High-Level Project Summary
We believe our game answers the challenge & goes the further mile to simulate an experience that would serve as the perfect fusion of entertainment & information. We gave the player the option to choose from multiple space shuttles & 6 exoplanets, and this multitude of options was our way of expressing the infinite facets of the universe that remain unexplored. One of our levels involves navigation through a debris field, while another requires the player's knowledge of astronomy to avoid the fatal cosmic rays. These levels were designed to give a glimpse of the dangers of space, but we also scattered tidbits of information throughout to remind the player why it was worth the peril.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
Our game was designed with the purpose of providing the perfect fusion of entertainment and information to the player. We open up on a shuttle selection screen that allows you to pick one of three models, and later on, one of six exoplanets to visit. These multitude of options we provided were a reflection of the infinite corners of the universe that remain unexplored and humanity's thirst to venture to them all. Animated clips have been added throughout the levels to help the player remain focused on the task at hand. Our first level involves dodging and passing through a debris field with limited fuel, which is a problem astronomers face currently as well - this level gives a peek into the world of the limitations and hazards of space travel and exploration. To further push this concept into the mind of our audience, we added a level where the player is at risk of being exposed to Cosmic Rays, which is a glimpse into the health hazards that threaten any human who attempts long distance space-travel (hypothetically, in the future). We added in an infographic style textbook as a guide to pass through the questions that needed to be answered to get through the cosmic radiation. This was a fun and interactive way of learning about the multiple aspects of astronomy. An animated clip of an exoplanet is shown at the end with an infographic attached to it, that provides fascinating details about the planet. The planets we chose were specifically from the habitable zone, as we believe this is an area of astronomy that is soon going to blow up in ways we cannot imagine with advancements in technology
Software Used:
Unity 3D - Core Game Development
Snapseed and Photoshop - Photo Manipulation
Blender - Modelling and Animation
DaVinci Resolve and Microsoft PowerPoint - Video Editing
Space Agency Data
We used data from NASA's exoplanet archive, to create our 3D models of the planets which we later used for our stages.
We also used NASA's designs for antimatter rockets in the future, as our way of showing our enthusiasm for what s coming next in the world of astronomy.
Hackathon Journey
It has been an information and enlightening experience to say the least, we learnt many aspects of astronomy while brainstorming for the levels and held a newfound respect for those who conducted intensive research into the field and have made astronomy what it is today. We learnt about concepts including gravitational waves, relativity, SPE, exoplanets, black holes, to say the least. The reason we chose this particular challenge was because of the freedom it gave us by allowing us to show our vision of the future in the game, which we felt was an exciting and enriching prospect. We faced many obstacles and hurdles along the way, but the satisfaction and knowledge we learned from these mistakes were worth the hassle. We are grateful to the internet for providing an abundance of resources that helped us along each step of the way
References
exoplanet.nasa.gov
PlanetScope
RapidEye
Tags
#spacegame #unity
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.