Dear Frontier,
I know, you had created a lot of amazing games in the last 25 years, driven on the very impressive versatile Cobra engine. But I have to start my story on a little piece of plastic, you didn't put your name on. Maybe not the best idea to win something, but I have to mention it, because it changed my life to the present day. And I was asked to tell my story, so you have to live with that.
Let's call it the procreation of Frontier.
(Pic from StiGGy´s blog)
Like so many others, I started my journey through the Elite universe in the eighties as a child with my brave C64.
I was amazed, blown away and lost some grades in school (that's why my English is so bad, sorry but your fault) by flying in this first revolutionary sandbox game all through the night, like so many others. But I also became addicted in science and technology, so I could compensate some of my flaws and be quite successful in my later education. I buyed a reasonable Telescope, many tools, a lot of other space related stuff and of course some Raspberry Pi from the one above all
Now in my forties, I started Elite again. What should I say, same procedure as before…
I was totally blown away by Elite Dangerous and played it more often, than any other game before. To look on the Orion Nebula from behind was one of these moments I will never forget :'(
After a while I wondered, what could be possible to make this universe even more interesting. So I looked around for a Player group. I was never part of this way of playing in the long term, because I always had too much to do in the real world with job and family. But at this time, three years ago, many groups were asking for a strong engagement, so I turned away from this idea, because of too much real life.
I still wanted to show anybody the wonders of Elite. Just at this time a friend’s son with the name Michel was born, and I found a system with the same name. This event brought me back to create something inside the universe, I was addicted to anyway.
So founded my own group and asked Frontier to establish the Likedeeler as a Faction in the System Michel. I gave the Faction the story, I was looking for. Some history, some dirt, some fun and as a central rule: Everyone should only do, what he enjoys.
I thought about a dozen pilots, most of them friends of mine, I could invite into this group and help them in the beginning making their way through the Elite universe, just to share the fun I had.
After that, even more magic kicked in: More and more excellent Pilots joined our Faction and we travelled through an amazing adventure since then. You asked for Memorys? Where to start? For example:
Stayed our ground against griefers, made science about Aliens, flew around Sag A, founded a Faction in Colonia, so we became the Likedeeler of Michel and Colonia [LoMaC], having racing weekends, cosplayed Elite also with my daughter on the Gamescom, enjoyed the honour to taking part at the Elite Meet in Cologne and shaking hands with the famous and very polite Bo, Ed, Adam and Sandro, enjoying their livestreams, having contact with Will, making friends with so many other pilots and Factions all around the world, salute to the tragic lost of CMDR Lilith...
...name one of our systems in Likedeeler Magna Libertas, printing 3D ships and building real life Cockpits, take part in the NASA Insight Mission as a Faction, getting dizzy from VR, having a Likedeeler Faction Meet on the EDersee, pilots creating a song for us, sharing Logbooks
https://inara.cz/cmdr-logbook/25788/20410/ on the great Inara website (!), using Aussidroids Warthog Script, waiting for new fantastic content from the community like Lave Radio and Obsidian Ant, creating Logos for shirts, mugs and flags an carrying them around the world.
All these moments will stay in time, like stars in space.
We don't know why, but now we are 300 pilots, having the lead in more than 50 systems, located in the Top Ten of the Elite System owners and all of this is build up with fun, respect and joy. Many of our pilots are active every day, but not because they have to do that, just because they love to be there.
This is the point, I am really very proud of.
Frontiers Elite was the platform we was able to build on our own story. So it had became more than a game for all of us. From the oldest to the youngest Likedeeler, we know, this is a precious gift, we are very thankful for.
This is, what we memorize by thinking of Frontier.
All I can say is: Thank you Frontier, the entire team, for this amazing experience.
We need you also in the next 50 years to proceed blazing our trail [yesnod]
Carry on!
o9
Raise the mug