Elite for Emacs | Sami Salkosuo
A latest discovery from outdated backups revealed one thing lengthy forgotten: I actually developed a model of Elite for…. that’s proper… Emacs textual content editor.
Replace: Elite for EMACS is available as Docker container.
It was over a decade in the past, throughout 2001 – 2003. Supply recordsdata have dates Could 2003 and after that every one growth ceased and every thing was forgotten till I discovered the backups. I nonetheless have the area and site: elite-for-emacs.org (replace 2019 no extra…).
This does take me again… There have been two the reason why I made Elite for EMACS. The primary was that I discovered C-source for original Elite trading, printed by Ian Bell. And the second purpose was that I used to be actually into Emacs editor on the time and I had chosen my facet in the holy war of editors. Over time, nevertheless, I’ve modified sides and I’m largely backing Vi-editor and I don’t bear in mind a lot about Emacs anymore (possibly that makes me a traitor…?).
Oh, and naturally, there was third purpose as nicely: I actually appreciated the outdated Elite video games, and now I like the brand new Elite: Dangerous (see images from my travels).
So how do you make a recreation for a textual content editor? As a result of Emacs makes use of Lisp and I used to be into Lisp coding as nicely on the time. I nonetheless bear in mind just a little about Lisp and the code that I wrote all these years in the past.
All of the supply of Elite for EMACS is on the market right here: https://github.com/samisalkosuo/elite-for-emacs. Every little thing is as I left it over a decade in the past. Supply code license is the MIT license for my very own code however full copyright of all authentic C code belongs to Ian Bell and David Braben. And I emphasize, I make no claims by any means to have written authentic C code or to carry copyright or to license them in anyway. I solely translated the code to Emacs Lisp and actually, actually make no declare of any variety to the unique code. If doubtful what code belongs to me and what not, examine authentic code with Lisp code. Additionally any names/and so on. from Elite/Frontier or from some other supply are from Elite/Frontier or some other supply and I make no claims that they’re mine. If you recognize that one thing is from Elite/Frontier or different sources then they’re and they don’t seem to be mine.
There are two variations of Elite for EMACS, within the GitHub they’re elite-for-emacs-V1 and elite-for-emacs-V2. In the course of the growth of V1, I need to’ve bought uninterested in UI or one thing after which began V2 with completely completely different, shell-like, UI. However I by no means did a lot of V2 and it was in very early phases after I ceased all growth.
1000’s of strains of LISP code make fascinating learn, and nostalgia made me dreaming of constant the event however that won’t occur. The code will stay as it’s. On the time of writing, the code appears to be working with present Emacs model (GNU Emacs 24.5.1).
Studying the code exhibits that I had fascinating concepts for the sport :-). Excerpt from the README file:
Options
- 8 galaxies, 256 programs in every galaxy
- Buying and selling
- Fight
- Fight standing, authorized standing and fame
- AI Commanders buying and selling/roaming/procreating in
galaxy 1
- Fight graphics/animation
- Window & widget primarily based person interface
- Supply missions
- Passenger transport missions
- 1 particular mission
Notes
Purposeful gear:
-missiles
-fuel scoops
-front lasers
-large cargo bay
-energy unit
-galactic hyperdrive
Repute is gained when efficiently finishing missions.
There are at the moment 64 AI commanders within the galaxy 1,different galaxies are
not but obtainable for AI commanders. Commanders commerce and roam galaxy
following easy guidelines. AI commanders may also procreate with one another.
Participant may also have offspring with different commanders (of reverse intercourse).
Did you discover “procreating” :-)? AI commanders and participant can have offspring. I ponder when that will probably be obtainable in Elite: Harmful…
I had lot’s of different concepts as we will see within the following excerpt from the todo file:
-ai commanders
-todo guidelines for buying and selling, fight, multiplication
-kwisatz haderach
-equipment, laser,
-trade historical past
-ships log, planets visited and so on
-combat
-people
-random results in universe
-bulletin board, consists of missions and so on
-message board, consists of messages
-send electronic mail to different commanders
-d&d character lisp model + add to some stations command
the place commander can take a look at him/herself, like tarot card reader
-missions, supply, thief, assassination, detective missions (discover individual and so on
-special missions, every particular missions result's one thing
distinctive like navy galactic hyperdrive, system destruction, and so on.
-reputation
-stickman animation w/ proper on commander
-thargoids, conflict, invasion
-elections?, elect galaxy governor, universe
president?
-what this might have an effect on?
-a few candidates, proper,middle,left events? every have completely different agenda
-conspiracies that have an effect on for instance costs of some product
-buy new ships
-stealth system, costly, nobody sees, permits customers to journey with out fight
-ships from elite/frontier
-restructure code, file per state
(..-commands-common.el, -commands-docked.el,and so on)
-dynamic universe
-planet financial system/authorities adjustments
-todo guidelines
-market adjustments primarily based on productiveness, purchased, offered
-market costs fastened for 30 days, then value
examine primarily based on purchased/offered
I additionally had plans to do on-line multiplayer:
-server maintain market data, change market costs as soon as per actual
time hour or somethin like that
-server maintain commander data
-server has variable and calculations is finished at all times on the consumer
-todo straightforward/clear improve to new model when commander
struct adjustments (1st model accomplished 19.2.2003)
-message board in programs
-local,galactic,common messages
-"message" command to customers can ship native messages
-galactic/unviersal message just for me
-email
-list of commanders, rating of commanders
-versioning in order that a number of elite variations can exist on the sametime..
-to be thought of: competitions in on-line, first who visits
each system will get elite-for-emacs.org electronic mail
Listed here are some screenshots from the sport:
Load commander?
In LAVE. There are different commanders right here. Have you learnt Edmund Blackadder?
Undock LAVE station. Flying in area…
Docked to LEESTI station. Offered agriculture stuff from LAVE…
Purchased computer systems and again to LAVE. Encounter with pleasant dealer…
Hostile Moray. Battle begins…
Again in LAVE. Offered computer systems and profited a couple of credit…
Enjoying Elite for EMACS after twelve or so years made me smile. A reminder of days lengthy gone…
Greetings Commander.
Welcome to the Elite Federation of Pilots.
Piloting Cobra MkIII, you at the moment are considered one of The Few in The Eight Galaxies.
All pilots try to Elite, few succeed and most die.
Pilot your Cobra MkIII with honor.
Q’Apla!