Creation Of Elite Charted

Thanks to The UK Guardian for their book excerpt focusing on the creation of classic 3D space shooter Elite. The piece is introduced: "Computer games weren't very good in 1982.. which was what prompted two teenage mathematicians to create the cosmos of their dreams, making them a fortune and inspiring computer nerds the world over", going on to explain why Elite, originally for the BBC Micro but with "the best conversions... for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Acorn Archimedes" innovated in 3D graphics, complex trading systems, and "having the computer generate the game universe" for the player. However, nothing can explain Elite: The Musical.

Comments

Now: Shareware

[neglige]

Frontier (Elite 2) is available for download and can be registered for just 5 UK-Pounds... I don't know the exact number of galaxies included, but there were more than 256...

Link to PC version

[Pvt_Waldo]

http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/pc/index.htm

Now when is someone going to do like a "Tenebrae" version with OpenGL, etc? :^)

The book it is from is worth reading

[cryptogryphon]

The article is from Chapter 3 of Francis Spufford's "Backroom Boys". I enjoyed the book immensely.

As the subtitle suggests it is unashamedly British in outlook, but celebrates engineering with six anecdotal stories that would warm the heart of any geek (or at least allow them the odd knowing chuckle).

As well as Elite, it covers Britain's space program (Black Arrow, Blue Streak etc.), Concorde (topical), cellphones, the Human Genome, and a reprise on Britain's space program with Beagle 2. Not a proper review I know, but a recommendation all the same.

Re:Why no new Elite?

[Fenresulven]

They are...