A somewhat deep dive on Elite's code and the hardware it originally ran on, discussing the memory space and CPU operation limitations, the split screen rendering, backface culling, radar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC4YLMLar5I
(Titled: Elite: "The game that couldn't be written")
Elite!
Re: Elite!
Cool. Just finished watching it. First 17 minutes were "same" story I've heard before, but then it goes into the code aspect of it, at a quite detailed level.
Re: Elite!
On the MSX disk version of Elite
https://thefoggiest.dev/2024/05/13/msx-elite
Not that much in the article that is specific to the MSX version, but some interesitng points:
On cloaking devices:
https://thefoggiest.dev/2024/05/13/msx-elite
Not that much in the article that is specific to the MSX version, but some interesitng points:
On cloaking devices:
On MSX:cloaking devices are often misused in science fiction. When a ship is cloaked, it is invisible, which means it lets through all light from behind. This means that this light is not entering the cloaked ship, which means that cloaked ships must be blind. This would be a fantastic story element since it greatly disadvantages any cloaked ship, but it is always missed.
On the 5 MSX special-missions (ECM Jammer sounds interesting):Unlike in other versions of Elite, most notably the Acorn Archimedes version, the player is the centre of the universe. Pirates, even those of different groups, leave each other alone while focussing solely on the player.
Five times during the game, the MSX Elite pilot is asked to do a mission. They are always announced when the player docks at a station. The first time, it mentions a prototype of a naval ship has been stolen. The player has to find it and destroy it. First, they need to follow the directions given to them after landing at each station they visit. This goes on for a while, after this instruction will follow: “There is a nasty and hostile ship here.” After taking off, the player will be attacked by a Constrictor, the prototype of the ship in question. When successful, a bounty is paid.
The second mission will provide the player with a naval energy unit, which will greatly enhance their ship’s lasers. For this, they need to transport Thargoid battleship blueprints to another station. Despite reassurances to the contrary, the pilot will meet heavy Thargoid resistance. For the third mission, the player already needs to have a galactic hyperdrive. They are told the local sun will go supernova, so the station’s inhabitants have to be evacuated. Payment is 50 Kg worth of jewels. Like any mission, the player can, of course, decide not to bother, in which case an insult follows, like for this particular mission, the one cited above.
The fourth mission is more of a special event than a mission. After exiting of hyperspace, the pilot will be attacked by a ship identifying as a Cougar. The Cougar is equipped with a cloaking device that makes it invisible to both the player’s eyes and their radar. After destroying, pick up the container it leaves behind. It contains the cloaking device.
The fifth and last mission takes place when a system has been invaded by Thargoids. They’re using a space station as their base. The player has to fight their way through an entire Thargoid fleet and destroy the station. Payment is an ECM jammer, a device that stops enemy anti-missile systems from destroying their missiles. A very useful device that also works with Thargoids. When combined with a cloaking device, the ship’s energy reserves are used up rapidly.