Elite and the different versions
Elite and the different versions
Looking at the site info for Elite and there seems to be 3 versions. BBC Micro, BBC Master and Acorn Electron. Whats the difference between the 3? Are they all locked to specific machines i.e. the Micro Version wont work on a Master. And does each version have anything the others dont? Ships, planets etc?
Last edited by Lorfarius on Thu May 24, 2007 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
There's some discussion here mixed in with other stuff;
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... 5&start=15
If you can get hold of a second processor that had some extra stuff too as it ran faster.
So you've got various options;
Electron version (which will only run on an ELK).
Early Beeb version (which may run on a Master if tweaked).
Standard version for use on Beeb and Master
Master 128 version
Tube (second processor) version (would run on Beeb or Master).
Not sure if there was even a fourth option of Tube + Master 128, possibly.
This is off top of my head so may contain errors ! Someone will spot if there is any though - hopefully !
The thread I've linked to outlines the smallish differences. This site http://www.bbcmicrogames.com/acornsoft.html also mentions that it loaded the entire game into memory so no long disk accesses. It also says there were additional missions and lots more... So maybe it was more different than people think.
Also as you've a Master, here's a thread that discussed other games that had enhancements;
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... .php?t=654
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... 5&start=15
If you can get hold of a second processor that had some extra stuff too as it ran faster.
So you've got various options;
Electron version (which will only run on an ELK).
Early Beeb version (which may run on a Master if tweaked).
Standard version for use on Beeb and Master
Master 128 version
Tube (second processor) version (would run on Beeb or Master).
Not sure if there was even a fourth option of Tube + Master 128, possibly.
This is off top of my head so may contain errors ! Someone will spot if there is any though - hopefully !
The thread I've linked to outlines the smallish differences. This site http://www.bbcmicrogames.com/acornsoft.html also mentions that it loaded the entire game into memory so no long disk accesses. It also says there were additional missions and lots more... So maybe it was more different than people think.
Also as you've a Master, here's a thread that discussed other games that had enhancements;
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... .php?t=654
What sort of tweaks?sorvad wrote:
Early Beeb version (which may run on a Master if tweaked).
I think I may have the early Beeb version as theres no mention of the Master in the manual. No wonder I couldnt get it to work! This is what I purchased:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0113999911
But thanks for the other info, gives me something to work through
Well, I've just downloaded the version you have and tested it to make sure it wouldn't work on a Master which it didn't. I then made some very simply changes to get it to run, which workedLorfarius wrote: What sort of tweaks?
But thanks for the other info, gives me something to work through
sort of 
It runs fine but the fonts are garbled as I think they are located in a slightly different place on a Master. To solve this someone would have to find the code that references them and change the address's or something like that. Certainly probably not a trivial job as you've have to disassemble the code and change it.Having said that some knowledgeable person might know what values to search for and tweak them.
I think Beardo has worked out cheats etc. before so he might be able to help, not sure it's worth the effort though, might be easier to get hold of the copy on here and get it transferred to a disk.
Do you want to know what tweaks to make to get it to run anyway ?
Getting a copy on disk from here would probably be easier. Whats the easiest way to go about this? Shame as it cost me a small fortuneI think Beardo has worked out cheats etc. before so he might be able to help, not sure it's worth the effort though, might be easier to get hold of the copy on here and get it transferred to a disk.
Do you want to know what tweaks to make to get it to run anyway ?
It's still worth it for the stuff you got with the disk.
Easiest way to do it is to ask some nice person to transfer it to a floppy for you I'd offer but I've not sorted out the link from my PC to my Beeb yet (I need to re-solder my cable).
If you want to do it yourself there are two main options
Use a PC with a 5.25 floppy drive. Then you can use OmniFlop to copy the file downloaded from here to the physical disk.
or
Connect a serial cable between your PC and the Beeb and use DFSExplorer program (available here in essentials section) to copy the files to a disk on the Beeb. This it will do it all by itself, you don't need to copy the individual files yourself. However with this option you'll need a serial cable making up as the Beeb connector is not standard (well not standard to PC's anyway). I made one up incorrectly but have not got round to doing a full fix yet.
Someone here might sell you a working lead then you can just transfer anything you want to your hearts content.
Easiest way to do it is to ask some nice person to transfer it to a floppy for you
I'd offer but I've not sorted out the link from my PC to my Beeb yet (I need to re-solder my cable).If you want to do it yourself there are two main options
Use a PC with a 5.25 floppy drive. Then you can use OmniFlop to copy the file downloaded from here to the physical disk.
or
Connect a serial cable between your PC and the Beeb and use DFSExplorer program (available here in essentials section) to copy the files to a disk on the Beeb. This it will do it all by itself, you don't need to copy the individual files yourself. However with this option you'll need a serial cable making up as the Beeb connector is not standard (well not standard to PC's anyway). I made one up incorrectly but have not got round to doing a full fix yet.
Someone here might sell you a working lead then you can just transfer anything you want to your hearts content.
What were the additional missions on the Master version? All I know about is the mystery ship and was that even a mission?sorvad wrote:There's some discussion here mixed in with other stuff;
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... 5&start=15
If you can get hold of a second processor that had some extra stuff too as it ran faster.
So you've got various options;
Electron version (which will only run on an ELK).
Early Beeb version (which may run on a Master if tweaked).
Standard version for use on Beeb and Master
Master 128 version
Tube (second processor) version (would run on Beeb or Master).
Not sure if there was even a fourth option of Tube + Master 128, possibly.
This is off top of my head so may contain errors ! Someone will spot if there is any though - hopefully !
The thread I've linked to outlines the smallish differences. This site http://www.bbcmicrogames.com/acornsoft.html also mentions that it loaded the entire game into memory so no long disk accesses. It also says there were additional missions and lots more... So maybe it was more different than people think.
Also as you've a Master, here's a thread that discussed other games that had enhancements;
http://www.stairwaytohell.com/sthforums ... .php?t=654
8-bit Acorn releases as I remember them ...
Acornsoft:
Electron cassette*
BBC cassette*
BBC B disk
BBC 6502 Tube disk
BBC Master 128 disk
Combined BBC B / BBC 6502 Tube / Master 128 disk
Later Superior Software / Acornsoft:
Electron cassette*
BBC cassette*
Combined BBC B / BBC 6502 Tube / Master 128 disk
BBC Master Compact disk
Unofficial:
Angus Duggan's Elite-A
* (no missions, no mining/military lasers, fewer ships, no docking computer animation)
I don't think there were any additional missions in the Tube or Master versions .. they did come with the Cougar (originally "Cat"), though - aka The Micro User's Cloak & Dagger mystery ship:
Picture courtesy of Witch Space
This could be found randomly in deep-space and didn't always show up on the scanner, thanks to it's cloaking device. It was actually faster and harder to kill than the Constrictor from the first mission.
Those versions also had more colourful graphics, no disk loading and faster gameplay - barely any slowdown when a planet or sun was on screen.
The Hybrid Arc version had loads more stuff which is why it was considered the most fully-featured of the original official Elite releases, including more missions, ships and is even rumoured to contain the mythical Generation Ships, IIRC.
For the ultimate Beeb Elite experience, tho, check out Angus Duggan's unofficial Elite-A (SSD) - he reverse-engineered the original game and then greatly expanded on it, and still managed to squeeze it back into an original Beeb. Much kudos there ...
Commander Samwise.
EDIT: missing docking computer animation clarified, missing lasers added
Acornsoft:
Electron cassette*
BBC cassette*
BBC B disk
BBC 6502 Tube disk
BBC Master 128 disk
Combined BBC B / BBC 6502 Tube / Master 128 disk
Later Superior Software / Acornsoft:
Electron cassette*
BBC cassette*
Combined BBC B / BBC 6502 Tube / Master 128 disk
BBC Master Compact disk
Unofficial:
Angus Duggan's Elite-A
* (no missions, no mining/military lasers, fewer ships, no docking computer animation)
I don't think there were any additional missions in the Tube or Master versions .. they did come with the Cougar (originally "Cat"), though - aka The Micro User's Cloak & Dagger mystery ship:
Picture courtesy of Witch Space
This could be found randomly in deep-space and didn't always show up on the scanner, thanks to it's cloaking device. It was actually faster and harder to kill than the Constrictor from the first mission.
Those versions also had more colourful graphics, no disk loading and faster gameplay - barely any slowdown when a planet or sun was on screen.
The Hybrid Arc version had loads more stuff which is why it was considered the most fully-featured of the original official Elite releases, including more missions, ships and is even rumoured to contain the mythical Generation Ships, IIRC.
For the ultimate Beeb Elite experience, tho, check out Angus Duggan's unofficial Elite-A (SSD) - he reverse-engineered the original game and then greatly expanded on it, and still managed to squeeze it back into an original Beeb. Much kudos there ...
Commander Samwise.
EDIT: missing docking computer animation clarified, missing lasers added
Last edited by Samwise on Sun Jun 03, 2007 1:44 pm, edited 6 times in total.
Sorry, yes, edited for clarity.
I should have said it didn't have the animation of watching your ship dock (and the ability to cancel the docking computers). The cassette version did, as you rightly point out, dump you unceremoniously in the space station almost magically ...
The cassette version also had fewer types of ships (missing the anaconda, fer-de-lance etc.) and no mining or military lasers, IIRC.
All in all, the disk version was much the preferred option ... especially when you factor in how long it took to load the cassette!!!
As for the generation ships, I may be perpetuating a rumour there - some people claim they exist, some say they don't. It's never been found in the source but, then, who knows what else is lurking in there - it's a big ol' universe ...
Sam.
I should have said it didn't have the animation of watching your ship dock (and the ability to cancel the docking computers). The cassette version did, as you rightly point out, dump you unceremoniously in the space station almost magically ...
The cassette version also had fewer types of ships (missing the anaconda, fer-de-lance etc.) and no mining or military lasers, IIRC.
All in all, the disk version was much the preferred option ... especially when you factor in how long it took to load the cassette!!!
As for the generation ships, I may be perpetuating a rumour there - some people claim they exist, some say they don't. It's never been found in the source but, then, who knows what else is lurking in there - it's a big ol' universe ...
Sam.
OK, having just discovered the Elite PPC 30-day beta trial is active again, I've had a play.
ASP AND COBRA ATTACKING!
Wow. That's all I have to say about that ...
Just WOW ... it's what my PDA was made for!
Sir, along with Messrs. Bell, Braben and Pinder, I am in your debt ... I take my hat off to your achievement.
Sam.
ASP AND COBRA ATTACKING!
Wow. That's all I have to say about that ...
Just WOW ... it's what my PDA was made for!
Sir, along with Messrs. Bell, Braben and Pinder, I am in your debt ... I take my hat off to your achievement.
Sam.