Celebrating 35 years of Elite!

Spruxxx

Spruxxx
Both the beginning and the 'end' of the BBC B Micro version.

First off, as a wide-eyed six year old discovering the game on a 5.25" floppy disk compilation (the very latest tech, had been using the cassette player for the first year), and just seeing the 3D graphics and vast scope blew me away, even though it was mostly beyond my ability to play it. Arcade and ZX Spectrum clones like Arcadians, Chuckie Egg, Manic Miner, et al were impressive enough, but Elite was instantly on a near-unimaginable level of jaw-dropping cool ("How was this even possible?!!?" etc)...

And then years later, when other kids had ditched the Micro for far superior newer machines (not so in my house), and when I thought I'd largely mastered the game and seen everything it had to offer, including Thargoids, I was suddenly offered the Secret Missions. Had read some rumours somewhere, but was widely simply assumed to be wishful thinking without any truth behind it. It was as if the Dark Wheel themselves had suddenly reached out to me for my perseverance 😂

Elite undoubtedly fuelled a lifelong love of space, sci fi and gaming, and therefore means so much more to me than most other games I have loved. The final, genuine, dream I had at the time was thinking, 'if only it was possible that one day in the future, this game could be played with many players together somehow...' 😉

CMDR Octofox, PC. Happy 35th anniversary Elite! o7
 
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Saxtus

S
My favorite memory was hearing Blue Danube while playing Elite for endless hours on my Amstrad CPC. Literally the tune was stuck in my head for months and could even hear it in my dreams when sleeping. Nostalgic times... --CMDR Saxtus (PC)
 

Ptm368

P
I remember playing this game on the Commodore 64, back in 1986, with my pal Greg... I worked the stick, he handled the keyboard... And it was great! I fell in love with this game, and the exploration, the building up our ship, and the Seven Galaxies, made this my "Desert Island" game... My pal is gone now, and I never did make "Elite" status on the original C64 game, but every time I fire up the Xbox One version, I still hear the original theme music, and I know my friend is still there, riding the right seat, and flying the fighter (he would have loved that) ...
Cmdr Ptm368, Captain, the "Brass Monkey"

143883
 

GhostSabre

GhostSabre
My favourite memory of Elite is on the ZX Spectrum as a teenager. That game was punishingly difficult. Manually docking in a rotating letterbox with "permadeath" looming for a failed attempt! Even more dangerous than Elite Dangerous...

I didn't get very far in the game due to not being very good at docking, but I kept creating a new commander and starting again with just a few credits and a sidewinder.

Commander GhostSabre (on PC)
 

MustJustBeMe

M
CMDR Name: MUSTJUSTBEME (XBOX)

Getting ripped out of Hyperspace by a Thargoid and having my ship shut down. Never saw them before and it was super scary, yet so amazingly beautiful.
 

Dohain

D
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.

Best memory? The bzzzzzt click click click of the 5-1/4 floppy drive as Elite loads on my Commodore 64. Hearing the Blue Danube Waltz through the built-in stereo speakers on my NEC 13" CRT. I still whistle the tune. The pew pew pew of the lasers as I barrel-roll behind a Krait.

Commander Dohain
 

TannerCooke

T
Happy Anniversary Elite!

My favorite memory in all my time playing Elite. I was flying out to the Pleiades for some engineering while hanging out with my friend. He had never seen the game before, so I was telling him about all the happenings at the time. I told him about the community goals that were running, and the combat that went along with some of them. I told him how some people explore, or trade commodities, or smuggle goods. And eventually how the Thargoids were these mysterious race of flower-like aliens that were pulling people out of witch space...

Then it happened right on cue. I was getting hyperdicted for the first time while we both watched. I was dropped out at the mercy of the alien, with a shutdown ship. The creature completed its scans and left me alone luckily, but I hadn’t had a moment so intense in game yet.

And it was awesome, because seeing that happen to me led him to getting the game on is his own. We’ve done a lot now, most notably a journey to Colonia after two months of exploration.

But that moment that started it all has to be my favorite: So far atleast.

CMDR TannerCooke
 

M. Grey

M. Grey
CMDR M. Grey
Fav memory is...:
Starting ED for the first time and immediately having the feeling to be back in the original Elite I played on a C64...many, many moons ago.

Fly safe Commanders! o7
 

Will Geteven

W
Cmdr Will Geteven :- The game today is so spectacular compared to the wire frame of the 1985 version but it is always the first time I lined up with the letter box, with the Blue Danube blasting out, trying to get the rotation right, to blast through without destroying the ship. Mounds of paper with all the profitable stations and each commodity neatly priced so I could make the most of the trade runs back and forth. Managed to reach Elite status on my commodore 64. Nowadays can't wait for the fleetcarrier to get out into the black with my fleet and explore the darkest regions of the game
 

Cooperman

Cooperman
Bonjour. Commander Cooperman here,my first memories of Elite was 84.my bro Alan used to work on the mainframes for lloyds of london.he would lock his bedroom at mum's so we couldn't play his computer,knowing he had Elite my bruv Colin (Commander Named Geezer)in E.D. Adapted his bedroom key to fit Alan's,we would undock,staying straight ahead,jam a matchstick in the fire key and shoot police vipers all day,turning round when out of range all day to increase Eliteness ,then turn off pc, lock his bedroom door before Alan got home from work.he was none the wiser. That's why as soon as i heard about E.D .i Beta backed it....gutted i was too late for alpha.
 

Torvie

Torvie
Stephen Benedetti said:
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.


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.


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.
Click to expand...
My favourite Elite Dangerous memory was when i first took out a Thargoid Cyclops solo.... i was nervous as hell approaching it.... and i will never forget that eerie almost organic whale noise as it approached and scanned me... the battle was intense... i don't even think i blinked (although i'm sure i had...i just don't remember it)... the incoming caustic missiles.... the constant warnings about heat damage and hull damage.... i almost didn't believe it when i saw its death throes...... the most intense battle i ever had and will never forget it. CMDR Torvie (PC)
 

Snippy224

S
My favorite memory was when my Wingman, CMDR Ghulor, and me left the bubble for the first time. We spent lots of hours with mining and missions to get the credits for our anacondas. And then lots of hours again for engineering. But then one day we were ready. We started our tour and as we reached the edge of the bubble, there was a strange feeling. We thought things like," did we forget something?" or "what can we expect so far out?" No ships, no stations anymore. Just we and the black... and maybe some aliens. It was a queasy feeling. Now we are far away in the Formadine Rift, found a lot of interesting things and had some funny moments. I remember once when I was alone with my buggy and heard a strange noise. The sun was low on the horizon. I turned around and was terrified by my own shadow. Well, that can happen if you are out there too long. :)

Greetings
CMDR Daniel R.
 

Topsider

Topsider
My favorite Elite Games before Elite Dangerous was Elite II - Frontier. I loved this game. I know the store were I buyed it and the challenge to get it to run on my 386 PC (thanks EMM memory ^^). Finally it started and I was fascinating from the intro. Hours of hours later, I bought a nice Panther Clipper and I shoot everyone out of space. In Elite Dangerous came exactly the same feeling back, as I started the game. And I was very happy! And nowadays I´m still happy and had many hundreds of hours of fun in the Elite Universe.

CMDR Topsider
 

MOSESBG

MOSESBG
CMDR MOSESBG (PC)

Hello,

Interesting what to tell you about a favorite moment in the game. I have enough, but one thing stuck in my mind the first time I had to travel the neutron star highway. Unique experience of many beautifully made stars I always enjoy finding a new star. Your game is uniquely beautiful and I'm not surprised you are celebrating your 35th birthday. Happy birthday and I hope there are 35 more years to celebrate. :)

Greetings.
 

darkcactus

darkcactus
The 40 minuets i spent trying to practice docking without exceeding the time limits, with a brand new " fresh out of the box saitech x52 pro ", over compensating the controls, and bouncing all over the docking area.
 

EdzUp

EdzUp
My most fondest memory of Elite back in '84 was learning lucrative trade routes and making enough money to upgrade the ol' Cobra then do the missions. To this day I still fly the same ship and always want for nothing more :)

Have made Elite in every version of Elite apart from ED as I'm savouring the journey and not rushing through the game :)

Cmdr EdzUp
 

Cmdr Nemo

Cmdr Nemo
My best memory will be the time when Frontier states one can get a "FREE" retro Thargoid bobble head and then charge me "One" Arx for it. Good thing it just happen, at my age, I'd forget about tomorrow.
 

Braiz

B
I remember my first time docking to a station on my Amiga 500 1993. It's was a exciting time playing the game, i was so proud of myself, I was only 13 years old at that time.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TD-FlG4zzc



When i first saw the trailer for Elite dangerous, i got goosebumps i know this is the game i have bein waiting for since childhood.

Now when i playing the game, and see how much new things that have ben added to the game the past years. That makes me feel proud to play your game, and be part of the community. CMDR Galatron
 
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