MSX Elite
MSX was an eight bit home computer standard in the eighties. There were four generations, MSX1, MSX2, MSX2+ and MSX Turbo-R. MSX1 computers had a Zilog Z80a or equivalent CPU at 3.5 Mhz, 64Kb RAM, a 3-channel PSG sound chip and 16 colours in 256 by 212 pixels.
MSX Elite was programmed by Rob Nicholson of Mr. Micro and released by Firebird in 1987. Although the MSX2 standard was already a year old then, the game was made for MSX1. It came in two versions, a tape version and a disk version. The box and the manuals that came with it were actually for other versions. Through the sticker reading 'MSX' that was on the box, 'ZX Spectrum 48K' could be read easily. The manual mentions the Fer-de-Lance, which is not in the disk version of the game, and omits many that are. The screen shots do no correspond either. The screen shot on the back of the box is in black, white and pink, while the MSX version uses 16 colours.
Contents
Elite rating
Your Elite rating depends on your score:
| 0 | Harmless | 0 |
| 1 | Mostly Harmless | 2000 |
| 2 | Poor | 4000 |
| 3 | Average | 8200 |
| 4 | Above average | 16350 |
| 5 | Competent | 32800 |
| 6 | Dangerous | 131168 |
| 7 | Deadly | 655384 |
| 8 | Elite | 1310768 (unconfirmed) |
Ships
The MSX Elite universe contains 19 different types of ships, as well as space stations and asteroids.
| Bounty | Points | ECM | Max. Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adder | 12 | 100 | ? | |
| Anaconda | ? | 60 | ja | ? |
| Asp MK II | 12 | 110 | ? | |
| Boa Class Cruiser | 15 | 30 | ? | |
| Cobra MK I | ? | 60 | yes | 10 |
| Cobra MK III | 5 | 80 | yes | 12 |
| Constrictor | 400 | 5000 | yes | ? |
| Gecko | 5 | 90 | ? | |
| Krait | 10 | 90 | ? | |
| Mamba | 15 | 60 | ? | |
| Moray Star Boat | 7 | 90 | ? | |
| Orbit Shuttle | 0 | 3 | 2.5 | |
| Python | ? | 40 | 7 | |
| Sidewinder | 5 | 80 | ? | |
| Thargoid | 15 | 150 | yes | ? |
| Thargon | 1 | 20 | 7 | |
| Transporter | 0 | 50 | 12 | |
| Viper | 0 | 50 | ? | |
| Wolf MK II | 15 | 150 | yes | ? |
| Asteroid | 0 | 0.5 | 11 | |
| Space Station | ? | ? | yes | 0 |
Speed is determined by chasing them for a while. Units are vertical bars on your ship's speed indicator.
Equipment
| Cost | Tech. level | Trigger key | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam laser | 1000.0 | 4 | shift |
| Cloaking device | not for sale | l | |
| Docking Computer | 1500.0 | 9 | c |
| ECM jammer | not for sale | y | |
| ECM system | 600.0 | 2 | e |
| Energy Bomb | 900.0 | 7 | tab |
| Escape Capsule | 1000.0 | 6 | esc |
| Extra Energy Unit | 1500.0 | 8 | |
| Fuel Scoop | 525.0 | 5 | |
| Fuel | Varies | 1 | |
| Galactic Hyperdrive | 1500.0 | 10 | g |
| Large Cargo Bay | 400.0 | 1 | |
| Military Laser | 6000.0 | 10 | shift |
| Mining Laser | 800.0 | 10 | shift |
| Missile | 30.0 | 1 | t to lock, then m to fire |
| Pulse Laser | 400.0 | 3 | shift |
The cloaking device is obtained by completing mission four. It doesn't really appear to make you invisible though. If it did, ships wouldn't go out of your way to prevent collisions (they do) and firing at them would give away your position (it doesn't). Ships will just stop firing at you until you disengage it. The cloaking device uses energy from your energy banks.
The ECM jammer will prevent ships from using their ECMs, so you can take out a Wolf or a Thargoid using a missile. Space station's ECMs seem to be impervious to it, though. Like the cloaking device, it uses energy from your energy banks, so using it in combination with a cloaking device it very costly.
Missions
MSX Elite has five missions. According to Ian Bell's Elite FAQ they are triggered when the player reaches a specific number of points. In my experience, the numbers in the FAQ are incorrect.
1. Constrictor
- Triggered at 175.455 points
- Payment: 400 c bounty, plus 10000 c from the navy
A navy ship prototype has been stolen. You are to find and destroy it. First you must follow directions given to you after landing at each station you visit. This goes on for some time, after the instruction will read:"There is a mean and vicious ship out here." After you take off, you will be attacked by a Constrictor, the prototype ship in question. Destroy it using your lasers.
2. Thargoid documents
- Triggered at 249.745 points
- Payment: Naval energy unit
The navy has obtained blue prints of a Thargoid battle ship. You are to transport these documents to a navy base. You will be told that you won't be bothered by Thargoids, but you will.
3. Supernova
- Triggered at 407.507 points
- Prerequisites: galactic hyperdrive
- Payment: 50kg gems
The sun of the system where you happen to be will go supernova. You are to help evacuating the people, which you can only do using a galactic hyper drive.
4. Cougar
- Triggered at 2.600.000 points
- Payment: Cloaking device, as well as 500 c bounty
This is more like a special event than a mission. After emerging from hyper space you will be attacked by a Cougar. The Cougar is equipped with a cloaking device which makes it invisible to your eyes as well as your radar. After destroying it pick up the cargo canister it leaves behind. It will contain the cloaking device.
5. Thargoid invasion
- Triggered at 677.864 points
- Payment: ECM jammer
A system has been invaded by Thargoids. They are using a space station as their base. Fight your way through the Thargoid fleet and destroy the station. Dock somewhere else to collect you payment.
