NASA to release Moon Base Alpha, a multiplayer video game.

[Oneslowz28]

Yup, NASA made a video game. It will be available July 6th!!:banana:



A meteor strikes, damaging solar arrays and life support systems, and as you watch the billowing dust cloud move ominously toward your lunar camp, you have to restore critical systems and oxygen flow. Starting July 6, a new NASA video game will let you save the day, in 3-D.

NASA is releasing a multi-player game called Moonbase Alpha, wherein players assume the role of a moon exploration team member living in a lunar settlement.

Gamers will have to get used to running with a moon-bounce loping gait while wearing a bulky moon suit -- atypical for first-person video game missions. You can play alone or with a team.

The game includes VOIP chat, text chat, and pretty cool 3-D graphics. It's only supposed to take about 20 minutes.

NASA's Learning Technologies division built the game to prove the space agency can make cool video games that will inspire kids. Ultimately, the game could be used in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education programs.

And if Congress decides to end NASA's moon-return program, this might be the only way to have a lunar adventure.

OFFICAL MBA PAGE (http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/ltp/games/moonbasealpha/index.html)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI8_9eN-2Uo

[knowledgegranted]

Looks legit to me, but why not make some of this in real life?

[Oneslowz28]

The answer to that question is a simple 8 letter word that begins with a D and ends with a S. We are not allowed to discus such things here though.

[x88x]

The answer to that question is a simple 8 letter word that begins with a D and ends with a S. We are not allowed to discus such things here though.
That should be a 9 letter word. ;) And I'm sure they would say it's the other, and someone else would say it's those people over there, and so on and so forth around the merry circle. That's the problem with parties; there's always someone to point the finger at.

Seriously though, I think it has more to do what that pesky 5 letter word that starts with a M and ends with a Y and those other pesky 6 and 7 letter words that start with P and S and end in C and T, respectively.

Maybe this game is hoping to drum up public support for more budget for the space program, since it's getting a little...well, ok, it's basically gone. No more shuttles, they're supposed to keep working on developing 60-year old tech into something useful, but get no budget to do it, and in the mean time we're stuck having the Russians shoot our crap into space! I mean, no offense to Russia, it's a fine country, but seriously, we're the richest country in the world (by gross GDP; 7th by GDP per capita), we shouldn't have to ask someone else to help us get our stuff into orbit!

[mDust]

Seriously though, I think it has more to do what that pesky 5 letter word that starts with a M and ends with a Y and those other pesky 6 and 7 letter words that start with P and S and end in C and T, respectively.

M _ _ _ Y P _ _ _ _ S C _ _ _ _ _ T
I'd like to buy a vowel. An 'A' please. :)

It's never just a simple game with the government and its agencies. Remember America's Army sponsored by the US Army? I'm sure millions were spent on that game only for our entertainment...:whistler:
Whether NASA is just trying to invoke a warm, fuzzy feeling in a young and impressionable generation which will one day control the budget or they are monitoring our problem solving skills to reassure themselves that at least 5-6% of the population isn't completely retarded, you can bet that their investment will have some sort of return on it.

[x88x]

M _ _ _ Y P _ _ _ _ C S _ _ _ _ _ T

FTFY. ;)

[mDust]

FTFY. ;)

Doh! I was having a hell of a time with that!:facepalm:

[Luke122]

I have no idea what any of you yahoos are talking about.

[BuzzKillington]

T _ _ Y A_E CONFUSING ME. lol

I got the first two but the 6 and 7 threw me off. lol

Anyway, about the game, based on the trailer alone it looks like one of the most boring games to be launched in 2010. lol

[Oneslowz28]

This game is now up on steam for free and it can also be downloaded for free at http://go.usa.gov/OTB

[Twigsoffury]

played it. i was left with a : \ face

[mDust]

played it. i was left with a : \ face

Well what did you expect? NASA is a pretty boring agency. Have you ever watched a video of a spacewalk? /yawn
They talk about "rockets this, Mars that"...Where are the explosions and killer aliens? Now, Hollywood! Man, those guys know how to have fun in space!