History VideoGame / Elite

''Frontier: Elite II'' and ''Frontier: First Encounters'' are later PC sequels by David Braben alone (the original authors having had a serious falling-out), with textured 3D graphics. Sadly, while ''First Encounters'' has good Newtonian physics (it was even possible to place a ship into proper orbit), it was obviously in an unfinished state. Various indie developers have hacked and modified the code to make it playable on modern systems, even going so far as to port the graphics engine to UsefulNotes/OpenGL. One ambitious project, [=FFE-D3D=], aims to rewrite the entire game with greatly improved graphics. The fourth game in the series, ''VideoGame/EliteDangerous'', was released for Windows on 16 December 2014, featuring an online persistent universe with multiplayer elements, with a Mac OSX port and other updates slated for the near future.

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** A big {{Homage}} to ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'': ''The Blue Danube Waltz'' plays when using the Auto-Dock upgrade to dock at the rotating space stations.

** A big {{Homage}} to ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' ; ''The Blue Danube'' as the soundtrack and rotational docking stations.

Inspired by ''TabletopGame/Traveller'', the game was eventually credited for launching an entire sub-genre of videogames known as "Elite-like", with entries including ''VideoGame/EveOnline'', ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', ''Jumpgate'', ''VideoGame/InfinityTheQuestForEarth'', ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer'', ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'', the ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' series, open-source game ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' (which got an "Elite Strike" mod, but its development currently seems to be frozen), and the ''Videogame/{{X}}-Universe'' series of space combat and trading games. There is now also a free, open-source remake, ''VideoGame/{{Oolite}}'' (so named because it uses object-oriented programming), which has a fairly dedicated [[GameMod modding]] community.

''Frontier: Elite II'' and ''Frontier: First Encounters'' are later PC sequels by David Braben alone (the original authors having had a serious falling-out), with textured 3D graphics. Sadly, while ''First Encounters'' has good Newtonian physics (it was even possible to place a ship into proper orbit), it was an ObviousBeta. Various indie developers have hacked and modified the code to make it playable on modern systems, even going so far as to port the graphics engine to UsefulNotes/OpenGL. One ambitious project, [=FFE-D3D=], aims to rewrite the entire game with greatly improved graphics. The fourth game in the series, ''VideoGame/EliteDangerous'', was released for Windows on 16 December 2014, featuring an online persistent universe with multiplayer elements, with a Mac OSX port and other updates slated for the near future.

* ObviousBeta: The third game was released behind the developers' backs, with several ugly bugs still present.

The game was eventually credited for launching an entire sub-genre of videogames known as "Elite-like", with entries including ''VideoGame/EveOnline'', ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'', ''Jumpgate'', ''VideoGame/InfinityTheQuestForEarth'', ''VideoGame/WingCommanderPrivateer'', ''VideoGame/NoMansSky'', the ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' series, open-source game ''VideoGame/VegaStrike'' (which got an "Elite Strike" mod, but its development currently seems to be frozen), and the ''Videogame/{{X}}-Universe'' series of space combat and trading games. There is now also a free, open-source remake, ''VideoGame/{{Oolite}}'' (so named because it uses object-oriented programming), which has a fairly dedicated [[GameMod modding]] community.

** The ship does not change course nor enters the hyperspace after launch?, head-on planetary collision after a short while.

* StandardSnippet: The Amiga version of Elite used ''On the Beautiful Blue Danube'' as the theme song.

* EasilyForgiven: Your criminal status will go from "fugitive" to "offender" and back to "clean" in a timely fashion if you stop doing illegal things.

* UpdatedReRelease: Elite Plus for PC, with added features and improved graphics. Coded by Chris Sawyer of ''VideoGame/TransportTycoon'' and ''VideoGame/RollerCoasterTycoon'' fame.

One of the most amazing things is the sheer size of the game for an 8-bit computer. By using [[RandomlyGeneratedLevels procedural generation]] the game manages to have 2048 different, predetermined and constant systems to visit across eight galaxies. (This did lead to a few issues, several planets can only be reached by inter-galactic hyperspace because they are too far from the other planets in the galaxy to jump to normally and intergalactic jumps are not cheap. Also the designers had to tweak the algorithm several times when a planet got a profane name via the generation method.)

* UnintentionallyUnwinnable: There's one star-system, Oresrati in Galaxy 8, which is over 7 light-years from any other; hence, it is only reachable by Galactic Hyperspace (or the "unlimited hyperspace range" hack). It's of insufficient tech level to sell you another Galactic Hyperspace. If you're not using the "unlimited hyperspace range" hack and don't have a recent saved position, then you're basically screwed.

** The second rank is "Literature/MostlyHarmless".

* EasyLogistics: Averted, fuel and missiles have to be replenished.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page* AbsentAliens: There are no intelligent aliens in ''Dangerous''... yet.
%%** There's a [[AllThereInTheManual Galnet]] article about an auction for alleged alien artifacts from the Thargoid race, whose existence is supposed to be a legend.

* ArtificialStupidity: The AI in ''Dangerous'' isn't terribly competent at avoiding collisions. The changelog for update 1.1 includes some amusing bugfixes, like "Stopped AI miners from mining empty space"

* AutoSave: ''Dangerous'' automatically saves when you leave supercruise and when you land at stations.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page BladderOfSteel: There is no Pause functionality in ''Dangerous'', which is particularly annoying because there is a control called "Pause" [[NonIndicativeName that doesn't actually pause the game]]. The Save and Quit button in the menu functions like a (very slow) pause button.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page * CorruptCorporateExecutive: The Combat Scenarios in ''Elite: Dangerous'' have you serving one.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page* ''Elite Dangerous'' features both feudal and patronage-types of governance for settlements.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page {{Microtransactions}}: The only way to acquire alternate ship paint jobs in ''Dangerous'' is to buy them, at $3.50 a design.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page * MoneyGrinding: Trading is mindbogglingly dull but is the only viable way to purchase the large craft, i.e. the Anaconda in ''Dangerous'' at a whopping 142 million credits.

* OldSchoolDogfight: In the first game, particularly
** Returns in ''Elite Dangerous'' where combat is swooping back and forth within kilometer or two-sized bubble to get an angle on the enemy.
* OncePerEpisode: No matter how much more advanced the game engines get, they always have:
** A rotating polyhedron with a docking slot in one side, as one of the main space station types. In ''Elite: Dangerous'' it is very detailed on both the inside and outside, but it's still basically the same thing.

* OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture: Almost every ship in ''Dangerous'' has a very blocky shape - the Imperial Clipper and Eagle are some of the few exceptions - as a ContinuityNod to the vector graphics of the original game.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page * PaddedSumoGameplay: ''Dangerous'' has slow ship handling - which can be described as "[=B-17s=] in [[SpaceFriction WD-40]]" - and very durable ships, to make subsystem management and stealth that much more important.
* PressStartToGameOver: Elite was a very complex game for its time with unheard intrincated features and a steep learning curve even after studying the manual (in an era where five stock lines in the back cover of the game were the norm)

*** Before you do any of that, you actually have to '''get''' to the space station- you typically come out of hyperspace a certain distance from the planet, so you need to find it (using your navigation instruments) and make sure you stay on course (not easy for a complete beginner), hoping you don't get shot up by pirates and Thargoids ''en route''.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page* There's a system named [[VideoGame/EveOnline Jita]] in ''Elite: Dangerous''.
** Many NonPlayerCharacter ships in ''Elite: Dangerous'' use names taken from the game's various backers, which includes a lot of pop culture references. So don't be surprised if you run across such characters as [[Series/TheJoyOfPainting Bob Ross]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Hubert J. Farnsworth]], [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Spaceman Spiff]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Zap Brannigan]], [[Series/RedDwarf Arnold J. Rimmer]], Creator/PatrickStewart, or even ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Twilight Sparkle]]''.

** Elite: Dangerous does both this and realistic physics with flight assist. Have it on and you have friction. Have it off and you don't.

** ''Elite Dangerous'' Adds two more categories, one for trading and one for exploration beyond combat ratings.
* TrailersAlwaysLie: The release trailer for ''Dangerous'' is generally truthful about its content (aside from showing people walking around, which is planned for an ExpansionPack), though it presents a significantly sped up image of the game; with apparent RocketTagGameplay and very agile ships, which is quite the opposite from the actual game. It does at least state in big letters that it isn't in-game footage.

%% VideoGame/EliteDangerous has its own page * WelcomeToCorneria: ''Dangerous'' has about a dozen messages per action for NPC ships. Thankfully, there is no voice acting so it doesn't become grating.

** ''Elite Dangerous'' once more ups the ante and presents the Milky Way modeled according to modern astronomical models via procedural generation. Billions and billions of stars!

* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: Zig-zagged in ''Frontier'' and ''First Encounters''. While the galaxy map appears surprisingly realistic aside from the [[ArtisticLicenseSpace rather flat galactic disc]], other aspects raise some serious headscratchers. For instance, all ships are given registrations of two letters and a three-digit number, e.g. AB-123. This allows for a total of 26
×1000 or only about 676.000 spaceships in the whole inhabitated universe with a population of several 100 ''billions''.

* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Because of the series' Newtonian physics, if you're used to the mechanics of {{Shoot Em Up}}s or later space sim games, you're in for a VERY rude awakening.

** Many a novice player applied arcade logic and shot the first thing in sight... the Coriolis space station that releases Viper Police like there is no tomorrow... [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome reality quickly follows]]..

* VendorTrash: The basis of the merchant and pirate occupations.

* UnInstalment: The player's ship is a Cobra [=MK III=]. [=MK I=]s exist in-game but the manual says the Mark 2 never got past the prototype stage.