elite modification??

tobby · Post by **tobby** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 4:17 am

does anyone remember the old game elite and frontier elite??

they used to be the best games I everplayed in my child hood.

would it be a good idea to have an elite mod for this game??

you see there are a ton of elite fans out there and not one complete clone is out there.

p.s. i got sick and tired of waiting for elite 4.

etheral walker · Post by **etheral walker** » Thu Jul 24, 2003 5:07 am

should be a nice idea, but ther was already some tryes in modding communitie: each time there was some problems with David Braben, he always requested modders to stop their work. Does it means there will be a new elite?

Agima · Post by **Agima** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 5:01 am

etheral walker wrote:should be a nice idea, but ther was already some tryes in modding communitie: each time there was some problems with David Braben, he always requested modders to stop their work. Does it means there will be a new elite?

Hello! Here's my take on this :

As long as you don't use the "Elite" or "Frontier" name for the game, it's universe's property names (ships configurations, some of it's unique technologies items, aliens races, etc) you should be ok.

The Universe itself in Elite/Frontier (planets names, stars systems names) are either Real-Lifeâ„¢ or randomly generated. So, I don't think using some of those names would be a problem.

The problem with some of the "others" elite clones that have been shut down by Frontier Development (D. Braben) is that they were exact (more or less) replicas of the original games. Some were even trying to sell them without giving any royalties to FD, some were not even autorized be David Braben...

I don't remember seeing a Frontier2/FFE clone tho. They too would suffer the wrath of Frontier Develpment if they were too flagrant similitudes with the original games. And, correct me if i'm wrong, but the Windows executable (JJFFE) of FFE hasn't been shutdown, right? Even if it's base on reverse engineered code...

So an Elite/Frontier/FFE Vegastrike mod would be possible IMHO, by making sure to not infrige on potential copyright problems. You can basicly do a space trading/fighting/exploring type of game, set in a fascimilate "Frontier/FFE universe" where you coud dock at stations, land on planets, trade and fight, etc. I don't think anyone can copyright a gameplay anyway!

Only my two cents.

etheral walker · Post by **etheral walker** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 5:29 am

Vegastrike really look like you say: "a space trading/fighting/exploring type of game"

the problem of a remake of elite is that we need to redo the ships, use the same names and same universe. It's the difference between an elite lika game and an elite port one

http://www.energymech.net/users/proton/ffe/

Agima · Post by **Agima** » Fri Sep 19, 2003 11:21 pm

etheral walker wrote:Vegastrike really look like you say: "a space trading/fighting/exploring type of game"
the problem of a remake of elite is that we need to redo the ships, use the same names and same universe. It's the difference between an elite lika game and an elite port one

http://www.energymech.net/users/proton/ffe/

Well that's exacly the problem. If someone try to recreate elite/frontier by using the exact SAME universe (details like game's ship designs, some specific technologies terminologies, some of the hard coded systems names, the governments, the aliens, etc), they sure will get nailed by Frontier Development and their "we-don't-want-anyone-messing-up-with-our-game attitude".

The only way is to do something with the essence of whats making Elite/Frontier what they are, without using the details of the original games that I've mentionned above.

What Elite/Frontier fans really want, in the end, is a Frontier/FFE with better graphics. Vegastrike might be, with a mod, just the thing that they and I are looking, as long as precaution are taken to not infringe the games copyrights... and the insanaly over-protective creator of the original games!

I haven't tried Vegastrike yet, so I dont' really know about all it's possibilities. I'm in the process of a computer upgrade that turned into one hell of a nightmare, so I don't have time right now, but when it will be settled out, I sure will give it a try!

JaseP · Post by **JaseP** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 6:32 pm

Braben IS planning on an Elite 4 (working title).

Plans are to release it for Windoze, Playstation2, Linux and MAC. However, development on the title, or at least news of it, has been stalled for some time (years). His website is entitled Frontier Development or something like that.

Look here:

http://www.frontier.co.uk/

Agima · Post by **Agima** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 11:08 pm

JaseP wrote:Braben IS planning on an Elite 4 (working title).

Plans are to release it for Windoze, Playstation2, Linux and MAC. However, development on the title, or at least news of it, has been stalled for some time (years). His website is entitled Frontier Development or something like that.

Look here:

http://www.frontier.co.uk/

Oh, I know that. But I've lost faith in M. Braben some years ago. The lack of contribution from him for the Fan base is... aberrant. He has taken down nearly all Elite/Frontier related FAN projets (his attitude reminds me of FOX and their agressive action towards Aliens related fan projects). That's a really a sad way to treat the fan base, espcially over a game that is relatively old.

I don't need to remind you that source code of Frontier/FFE was suppose to be released a long time ago through the Elite Club, but this, apparently, will not happen.

I know that I won't hold my breath for Elite IV. Even IF he and his team started to code the game, it would take an enormous amount of time to deliver that kind of game (3 years and more), to live up to fan's expectations, which is normal.

Elite 4, is as far as I believe, only a dream. I'll wake up when it will arrive, but that's a LONG time to go.

Cap'n Hack · Post by **Cap'n Hack** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 3:48 pm

i think the issues with the elite clones is more of a problem for david braben because of a lengthy legal problem with the other co creator of the game. there was some issue with the copyright not being sold totally to braben and there is a possibility that this could come up once again if he allowed clones to develop.
i might be the only one, but id quite like to see a mod with wireframe graphics as in the original elite. im a fan of retro stuff and with todays graphics, the complexity of the ships could be much higher but without the effects of stretched textures causing pixellation.

AndÃ»r · Post by **AndÃ»r** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 11:37 pm

On Elite 4: they wanted to do it like a MMO Freelancer anyway (no inertial flight, mouse controls), and on their website they say that they won't begin coding till they get funds from a publisher. So, no Elite 4 for many years, and the Epic mods for I-War2, and X2, will be enough till then.

The really cool thing that very few games managed to pull off is seamless planet landing. Orbiter and the likes can do it, why not Vega Strike? That (and gameplay tweaks: I-war2 is a good source of ideas, for example on flight dynamics and speed feeling) is the main thing that VS needs to start becoming more Elite.

Shiz · Post by **Shiz** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 7:43 am

I agree, Vegastrike needs real planet landings.... mmmm shooting up a city

Vega Strike Forums

elite modification??

elite modification??

re:

Planet Landings