Elite / Frontier MSX Elite 1987

lreese

L
Hello Commanders,

I played the original Elite on the MSX platform. It doesn't seem like there are many others here who did, so I thought I'd provide some info on it.

MSX Elite used 16 colors and was possibly the best looking of all the old 8 bit Elites. It was released in 1987 by Firebird, programmed by Mr. Micro.

There were some differences compared to the BBC Micro Elite

* The Fer-de-Lance and the Dodec Stations were not in the game

* The lines and circles in the planets that indicated they were rotating are not there

* Hyperspace and quick jump had their own animated sequences

* Using the docking computer was instanteneous and could be used as soon as you were in the safe zone.

* Zaonce is a tech level 2 and Leesti is a tech level 9, which meant there were no places to get military lasers and Galactic Hyperdrives in the starting area. You had to travel quite far to find tech level 10 worlds (10 was the highest in MSX Elite)

There were 5 Missions: Constrictor, Thargoid Documents, Supernova, Cougar and Thargoid Invasion.

Here's a short clip where the hyperspace sequence is shown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaTrl1mlCQE

More info about MSX Elite: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/MSX_Elite

MSX Elite can be emulated with, for instance BlueMSX and can be downloaded from Ian Bell's pages.

http://www.bluemsx.com/

Download link: http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/archive/a/a8010002.zip
 
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Anarch157a

Anarch157a
lreese said:
Hello Commanders,

I played the original Elite on the MSX platform. It doesn't seem like there are many others here who did, so I thought I'd provide some info on it.

MSX Elite used 16 colors and was possibly the best looking of all the old 8 bit Elites. It was released in 1987 by Firebird, programmed by Mr. Micro.

There were some differences compared to the BBC Micro Elite

* The Fer-de-Lance and the Dodec Stations were not in the game

* The lines and circles in the planets that indicated they were rotating are not there

* Hyperspace and quick jump had their own animated sequences

* Using the docking computer was instanteneous and could be used as soon as you were in the safe zone.

* Zaonce is a tech level 2 and Leesti is a tech level 9, which meant there were no places to get military lasers and Galactic Hyperdrives in the starting area. You had to travel quite far to find tech level 10 worlds (10 was the highest in MSX Elite)

There were 5 Missions: Constrictor, Thargoid Documents, Supernova, Cougar and Thargoid Invasion.

Here's a short clip where the hyperspace sequence is shown.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaTrl1mlCQE

More info about MSX Elite: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/MSX_Elite

MSX Elite can be emulated with, for instance BlueMSX and can be downloaded from Ian Bell's pages.

http://www.bluemsx.com/

Download link: http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/archive/a/a8010002.zip
Click to expand...
I did, and still do ocasionaly. on my phone :cool:
 

SmileyMan

S
The disk version definitely had the fer-de-lance and I think the dodec as well.

Of course, you had to be very flash to had an MSX with a disk drive...or a dad who worked for a Japanese electronics firm :)
 

lreese

L
SmileyMan said:
The disk version definitely had the fer-de-lance and I think the dodec as well.

Of course, you had to be very flash to had an MSX with a disk drive...or a dad who worked for a Japanese electronics firm :)
Click to expand...

Actually, had a disc MSX - a Spectravideo 738 X'press (MSX1 generation) - but Elite on tape. I remember pretending my ship was being prepared for launch by the station dock staff while the tape was loading. Fun times.

The emulated Elite on Bell's page is a tape version then, even though the emulation uses the disc format. No Fer-de-Lance and no Dodecs. Exactly as my Elite was back in the day.
 

Steve_T

Steve_T
Man, I remember drooling over the various MSX models. Had a Spectrum at the time and as I wasn't earning, getting a new computer was just a dream.

<Sigh>
 

lreese

L
Styggron said:
I play it on emulator as I don't have MSX hardware. I play classic elite a lot.......... :)
Click to expand...

I don't have the hardware either. But BlueMSX emulates it perfectly. You can even make your screen look like an old monitor with scanlines and bad cables and such. It's awesome.
 

Toumal

Toumal
I remember having a Yamaha-made MSX with integrated midi controller and built-in sequencer software. Had it connected to my Brother's Roland D50. Those were the days...
 

loudscotsbloke

loudscotsbloke
MSX version is proudly part of my collection.


2015-07-26 12.23.43.jpg
2015-07-26 12.22.38.jpg
2015-07-26 12.21.51.jpg
 

overdark999

overdark999
Oh my....

That brough tears to my eyes.
Still have the msx , but I did have elite in K7 form, 22 minutes to load.
The k7 has since then broken down.

I am still looking to this day for a Elite Disk Version version for MSX , but I find only for comodore , amikga and others.
Will keep hunting!!!!
 

loudscotsbloke

loudscotsbloke
overdark999 said:
Oh my....

That brough tears to my eyes.
Still have the msx , but I did have elite in K7 form, 22 minutes to load.
The k7 has since then broken down.

I am still looking to this day for a Elite Disk Version version for MSX , but I find only for comodore , amikga and others.
Will keep hunting!!!!
Click to expand...

It did take me a long time to get all 26 versions. The MSX version was quite difficult to locate. It doesnt show up often.
 
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overdark999

overdark999
loudscotsbloke said:
It did take me a long time to get all 26 versions. The MSX version was quite difficult to locate. It doesnt show up often.
Click to expand...


Gosh,

26 versions?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
didnt know Elite get that many versions!!!!

will keep MSX and PC only in my mind.....
will be the craziest hunt in my life if I go for all versions
 

Steve

Steve
I never did count how many versions of Elite there are but 26 sounds about right.

I've accumulated this lot down the years (Elite and Frontier)

EliteColl.jpg
 
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