NASA the MMO

[CptStern]

The space agency is working on a massively multiplayer online game using the Unreal Engine and set 26 years in the future. â??Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyondâ? imagines a time when weâ??ve started settling the Solar System. Players will be able to pick from an assortment of professions, including mechanical engineer, astrobiologist and more to build bases and outposts and travel throughout the galaxy.

The game will feature actual science, technology, engineering, mathematics and physics content. Players between the ages of 13-24 will be able to receive course accreditation, according to NASA, though it doesnâ??t offer many details beyond that.

neat!

http://weblogs.variety.com/the_cut_scene/2009/12/nasa-the-mmo.html

a smaller demo of the game will be released via Valveâ??s Steam digital distribution service in or close to January of 2010

 

[Thunderclap]

That actually sounds pretty cool. I would love an accurately scaled and detailed version of our Solar System. I loved Freelancer back in the day, b/c, despite all its scientific inaccuracies, it got the memo that space is beautiful.

 

[The Brick]

Insta-excited!

edit: maybe somewhat less
http://www.astronautmmo.com/dmf/Media

 

[<RJMC>]

do we will fight against the chinese a la battlezone 1999 way?

 

[Acepilotf14]

That looks really pretty.

 

[Darkside55]

http://www.astronautmmo.com/dmf/Media

I didn't know that to walk on the moon you have to do a little jig. I feel more educated already.

 

[Gargantou]

Very cool, had heard rumours about a NASA MMO but wasn't really sure what to think, sounds like it has great potential!

 

[Jerry_111]

I think we should keep it in perspective that this is primarily going to be an educational promo tool.. I'm not expecting EVE ONLINE graphics.

 

[Warped]

I'd give it a whirl! sounds like a great premise

 

[jverne]

sounds great...though i'd love if some company incorporated both genres into one game.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

a smaller demo of the game will be released via Valveâ??s Steam digital distribution service in or close to January of 2010

But when is the full version released; I want to receive my course accreditation

They should of contacted the Infinity: The Quest for Earth guys. They have already shown what their engine can do, and with a bit more funding they could both get NASA's project out the door, and release their other MMO project

It does look fun (I do like spacebuild in GMOD, but the major limitations in the engine means it lacks in scope)

Its a shame that the game is lacking in Harpoons ;(

 

[Gargantou]

But when is the full version released; I want to receive my course accreditation

They should of contacted the Infinity: The Quest for Earth guys. They have already shown what their engine can do, and with a bit more funding they could both get NASA's project out the door, and release their other MMO project

It does look fun (I do like spacebuild in GMOD, but the major limitations in the engine means it lacks in scope)

Its a shame that the game is lacking in Harpoons ;(

Except the Infinity dev is an arrogant pompous ass that can't stand people who question how overambitious his first-ever MMO project is.

NASA is better off without him and his team of volunteers!> = /

 

[The Brick]

Except the Infinity dev is an arrogant pompous ass that can't stand people who question how overambitious his first-ever MMO project is.

NASA is better off without him and his team of volunteers!> = /

Lol what? He can't stand noobs that don't read the FAQ and keep asking when it's done. He's a smart guy and the most impressive programmer I've seen yet (which doesn't say much). He's got a clear vision on where he wants this game to go. He's always thoughtful and direct in his answers. Perhaps that's what turned you off?

(I've been following this project actively for the past 3 years)

 

[Barnz]

ride a spaceship, walk on empty lands...


**** YEAH

 

[Shakermaker]

I wonder if this will be any fun for mathematically challenged people like myself.

 

[Gargantou]

Lol what? He can't stand noobs that don't read the FAQ and keep asking when it's done. He's a smart guy and the most impressive programmer I've seen yet (which doesn't say much). He's got a clear vision on where he wants this game to go. He's always thoughtful and direct in his answers. Perhaps that's what turned you off?

(I've been following this project actively for the past 3 years)

No, what turned me off was him banning me from his IRC channel after I politely said that I believe he sets overambitious goals for himself and his team considering this is their first MMO and they haven't(or hadn't back then) even gotten a good financial backer/publisher.

 

[The Brick]

Right, so you might have wanted to look at what he's doing before you say something like that. He doesn't have much sympathy for people that waste his time.

I'm not saying I agree with the ban or anything.

 

[Gargantou]

Right, so you might have wanted to look at what he's doing before you say something like that. He doesn't have much sympathy for people that waste his time.

I'm not saying I agree with the ban or anything.

Fact remains, his game is probably one of the most ambitious of all time, and as thus I am wary of him, but sure, in the end I'm hoping he wont turn out to be the next D. Smart.

And going straight to MMO form isn't exactly lowering my fears, considering MMOs are some of the technically most 'difficult' games to arrange, especially on the scale he wants to, he will need either a huge amount of donations or a very powerful financial backer to be able to pay for the servers in the beginning.

Oh well, I'm going off-topic, sorry.

Anyway, end-point is NASA MMO is intended to be a scientific view of the near-future space habitation plans, Infinity on the other hand is completely sci-fi with stuff like FTL travel and so on

Personally I'm not a big MMO fan but I will definitely check out the NASA MMO since I'm a big fan of modern space science, and in particular the colonization of Mars.

 

[Raziaar]

B'Awwwwww

 

[Gargantou]

I still haven't seen that movie. R it b good?

 

[VirusType2]

Sure, it's pretty good, yes.

 

[Danimal]

Better than most shit in cinemas.

 

[The Brick]

Fact remains, his game is probably one of the most ambitious of all time, and as thus I am wary of him, but sure, in the end I'm hoping he wont turn out to be the next D. Smart.

And going straight to MMO form isn't exactly lowering my fears, considering MMOs are some of the technically most 'difficult' games to arrange, especially on the scale he wants to, he will need either a huge amount of donations or a very powerful financial backer to be able to pay for the servers in the beginning.

Oh well, I'm going off-topic, sorry.

Anyway, end-point is NASA MMO is intended to be a scientific view of the near-future space habitation plans, Infinity on the other hand is completely sci-fi with stuff like FTL travel and so on

Personally I'm not a big MMO fan but I will definitely check out the NASA MMO since I'm a big fan of modern space science, and in particular the colonization of Mars.

It's a niche game to his own likings. He doesn't have any financial backing yet. And I do share the fear that launch will fail because of it. As it looks now, it'll be a single shard launch (europe), maybe coping with 10k players or so. And I suspect that near launch, there will be at least ten times that many players waiting to play. But he's explained countless times that he doesn't want to make the next EVE, just make the game of his dreams. Also, he adheres to realism as long as it doesn't interfere with fun.

But yeah, off-topic. I'm very interested in this game because of my love for science/(astro)physics. I hope there will be aliens in the game that look like Carl Sagan.

Also, Wall-e is awesome.

 

[barbarbarbarbar]

DO WE GET A "HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM" BUTTON ???

 

[Escaep]

Do we get to fight Nancy Pelosi? As the final boss fight or something.

 

[Gargantou]

What the **** is a Nancy Pelosi?

 

[DEATH eVADER]

What the **** is a Nancy Pelosi?

An American Politician :dork:


Actually I was hoping there would be a showdown with a facehugger

 

[barbarbarbarbar]

Do we get to bomb the Russians ? (like a baus ?)

 

[Escaep]

<rant>

What the **** is a Nancy Pelosi?

Not what, who. She's 3rd in line to be President.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200991217003

“I, myself . . . not been a big fan of manned expeditions to outer space, in terms of safety and cost,” Pelosi told reporters at a roundtable on the year’s legislative accomplishments. “But people could make the case; technology is always changing.”

“Again, everything is in competition for the dollar, and a judgment will be made as to what it does in terms of job creation,” she said.

Which is a crock because if the space program isn't given more funding probably around 20,000 jobs would be lost in my area.

</rant>

 

[fishdbaz]

I'm going to play this game just to build a ship with a mass accelerator cannon and raid NASA colonies as a space pirate.
Also: space geologist; candidate for most boring class ever?

 

[Ennui]

I'm not sure exactly what the gameplay OR MMO PvP/PvE component of this but I'm still very intrigued because I love NASA

 

[StarBob]

do we will fight against the chinese a la battlezone 1999 way?

That was definitely the Russians in Battlezone... a continuation of the space race.

Also, Battlezone was great. Too bad I never played Battlezone 2 or got even remotely close to beating the original.

Edit: The game looks pretty nice... though I Haven't seen anything actually being done. NASA is a pretty awesome organization though and if the Army can create a video game, I don't see why NASA shouldn't as well. I'm not sure how excited I Can be about it taking place 16 years in the future. I mean 16 years ago we were still flying shutting missions doing the same stuff we are today. The only difference was that MIR was still around.

Another Edit: Sorry I guess the Chinese were around in an expansion I never heard about.

 

[lame-o]

If the production style and quality is anything like America's Army 3 then LAWL FAIL @ USING UNREAL ENGINE because I know they'll **** this up too. I seriously don't understand how the mother****ing US MILITARY took such a nice looking and easy to use engine as Unreal Engine 3, and still made such a shitty looking and buggy game.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

If the production style and quality is anything like America's Army 3 then LAWL FAIL @ USING UNREAL ENGINE because I know they'll **** this up too. I seriously don't understand how the mother****ing US MILITARY took such a nice looking and easy to use engine as Unreal Engine 3, and still made such a shitty looking and buggy game.

Two words. Actor class.