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Docking in Elite

SpectorSpector
edited November 2004 in Games
This is a pretty complicated game, but I want to learn how to play it since some people think it's the best game of all time. I've got the insructions from this site, but it doesn't explain what you do to "dock" in the game. Say I warp to another planet, and I shoot a craft and pick up the money. I can then see a white ball in the distance which I assume is the planet, and there is also a transparent white outlined circle too, the purpose of which I don't know. If I want to trade with that planet, what do I do next?
Post edited by Spector on
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Comments

  • AndyCAndyC
    edited November 2004
    Somewhere near the planet is a space station (a sort of spinning hexagonal shaped thingy), you can use your radar thingy to help you find it.

    On one side of that is a rectangular entrance. You have to line your ship up with it, spinning at the same rate and then just fly into the rectangle.
  • DunnyDunny
    edited November 2004
    Ok, the white ball is the sun. Docking anywhere near that is a no-no, unless you have fuel scoops attached. Even then, it's a tad dicey.

    The transparent white circle is the planet. Look at the scanner, to the right. You can see a circle with a dot in it. That dot, when filled, means that you're pointing at the planet. If it's un-filled, you're pointing away from the planet.

    So orientate your ship to point at the centre of the planet and then accelerate to full speed. Hit J to use the jump drive (gets you there quicker). If another ship wanders along, kill it. Or let it go. Up to you, unless it attacks in which case you kill it.

    When you get close enough to the planet, the jump drive will shut down. Now look for a stationary dot somewhere around the circle, possibly an inch or so away from the edge of the planet.

    Head for a point directly between the dot and the planet, but a point that's at right-angles to the planet's surface (IYSWIM).

    When you're close enough, the S will appear on your scanner, and the small target circle will start tracking the station.

    The station should appear in your main scanner. keep heading towards that point between the planet and the station, until the station is dead left/right of you. Then come to a full stop, and rotate the station into view.

    Now accelerate towards the station (not too fast) and when you get close enough to see the docking bay, correct your course so you're centralised. Then start rotating your ship to match the station's rotation.

    In no time at all, you'll be docked. Just take your time on the final approach.

    You can find the full BBC elite manual (that's the one that came with my speccy copy btw) on my site as a high quality PDF by my good self :-)

    http://homepage.ntlworld.com/paul.dunn4/elitegl.zip

    which has the OpenGL-PC version bundled in with it. It's 4.7mb, but well worth the download.

    D.
  • Philip KendallPhilip Kendall
    edited November 2004
    I see a great need for an RZX :)
  • CKayCKay
    edited November 2004
    I read many times how hard it is to dock, and only just starting to play the game a few months ago, I thought it was pretty easy (OK, though, if you come in at a weird angle, it can be a bit of a messy thing to get it right....)

    I never found out how to do anything, and from what I remember I was even starting the game without any cargo, but by God I was enjoying playing it, and chasing down and shooting ships, avoiding rockets etc etc

    Rock on Tommy... oops... Elite//////

    _________________

    edit - missed those last two posts..

    I was gonna ask someone to do an Rzx of just some of the game, but thought it seemed cheeky, since I hadn`t put much effort into `learning` it myself....



    [ This Message was edited by: CKay on 2004-11-17 23:57 ]
  • SpectorSpector
    edited November 2004
    Bloody hell, 4 posts inside 10 minutes.
    Thanks guys, ill try that out Dunny. :)
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  • Darth FiverDarth Fiver
    edited November 2004
    This post is slightly off topic, so my excuses in advance.

    There is very interesting bug with docking in this great game. For example: you bought your merchandise and want quickly get to other planet. Select your destination system and depart from station. Fly some distance away. Turn around (180 degrees) and begin docking procedure. when you will be close enough to the station begin hyperspace jump, so that countdown not finish until you fly in docking corridor. When docking complete - ho, you are on the planet of your choice (of course within 7 light years - your hyperspace range). This is rather boring, but can be helpful in the beginning, when your weaponry is not good enough, or you have problems with docking and have not money for 'Docking Computer'.
  • Hex2binHex2bin
    edited November 2004
    I always used a different way to dock. Worked very well on ST, don't know about Spectrum version.
    Approach docking bay, without rotating, very slowly until the door fills the view and then stop. The door rotates in front of you and just before the door is horizontal, hit accelerate and you are docked. Worked every time and no need to match any rotating speed.
  • psj3809psj3809
    edited November 2004
    Amazing game it really is.

    But you have to try out one of the 'X' games from www.egosoft.com

    Imagine Elite for the PC with amazing graphics and totally non-linear.

    Dont wish to sound like Victor Kiam about it but it really is excellent. X2 beyond the frontier you can pick up quite cheap nowadays.
  • SpectorSpector
    edited November 2004
    I don't play PC games, I hate the PC environment, sitiing in front of a desk with a monitor, grey keyboard and grey box. It makes games feel like work. Now if it was ported to Xbox, then I would be interested :)
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  • DunnyDunny
    edited November 2004
    Another cheat is to hyperspace in to your destination system, then pause and save your game. Re-load, and bingo! You're docked :)

    D.
  • ekomanekoman
    edited November 2004
    Hmm - I never had to adjust my rotation to the docking station. I just went bang into the slot and I never crashed (except occasionally in the beginning).
  • thx1138thx1138
    edited November 2004
    I recommend the PC remake, link in the archive, the little extras, such as colour, make it nicer to play.
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    Elite.......sniff......where no man has gone before.

    Elite is an all time classic. Nuff said.

    I remember buying it Friday after school and playing it through the night into 8:00am Saturday morning non stop. Happy dayz :)
  • RapunzelRapunzel
    edited November 2004
    Elite, loved the game I spend hours TRYING TO DOCK !!! I found it to be a docking simulator that went horribly wrong every time, after my hundredth hour I figued out an easy way to dock, I hacked myself some docking computers and the universe was at my feet :)

    Rapunzel
  • psj3809psj3809
    edited November 2004
    I remember my best mates brother giving us money to get the game when we went into town. I saw the screenshots and thought it looks very basic and poor.

    Saw those weird adverts in Crash!, you know the ones 'this granny is dangerous', 'this skinhead is harmless' etc.

    Tried playing the game (Got that lenslock was a 'mare) and then suddenly i was SOOOO hooked.

    Didnt really try with the main missions, just loved blasting pirates and doing my ship up. Amazing game once you got into it back then.
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    my docking technique is the one already mentioned. I manoeuvre into a position infront of the docking slot and advance slowly. I wait until the docking station spins round until its horizontal. Then I let rip on the accelerator :)

    In fact the first time I managed to save enough for a docking computer I was well disappointed with the results. After hours of turning and swivelling my ship into place then charging into the opening......what do you get?! Hit the D button and whoosh you're already charging into the docking tunnel :(

    For some mad reason, quite beyond the ram limited capabilities of the speccy, I thought the ship would go into automatic mode and you sit back whilst the ship is guided, as you watch, into the docking station :)

    But no :( Press D, whoosh, Docked. hmm....anyway still FAB game
  • ekomanekoman
    edited November 2004
    D?!

    Wasn't it C you pressed to activate the docking comp?
  • Philip KendallPhilip Kendall
    edited November 2004
    On 2004-11-19 17:03, Humbug wrote:
    For some mad reason, quite beyond the ram limited capabilities of the speccy, I thought the ship would go into automatic mode and you sit back whilst the ship is guided, as you watch, into the docking station :)

    The BBC (B) version does this :) (as does the Archimedes version, which is generally considered to be the best version of the original Elite).
  • thx1138thx1138
    edited November 2004
    I am still trying to decide if I prefer the NES version or the Archimedes version, as my all time fave. I've played Elite on

    BBC (B)
    C64
    Spectrum
    NES
    BBC Master Compact
    Archimdes
    PC Remake

    such a great game. :)
  • mel the bellmel the bell
    edited November 2004
    thats why i never liked / got into elite.....even tho id love to.

    its just too damn complicated / too many keys / too fiddly / and too much time spent not actually doing a lot
    Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
  • thx1138thx1138
    edited November 2004
    Once you've got the hang of the radar, and understand it's dynamics are (often) similar to a flight sim, it's okay.

    I moved from Fighter Pilot to Elite, and so the dogfights in space came more naturally.

  • CKayCKay
    edited November 2004
    I spent the first week of playing, not even aware of where to dock, haha... I didn`t realise that the thing (technical term there) that was behind me when first started was indeed where I had just emerged from...

    and so, kept trying to atack it, even getting some distance then coming in full speed lasers thwacking away, launching a rocket or whatever and just missing it... then after about a week I press 2 as soon as game start, and realised I was coming outa it... duuuhhhhh...

    I still don`t have a clue (also on Elite), but find it very playable for me just for the dogfights, chasing ships down and trying to get away once I`ve picked a fight, which is very hard... also on Elite...
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    Yeah ofcourse its C. I think.....I tend to use the force in Elite. Its a Jedi mind trick thing. I just concentrate on dock........then whoosh I docked am I.

    I've only seriously played Elite on a Speccy and Atari 520ST and I would say the Elite version was much better for me.
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    Outta interest y do you guys reckon the Archy-moldy version was the best?

    Give us some details...better sound...better graphics......more music.....u get the idea ;)
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    DOH......re previous post I meant to say the Speccy version was the better for me.
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    DOH.....re previous post I meant to say the Speccy version was better than the ST version for me.
  • Lance MDR RocketLance MDR Rocket
    edited November 2004
    On 2004-11-20 00:40, Humbug wrote:
    Outta interest y do you guys reckon the Archy-moldy version was the best?

    Give us some details...better sound...better graphics......more music.....u get the idea ;)

    Howdy, my first post here...

    Alright. The Archimedes version is supposedly better because it not only has superior graphics and sound, but the player isn't always the centre of attention. That is, occasionally you'll come across a dogfight between pirates and someone else! You can also buy new ships, and there's a bunch of other features that sound very nice.
    Sadly I can't personally verify this because I can't make Red Squirrel (a Archi emulator, surprise surprise) work at all.
  • HumbugHumbug
    edited November 2004
    Whooa.....A new kinda Elite all-together......a version of Elite but not as we( I ) know it!

    Thks mate I gotta get me a Archimedes emulator.
  • DunnyDunny
    edited November 2004
    For a list of what ArcElite has that others don't:

    http://www.btinternet.com/~robert.pfeifer/elite/afefaq.htm#3.20

    Which is also a damn fine encyclopedia of everything you ever wanted to know about Elite but were too afraid to ask.

    And glElite is the hardest implementation ever. I've got a ECM, Military Laser, Extra Energy Unit, and *still* can't get to Riedquat.

    D.
  • alban lusitanaealban lusitanae
    edited November 2004
    This was a game that really deserved a better version in 128K. But hey, I'm picky. I played the best version ever (CU Amiga, real CPU & Emulator) after playing it in the speccy, and there is no match. The Speccy version still feels true and it's very well made. An absolute classic and the Father of All SpaceTrade Games. :) :) :) :) :)

    BTW, a rzx would be interesting, considering the game is infinite after the 6 missions... :lol:
    http://www.luislima.science/arcade = The Arcade Club for enthusiasts :)
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