For a laugh, I went in the 'announcements' section and tried to download Oolite 1.06. (I discovered Oolite when it was 1.20, never had tried the older versions...) Sadly, it turned out the link got me 1.51
But still... I fired up this version, and while looking shockingly familiar when starting up, it's when you do a run to the nearest planet, and have some fights that you realise how tremendeously this game has improved. The A.I. in particular, is heaven and earth different... In 1.51, with a barebones Cobra, engaging baddies (and goodies, and GalCop Vipers) ... it's like shooting sitting ducks...
jonnycuba keeps around a very early Oolite (was it a beta?) that he shared with me, and it was an.. adorable game.
I found Oolite around 1.22 I think, and it had come along some way by then, but it's amazing to think of how far it has gone since. a list of chronological steps and triumphs would be long.
I've still got a Macworld disc with v1.06 on it - which is how I became aware of Oolite - if anyone's interested! - it's quite 'quaint' to go back to it and marvel how much Oolite has come along in a year and a half...
Indeed, I had been fiending for a Mac version of Elite since I had re-entered the world of computers & the internet (98/99) from my formative BBC model B/Spectrum/Amstrad years...
There had of course been attempts at emulation (on my part) but none ever really offered the visceral experience of 'the real thing'.
So imagine how amazed I was when 'Nosleep' found this 'Oolite dev. journal' and eventually --oolite_test1.dmg--
It's been a great happening to catch the coattails of, big up to Aegidian for keeping the fire alight
