Elite

Elite is a freeform 3D space trading and combat simulator, originally created for the BBC Micro by David Braben and Ian Bell in 1984, and ported to many other computer and console platforms. Several of its features were influential on later games, including the game's innovative uses of wireframe 3D, procedural generation, and open-ended gameplay.

Overview

In November 1984, Braben and Bell teamed up with software agent Jacqui Lyons of the firm Marjacq Micro to auction the rights to bring Elite to computer platforms other than the BBC Micro, as Acornsoft did not have an interest in porting games outside of the Acorn platforms.

Becoming the Elite

Attaining 'Elite' status in the game requires 6400 kills in combat.

By November 1984, fifty five individuals had attained the title of 'Elite'.

Development

• 
  Calculation of the ship shapes.
• 
  Concept for the screen layout.
• 
  Math determining the 3D movements.
• 
  Drawings of the GECKO spacecraft.
• 
  Sketches for the Gnat spacecraft.
• 
  Name and world tree for places within the world of Elite (Part 1)
• 
  (Part 2)
• 
  Logarithmic functions used for 3D calculations.
• 
  A secondary user interface concept.

Advertisements

• 
  Personal Computer World (October 1984)
• 
  Your Spectrum (November 1985)

Magazine Covers

• 
  A&B Computing (December 1984)
• 
  Zzap!64 (May 1985)

Previews

• 
  Crash (October 1985)

Reviews

BBC Micro/Electron

• 
  Acorn User
  (October 1984)
• 
  Computer and Video Games
  (October 1984)
• 
  Popular Computing Weekly
  (11th October 1984)
• 
  The Micro User
  (November 1984)
• 
  A&B Computing
  (December 1984)

Commodore 64

• 
  Zzap!64
  (May 1985)
• 
  Computer Gamer
  (June 1985)
• 
  Ahoy!
  (December 1986)

ZX Spectrum

• 
  Crash
  (November 1985)
• 
  Sinclair User
  (November 1985)
• 
  Your Spectrum
  (November 1985)

MS-DOS

• 
  The Games Machine
  (October 1987)

Atari ST / MSX

• 
  The Games Machine
  (November 1988)

Nintendo Entertainment System

• 
  Nintendo Magazine System
  (October 1992)
• 
  Nintendo Game Zone
  (January 1993)
• 
  NForce
  (February 1993)

Conversions

Platform	Developer	Publisher
Amstrad CPC	(Credits)	Firebird
Amiga	Rob Nicholson	Rainbird
Atari ST	(Credits)	Rainbird
Commodore 64	(Credits)	Firebird
IBM DOS	Andy Onions	Firebird
MSX	Rob Nicholson	Firebird
NES	(Credits)	Imagineering Co.
ZX Spectrum	(Credits)	Firebird

• http://www.elitehomepage.org/demos/index.htm — Several other ports in development which never shipped are posted on Ian Bell's website.

Histories

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpWoF5uVgbA — The Making of Elite segment (featuring David Braben and Ian Bell) from Brits Who Made The Modern World (2008, History Channel)
• https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1014628/Classic-Game-Postmortem — Classic Game Postmortem - ELITE presented by David Braben (GDC 2011)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys2aSQBvzjk — David Braben on the Making of Elite, from the From Bedrooms to Billions DVD extras (2014)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhO-v1wMe3M — The Story of Elite: A Space Opera by Kim Justice (2019)

Interviews

• http://www.elitehomepage.org/faq.htm — Elite FAQ by Ian Bell. Goes over some of the development and general questions the co-author has received about Elite.
• Limitless horizons for the Elite team, Acorn Programs (Acorn World), December 1984 (Page v). Joint interview with the co-creators about their software careers and the crate of Elite on the BBC Micro.

Webcomics

• http://blowthecartridge.com/2011/08/27/elite/ — Strip from Blow the Cartridge by Cameron Davis