Elite / Frontier Elite (25th Anniversary)

[Saruwatari Kaito]

Hi,

I was wondering if Frontier Developments have anything planned for the 25th Anniversary of Elite which is this year.

Me personally would like to see the below mentioned released via http://www.gog.com/ utilizing DOSBOX, with additional extras (special features etc)

• Elite Plus
• Frontier Elite II
• First Encounters

It would be great to see a re-release of of these titles, lots of good memories. The only problem seen would be fixing DOSBOX to allow to run First Encounters as it currently doesn't run.

SK

 

[Steve]

Hi,

I was wondering if Frontier Developments have anything planned for the 25th Anniversary of Elite which is this year.

Good point. September will be the 25-year mark, IIRC.

The only problem seen would be fixing DOSBOX to allow to run First Encounters as it currently doesn't run.

I remember reading somewhere that the DOSBox folks aren't that bothered about getting FFE to work since we have JJFFE, GLFFE and now FFE D3D instead.

 

[darkone]

Yes it would be nice to see some updated versions of the classics but it would also be nice to get some early screenshots or announcement on Elite 4

 

[Sir.Tj]

Yep, it would be nice.

 

[Steve]

Yep, it would be nice.

Well done T.j. You just got your "Dangerous" ranking (512 posts)

 

[Sir.Tj]

Well done T.j. You just got your "Dangerous" ranking (512 posts)

I didn't even notice!!!

Cheers Steve. Party time for me tonight

 

[Steve]

I didn't even notice!!!

Cheers Steve. Party time for me tonight

What a coincidence. I'm having a "349 posts" party tonight!

 

[Sir.Tj]

What a coincidence. I'm having a "349 posts" party tonight!

steve go mad and have a 350 party!

Would be great if they did a box set. I reckon it would sell by the bucketload.

 

[turwhitt]

...the problem being that Elite/Frontier/FFE may still be owned in part by Gametek/Acornsoft.

 

[Saruwatari Kaito]

...the problem being that Elite/Frontier/FFE may still be owned in part by Gametek/Acornsoft.

from what I know is that Frontier and First Encounters was only licensed to Gametek for distribution purposes and all rights remain with Frontier (David Braben).

I'm not one for the updated engines, I love playing the original classics unaltered.

SK

 

[Sir.Tj]

...the problem being that Elite/Frontier/FFE may still be owned in part by Gametek/Acornsoft.

Are they all shareware? I think they are.

 

[Steve]

Are they all shareware? I think they are.

FE2 and FFE certainly are; they're available to download.

The situation with the Elite games is... ah... less clear

 

[Sir.Tj]

FE2 and FFE certainly are; they're available to download.

The situation with the Elite games is... ah... less clear

That's what I thought. Not sure the situation with Elite either.

 

[amolang]

maybe the release of the outsider???? that would be nice.....

 

[turwhitt]

Are they all shareware? I think they are.

That doesn't neccesarily mean that Frontier has the right to repackage them and sell them commercially though.

 

[Steve]

That doesn't neccesarily mean that Frontier has the right to repackage them and sell them commercially though.

True. But only they would know

 

[Steve O B Have]

That doesn't neccesarily mean that Frontier has the right to repackage them and sell them commercially though.

You would assume that there is some sort of rights ownership going on if Frontier has been legally able to release the games as shareware. As there is an 'optional' £5 donation if you play the game for longer than 30 day then I'd say that repackaging and reselling is a viable option for them. The dev time and the resource expenditure is likely not.