Project Update – MoonBaseOne Jay A. Crossler

Agenda Overview of Serious Games MoonBaseOne Summary of MoonBaseOne progress Current MBO plans for this year Demo Next Steps Overview of Massively Multiplayer Games Vision for MoonBaseOne Phase 2 and 3 Development Requirements Summary

Overview of Serious Games

MoonBaseOne

Summary of MoonBaseOne progress

Current MBO plans for this year

Demo

Next Steps

Overview of Massively Multiplayer Games

Vision for MoonBaseOne Phase 2 and 3

Development Requirements

Summary

Games = Negative social stigma with adults 48 research papers on Games & learning last year - 46 positively biased - 2 negative Most indicate games (when done right) have a measurable significant benefit to learning in children, young adults, and soldiers Increases retention and morale

48 research papers on Games & learning last year - 46 positively biased - 2 negative

Most indicate games (when done right) have a measurable significant benefit to learning in children, young adults, and soldiers

Increases retention and morale

MoonBaseOne Progress Phase 1 almost complete (1 June delivery – 80% complete) Expenses to date - $300 1200+ volunteer hours Requires very high skill levels (programming, graphics, design) Requires high creative additional input (sound, art, writing) Current game is “First Person Adventure” genre Developed within the $100 Torque Gaming Engine (donated) Stresses: Non-violent, adventurous, development, creation Built to later take advantage of multiplayer Uses vehicles, robots, AI “non player characters” Please see additional Game Design Document

Phase 1 almost complete (1 June delivery – 80% complete)

Expenses to date - $300

1200+ volunteer hours

Requires very high skill levels (programming, graphics, design)

Requires high creative additional input (sound, art, writing)

Current game is “First Person Adventure” genre

Developed within the $100 Torque Gaming Engine (donated)

Stresses: Non-violent, adventurous, development, creation

Built to later take advantage of multiplayer

Uses vehicles, robots, AI “non player characters”

Please see additional Game Design Document

Demo – free from the Blog Blog (Web Log) http://moonbaseone.blogspot.com/ All posts online Game posted bi-weekly Great conversations All archived for posterity Low management cost!

Blog (Web Log) http://moonbaseone.blogspot.com/

All posts online

Game posted bi-weekly

Great conversations

All archived for posterity

Low management cost!

Next Steps – plans for Phases 2 Phase 2 – Targeted for Jun 2008 Option 1: 20-person Multiplayer games Buggy Races across lunar terrain (craters, 1/6 gravity) Mining races (variation of “capture the flag”, use robots to mine) Lunar Olympics (marathons, skiing, hoverjumps, jet-pack races) Option 2: Incorporate advertising, add science classes Can support 40 advertisements/ object or product placements Ads on Satellites, Vehicles, Mining Gear, Posters, Buildings, Space Suits, etc. Add in additional science missions: Economy, Food/O2/Life support control

Phase 2 – Targeted for Jun 2008

Option 1: 20-person Multiplayer games

Buggy Races across lunar terrain (craters, 1/6 gravity)

Mining races (variation of “capture the flag”, use robots to mine)

Lunar Olympics (marathons, skiing, hoverjumps, jet-pack races)

Option 2: Incorporate advertising, add science classes

Can support 40 advertisements/ object or product placements

Ads on Satellites, Vehicles, Mining Gear, Posters, Buildings, Space Suits, etc.

Add in additional science missions:

Economy, Food/O2/Life support control

Next Steps – plans for Phases 3 Phase 3 – Targeted for Jun 2009 500-person Massively Multiplayer Online game Accessible at any time from any country Requires online servers and databases to host system MITRE hosted servers enough for development/testing Merged with FOGE Mission Teams Give out “Badges” for accomplishing events to give you new vehicles or equipment within the game Gamer Points for attending Star Parties, meeting astronauts, mentoring younger kids, or building things to submit to the game Hundreds of missions, online events, stories, podcasts This will not be cheap or easy!

Phase 3 – Targeted for Jun 2009

500-person Massively Multiplayer Online game

Accessible at any time from any country

Requires online servers and databases to host system

MITRE hosted servers enough for development/testing

Merged with FOGE Mission Teams

Give out “Badges” for accomplishing events to give you new vehicles or equipment within the game

Gamer Points for attending Star Parties, meeting astronauts, mentoring younger kids, or building things to submit to the game

Hundreds of missions, online events, stories, podcasts

This will not be cheap or easy!

Next Steps – Requirements to move forward We need more programmers and more tools. Options: Unreal 3 engine - $250k for engine Minimizes development time, maximizes portability Professionalism of $10Mil game! Requires very skilled head programmer Virtual Heroes $40k - Requires Good amount of reprogramming They have a Moon, Mars, Beyond system Whyville - Web-based kids platform Complete reprogramming, all Java via browser Torque Game Engine Keep current tools, hire programmers 2 full- or half-time programmers Or hire contractors for heavy lifting Best reuse of code, soon will move to Xbox 360

We need more programmers and more tools. Options:

Unreal 3 engine - $250k for engine

Minimizes development time, maximizes portability

Professionalism of $10Mil game!

Requires very skilled head programmer

Virtual Heroes

$40k - Requires Good amount of reprogramming

They have a Moon, Mars, Beyond system

Whyville - Web-based kids platform

Complete reprogramming, all Java via browser

Torque Game Engine

Keep current tools, hire programmers

2 full- or half-time programmers

Or hire contractors for heavy lifting

Best reuse of code, soon will move to Xbox 360