Tue, Aug 12, 2008 | 07:48 BST

Elite 4: “We are looking at console,” says Braben

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Frontier’s David Braben has told VG247 that console versions of Elite 4 are being considered.

“We are looking at console, yes,” said the developer, speaking in Brighton earlier this month.

Braben, however, refused to be drawn on specifics on the next installment in the classic space exploration franchise, calling it “very, very deep and dark” and explaining that it’s been in development for so long because of resource issues.

“I know, I know, and it becomes a running joke: I’m fully aware of that,” he said when asked about the title’s extended work period.

“The problem with Elite is that we started a project then stopped it. That’s the problem that’s happened. It’s the sort of game we have to get absolutely right. It’s got to be brilliant.”

No date on this as yet. Braben’s also working on The Outsider and “other projects we haven’t announced yet.”

7 comments

#1

Blerk
11/08/08, 11:53 am

1. Make a huge and varied universe.
2. Fill it with spaceships and space stations.
3. Fill it with civilisations.
4. Put some players in it.
5. Give them a load of freedom and a huge bundle of missions.
6. Make it dog-fighty-shooty and not real-world-physics-bollocks-boring.

Job done.

#2

patlike
11/08/08, 12:02 pm

I’ve got a bit more on this for tomorrow. It sounds very mysterious.

#3

SticKboy
11/08/08, 12:07 pm

#4

pjmaybe
11/08/08, 12:21 pm

I bet this finally gets released the day before my thumbs fall off.

#5

Whizzo
11/08/08, 1:00 pm

I think Blerk’s manifesto is reasonable, although point 6 is open to debate if they get the remnants of Particle Systems to do the inertial physics combat because I-War combat = fun, Elite 2′s combat = bollocks.

#6

Blerk
11/08/08, 1:06 pm

We could just change point 6 to “Make it fun to play (i.e. nothing like Frontier)” if you like? Because that’s really what I was getting at. :-)

#7

Whizzo
11/08/08, 1:26 pm

I approve this change in position! ;-)

Combat in Elite was just awesome and something that had me playing it over and over on multiple platforms, Elite 2′s combat made me almost cry in despair. When the most successful way to kill opponents is to load up on shields and ram them there’s something wrong with the combat system!

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