Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: MIDI sequencer and dealers in North America
From: banksie@khantazi.welly.gen.nz (Philip R. Banks)
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 22:28:58 +1200
Reply-To: banks_p@kosmos.wcc.govt.nz
Organization: My Arc.
Keywords: MIDI

epoo1@cs.aukuni.ac.nz (Edouard Malachi     Poor           ) writes:

> In <1992Apr10.171125.24348@merlin.dev.cdx.mot.com> lezz@merlin.dev.cdx.mot.com (Lezz Giles) writes:
> >Also, how much is Elite for the Archimedes and how does
> >it compare to the old Elite for the BBC Micro (I actually
> >got up to "Elite" class on my old BBC many years ago).
> 
> Exactly the same. Well it was from memory, but when we compared it
> directly to a BBC, it seems alot better... there are practically
> no new feature mind... Its just that its on a much better machine.

   Cobblers! Elite is flashier on the arc but it's playability has been
flawed in several small but important ways.

1) Laser fire. The lasers in the old BBC B version used to strobe with Beams
and Militaries allowing tactics of firing like mad till your laser
overheats. On the Arc version all lasers behave like pulses.

2) Shield recharging. On the BBC B version energy banks 3,4 would recharge
*then* your shields then banks 1 & 2. This was most useful as your sheilds
absorb fire better than the energy banks do. Guess what? On the Arc version
*all* energy banks must recharge before the shields do. When you are in
combat this is almost never. (Serious combat that is.)

3) Long range lasers. On the BBC B Militaries could fire out to sensor range
and by careful use of missile targetting many enemy ships could be
obliterated before coming into fighting range.

4) Furs are now illegal to trade. Why did they do this? Just detracts from
the feel of the game.

5) The Docking computer. On the BBC B version the Docking computer would
line you up with the current planet when out of the safety zone. This was a
most useful feature as it allowed you to hit C after a fight and be set
under way towards the planet (Not wasting precious time) while untargetting
missiles, checking for cargo and equipment damage and otherwise cleaning up
after a good fight. Now the docking computer is only active *inside* the
safety zone. Grrr.....

There are pro points like the interaction between ships and the Vipers
coming to help you. But this was a most disappointing port of the game.
Features that *should* have been there :-

Identification targetting computer. For missiles a targetting computer that
   reports the identity of the targetted craft. (Needs to be bought)

More features in system. It would have been nice to have multiple planets in
   system with a compass selection system to allow travel between them.

Different choice of craft. I have a hankering to take an Anaconda out for a
   drive and teach a few of these pirates just who's the *victim* here....
   But no the porters wimped out again...

Scatter pack missiles. The ability to have cluster bomb missiles for brat
   pack pirates would be nice. And deadly to fight against too...

More Missions. Four missions is definitely *not* enough.

> Recommended.

   Needed more work though. It is a shame - the machine is up to it...

    Philip

--
Philip R. Banks                                                         @@@@@/|
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