This is a Pythonista re-creation of the classic game Elite, originally released for the BBC Micro in 1984 and subsequently on various other platforms.

This was inspired by Mark Moxon's deconstruction and documentation of the original 6502 Assembler https://elite.bbcelite.com

There are multiple sources of information and gameplay available on the web and YouTube, e.g. https://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Main_Page Search 'BBC Elite' on YouTube

I wondered if AI would be able to convert this code to Python, and Mark suggested that I convert a C version from 2002 by Christian Pinder. https://www.christianpinder.com/games/

There were, however, some challenges:

1. The game was designed around keypresses on a BBC keyboard, with function keys etc Using the normal Ipad onscreen keyboard, which covers half the screen was not attractive.

2. With no mouse input, cursor movement was by cursor keys

3. In Pythonista on the Ipad, the Scene module is the loop controller, updating and drawing under its own timing. Elite's assembler was its own controller.

4. For the code to live in several Python modules, I wanted to avoid global variables wherever possible. Hence the code would be refactored into classes.

5. To use ships comprised of coloured faces, as opposed to wireframe, would Probably require the use of SceneKit, which changes the complexity. Maybe for another day.

Many of the c files have been autoconverted to python by Google Gemini and Claude Sonnet 4.6 The graphics, keyboard input and joystick input will be provided by custom code scanner, compass and hud are handled by custom code also text output is also handled

As far as possible, the converted code is used for ship, player and flight logic The intention is to keep the game as faithful to the original as possible within limitations of the iPad

Having said that, I could not resist adding new features ;)

Each module is constructed as a class to avoid lots of globals significant changes:

1. keyboard is replaced by an onscreen bespoke keyboard with labels instead of single letters The keyboard keys are reconfigured depending on mode

2. 2 joysticks, one for roll, pitch, the other for thrust Thrust is direct and will stay set when not touched. It will react when thrust is controlled by autopilot. Roll/Pitch has square law response, allowing finer control for lower deflection Thrust has cubic response, allowing slow speed control for docking Fire button fires whenever held, so can continuously fire.

3. Screen can be varied. Hud left and right sections are fixed size. Scanner width changes with screen size flight window fills screen. Watch out if original code uses fixed window

4. Sound is only controlled by device voume. it was not worth dedicating buttons to volume control

5. Graphics are handled by a combination of SpriteNodes for fixed items , and scene drawing for line drawing

6. Load and save use a json file, which makes it human readable (and editable ;) This of course allows the possibility to cheat. But of course you wouldn't do that.

7. we do not need separate keys for firing laser in 4 directions, use view to control, and laser sight appears only if laser fitted

8. key for system search by name will be made by pulldown dialog list, prepopulated with system names in alphabetical order

9. the infinite loop in alg_main would make the system unresponsive. Replace with a routine entered every 1/60th second by Scene.update(). a state machine calls appropriate screens

10. for fixed items such as crosshairs and laser lines, draw them once and control alpha dynamically This is much faster and more secure than adding, removing. use this also to add safe and ecm icons to hud

11. Very importantly, all text is rendered as sprites, which stay until removed. Clearing sprites and redrawing is expensive in time, so some of the logic must change to either render them initially, or update if changed. This is solved by writing a character into numpy matrix. The sprites are replaced only when the matrix changes. The matrix has 3 layers: character, color, background color. highlight will just change background

    Rows and columns are fixed length. Font sizes change to suit screen size each block of text should finish with text render, which will check if there have been any changes

12. Pressing keys enters key into message queue. one message will be processed on each iteration. Hence they are approximately concurrent and multitouch. All keys and joystick pass messages onlyo queue, so implementing rollover. direction joystick emits messages when held, whether moved od not, and can move in two directions at once

13. Several keys change their label when activated, e.g.Target Missile/ Unarm, Escape/cancel escape, Pause/resume,Docking/abort docking Some keys only enable when equipment is bought, e.g. ECM

14. A major change to the program structure is the use of state machines As each routine may be called 60 times per second we may need another state machine to cover setup section, at least one iteration section and a means to leave. we cannot have blocking loops within the routine.

15. Python is all about readability. so prioritise this above sticking rigidly to converted c code example use GalaxySeed x an y rather than d and a

16. Added colour to planets, based upon government galaxy seed s1_lo bits 7-4 colour list is cs.COLOUR_LIST, curated to show sensible colours, no primary or dark colours Chart views also use planet tech level scaled to 9-23 pixels for short range and 3-7 pixels for galactic chart colour and size allows you to visually align galactic and short range chart Looking at chart now allows assessing government and tech level.

17. Implemented touch on charts, because it feels natural, rather than having to hold joystick

18. remove approximations to vector rotation. proper sine, cos are fast now. remove tidy_matrix. Ship drawing is handled separately, so no issue with distortion.

19. To cater for variable screen size, simplify translation of planet space (0-255) to flight rectangle. Use Point2 objects to avoid repetition of x, y operations, allowing mathematical operations on x,y pairs

20. Last measured loop and drawing time was 5ms, out of budget of 16.6ms , so writing time is not an issue

21. I decided to make direction joystick analogue (-1.0 to + 1.0 in each axis) added Proportional and Integral control to make more responsive and natural.

22. View change is implemented by changing the camera yaw. This has the effect that not coordinates are changed, and is much simpler. Only in firing lasers do we need to change axis system, and that is simply to check if object in crosshairs

23. Added IFF as in Elite~A these have striped vertical bars in scanner for some types

24. Coloured slot and front lines of station yellow to allow visual orientation Added new station STATIONV for tech level above 12. A throwback to 2001

25. Allow compass to be switched to sun instead of planet

26. New autopilot for player. used state machine to target planet pole, then Initial Point in front of station, then dock to station

27. Added flight director to docking Initial Point when not in autopilot mode. Appears when in safe mode and points to alignment point on station axis. Compass is good enough for other flight phases.

28. Made PLANET, STATION AND SUN, fixed items. They change only on initial load and hyperspace complete. This removes lots of testing of station exists and allows flying out from docked station with same orientation. Lots of complication arising from decision to have sun or station in unverse slot 1. There's no real need for that. station_exists text could simply be close_to_station (within 65536 of station) then use slot 0 for planet, 1 for station, 2 for sun always. This might simplify autopilot, since data points will be fixed, not dynamic. would need to align ship with station on launch. i woukd like the universe to persist while docked. a new universe should only be generated on hyperspace. the challenge is to position and align the player on launch.

29. Configuration parameters control the following: SOUND turn sound on and off HUD_H allows the scanner height to be adjusted for visibility WIREFRAME allows sun and planet to be rendered as wireframe or realistic images WIREFRAME_REMOVAL controls appearance of wireframe objects. Currently buggy.
    TELEPORT enables 3 keys which allows instant movement to the Sun, Planet and Station for testing of altitude and docking. UNIVERSE_STATUS allows the universe objects to be listed and updated as they move. touching an object text, e.g. a ship will invoke an autopilot mode to move that object into the front view. YAW_COUPLING allows an element of roll to be applied to yaw.

    INSTANT_DOCK switches docking computer to instant mode MAX_FUEL (default 70) changes fuel load for further travel FLIGHT_DIRECTOR shows flight director to docking Initial Point when within safe zone. FIRE_ACCURACY (default 8) makes it easier to hit target. Higher value increases radius of laser fire

30. Added a button to inspect market prices on currently designated hyperspace planet. This does not show quantities, and does not affect current planet trade screen. It simplifies trading decisions.

31. Present the list of universe items as a list with distance and direction. They are listed in order of Threats, then Opportunities

    1. firing enemy
    2. close sun
    3. close planet
    4. close enemy
    5. trader
    6. canister
    7. station If docking computer fitted, a universe item can be selected as the autopilot target, so turning to meet the threat/opportunity is fast. However, once in view, the autopilot may not be fast enough to target the item, so switching off the Target computer might be necessary before or during combat.

32. Long range navigation is improved. The Find list is populated with all planets in alphabetical order and once selected, the selected planet is placed in uppercase at ghe head of the list. The route to the target is calculated and displayed as a list and route on the long range chart.

33. Incoming Laser shots are coloured to the ship type.

34. Universe objects have new colours. Canisters, plates and asteroids are yellow

35. Added Instant Dock button which is enabled when autopilot has locked to IP, i.e safe

36. Made clouds and sea level of planet keyed to planet galaxyseed

37. All mission code now in missions module to allow adding extra missions

38. When enabled by SCANNER_LABELS key, scanner objects have 3 letter identifiers of ship type, e.g. Pyt, Cob, Asp etc.

39. Added Cloaking Device mission. Success obtains Cloaking device. This hides player from pirates but uses lots of energy.

40. Added 'docking denied' function if the station is angry.

41. Scooping a Thargon drone or debris from a Thargoid yields Alien Items in cargo.

Getting Started

If you have never seen this game before, here are the first few steps.

You have very money, so the first task is to build up cash by trading. The starting planet Lave is agricultural, so buy food and textiles here. Select Leesti on the short range chart, which is an industrial planet. Launch from the dock with the Launch button and hyperspace to Leesti. Align the planet in the Compass as a green dot to fly towards planet. When toy get close enough, the compass will point towards the station, and an 'S' symbol appears. The cross that appears points to a nice Initial Point outside the station. When this counts down to about 200m, stop and rotate until the green dot is centred. You are then aligned with the station. Move slowly forward and use roll to try to keep station slot horizontal.

if you are successful, the docking animation will result in being docked at Leesti. Sell your goods for a (small) profit, fill up with fuel and repeat. This time, buy computers and machinery. You can check prices at target planet on the short range chart.

If you get bored with this phase of the game, take note of the fact that the save file format in files/ folder is JSON. Just saying.

As you get more cash, you can upgrade your ship with more equipment. This will help with profit making, and with the inevitable space combat.

At this point, you may wish to explore the MANY sources of information on this game. The game first appeared in 1984, so there are 40 years of dedicated fan information.

Chris `Thomas. June 2026

TODO list

Wireframe backface culling gives strange results. works ok in wireframe_3d_2 Demo,

Having difficulty with fuel radius. Orignial code used modified hypotenuse distance to make fuel outline circular on 256x192 display. as we do not have this limitation, does it matter if fuel is circular? currently planets outside circle may be in range, and others inside not.

Possible additional missions from PC version: Supernova: You receive an emergency distress signal from a system about to be destroyed by a supernova. You must arrive in time to scoop fuel or assist in an evacuation before the star explodes. Once the star goes supernova, that system is permanently inaccessible. • Masking Device (Cloaking Device): You are sent to intercept and destroy a specific group of ships (often identified as Asp Mk IIs). Once you destroy the target, you can scoop the cargo container containing the Cloaking Device, which allows you to become temporarily invisible to enemy radar. • Stolen Police Ship: A mission where you must track down and destroy a specific police vessel that has been compromised or stolen. It is essentially a high-bounty hunting task. • Asteroid Bombardment: You are assigned to defend a station from an incoming asteroid storm. You must destroy the asteroids before they impact the station's shielding. • Thargoid Invasion: This triggers an event in a star system where a station is actively being besieged by a large fleet of Thargoids. You must jump to the system and assist in the defense by destroying the attacking ships.

Finally:

For completeness I reference the 'Elite - The New Kind' readme file Of course, many of the interface elements are not valid, but logic decisions will be inherited,

https://github.com/davewongillies/newkind/blob/master/README.md