In “Elite” the player is given a space craft and 100 credits, and a combat rating of “Harmless”. The player is expected to earn money as a trader, a bounty hunter or pirate (or all of these!) in order to improve his space craft by fitting additional and better equipement. With this better equipped ship, he should become better at combat, and therefor trade with more lawless planets. The player is given a combat rating, which progresses from “Harmless”, “Mostly Harmless”, all the way to “Elite” which is the top rating, and the ultimate aim of the player.