Comments on: Develop ’09: Elite vs GTA: Designer Mash-Up

By: CdrJameson

CdrJameson — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:13:46 +0000

Well, I’m glad to say Elite had no lasting effect on me.

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:45:08 +0000

“When are there going to be some British game designers who are famous for work they have done in the last 5 years?”

Ever heard of Rockstar?

By: terry

terry — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:42:41 +0000

Oops, missed the “even a decade” statement. Cheer up!

Also, curses to the lack of edit and poor proofreading etc.

By: terry

terry — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:39:57 +0000

Er… that would be typical Brit self-depreciation, no? I can think of plenty of UK gaming success stories that would seem pretty weak if we drew attention to them (that Tomb Raider company, who once made CHUCK MF’ING ROCK, the guys that proclaimed games to be “BRILLIANT” and “UTTERLY AMAZING” on their tape inlays even when they weren’t, and not forgetting that team that made a little game called Lemmings). I’m pretty sure the handwringing over this is overstated.

By: George

George — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:28:59 +0000

When are there going to be some British game designers who are famous for work they have done in the last 5 years? Or even a decade would be nice.

Every other country has them. It seems to be only us Brits stuck saying “This guy (was one of two people who) made Elite (and now has spent the last twenty years claiming all the credit”, or “This guy (was one of a team of people who) made GTA (and has spent the last 3 years claiming all the credit)”, or “This guy made Populous”.

It’s so embarrassing watching these people pouring over victories that are decades old, while the rest of the industry marches on creating the successes of today.

By: TickledBlue

TickledBlue — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:03:34 +0000

I’m still disappointed that the GTA franchise went on the become one of the biggest while Elite has been allowed to founder and die a slow death. To my mind Elite/Frontier were the better games. Don’t get me wrong I still enjoyed GTA & GTA 2 (and to a lesser extent their 3D counterparts – I still think Saints Row and Crackdown are more fun though) I just never got the same sense of wonder and being a small part of a huge environment like I did with Elite – liberty city always seems so small.

By: Rane2k

Rane2k — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:30:37 +0000

Hell yeah, GTA 1, I can´t count how many days i sunk into this game. My favourite “map” was the first part of San Andreas, where you were working for some kind of Chinese mafia. :-)
The multiplayer was also pretty cool, with the “Cannonball run” mode, which was a kind of race through the city for a number of checkpoints…. which obviously turned into total mayhem once the players met each other at a checkpoint, with the streets filled with burning cars and dead people. ;-)
Also great fun to try to hit an opponents car from several screens away with a rocket launcher. Ah, great times.

By: phuzz

phuzz — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:07:58 +0000

Hmm, am I alone then in loving both games? (or series of games I guess).
Incidentally, GTA:Chinatown Wars is a great return to the overhead view, you should all go buy it.

By: Azazel

Azazel — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:31:06 +0000

@leederkrenon:

That is sublime. Way below the lime.

By: Anton

Anton — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:01:48 +0000

Elite, on Spectrum, was the first game that shocked me into thinking, “hey, games aren’t just brainless timespent, they can be serious”.

And I carry that notion to this day, though I am coming to realize that it does not depend as much on the game, as it does depend on the person. An acquaintance of mine dashing through PS:T in a day, and saying “it’s a silly little slasher”.

If I saw GTA instead of Elite, I would think “games are a stilly timespent”. And would probably carry that notion to this day. It is a cool game, but one needs to have a perspective, certain readiness in mindless-er games, to be ready to really enjoy it.

Too many words, I suppose. Which means I got really touched by the account above – *sniff* them were good old days *sniff*.

By: Hmm-hmm.

Hmm-hmm. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:47:15 +0000

Well, I guess now I know why I don’t like the GTA games. What I still don’t understand, however, is how other people can stand playing them.

By: PC Monster

PC Monster — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:45:52 +0000

Here’s hoping Braben was taking notes about the unfriendly Elite control system. Elite IV, should it ever appear, needs a simple to use system with universal appeal.

Lol, I made a funny.