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Except this is Elite. People who've been waiting for this game do not follow reason, logic or any such nonsense.

You know what? You're absolutely right. I had a vague sense that this was once a popular game, but didn't understand how so.

>Elite is one of the most popularly requested games to be remade,[42] with some arguing that it is still the best example of the genre to date, with more recent titles—including its sequel—not rising up to the same level.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elite_(video_game)

Still, it seems criminally lazy to put such little effort into asking for $2 million.

Minimum Viable Crowdfunding ;-)

Elite was such a popular game that its still being implemented on the old 8-bit systems by dedicated fans, just for the love of doing it (and also for the love of old hardware):

http://1337.defence-force.org/

Exactly. If this is indeed David Braben, all he had to say was "I want to make a game", and I would throw money at him.

It is indeed David Braben :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20165344

If you're of a certain age, then Neither Elite nor David Braben need any introduction. As soon as I saw the HN headline my response was 'shut up and take my money.' 30 years after its release I still consider it one of the best computer games ever made.

This what it looked like in its original form: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIuOjEqY8Hk

Seen the recent new implementation for the Oric-1/Atmos machines?

http://1337.defence-force.org/

8-.

On my "original" on the BBC B Micro, it was in black and white, not colour?

Or is my memory failing me?

No, you're right, the version shown is the second processor edition.

The pick of the bunch is probably the Master 128 edition, as it sports colour AND double buffering, though it won't be as fast as the second processor edition on account of the missing processor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEbhsXIL8a8

(I don't think there's a Master 128 second processor edition, sadly, but if there actually is, that one would be even better.)

Your memory's going, I'm afraid. The original version, the BBC Model B one, used a novel split-screen technique. The upper larger portion showing space was Mode 4, 1bpp at 320 × 256 if it was the whole screen, the bottom flight-deck portion was Mode 5, 2bpp at 160 × 256. Here's a screenshot, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c4/BBC_Micro_Elit...

You are right. The upper screen was definitely black and white, but the bottom in colour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ6PjWP34Kg

In the BBC B Master edition the top was in colour. I always was jealous of my friend who had one, since it had so "much more" memory! :-)

It's probably related to a recent change in policy - http://www.kickstarter.com/blog/kickstarter-is-not-a-store

"-Product simulations are prohibited. Projects cannot simulate events to demonstrate what a product might do in the future. Products can only be shown performing actions that they’re able to perform in their current state of development.

-Product renderings are prohibited. Product images must be photos of the prototype as it currently exists."

Those guidelines only apply to hardware and product design projects, not games.

I considered that briefly but they made sure to clarify that it only applied to certain categories:

>The new guideline prohibiting renderings applies only to projects categorized as Product Design or Hardware. Other categories, including Games, are not affected.

Besides, that wouldn't at all explain why there is a complete lack of pitch videos or artwork (even like reward tier artwork).

The most successful game Kickstarter campaigns (Double Fine, Eternity) have shown nothing[1], allowing donators to project their own desires onto the project instead of being constrained by the game's actual direction. Time will tell whether this is brilliant or foolhardy.

[1] They tend to update the pages after they get the money, so you can't judge them by what they look like now.

I'm pretty sure at least P:E had a video.

I'm sorry - you make excellent rational points - but I don't care. I lost four months of my teenage life to this damn game and I want more.

Make it better than eve and you can have a kidney to sell, the dodgy one on the left.

Only four months? ;-)

I think I played Elite nearly every day for a year or so... I'm almost afraid of what would happen if a new one that was any good came along.

Make it EVE+"spitfires in space" and I think an entire generation will be lost.

EVE is not a bad take on Elite with one huge show-stopper, EVE is all about coop and team playing. In EVE you cannot dominate without huge corp backing, Elite was all about the single player.

I guess I'm just too young to get it. I wasn't yet born when Elite was released. I have a lot of respect for older games and I'm usually the first to say graphics don't matter, but looking at screens and videos... I don't get the appeal. It's hard to even tell what is going on.

Get a copy of Frontier First Encounters - the last part of franchiase:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXKTTB95JlY

The difference is that in this case the project leader really is John Videogames, or close enough.

How is that a difference?

It's not random person off the street. It's someone with a well known and well respected history of delivering high quality games.

> well known and well respected history of delivering high quality games.

Someone is forgetting how Elite 2 turned out

Frontier was fine, a good Elite sequel. Even First Encounters was okay after extensive patching. And the problems with First Encounters at launch were apparently down to deadline issues with the publisher, just the kind of thing that a Kickstarter launch ought to avoid.

> Not that concept art, screenshots, or videos ensure success, but the complete lack of all three seems quite odd these days. Especially for a $2 million goal. That's fricking nuts.

I found this utterly pathetic. He asks for so much from the fans but hasn't even done the most basic of legwork.

Seems like a total cash grab to me, prepare for disappointment