Elite Inspiration

[Good Whiskey]

Oceans of Venus by Peter Elson - Alliance Chieftain, Challenger and Crusader

Large Merchant Ship with Launch by Chris Foss - Federal Corvette

Martian Queen by Bob Layzell - Imperial Clipper

Spaceship by Dean Ellis - Ocellus Station

Return to Earth by David Hardy - Cobra MkIII/IV

To the best of my knowledge, all of these completed prior to 1984. Most of them are from the 70s. Some folks were sharing images that made them connect with this game in another thread, and I happen to have a small collection of science fiction bits that I swear have served as inspiration for some of this game, whether consciously or unconsciously.

If you have some of this stuff, please share.

 

[Taifu]

Space Legs confirmed.

 

[Shinji Ikari]

Some do not look alike at all.

 

[Good Whiskey]

Some do not look alike at all.

You're not wrong. These are just ships and stations I've come across that, to me, invoke Elite. Inspiration and all that.

 

[RooksBailey]

The science fiction artists from the '70s and '80s were the best, IMO. I particularly love their use of color. It just drives me mad how contemporary sci-fi (particularly movie and TV sci-fi) often defaults to white/black/gray ships. Since time immemorial, man has always painted what he loved. I doubt our spacey future will be any different.

Thanks for the share. It goes to show you how certain concepts in the genre seem to be perennial. o7

 

[Good Whiskey]

The science fiction artists from the '70s and '80s were the best, IMO. I particularly love their use of color. It just drives me mad how contemporary sci-fi (particularly movie and TV sci-fi) often defaults to white/black/gray ships. Since time immemorial, man has always painted what he loved. I doubt our spacy future will be any different.

I'm not sure when it happened, but there was a noticeable switch to aseptic design. 100%.

Also found one of my better Federal Corvettes.

 

[CMDR Harada]

You need to be a certain age to remember some of these, as I saw them in high school. Some I saw in futuristic science magazines of the time, circa 1968 to 1980.

OMNI magazine was one.. Covers of some of the "Worlds Best Sci-Fi of 198x", Maybe Epic magazine as well.

 

[Shinji Ikari]

The science fiction artists from the '70s and '80s were the best, IMO. I particularly love their use of color. It just drives me mad how contemporary sci-fi (particularly movie and TV sci-fi) often defaults to white/black/gray ships. Since time immemorial, man has always painted what he loved. I doubt our spacy future will be any different.

Thanks for the share. It goes to show you how certain concepts in the genre seem to be perennial. o7

I like the small details of more modern sci-fi ships, here's an example from Halo:

 

[Shiro Akai]

Oh boi, how I love those kind of pictures. Remind me covers of my books. Speaking of - I need to look at my library, there should be few instances where they could match something ED.

 

[M00ka]

The thing is because of the diverse designs of all the ships and other features in ED, any 'Space Ship' from nearly any SciFi book can be pointed at and say 'That's just like 'x' in ED'. The entire genre is represented, from the near saucer shape of the Sidewider. Kraits, Asps and Cobra, the 'futuristic, clean lines' look of the Gutamaya and Saud Kruger brands, the boxy Borgesce designs from Lakon, the very military looking Federal ships from Core Dynamics - every type of spaceship that someone who doesn't know spaceships is represented.

I would be more surprised - well astounded actually - if FD came up with designs that aren't familiar to anyone who has read more than a handful of SciFi books, especially from the Classic Period.

 

[RooksBailey]

I like the small details of more modern sci-fi ships, here's an example from Halo:

I agree! I wish we could have the best of both worlds: detailed ships with bright colors. I think Ivan Laliashvili has the right idea:

 

[Andy Gee]

Those were my gateway drugs.
And when you start with drugs as a kid your fate is sealed.

 

[Brrokk]

Never mind the legs... Space Horns confirmed!

 

[Spaceman Si]

Those were my gateway drugs.
And when you start with drugs as a kid your fate is sealed.

Oh yes...

You missed a couple out though I read, re-read, and generally absorbed every detail of these lovely books. I think my favourite artist was Peter Elson, there was a verisimilitude about the lighting that really appealed to me.

The thing that looks like an Imperial Clipper was the “Martian Queen”, and was painted by Bob Layzell, if you are curious @Good Whiskey !)

 

[Good Whiskey]

This is just too good. Thanks for sharing this one.

The thing that looks like an Imperial Clipper was the “Martian Queen”, and was painted by Bob Layzell

Awesome. Good eye. I went and updated the OP.

Stewart Cowley books had some wild covers. Amazingly, I've never encountered these before, but now I have to own them all.

 

[myothershipisacobraiv]

can't say I agree on the corvette pic.

I love Elite's 70s scifi feel though.

 

[Good Whiskey]

can't say I agree on the corvette pic.

I love Elite's 70s scifi feel though.

Yeah, I included the "merchant ship" in the OP by Chris Foss because when I first saw it, I thought it looked like a Corvette... only backwards. It's the big, elevated cockpit/bridge with the long hull stretching away in front of it. It actually took me a moment to realize that ship is flying toward us instead of away from us.

And I agree, this game's ships definitely take their inspiration from old school designs.

 

[Bigmaec]

Every time I see an Ocellus:

(I had that toy )

 

[Alec Turner]

 

[Good Whiskey]

This gave me a million ideas and made my day.

Alec seems to have a habit of doing that.