Editing Elite (video game) (section)

== Marketing and release ==
{{Infobox book
| name          = The Dark Wheel
| title_orig    = 
| translator    = 
| image         = Elite The Dark Wheel Novella.jpg
| caption       = Original [[Acornsoft]] cover
| author        = [[Robert Holdstock]]
| cover_artist  = 
| country       = [[United Kingdom]]
| language      = [[English language|English]]
| series        = 
| genre         = [[Science fiction]]
| publisher     = [[Acornsoft]], [[Firebird (software label)|Firebird Software]]
| release_date  = 1984
| media_type    = [[Paperback]]
| pages         = 
| isbn          =
| preceded_by   = 
| followed_by   = 
}}

Acornsoft set in motion a large-scale publicity campaign and commissioned a presentational package for the game that was far more elaborate than normal.  Acornsoft packaged ''Elite'' in a box larger than its usual releases, complete with a [[novella]] by [[Robert Holdstock]] called ''The Dark Wheel'', a 64-page Space Trader's Flight Training Manual, reference card and a ship identification poster. The flight training manual was written in a style that took the rookie trader through the controls and various aspects of play.<ref name=ma14_20/>

The original Acornsoft version of ''The Dark Wheel'' promised on its back cover that "[a] sequel to the novella is planned for publication in 1985", but no direct sequel was ever written. A second novella, ''Imprint'' by Andy Redman, was included with the [[IBM Personal Computer|IBM PC]] release of ''Elite Plus'', but apart from being set in the same universe it is in no way connected to the original story.

Marketing activities included a £50,000 promotional budget from Acornsoft, including television advertising<ref name=ma15/> and a launch party at the [[Thorpe Park]] theme park (holding such an event for a video game was almost unheard of at the time) and a competition to be among the first to achieve the status of "Elite".<ref name=YCNOV/><ref>{{citation | title=Hal Joins the Elite | journal=Your Computer | date=December 1984 | page=50 | url=https://archive.org/stream/your-computer-magazine-1984-12/YourComputer_1984_12#page/n49/mode/1up }}</ref>

=== ''The Dark Wheel'' ===
The story tells of a young starship pilot named Alex Ryder, whose father Jason is killed when their merchant ship is attacked by a notorious pirate. In trying to understand and avenge his father's death and achieve an "iron ass" (a space-trader's term for a well-armed- and armoured spaceship), Alex encounters the basics of the Elite universe—including combat, hyperdrive and hyperspace and the deadly aliens called Thargoids. Finally Alex discovers the truth about his father and his combat rank. He also acts as an acceptable face of trading as his female co-pilot, Elyssia Fields, is an alien and wanted in several systems. Alex wants to avenge his father's death, but must exercise caution in tracking down the assassin. By trading commodities, he slowly improves the arms and armour of his ship. When he is competent at using the spaceship for combat, but before he feels ready, he makes a trade that is sure to bring his father's killer to him.

Alex also learns what the "Dark Wheel" is and what it takes to join its ranks.<ref name="ianbell">{{cite web |url=http://www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite/ | title=Ian Bell's Elite site}}</ref>
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