NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Elite (computer game)

Elite is a seminal space trading computer game, originally published by Acornsoft in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers. The game's title derives from one of the player's goals of raising their combat rating to the exalted heights of "Elite." It was written and developed by David Braben and Ian Bell, who had met while they were both undergraduates at Jesus College, Cambridge. Non-Acorn versions of the game were published by Firebird. Image File history File links Elite_org_cover. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... David Braben is a computer programmer, known for writing the Elite series of hugely popular computer games of space exploration and space trade and also for making Zarch for the Acorn Archimedes (considered to be the first true solid 3D game of all time). ... Ian Bell (born 1962 in England) is a game programmer, game designer and game producer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ... 1984 1984 in games 1983 in video gaming 1985 in video gaming Notable events of 1984 in video gaming. ... Firebird was a software label established by Telecomsoft for publishing budget computer games for a number of 8-bit home computer platforms. ... 1985 1985 in games 1984 in video gaming 1986 in video gaming Notable events of 1985 in video gaming. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... 1984 1984 in games 1983 in video gaming 1985 in video gaming Notable events of 1984 in video gaming. ... Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay. ... A screenshot from The Sims: Deluxe Edition. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An original press advertisement for the Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron was a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. ... The original Amiga 1000 (1985) with various peripherals The Amiga 500 (1987) was the most popular variant of the Amiga. ... The Amstrad CPC was a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad during the 1980s and early 1990s. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially popular from 1985 to the early 1990s. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... The Commodore 64 is the best-selling single personal computer model of all time. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ... Sony MSX 1, Model HitBit-10-P MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s. ... â€œNESâ€ redirects here. ... The ZX Spectrum is a home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. ... In various types of electronic equipment, a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e. ... Typical 60-minute Compact Cassette. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... It has been suggested that Keystroke be merged into this article or section. ... Joystick elements: 1. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Acornsoft was the software arm of Acorn Computers Ltd, and was a major publisher of games for the BBC Micro. ... 1984 1984 in games 1983 in video gaming 1985 in video gaming Notable events of 1984 in video gaming. ... The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... An original press advertisement for the Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron was a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. ... David Braben is a computer programmer, known for writing the Elite series of hugely popular computer games of space exploration and space trade and also for making Zarch for the Acorn Archimedes (considered to be the first true solid 3D game of all time). ... Ian Bell (born 1962 in England) is a game programmer, game designer and game producer. ... College name The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge Named after The Virgin Mary Saint John the Evangelist Saint Radegund Jesus Lane and Jesus Parish Established 1496 Location Jesus Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... Telecomsoft was the computer software division of British telecommunications company British Telecom. ...

Elite was one of the first home computer games to use wireframe 3D graphics with hidden line removal. Another novelty was the inclusion of The Dark Wheel, a novella by Robert Holdstock which influenced new players with insight into the moral and legal codes which they might aspire to. Children playing on a Amstrad CPC 464 in the 1980s. ... A wire frame model is a visual presentation of an electronic representation of a three dimensional or physical object used in 3D computer graphics. ... The rewrite of this article is being devised at Talk:3D computer graphics/Temp. ... Hidden line removal is an extension of wireframe rendering where lines (or segments of lines) covered by surfaces are not drawn. ... A novella set in the Elite universe, included with early copies. ... Robert Holdstock is an English fantasy author and was born in Kent in 1948 - he became a full-time writer in 1975 after studying Medical Zoology as a student. ...

Elite's open ended game model, advanced game engine and revolutionary 3D graphics ensured that it was ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system, and earned it a place as a classic and a genre maker in gaming history. Elite was a hugely influential game, serving as a model for more recent games such as EVE Online, Wing Commander: Privateer, Pardus, Freelancer and the X series of space trading games. When sales of Elite reached 100,000 copies, it was a news story on BBC television evening news. Children playing on a Amstrad CPC 464 in the 1980s. ... EVE Online is a persistent world multiplayer online game set in space. ... Pardus can mean one of several things: Pardus (game), a Massively Multiplayer Online Browser Game; Pardus (operating system), a GNU/Linux distribution produced in Turkey; Panthera Pardus Tulliana; the Latin name for the Anatolian Leopard. ... A freelancer or freelance worker is a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer. ... Ingame shot of X3: Reunion, the latest X game X is a science fiction space simulator series created by German Developer Egosoft. ... BBC News is the department within the BBC responsible for the corporations news-gathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ...

Inspiration, development and launch

According to Braben and Bell, Elite was inspired by a range of sources. Much of the game's content is derived from the Traveller RPG, including the default commander name of Jameson.^[1] The developers also cite 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the original Battlestar Galactica as influences. Braben also cites the works of Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert L. Forward, Isaac Asimov and Orson Scott Card as influences.^[2] Traveller is a series of related table-top roleplaying games. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... Star Wars is an epic space opera saga and a fictional universe initially developed by George Lucas during the 1970s and expanded since that time. ... The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy originated as a 1978 radio comedy series written by Douglas Adams. ... Battlestar Galactica. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jerry Eugene Pournelle, Ph. ... Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (born 16 December 1917) is a British science-fiction author and inventor, most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, and for collaborating with director Stanley Kubrick on the film of the same name. ... Robert Lull Forward, commonly known as Robert L. Forward, (August 15, 1932 - September 21, 2002) was an American physicist and science fiction writer. ... Isaac Asimov (January 2?, 1920?[1] â€“ April 6, 1992), IPA: , originally Ð˜ÑÐ°Ð°Ðº ÐžÐ·Ð¸Ð¼Ð¾Ð² but now transcribed into Russian as ÐÐ¹Ð·ÐµÐº ÐÐ·Ð¸Ð¼Ð¾Ð²) was a Russian-born American Jewish author and professor of biochemistry, a highly successful and exceptionally prolific writer best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ...

When the two developers met at Jesus College, Cambridge, Bell was already working on a game for Acornsoft called Freefall. Braben had started writing a game called Fighter, but had not yet completed it. The two projects were sufficiently similar that Braben and Bell compared notes, and after seeing Star Raiders on the Atari 800 they decided to collaborate to produce what eventually became Elite. The project was initially offered to Thorn EMI, with whom Braben already had a contract, but was rejected. The developers went to Acornsoft instead; although a project such as Elite was very different from the company's usual fare, Acornsoft's executives liked what they saw and agreed to publish it. College name The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, near Cambridge Named after The Virgin Mary Saint John the Evangelist Saint Radegund Jesus Lane and Jesus Parish Established 1496 Location Jesus Lane Admittance Men and women Master Prof. ... Star Raiders manual cover Star Raiders was a popular game for the Atari 8-bit family of computers, released in 1979. ... Atari built a series of 8-bit home computers based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU, starting in 1979. ... Thorn EMI logo Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. ...

The game took two years to write, during which time Acornsoft set in motion a large-scale publicity campaign and commissioned a presentational package for the game that was far more elaborate than normal. Games were usually sold in an ordinary cassette box with a printed inlay. Acornsoft packaged Elite in a box the size of a paperback book, complete with a novella, a manual, a chart and some stickers. Marketing activities included a launch party at the Thorpe Park theme park (holding such an event for a computer game was almost unheard of at the time) and a competition to be among the first to achieve the status of "Elite."^[3] Thorpe Park is a theme park in the United Kingdom. ...

Elite received very good reviews on its launch and sales of the BBC Micro version were exceptional, eventually reaching 150,000. As only about 150,000 BBC Micros had been sold at that point, that meant that virtually every BBC Micro owner had bought a copy of the game. The great commercial success of the BBC Micro version prompted a bidding war for the rights to publish Elite in other formats, with British Telecom's software arm, Telecomsoft, eventually winning the rights.^[3] It was eventually ported to virtually every contemporary home computer system and even to the NES console. BT Group plc (which trades as just BT, and is commonly known by its former name, British Telecom) is the privatised former British state telecommunications operator. ... Telecomsoft was the computer software division of British telecommunications company British Telecom. ... â€œNESâ€ redirects here. ...

Gameplay

Elite has often been treated as the yardstick by which subsequent space trading games have been measured. However, it was not the first such game; the genre-defining Star Trader had been written as long ago as 1974. The space trading genre combines space-borne combat with a "buy low, sell high" freight transport system and the ability to use the profits to purchase ship upgrades. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1707x2462, 399 KB)A scan of the Acornsoft publication ofThe Dark Wheel novella included with Elite. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1707x2462, 399 KB)A scan of the Acornsoft publication ofThe Dark Wheel novella included with Elite. ... A novella set in the Elite universe, included with early copies. ... Robert Holdstock is an English fantasy author and was born in Kent in 1948 - he became a full-time writer in 1975 after studying Medical Zoology as a student. ... Star Trader was one of the original computer games of interstellar trading. ... 1974 1974 in games 1973 in video gaming 1975 in video gaming Notable events of 1974 in video gaming. ...

The Elite universe contains eight galaxies, each galaxy containing 256 planets to explore. Due to the limited capabilities of 8-bit computers, these worlds are procedurally generated. A single seed number run through a fixed algorithm the appropriate number of times and creates a sequence of numbers determining each planet's complete composition (position in the galaxy, prices of commodities, and even name and local details — text strings are chosen numerically from a lookup table and assembled to produce unique descriptions for each planet). This means that no extra memory is needed to store the characteristics of each planet, yet each is unique and has fixed properties. Each galaxy is also procedurally generated from the first. 8-bit refers to the number of bits used in the data bus of a computer. ... Procedural generation is a widely used term to indicate the possibility to create content on the fly, as opposed to creating it before distribution. ... In computer science, a lookup table is a data structure, usually an array or associative array, used to replace a runtime computation with a simpler lookup operation. ...

However, the use of procedural generation created a few problems. There are a number of poorly located systems that can be reached only by galactic hyperspace - these are more than 7 light years from their nearest neighbour, thus trapping the traveller. Braben and Bell also had to check all of the system names to ensure that none of them were four-letter words. When they found that one procedurally generated galaxy contained a planet called Arse, they had to delete that entire galaxy. The generation process also created some notably odd descriptions of the planets' inhabitants — since the adjective list contained "edible" and the noun list contained "arts graduates", it was possible to visit a planet inhabited by edible arts graduates.^[3] This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Arse is an English term referring to the buttocks, first recorded circa 1400 (in arce-hoole) and is commonly used in English speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and former parts of the British Empire. ...

Since there is no memory overhead for creating extra worlds, the game was originally intended to contain 2⁴⁸ (approximately 281,000,000,000,000) galaxies. The number was limited to eight when Acornsoft noted that such a gigantic number would make the artificiality of the game universe evident to the player.

The player, initially "Commander Jameson", starts at Lave Station with 100 credits and a lightly armed trading ship, a Cobra Mark III. Most of the ships that the player encounters are similarly named after snakes, or other reptiles. Credits can be accumulated through a number of means. These include piracy, trade, military missions, bounty hunting and the mining of asteroids. The money generated by these enterprises allows the player to upgrade their ship with such enhancements as better weapons, shields, increased cargo capacity, an automated docking system, and more. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 570 pixel Image in higher resolution (1000 Ã— 713 pixel, file size: 271 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Advert for the Commodore 64 version of Elite, circa mid-1985 This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 570 pixel Image in higher resolution (1000 Ã— 713 pixel, file size: 271 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Advert for the Commodore 64 version of Elite, circa mid-1985 This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company... Infraorders and Families Alethinophidia - Nopcsa, 1923 Acrochordidae- Bonaparte, 1831 Aniliidae - Stejneger, 1907 Anomochilidae - Cundall, Wallach & Rossman, 1993 Atractaspididae - GÃ¼nther, 1858 Boidae - Gray, 1825 Bolyeriidae - Hoffstetter, 1946 Colubridae - Oppel, 1811 Cylindrophiidae - Fitzinger, 1843 Elapidae - F. Boie, 1827 Loxocemidae - Cope, 1861 Pythonidae - Fitzinger, 1826 Tropidophiidae - Brongersma, 1951 Uropeltidae - MÃ¼ller, 1832... Subclasses Anapsida Diapsida Synonyms Reptilia Laurenti, 1768 Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane, and members of the class Sauropsida. ...

Travel between planets is constrained to those within range of the ship's limited fuel capacity (7 light years); fuel can be replenished after docking with a space-station in orbit around a planet - a challenging task without a docking computer, as it requires matching the ship's rotation to that of the station. Players can upgrade their equipment with a fuel scoop, which allows raw fuel to be skimmed from the surface of stars - a dangerous and difficult activity - as well as collecting free-floating cargo canisters and escape capsules liberated after the destruction of other ships. A light-year or lightyear (symbol: ly) is a unit of measurement of length, specifically the distance light travels in vacuum in one year. ...

An extremely expensive one-shot galactic hyperspace upgrade permits travel between the eight galaxies of the game universe. There is little practical difference between the different galaxies.

The game includes several optional missions for the Galactic Navy. One requires tracking down and destroying a stolen experimental ship; the other involves transporting classified information on the Thargoids' home planet, with Thargoid invasion ships doing their best to see that you do not succeed.

Conversions and clones

Originally there were 3 versions of Elite released: Acorn Electron Tape, BBC B Tape and BBC B Disk. The BBC B Disk version is referred to as Classic Elite and was the only one of the three to feature missions, of which there were two. These are colloquially referred to as the "Constrictor" and "Thargoids Documents" missions. The BBC B Tape version was cut down from the Disk version and featured fewer ship types and different sound effects.^{[citation needed]}

The game was quickly ported to a wide range of home computer platforms, including the Apple II, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. The only console version was released in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Some of the ports had slightly altered gameplay or other characteristics. The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... The Amstrad CPC was a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad during the 1980s and early 1990s. ... The Commodore 64 is the best-selling single personal computer model of all time. ... The ZX Spectrum is a home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. ... â€œNESâ€ redirects here. ...

The Amstrad CPC port has fewer ships than other platforms, lacking the Anaconda and Transport, along with some minor differences in missions and titles. The Amstrad CPC was a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad during the 1980s and early 1990s. ...

The Commodore 64 conversion introduced Trumbles (creatures based on the tribbles in Star Trek: The Original Series.) Also, when the docking computer is activated in the Commodore 64 version and some other versions, a musical rendition of The Blue Danube Waltz is played, which is a nod to a spaceflight sequence in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. This music was arranged by David Dunn. The Commodore 64 is the best-selling single personal computer model of all time. ... This article is about the fictional furry creature of Star Trek. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ... The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schÃ¶nen blauen Donau op. ... A waltz (German: , Italian: , French: , Spanish: , Catalan: ) is a ballroom and folk dance in time, done primarily in closed position. ... â€œKubrickâ€ redirects here. ... The year 1968 in film involved some significant events. ...

ArcElite, the port to the Acorn Archimedes written by Warren Burch and Clive Gringras added intelligent opponents who engage in their own private battles and police who take an active interest in protecting the law. The game world no longer seems to be centered around the player; freighter fleets with escorts go about their own business, pirate formations patrol lawless systems looking for cargo to loot and mining ships can often be found breaking up asteroids for their mineral content. Unlike the mythical Generation Ships of the original, rare occurrences really can be found in ArcElite - geometric formations of space beacons; hermits living among the asteroids; abandoned ships towed by police (although please note that Dredgers and Generation Ships are confirmed not to exist in ArcElite).^[4] Image File history File linksMetadata Arcelite_through_vipers. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Arcelite_through_vipers. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A generation ship is a hypothetical starship that travels across great distances between stars at a speed much slower than that of light (see interstellar travel). ...

In the late 1980s there were several attempts to create Elite-like games. The most hyped of these was FOFT (Federation of Free Traders) produced for the Atari ST and Amiga, the leading game machines of their day. However, FOFT was largely panned by reviewers and was not a commercial success.^{[citation needed]} Other respected space simulations were released for the ST and Amiga, such as Starglider 2, Damocles (Mercenary 2) and Warhead. These games are more limited in scope than Elite, in which the player could freely trade around the galaxy. The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially popular from 1985 to the early 1990s. ... The original Amiga 1000 (1985) with various peripherals The Amiga 500 (1987) was the most popular variant of the Amiga. ... Screenshot of Starglider 2 for the Amiga Starglider 2 was an early 3D space simulator/flight simulator video game released in 1988 by Argonaut Games and was the sequel to Starglider. ... Mercenary is the first in a series of computer games, published on a number of 8-bit and 16-bit platforms from the mid 1980s to the early 1990s, by Novagen Software Ltd. ... A screenshot from the intro of the game Warhead is a 3D space combat simulator for Amiga (A500 and A2000) and Atari ST platforms. ...

Many attempts to develop clones of Elite have been made, but most have been abandoned before completion or have otherwise failed to come to fruition. Elite: The New Kind, was developed by Christian Pinder from a reverse-engineered copy of the original BBC Micro version of Elite, but was withdrawn from the main distribution at David Braben's request^[5]

However, not all attempts failed: Oolite, initially an OpenGL Mac OS X reimplementation first released in July 2004, has since been successfully ported to Linux, and Microsoft Windows. The latest evolutions have seen ports for SGI IRIX and FreeBSD on Intel architectures made available. Oolite is a free (as in beer), Creative Commons licensed, 3D Space Sim in the spirit of Elite, and is as the name suggests Object Oriented eLite. ... OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a standard specification defining a cross-language cross-platform API for writing applications that produce 2D and 3D computer graphics. ... Mac OS X (IPA: ) is a line of graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. ... Linux (IPA pronunciation: ) is a Unix-like computer operating system. ... Windows redirects here. ... SGI is a TLA for at least three separate entities: Saskatchewan Government Insurance Scientific Games International Silicon Graphics, Incorporated Soka Gakkai International This page expands a three-character combination which might be any or all of: an abbreviation, an acronym, an initialism, a word in English, or a word in... IRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. ... FreeBSD is a Unix-like free operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) branch through the 386BSD and 4. ...

The open source game Vega Strike can be considered a spiritual successor of Elite^{[citation needed]} and shares some gameplay features with it. Coming full circle, an Elite mod for the Vega Strike engine is in the works.^[6] Vega Strike is a first person space flight simulator, developed for Microsoft Windows, POSIX Unix-like operating systems such as Linux and Mac OS X systems. ...

In 2004, the commercial product Elite Starfighter was released in Germany. Starfighter is an Elite clone that features modern graphics. Since it duplicates the original gameplay, it has been criticized as being somewhat dull by today's standards, but Elite enthusiasts might consider it worth taking a look.^[7] 2004 2004 in games 2003 in video gaming 2005 in video gaming Notable events of 2004 in video gaming. ...

In interviews, the senior producers of CCP Games have cited Elite as one of the inspirations for their acclaimed EVE Online MMORPG.^[8] Photo of CCP at work CCP (Crowd Control Productions) is known for the MMORPG game EVE_Online. ... EVE Online is a persistent world multiplayer online game set in space. ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ...

Open release

In 1999/2000, a dispute occurred between Ian Bell and David Braben regarding the former's decision to make available all versions of the original Elite. The dispute has now ended; the various versions are available on Bell's site. The two Frontier games are available for download from Braben's Elite Club website.

Sequels

A pseudo-sequel, Elite Plus, was released for DOS in 1991. Whereas the original Elite for the PC used CGA graphics, Elite Plus was upgraded to take advantage of EGA, VGA and MCGA. It was coded entirely in assembly language by Chris Sawyer, who later wrote RollerCoaster Tycoon.^[9] Elite Plus had a ninth galaxy and a new title, "Archangel", for the player to earn. Archangel is reached by undertaking a special mission to destroy a space station in a system invaded by the Thargoids. The player's reward for completing the mission is to receive the title Archangel and obtain a device that is capable of emulating anti-ECM broadcasts. The ninth galaxy can only be reached by hyperspacing into Witch Space. Elite Plus was published by Microplay. Cover art of Frontier Elite 2 This work is copyrighted. ... Cover art of Frontier Elite 2 This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2196x2775, 340 KB)A scan of the box art for Frontier: First Encounters. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2196x2775, 340 KB)A scan of the box art for Frontier: First Encounters. ... Elite is a seminal space trading-game, originally published by Acornsoft in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers and subsequently ported to many others. ... Instructions on how to use the directory command. ... Notable events of 1991 in computer and video games. ... The Color Graphics Adapter (CGA), introduced in 1981, was IBMs first color graphics card, and the first color computer display standard for the IBM PC. The standard IBM CGA graphics card was equipped with 16 kilobytes of video memory. ... The Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) is the IBM PC computer display standard specification located between CGA and VGA in terms of graphics performance (that is, colour and space resolution). ... VGA Port VGA plug Video Graphics Array (VGA) is an analog computer display standard first marketed in 1987 by IBM. It has been technologically outdated in the PC market for some time. ... Multicolor Graphics Adapter (MCGA) was the IBM name for what would later become part of the generic Video Graphics Array (VGA) standard. ... See the terminology section, below, regarding inconsistent use of the terms assembly and assembler. ... Chris Sawyer is a British computer game developer who is best-known for designing and programming RollerCoaster Tycoon, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, and Transport Tycoon. ... For an overview of the series to which this game belongs, see RollerCoaster Tycoon (series) RollerCoaster Tycoon is a simulation strategy computer game that simulates theme park management. ...

A variant of the original BBC Micro Elite with many extra features, originally titled Elite III but now known as Elite A to minimize confusion, was created by Angus Duggan in the late 1980s by disassembling and modifying the 6502 code from the commercial release. It includes many more ship types, more ship types flyable by the player (who begins in the less capable Adder), cargo delivery missions, some extra equipment items and numerous gameplay improvements. Elite A was released publicly in 1997. Like the original game, it can be downloaded free from Ian Bell's web site and played under emulation. In computer programming, the disassembly is the result when machine code is translated back into assembly language. ... The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle for MOS Technology in 1975. ... 1997 1997 in games 1996 in video gaming 1998 in video gaming Notable events of 1997 in video gaming. ...

Two official true sequels were created: Frontier: Elite 2 (1993) and Frontier: First Encounters (1995), both produced by Braben's company Frontier Developments. Bell had limited involvement in the first sequel, and was not involved in the production of the second. Both games were a considerable advance on the original Elite, with filled 3D graphics, missions and a complex economy. This time, the player was not confined to orbit but could land on and explore or mine planets. The number of flyable ships was greatly increased, and a new political backstory was introduced enabling the player to gain ranks in competing interstellar empires. The games appeared on the Commodore Amiga, Atari ST and IBM PC. Frontier: Elite 2 is a computer game written by David Braben and published by Gametek. ... First Encounters is a video game released in 1995. ... Frontier Developments is a British computer and video games development company. ... Amiga is the name of a range of home/personal computers using the Motorola 68000 processor family, whose development started in 1982. ... The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was commercially popular from 1985 to the early 1990s. ... IBM PC (IBM 5150) with keyboard and green screen monochrome monitor (IBM 5151), running MS-DOS 5. ...

Both games were, however, significantly flawed in a number of respects. They had a notably unfriendly copy protection system which was compared unfavourably to the infamous Lenslok device used on the ZX Spectrum version of the original Elite.^{[citation needed]} Both games had many bugs, First Encounters in particular, due apparently to being published in an incomplete state, and First Encounters had to be extensively patched; this became the subject of a three-year lawsuit between the publisher - GameTek - and Braben. Copy prevention, also known as copy protection, is any technical measure designed to prevent duplication of information. ... Lenslok was a copy prevention mechanism found in some computer games on Commodore 64 and Sinclair ZX Spectrum. ... The ZX Spectrum is a home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd. ... A software bug is an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program that prevents it from behaving as intended (e. ... A newer GameTek logotype GameTek () was a leading UK video game developer and publisher, perhaps best known for such games as Frontier: Elite II and The Humans. ...

The sequels employed a realistic flight model based on Newtonian mechanics rather than the original arcade-style engine. While this was more realistic, many players also found it frustratingly difficult, particularly in combat. Most space trading games since Elite have stuck to an arcade-style flight model, in which the ships behave as though they are flying in an atmosphere. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Classical mechanics. ...

A new sequel, Elite 4, is currently under development. Many fans of the series are skeptical that it will ever be released, or believe that it will be greatly delayed.^{[citation needed]} Elite 4 is a video game proposed by Frontier Developments, specifically by David Braben. ...

Screenshots

References

^ Elite Trivia. Retrieved on 2006-05-21.
^ Rusell DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: the illustrated history of electronic games, p. 340-341
^ ^a ^b ^c Francis Spufford. "Masters of their universe", Guardian, October 18, 2003.
^ Archimedes Elite. Elite Wiki. Retrieved on 2006-10-05.
^ NewKind. Christian Pinder. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
^ Eliot Lash and Bálint Szilárd. Elite Strike. Retrieved on 2006-05-18.
^ Elite Starfighter. Pepper Games. Retrieved on 2006-05-21.
^ Evolution and Risk: CCP on the Freedoms of EVE Online. Gamasutra. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
^ Robert Pfeifer. alt.fan.elite FAQ. Retrieved on 2006-08-04. Section 3.18 and 3.19.

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 138th day of the year (139th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 216th day of the year (217th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

Inspiration, development and launch

Gameplay

Conversions and clones

Open release

Sequels

Screenshots

References

See also

External links

Contents

Inspiration, development and launch GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Gameplay

Conversions and clones

Open release

Sequels

Screenshots

References

See also

External links

Inspiration, development and launch