Well, firstly thank you for Elite in all its incarnations over the years, the best and fondest memories I have of gaming.
I actually bought this ‘new space sim’ game in 1984 for my BBC model b (that I convinced my parents I needed to help with my electronics and electrical engineering diploma at college, yeah right).
I remember going to a specialist computer shop hoping they would have a copy in and they did.
Getting home there was so much in the box, back then you actually got more than a health and safety leaflet. I think there was a novella, a welcome commander book, ship guide, key template? and a card, where if you managed to get to Elite rank you could send off for a T-shirt (note - still have it. It no longer fits, smells funny and looks a bit tatty but I can’t get rid of it).
When I started playing I was hooked . . . and so was my family. Those days we only had one tv so if I was playing it everyone sat watching me playing it. Some weekends I’d play for 10 or 12 hours (it didn’t matter, my parents were social animals and enjoyed the pub so didn’t mind) and go to sleep with starfields spinning behind my eyelids
I remember the sheer panic of being confronted by a thargoid for the first time. The frustration of docking and then the delight at how fast I could dock as I continued playing.
The graphics were unlike anything I’d seen before, the sense of flying through space was incredible and I adored the game, still do.
The best bit was finally reaching that Elite rank. I’d been playing when I stepped away; pee break, drink, food not sure but one of them, only to come back and my brother said “I just blew up a ship and it said ‘Right on commander’”. Obviously I blew my top, that was mine, I wanted to get that, why did he spoil it. Aaarrrggghh
Anyway, loaded the game back in, thinking I’ll blow up another ship and get the Elite rank through my own endeavours. Blew up a ship, nothing. Blew up another, nothing. It took an age (well another couple of hours) before I got the Elite rank, but I did and it felt good.
Anyway, I just have really fond memories of playing the original Elite and it’s sequels and was straight in with my money when the Kickstarter program was announced for the new game. Thank you for one of if not the greatest games I’ve ever played, and at 51 I’ve played a LOT.