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Elite on the BBC Micro and NES

Summary of keys for the Elite Universe Editor

All the keys used in all the different versions of the Elite Universe Editor

The Universe Editor is described in full detail in the instructions for the BBC version and Commodore 64 version, but here's a summary of all supported key presses for reference. Click on the following to jump down to the relevant section:

A lot of these key presses will be familiar from the original game, which is great if you're running the Universe Editor on real hardware. If you're using an emulator, however, note that modern keyboards don't have the same range of keys as the BBC Micro or Commodore 64, or even the same layout. In particular, BBC keys like f0 and COPY don't tend to exist anymore, and neither do Commodore 64 keys like RUN/STOP or C=, so if you are using an emulator, you may have to check the documentation to see which keys you should press instead.

For example, in JSBeeb, BeebEm and b2, you should press f10 instead of f0 to launch the editor, while in B-em you should press f1 to f7 instead of f0 to f6. In all these emulators you should press End instead of COPY to duplicate a ship, and while some emulators will emulate the BBC Micro's DELETE key using both Delete and backspace, others may only recognise backspace. And as for the @ key, it may be mapped to backtick, it may be mapped to backslash, or it may even be mapped to the @ key on your keyboard; experimentation pays off here.

It's a similar story on the Commodore. For example, the VICE emulator maps RUN/STOP to Escape, C= to TAB, <- to End, CLR/HOME to Home and INST/DEL to backspace. For details, consult your emulator's documentation.

BBC Micro and BBC Master keys
-----------------------------

Let's start with the keys you can use for opening and closing the editor, and bringing up the menu and various space views:

BBC keyFunction
f0Launch the Universe Editor from the first title screen
ESCAPEQuit the Universe Editor and return to the game
@Open the menu for saving, loading and playing universe files
f0Switch to the front space view
f1Switch to the rear space view
f2Switch to the left space view
f3Switch to the right space view

Next up are the keys for adding, selecting, duplicating and deleting objects:

BBC keyFunction
RETURNAdd a new ship into the first empty slot
Q, WSelect the ship in the previous/next slot
HHighlight the currently selected ship on the scanner
DELETEDelete the currently selected ship
COPYDuplicate the currently selected ship

To add a new ship to the universe, press RETURN, followed by the relevant key for the type of ship you want to add:

KeyShip
1Missile
2Escape pod
3Alloy plate
4Cargo canister
5Boulder
6Asteroid
7Splinter
8Shuttle
9Transporter
ACobra Mk III
BPython
CBoa
DAnaconda
ERock hermit (asteroid)
FViper
GSidewinder
HMamba
IKrait
JAdder
KGecko
LCobra Mk I
MWorm
NCobra Mk III (pirate)
OAsp Mk II
PPython (pirate)
QFer-de-lance
RMoray
SThargoid
TThargon
UConstrictor
VCougar
WThe Elite logo (6502 Second Processor version only)

These are the keys for moving objects in space:

BBC keyFunction
Cursor keysMove the currently selected object up/down/left/right (hold SHIFT for faster movement, CTRL for much faster movement)
?, SPACEMove the currently selected object closer/further away (hold SHIFT for faster movement, CTRL for much faster movement)
S, XPitch the currently selected object forwards/backwards
<, >Roll the currently selected object left/right
K, LYaw the currently selected object left/right
RReset the position of the currently selected object

These are the keys for editing ship attributes:

BBC keyFunction
1Acceleration (1 = increase, SHIFT-1 = decrease)
2Toggle AI tactics on/off
3Toggle innocent bystander flag on/off
4Toggle cop flag on/off
5Toggle hostile flag on/off
6Aggression level (6 = increase, SHIFT-6 = decrease)
7Speed (7 = increase, SHIFT-7 = decrease)
8Roll counter (8 = increase, SHIFT-8 = decrease)
9Pitch counter (9 = increase, SHIFT-9 = decrease)
0Energy level (0 = increase, SHIFT-0 = decrease)
MNumber of missiles (M = increase, SHIFT-M = decrease)
TSelect missile target (press T then the target's slot number, with SHIFT-0 to SHIFT-9 for slots 10 to 19)
CToggle docking computer on/off ("S" bulb)
EToggle E.C.M. on/off ("E" bulb)
AToggle lasers (so they fire at us)
PToggle "personality" (trader, pirate, etc.)
DDestroy the currently selected ship (so it explodes)

And finally, these are the keys for editing the galaxy seeds:

BBC keyFunction
GEdit the galaxy seeds to generate an entirely new set of galaxies
f4Long-range Chart
f5Short-range Chart
f6Data on System
Cursor keysMove the crosshairs (hold SHIFT for faster movement)
DShow the distance to the current system
OReset crosshairs to the current system
FSearch for a system
HSet the system under the crosshairs as the current system
CTRL-HJump to the next galaxy

Commodore 64 keys
-----------------

Note that on the Commodore 64, there are only two cursor keys (down and right). To move up or left, hold down SHIFT to move in the opposite direction; most emulators will automatically support the four cursor keys on modern keyboards. As a result of this, we can't use SHIFT for things like faster movement or decreasing a value instead of increasing it, so instead we use the Commodore C= key to modify our actions instead.

Let's start with the keys you can use for opening and closing the editor, and bringing up the menu and various space views:

C64 keyFunction
f1Launch the Universe Editor from the first title screen
RUN/STOPQuit the Universe Editor and return to the game
@Open the menu for saving, loading and playing universe files
f1Switch to the front space view
f3Switch to the rear space view
f5Switch to the left space view
f7Switch to the right space view

Next up are the keys for adding, selecting, duplicating and deleting objects:

C64 keyFunction
RETURNAdd a new ship into the first empty slot
Q, WSelect the ship in the previous/next slot
HHighlight the currently selected ship on the scanner
INST/DELDelete the currently selected ship
CLR/HOMEDuplicate the currently selected ship

To add a new ship to the universe, press RETURN, followed by the relevant key for the type of ship you want to add:

KeyShip
1Missile
2Escape pod
3Alloy plate
4Cargo canister
5Boulder
6Asteroid
7Splinter
8Shuttle
9Transporter
ACobra Mk III
BPython
CBoa
DAnaconda
ERock hermit (asteroid)
FViper
GSidewinder
HMamba
IKrait
JAdder
KGecko
LCobra Mk I
MWorm
NCobra Mk III (pirate)
OAsp Mk II
PPython (pirate)
QFer-de-lance
RMoray
SThargoid
TThargon
UConstrictor
VCougar

These are the keys for moving objects in space:

C64 keyFunction
Cursor keysMove the currently selected object up/down/left/right (hold SHIFT for opposite direction, C= for faster movement, CTRL for much faster movement)
?, SPACEMove the currently selected object closer/further away (hold C= for faster movement, CTRL for much faster movement)
S, XPitch the currently selected object forwards/backwards
<, >Roll the currently selected object left/right
K, LYaw the currently selected object left/right
RReset the position of the currently selected object

These are the keys for editing ship attributes:

C64 keyFunction
1Acceleration (1 = increase, C=1 = decrease)
2Toggle AI tactics on/off
3Toggle innocent bystander flag on/off
4Toggle cop flag on/off
5Toggle hostile flag on/off
6Aggression level (6 = increase, C=6 = decrease)
7Speed (7 = increase, C=7 = decrease)
8Roll counter (8 = increase, C=8 = decrease)
9Pitch counter (9 = increase, C=9 = decrease)
0Energy level (0 = increase, C=0 = decrease)
MNumber of missiles (M = increase, C=M = decrease)
TSelect missile target (press T then the target's slot number, with C=0 to C=9 for slots 10 to 19)
CToggle docking computer on/off ("S" bulb)
EToggle E.C.M. on/off ("E" bulb)
AToggle lasers (so they fire at us)
PToggle "personality" (trader, pirate, etc.)
DDestroy the currently selected ship (so it explodes)

And finally, these are the keys for editing the galaxy seeds:

C64 keyFunction
GEdit the galaxy seeds to generate an entirely new set of galaxies
<-Switch to chart mode so the following keys access the charts rather than changing ship attributes
4Long-range Chart
5Short-range Chart
6Data on System
Cursor keysMove the crosshairs (hold SHIFT for opposite direction, RETURN for faster movement)
DShow the distance to the current system
OReset crosshairs to the current system
FSearch for a system
HSet the system under the crosshairs as the current system
CTRL-HJump to the next galaxy