Syndrome

https://youtu.be/ptrB_B0EdEM

https://space-apps-51e6a.firebaseapp.com/

YouTube Link

https://youtu.be/Aoe8b-QGxWA

Gameplay

This game is a choice-driven, text-based game hosted on the web. The game requires the player to select a single avatar from a list based on their skill sets and careers and enter their commands in the command line terminal when presented with different scenarios. The player will be offered a list of actions corresponding to the scenarios and players will have to choose one of them. Each choice provides different consequences that would affect the various status of the player such as their health and stress levels. These scenarios are the major checkpoints in the game. In between the scenarios are basic tasks that the player could carry out such as exercise and exploring spacecraft to improve their avatar’s status before they move on to the next scenario. The scenarios in the game cover three phases of space exploration. They are the ‘Journey to Mars’ phase, ‘On Mars’ phase, and ‘Journey back to Earth’ phase. 

Benefits

Though the game is simple, it provides a user-friendly interface to middle schoolers. It also appeals to middle schoolers with its presentation and the alluring background music that will heighten the mood throughout the game. The game is accessible to all users as long as they have Internet connection. The short duration of this game is perfect for any middle schoolers who are busy with schoolwork or have a short attention span. This game helps educate middle schoolers on the reality of space and the serious risks that come with these sorts of space explorations, by highlighting the environmental differences in space and on Earths. Preventative measures displayed in the game will educate middle schoolers why such habits such as exercise are often advocated from an early age as these health hazards are associated with similar effects of aging in people on Earth. Besides, the theme of survival in space in the game will attract middle-schoolers to explore the space health field.

What we hope to achieve

The team hopes this game could be a great learning tool for middle schoolers on the space hazards and their mitigations in outer space. Hopefully, this could incite more discussions or contributions to the sustainability of outer space activities among them as well. 

Tools/Language/Software

Front End Development

• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript

Backend Development and Database

• Firebase

The team used the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Gene Lab data repository as the primary source to study the effects of environmental changes in space on human health. These space agency data are GLDS-345: Mouse femur LC-MSMS upon weightlessness, GLDS-32: Effect of microgravity on brain gene expression in mice, GLDS-270: Spatially resolved transcriptional analysis of hearts from mice flown on the RR-3 mission andGLDS-326: Gene-metabolite network linked to inhibited bioenergetics in association with spaceflight induced loss of quadriceps muscle

The team recorded the observations, causes, effects and solutions for every data to better identify how these hazards come about and why they happened, with external data sources or articles to elaborate on details not covered in the repository. By understanding these points, the team could create a game that focuses on the type of hazards that exist in outer space activities and their consequences on astronauts. These data also assisted the team to curate scenarios and their consequences on the player's statuses based on the observations and effects of the data, meanwhile, the elaborations for the effects are derived from the causes.

The team had a very exhilarating experience throughout the Space Apps hackathon and boot camps. We learnt a spectrum of knowledge such as space innovation and technology, storytelling techniques and video production. We chose this challenge because we love games, and undertaking this would create a fun experience for us. Other than that, we thought it would be a good idea to build a game that helps contribute to society, and that is why we wanted to share our knowledge of space with middle schoolers. Few nights before the opening launch of the hackathon, we came together as a team and discussed our plans and outlines for the game. We delegated our tasks and started researching the resources provided on the Space Apps website. There were some setbacks along the way. Thankfully, everyone in our team is cooperative and understanding so we help one another with whatever task needed. We would like to thank our family, friends, and those who have helped us along the way for being so patient with our questions or inquiries.

Online Journals/ Online Articles / Webpages

1. Government of Canada 2006, What happens to bones in space?, Government of Canada, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/space-medicine/bones.asp >.
2. Horie K et al 2019, ‘Down-regulation of GATA1-dependent erythrocyte-related genes in the spleens of mice exposed to a space travel’ . Scientific Reports, vol. 9.
3. Nabarun Chakraborty et.al. 2020, ‘Gene-Metabolite network linked to inhibited bioenergetics in association with spaceflight-induced loss of male mouse quadriceps muscle’, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, vol. 35, no. 10, pp. 2049 - 2057, <https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbmr.4102>.
4. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2021, Exercising in Space, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/stem-on-station/ditl_exercising >.
5. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2020, Space communications: 7 things you need to know, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/bodyinspace>.
6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2021, The human body in space, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/bodyinspace>.
7. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2020, Preventing bone loss in spaceflight with prophylactic use of bisphosphonate: Health Promotion of the elderly by space medicine technologies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/b4h-3rd/hh-preventing-bone-loss-in-space>.
8. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2020, Cardiovascular health in microgravity, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/station-science-101/cardiovascular-health-in-microgravity/ >. 
9. Sagor M 2021, The astronaut’s guide to stress management, Comprehensive EAP, viewed 2 October 2021, <https://compeap.com/the-astronauts-guide-to-stress-management/>.
10. Van Ombergen et al. 2017, ‘The effect of spaceflight and microgravity on the human brain’, Journal of Neurology 264, pp.18–22.

NASA Gene Lab Data Repository (BibTex or RIS format)

Brain:

Iacobas DA, Frigeri A, Iacobas DA, Iacobas S, Nicchia GP, Desaphy JF, Camerino DC, Svelto M, Spray DC. "Effect of microgravity on brain gene expression in mice", GeneLab, Version 1, http://doi.org/10.26030/jpyz-fn46 

Bone:

Bertile F, Cianferani S. "Mouse femur LC-MSMS upon weightlessness", GeneLab, Version 1, http://doi.org/10.26030/yvst-yy71 

Heart:

Galazka JM, Giacomello S, Lai Polo S, Andrusivova Z, Saravia-Butler AM, Fogle HW, Andrusivova Z, Giacomello S, Andrusivova Z, Boyko V, Dinh MT, Chen Y, Costes SV, Gebre SG, Giacomello S, Galazka JM, Giacomello S, Galazka JM, Beheshti A. "Spatially resolved transcriptional analysis of hearts from mice flown on the RR-3 mission", GeneLab, Version 2, http://doi.org/10.26030/09s2-9x11

Muscle:

Hammamieh R. "Gene-metabolite network linked to inhibited bioenergetics in association with spaceflight induced loss of quadriceps muscle", GeneLab, Version 1, http://doi.org/10.26030/rmv6-a863 

#SpaceApps #SpaceExploration #Mars #GameDevelopment #WebGame #Sustainability #VoyageToMars #LongDistance #SpaceHealth #Rocket #NASA

This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.