Horizons Where's my Gen-X, Star Wars brothers and sisters?

[Sanderson]

I was born in 1970. I've dreamed of being out in space, doing impossible things, since I was six years old and first heard of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and many more Sci Fi movies, books, comics and TV shows. I was raised by a very poor and very religious mother who didn't believe in Television and movies and couldn't have afforded them if she did, so I would sneak into old Ben Franklin stores and read the comics until the ladies would chase me out of the building. I would spend hours outside and inside with sticks and a cardboard box pretending I was a "space pilot" saving the galaxy or dodging intergalactic police.

ED, especially with the addition of SLF, has let me strap on the Oculus Rift and live those childhood dreams. As I sit here on a cold Monday morning, sipping hot chocolate, about to play ED, I can't help but see that little kid, sitting on the store floor, reading space comics and nervously watching for the old ladies to chase me out without smiling. How I'd love to go show that kid what he'll be doing in forty years.

We made it buddy. You're going to love something called Elite Dangerous and the Oculus Rift. Forty years may seem like a long time, but the wait is worth it.

 

[rogue11]

Hi there mate I'm from the same year. Watched all the movies and tv series. I'm also a big fan of science fiction writers. Enjoying the resurgence of sci-fi gaming with the likes of this game and others. Ive played Eve and am looking forward to Star Citizens release, though I'll definately keep playing ED. Can't say I made a cardboard box into a spaceship, but i did play the original Elite back in 84, marvelling at the power of my BBC micro and its ability to create a whopping 200 star systems. Excited about the next Star Wars installment.

 

[Cuddles McDeath]

Just a couple of years before the two of you. Born in 1966. I still remember seeing the first Star Wars on its day of release. Still hoping I can get Chewie as my co-pilot.

 

[Wood67]

My thoughts exactly. Born in '67 of course. My dad bought me a ZX-81, and later a Speccy which I modded to include a Kempton joystick, 48k ram pack and those funny tape drives.

On the Speccy my favourite game of all time was 'Timegate 4D', which featured space combat, planetary landings for repair/refuel, and a story/objective before Elite ever came along. From that moment, through my first Amstrad PC and numerous versions of Elite/Frontier I've always been a fan. When the Lawnmower Man came out I knew I had to be around when it became a reality. And of course, reading 'Ready Player One' (which I see is now in dev for a film release too) only made it worse.

I'm glad to part of this generation just to have been part of the journey!

 

[Ludo Madrid]

Born in 1970 too. You have my rep. Cheers and let's play. We don't need dreaming it anymore. We have ED now.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I was born in 1970. I've dreamed of being out in space, doing impossible things, since I was six years old and first heard of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and many more Sci Fi movies, books, comics and TV shows. I was raised by a very poor and very religious mother who didn't believe in Television and movies and couldn't have afforded them if she did, so I would sneak into old Ben Franklin stores and read the comics until the ladies would chase me out of the building. I would spend hours outside and inside with sticks and a cardboard box pretending I was a "space pilot" saving the galaxy or dodging intergalactic police.

ED, especially with the addition of SLF, has let me strap on the Oculus Rift and live those childhood dreams. As I sit here on a cold Monday morning, sipping hot chocolate, about to play ED, I can't help but see that little kid, sitting on the store floor, reading space comics and nervously watching for the old ladies to chase me out without smiling. How I'd love to go show that kid what he'll be doing in forty years.

We made it buddy. You're going to love something called Elite Dangerous and the Oculus Rift. Forty years may seem like a long time, but the wait is worth it.

I was flying real aircraft. In 1964.

Elite is the only way to fly, now.

 

[cygnusa]

I was born in 1970. I've dreamed of being out in space, doing impossible things, since I was six years old and first heard of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and many more Sci Fi movies, books, comics and TV shows. I was raised by a very poor and very religious mother who didn't believe in Television and movies and couldn't have afforded them if she did, so I would sneak into old Ben Franklin stores and read the comics until the ladies would chase me out of the building. I would spend hours outside and inside with sticks and a cardboard box pretending I was a "space pilot" saving the galaxy or dodging intergalactic police.

ED, especially with the addition of SLF, has let me strap on the Oculus Rift and live those childhood dreams. As I sit here on a cold Monday morning, sipping hot chocolate, about to play ED, I can't help but see that little kid, sitting on the store floor, reading space comics and nervously watching for the old ladies to chase me out without smiling. How I'd love to go show that kid what he'll be doing in forty years.

We made it buddy. You're going to love something called Elite Dangerous and the Oculus Rift. Forty years may seem like a long time, but the wait is worth it.

I'm a '73 myself. As a child I converted the underside of the basement stairs into a Millennium Falcon cockpit. Great for pretending to be space smugglers and the like. Nextdoor neighbor girl use to play Leia.. and later when we were older we played other games there LOL. I digress. I spent hours playing games like Star Voyager and such on the Atari 2600. The C64 I managed to trade a friend for brought Elite into my grasp. On PC I played a lot of StarFlight I, II, Sentinel Worlds Future Magic, Star Control II, Elite Frontier, etc and the rest is history.

VR took things to the final frontier, in a sense. Having VR, flying a ship in a cockpit and doing all that Elite has to offer. Its something I dreamed of back in those days. Now that it's here, I feel amazingly fortunate. I've been literally waiting 30+ years for this. Its only going to get better!

 

[Jezzer]

Elite on the BBC I remember it well [up]

1961 for me, currently 8k Ly from sol having a great time waiting for a beacon to transmit.

J

 

[SimImperial]

I must be the old man of the forum. 1958 for me.
I got to see all the launches on TV, from Mercury program to Gemini, Apollo and Skylab and Shuttle.
I remember my dad took me to a air show and the X-15 was on a trailer.

 

[Ralph Vargr]

I must be the old man of the forum. 1958 for me.
I got to see all the launches on TV, from Mercury program to Gemini, Apollo and Skylab and Shuttle.
I remember my dad took me to a air show and the X-15 was on a trailer.

Gen. Turgidson has me beat on seniority. I got to watch live launches, though.

And sit in a live Gemini capsule, under construction.

 

[4gui4]

67 here

 

[Warshrike]

I was born in 1970. I've dreamed of being out in space, doing impossible things, since I was six years old and first heard of Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek and many more Sci Fi movies, books, comics and TV shows. I was raised by a very poor and very religious mother who didn't believe in Television and movies and couldn't have afforded them if she did, so I would sneak into old Ben Franklin stores and read the comics until the ladies would chase me out of the building. I would spend hours outside and inside with sticks and a cardboard box pretending I was a "space pilot" saving the galaxy or dodging intergalactic police.

ED, especially with the addition of SLF, has let me strap on the Oculus Rift and live those childhood dreams. As I sit here on a cold Monday morning, sipping hot chocolate, about to play ED, I can't help but see that little kid, sitting on the store floor, reading space comics and nervously watching for the old ladies to chase me out without smiling. How I'd love to go show that kid what he'll be doing in forty years.

We made it buddy. You're going to love something called Elite Dangerous and the Oculus Rift. Forty years may seem like a long time, but the wait is worth it.

72 here, My father was Airforce grew up in Malysia was flying half my life. My father took me to see Star Wars when it came out i was 5-6 yrs old. Apparently he would not go to a "kids" film without a kid i fell asleep almost instantly in the cinema but it must have stuck with me. I also played elite in the 80's on my 64 and 128 i remember the bbc comps had them at school good old green screens lol. Space 1999, BSG, Blake 7, V, Red Dwarf are what inspired me all i wanted to do was live in space i always said i was born centuries to early. I also cannot wait until my rift arrives closest i think i will ever get to actually being there. Reading all your post's made me smile brought back so great memories thx fellas.

 

[dayrth]

'63. I remember watching the Apollo 11 moon landing on telly aged 6. Hooked from that point on. Big Star Trek fan and when Star Wars came along it blew me away. When Elite first came out I saved all my pennies and got myself a BBC to play it on. Heard about the ED kickstarter the day after it launched. Signed up there and then. Still playing every spare moment I have (don't get enough of them) and still loving it.

 

[evilscoop]

born 73 here....
What i do find funny....my mum now plays online with me....for her its second life and minecraft.....but i never thought id have to fight my mum for the vive

 

[Leper Messiah]

1971 here, the Star Destroyer coming from the top of the screen for what felt like forrrrrrevvvah was mind boggling (still is really!) best sci fi opening moment ever.

 

[cygnusa]

born 73 here....
What i do find funny....my mum now plays online with me....for her its second life and minecraft.....but i never thought id have to fight my mum for the vive

Good for your mom to be so up on things!

My mom is 75. She still uses an old-style film camera because she can't be bothered to learn how to use a digital camera with a memory card. During family events I joke about her need for 'flash powder' and for us to not move for 15 minutes while she's taking the photo. LOL Her film camera got jammed up the other week and she was all upset about her film being stuck in there. I tried to sell the digital camera idea again, but she had no interest. I did manage to manually rewind her film and rescue it from light exposure though. Maybe someday she'll modernize. Hehe.