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[NASA On] Design an MMO
Tamin
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I guess NASA is planning on making an entrance in the MMO market. I'm deeply surprised this thread doesn't already exist, what with the main page advertising it. So forgive me if I missed it in my search.
Seems NASA only gets $17 Billion / Year, and they want more money, so:
Step 1: Get ideas from gamers
Step 2: Develop edutainment MMO
Step 3: Profit?
Shamlessly stolen from Tycho's news post:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/01/nasa-seeks-inpu.html
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/01/would-you-play.html#previouspost
http://procurement.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=128415
http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/mmo/submit.html
Rules are fairly simple: no more than 5 pages, 12 point font. Has to meet some requirements, listed on the submit.html page. If you win, you get to present to NASA!
I threw something together and sent it in. If anyone's interested, I can post it. It's about 3 pages long, though. Given this community's attempts to physically create a game, I think there's a good chance we can at least design one.
disclaimer: I did search both this forum and the MMO sub; saw nothing. If this belongs in the MMO subforum, please feel free to move it, with my apologies.
Seems NASA only gets $17 Billion / Year, and they want more money, so:
Step 1: Get ideas from gamers
Step 2: Develop edutainment MMO
Step 3: Profit?
Shamlessly stolen from Tycho's news post:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/01/nasa-seeks-inpu.html
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/01/would-you-play.html#previouspost
http://procurement.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=128415
http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/mmo/submit.html
Rules are fairly simple: no more than 5 pages, 12 point font. Has to meet some requirements, listed on the submit.html page. If you win, you get to present to NASA!
I threw something together and sent it in. If anyone's interested, I can post it. It's about 3 pages long, though. Given this community's attempts to physically create a game, I think there's a good chance we can at least design one.
disclaimer: I did search both this forum and the MMO sub; saw nothing. If this belongs in the MMO subforum, please feel free to move it, with my apologies.
Tamin on
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Does it have to be space themed?
Space Station 13?
Are there orcs in real NASA science missions?
I don't know, I'm not a NASA scientist!
Still, I'd support it.
Or, the player can choose to simulate the thrilling life of an astronaut stuck in a 2x2x2m container floating in the middle of nowhere for 6 months! :P
Space Orcs!
They should just make an Inquisitor MMO and leave it at that.
OMG WTB +10 GRAPHING CALCULATOR PST!
I never asked for this!
Fuckin' snow leopard, man.
Grind military levels for a couple years then pass the astronaut exams quest and you get the moonbuggy mount.
I don't see any problems with this at all.
Edit: With spaceships and like gaining rank somehow
Further Edit: most space games are about making lots of money, and since this is about a government agency it'll be hard to think of a new goal for players
Terraform lunar dust! Tame moonmen! Fail with your 10% chance of making a rocket booster!
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal
Edit: Jobs like Pilot, Technician, Engineer, Astronomer, whatever else you can imagine future NASA doing
snap
Stargate MMO! Spore MMO! Noctis MMO!
Maybe they can fund Infinity Online: The Quest for Earth!
"There is increasing recognition that these synthetic environments can serve as powerful “hands-on†tools for teaching a range of complex subjects. Virtual worlds with scientifically accurate simulations could permit learners to tinker with chemical reactions in living cells, practice operating and repairing expensive equipment, and experience microgravity – making it easier to grasp complex concepts and transfer this understanding quickly to practical problems. MMOs help players develop and exercise a skill set closely matching the thinking, planning, learning, and technical skills increasingly in demand by employers."
What MMOs have they been playing?
Make one of the classes "Guy who sits at a monitor back in Houston with headphones on".
Edit: And I was interested for awhile there.
Now we're grown up and we want to be astronauts with lasers and space-hookers.
What comes next?
Maybe you could make some sort system where 'guilds' have to all form together and complete varying sets of tasks to produce the parts necessary to build a ship. The team could focus on building a more reasonable craft just to get a few bodies into space or try and build something a lot bigger in order to colonize other planets.
Jesus, even typing that out bored me to tears.
The main problem is the 'and then' part of the simulation. So you've built a boat and sailed the stars and now have a base on every planet under the solar system. And then? I guess you could attempt to simulate the reaches beyond our solar system and deeper into the galaxy but then you're just guessing and removing the reality of the situation.
Not enough citrus in my computer for that.
Remove lasers, add missiles using limited amounts of fuel for acceleration and course adjustment (for targeting), give everything Newtonian physics/motion. Bam, a fun game that really hammers home how motion and momentum works in space. Only problem is the amount of processor power required to simulate a bunch of things in Newtonian motion might get to be a bit much.
Maybe it could be Guildwars style. That is the "Space Missions" are instanced so you and a couple buddies, or NPCs, can blast off in a Shuttle and play astronaut. Perhaps instead of Quests you get "Research Missions" that you have to complete while in space, but the catch is you only have a certain amount of time in space before you have to return to Earth. How far you and your team have gotten on their "Research Mission" will affect how much funding and exp you get.
Funding can be used to purchase fancy equipment that would help speed up your research.
Exp can be spent to train in various scientific fields, which would affect what kind of "Research Missions" you get and how well you can work the instruments.
And I suppose you can spend exp in skills that help better manage your fuel and air supplies so you can stay in space longer, giving you more time to complete your "Research Mission".
Also to spice things up it may not always be research you have to do. Perhaps some missions require your team to go for a space walk and repair satellites or space stations. These missions would also require another set of skills.
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I believe IBM is supposed to make HAL.
0431-6094-6446-7088
Fuck that, Privateer MMO. Oh wait, we already have Eve.
Aye, NASA are working on GLaDOS at the moment.