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An Early Look at the NASA MMO

Posted by Soulskill on from the looking-for-more-to-raid-the-moon dept.

Big Download is running an article with details and screenshots from the MMO under development by NASA. The game makes use of Unreal Engine 3, and it's titled Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond. A demo is planned for later this year, and in 2010 they expect "the first episodic installment of the game" to come out. Jerry Heneghan, founder and CEO of Virtual Heroes, described it thus: "This game is going to be a fresh look at the future circa about 2035. ... The core of the gameplay is going to be people building up their characters and as you move forward, you will have more options unlock with new places to go, new equipment to use and new things to do. We are not so much focused on interstellar flight and all that entails... the gameplay is actually about being in a habitat on a planetary surface and doing things like mining Helium-3 for fuel, operating a hydroponics facility to grow plants and create oxygen and operating robots and vehicles."

5 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. A game? by clarkkent09 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What's up with everybody using my money to make games these days. It's the latest fad in government agencies or what?

    --
    Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
    1. Re:A game? by GreggBz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You know, I obsessively played a game called Starflight when I was 11 or 12. That game was a springboard for a lifelong interest in space and astronomy. It also inspired a few years of bedroom programing in an attempt to recreate it. It was pretty unique in that it was fairly hard-sci-fi with lots of accurate terms and ideas.

      Don't underestimate what capturing the imagination of a child can do for their adult life. We need better science education in this country.

    2. Re:A game? by M1rth · · Score: 5, Funny

      Except neil armstrong would not step onto the moon and then start spamming the chat channels with "HOW I MINE FOR FISH? HOW I MINE FOR FISH?"

      --
      If you can read this sig, congratulations, you have your glasses on!
  2. Re:Final Oblivion Mooncraft Fantasy! by cyp43r · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Houston - we have a problem." "Aight, I put on my robe and wizard hat."

  3. Helium-3 for $$$ by bluphysted · · Score: 5, Funny

    It won't take long for the Chinese Helium-3 farmers to ruin the economy.