[meteorite-list] NASA Takes Gamers on a Lunar Adventure With New Online Video Game

[Ron Baalke]

July 6, 2010

Ann Marie Trotta/Stephanie Schierholz 
Headquarters, Washington                               
202-358-1601/4997 
ann.marie.trotta at nasa.gov, stephanie.schierholz at nasa.gov 

Frank Blackwell/Lori Mezoff 
Army Game Studio, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. 
256-876-0463/301-879-9030 
frank.blackwell at us.army.mil, lorimezoff at yahoo.com 

Mitch Gross 
Virtual Heroes, Research Triangle Park, N.C. 
347-688-9703 
mgross at virtualheroes.com 
RELEASE: 10-148

NASA TAKES GAMERS ON A LUNAR ADVENTURE WITH NEW ONLINE VIDEO GAME

WASHINGTON -- NASA has given gamers a taste of lunar adventure with 
release of Moonbase Alpha, an exciting new, free online video game. 

The game has single and multiplayer options that allow participants to 
step into the role of an exploration team member in a futuristic 3-D 
lunar settlement. Players must work to restore critical systems and 
oxygen flow after a meteor strike cripples a solar array and life 
support equipment. Available resources include an interactive command 
center, lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and a fully-stocked 
equipment shed. 

The game is a proof of concept to show how NASA content can be 
combined with a cutting-edge game engine to inspire, engage and 
educate students about agency technologies, job opportunities and the 
future of space exploration. Moonbase Alpha is rated "E" for 
everyone. 

It is the first game in NASA's Learning Technologies project. The 
project supports the delivery of NASA content through interactive 
technologies such as virtual worlds, games and software applications 
to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, 
education. 

Moonbase Alpha is a precursor to a planned NASA-based massively, 
multiplayer online game project. The project is being designed to 
have content and missions that require players to gain and 
demonstrate STEM knowledge to succeed. 

NASA released the game on Valve's Steam network. The agency will use 
the Steamworks suite of services for server browsing, leaderboards, 
statistics and more. Steam has more than 25 million accounts and has 
released more than 1,100 games. It was built on Epic Games' Unreal 
Engine 3.The Army Game Studio developed the game with support from 
Virtual Heroes, a division of Applied Research Associates in Research 
Triangle Park, N.C. This collaboration between NASA and the Army's 
Aviation Missile Research Development and Engineering Center is an 
example of government agencies working together to improve education 
in the STEM fields. 

For more information about Moonbase Alpha, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/moonbasealpha 

For information about NASA's education programs, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/education 

For information about NASA and agency projects, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov 
	
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