11:00 UTC) and winners will be contacted by 25 September (11:00 UTC). With the aid of the Elite Dangerous development team, our top 35 favourite comments will be rewarded with the Paint Job.

You can also get involved over on Steam, Twitter and Facebook! Please find all of the Terms and Conditions below.

View attachment 143684

​

Whether you've only just donned your flight suit, or you've been with us over the last 35 years, thank you for all of your passion and support!

Fly safe.



TERMS AND CONDITIONS (FORUM/STEAM)

• Prize: One (1) Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Job. (35 per platform – Frontier Forums, Steam, Facebook and Twitter)
• One submission per person (per platform).
• You only officially enter the competition when you reply, with your favourite Elite Dangerous memory, to the relevant competition thread/post.
• Be sure to include your Commander Name in your reply to be eligible to win.
• The competition closes on Monday 23 September (2019) at 11:00 UTC.
• The winners will be announced by Wednesday 25 September (2019) and prizes will be credited directly to the winner's account.
• The winners will be chosen by a panel of Elite Dangerous developers.
• Objectionable or offensive content will be disqualified.
• No submission should violate the Elite Dangerous EULA and TOS.
• Frontier Developments has the right to remove any entry at their sole discretion
• Frontier Developments employees are excluded from participating in the event.
• Frontier Developments reserve the right to exchange any prize for a prize of similar value.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS (FACEBOOK/TWITTER)

• Prize: One (1) Cobra MK III Classic Wireframe Paint Job. (35 per platform – Frontier Forums, Steam, Facebook and Twitter)
• One submission per person (per platform).
• You only officially enter the competition when you reply, with your favourite Elite Dangerous memory, to the relevant competition thread/post.
• Be sure to include your Commander Name in your reply to be eligible to win.
• The winners will be contacted by the Frontier Community Team via Facebook DM, Twitter DM or Forum DM. Please ensure you are following @EliteDangerous on Twitter to allow us to contact you.
• The winners have 7 days to respond and claim the prize; if no response has been received after 7 days, you forfeit your prize.
• The competition closes on Monday 23 September (2019) at 11:00 UTC.
• The winners will be announced by Wednesday 25 September (2019) and prizes will be credited directly to the winner's account.
• The winners will be chosen by a panel of Elite Dangerous developers.
• Objectionable or offensive content will be disqualified.
• No submission should violate the Elite Dangerous EULA and TOS.
• Frontier Developments has the right to remove any entry at their sole discretion
• Frontier Developments employees are excluded from participating in the event.
• Frontier Developments reserve the right to exchange any prize for a prize of similar value.

Commander Folta,
I sure hope I am doing this correctly. Thanks for all the great work on a great game.