Monthly Archives: January 2012

Space-Themed Games – Space Race Blast Off – NASA Multi-player Game on Facebook

NASA have created a web-based “game” to test knowledge of science, maths and technology. It is called “Space Race Blast Off“. NASA Press Release (30-Jan-2012) Facebook App URL: http://apps.facebook.com/spacerace Stand-alone Flash App: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/spacerace/

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on Space-Themed Games – Space Race Blast Off – NASA Multi-player Game on Facebook

Space-Themed Games – Orbiter

Orbiter – Space Flight Simulator is a realistic simulation, using real world physics to provide a fun and educationally informative environment for flying spacecraft near the Earth, Moon, Mars and beyond. It was created by Martin Schweiger at UCL, and … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on Space-Themed Games – Orbiter

Space-Themed Games – NASA Moonbase Alpha

Another space-themed game with an educational purpose is “Moonbase Alpha” created for NASA’s Immersive Education programme and provides a game scenario with 20 minutes of play set on a hypothetical lunar outpost in 3D immersive setting. This is a proof … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on Space-Themed Games – NASA Moonbase Alpha

Space-Themed Games – Entropia Universe

Mindark’s Entropia Universe is a space-themed MMORPG in which a player is transported to Planet Calypso by a shuttle, given a basis settlers suit and not much else. A lot has to be learned in terms of skills, trade and … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on Space-Themed Games – Entropia Universe

Europa Game Study – Mindark Entropia Universe and European Space Agency

In 2009-2010, Mindark’s Entropia Universe MMORPG team worked with the European Space Agency on a project entitled “Online Game Technology for Space Education and System Analysis”. This is a learning environment situated in a simulation of a base on Europa, … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on Europa Game Study – Mindark Entropia Universe and European Space Agency

World of Warcraft – Intrinsic Motovation – Dun Morogh to Northshire Abbey

I like self set goals…. and one was to get my Dwarf Hunter and Grizzly Bear from the zone where it is initially based in World of Warcraft across to Elwynn Forest so I could travel to Northshire Abbey and … Continue reading

Posted in World of Warcraft | Tagged | Comments Off on World of Warcraft – Intrinsic Motovation – Dun Morogh to Northshire Abbey

World of Warcraft – Social Interaction

An aim of the class is to join up in the same “zone” in World of Warcraft, “Northshire Abbey” in the “Elwynn Forest” zone. This can be done either by entering the world as a specific species (human) which has … Continue reading

Posted in World of Warcraft | Tagged | Comments Off on World of Warcraft – Social Interaction

World of Warcraft – Welcome to the Danger (Proximal Development) Zone

At level 5… and I was sailing along quite happily with my Dwarf and the nice grizzly bear… just grabbing all loot and getting experience points, I was all in one area and had begun to get a feel for … Continue reading

Posted in World of Warcraft | Tagged | Comments Off on World of Warcraft – Welcome to the Danger (Proximal Development) Zone

MoonWorld Mission – Team Pythagoras

Mission to Timocharis region on the Moon. Ai Austin – Team Captain KaronMcB – Explorer indrimagri – Explorer Kimberley Pascal – Explorer MoonWorld Virtual Field Work: http://moonworld.cet.edu/ and http://www.avatrian.com/moonworld/ Mission Data Team Pythagoras Journal and Logs Teleport to Moon Orbit … Continue reading

Posted in Second Life, Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on MoonWorld Mission – Team Pythagoras

World of Warcraft – Bruin and Bear

Creating a Dwarf Hunter character gets you a grizzly bear right up front at the character creation screen. Thanks to Hamish for the tip. Now I have to get to level 10 to get the spell that lets you feed … Continue reading

Posted in World of Warcraft | Tagged | Comments Off on World of Warcraft – Bruin and Bear

MoonWorld – Initial Experience and Analysis

We can look at MoonWorld from the perspective of Gee’s (2007) 36 Learning Principles. References Gee, J.P. (2007) What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy, revised edition, Palgrave Macmillan. Reese, D. D. (2008) GaME design for … Continue reading

Posted in Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on MoonWorld – Initial Experience and Analysis

World of Warcraft – Pet Bears

I set up a test character in the free to play up to level 20 WoW, and struggled round for ages avoiding all sorts of things wandering around as I did not know who was good and who was bad. … Continue reading

Posted in World of Warcraft | Tagged | Comments Off on World of Warcraft – Pet Bears

Na’vi Clans in Second Life – The Ikran Climb

Na’vi people challenge themselves in various ways. One ritualistic challenge (Kane, 2005, ancient vision of humanity and learning styles) taken by mature Na’vi males and females when they have attained sufficient skill is to climb the dangerous route into the … Continue reading

Posted in Second Life | Tagged | Comments Off on Na’vi Clans in Second Life – The Ikran Climb

Star Trek On-line – Train in Star Fleet Academy

Try Star Trek On-line in free play mode via http://startrekonline.com/ This game involves fairly standard NPC interaction and enemy shooter style game in the initial stages, switching then to spaceship combat style interludes. The initial mission given is to beam … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, MscEL | Comments Off on Star Trek On-line – Train in Star Fleet Academy

Na’vi Omatikaya Clan – Ai’tswayon initiation ceremony to join the path of learning

Ai’tswayon (Ai Fly in the Na’vi language) has sought the blessing of Eywa and fellow clan members for his undertaking to begin the path of learning in the role chosen for him as Karyu (teacher). Clan Tsahik Ma’ri peformed the … Continue reading

Posted in Second Life | Tagged | Comments Off on Na’vi Omatikaya Clan – Ai’tswayon initiation ceremony to join the path of learning

Na’vi Clans in Second Life

Reading Kane (2005) and his reference to Sutton-Smith’s (1997) “rhetorics” struck some chords. Especially about the ancient and modern visions of learning. The description of an ancient “at the feet of masters” style with initiation, rites of passage, formal “at … Continue reading

Posted in Second Life | Tagged | Comments Off on Na’vi Clans in Second Life

MoonWorld – Virtual World for Inquiry and Planetary Geology Field Work

MoonWorld in Second Life – http://moonworld.cet.edu/ – is a space themed virtual field trip style game encouraging the study of rocks and geology. It provides a lunar simulation in a 3D virtual environment and was funded by NASA. The instructional … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, Space | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

MoonWorld – Virtual Fieldwork in Second Life – Study of Lunar Rocks and Geology

MoonWorld in Second Life is a space themed virtual field trip style game encouraging the study of rocks and geology. It provides a lunar simulation in a 3D virtual environment and was funded by NASA. This educational and training project … Continue reading

Posted in Space | Tagged , | Comments Off on MoonWorld – Virtual Fieldwork in Second Life – Study of Lunar Rocks and Geology

Pacman – from Clueless to Useless

I started my game play with Pacman (see Wikipedia article) using a free web-accessible version at http://www.freepacman.org/. This is a record of my experience and observations as I went along: I sit looking at the loading screen, frantically hitting the … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, MscEL | Comments Off on Pacman – from Clueless to Useless

Space Themed Games for Learning

Space themed games are a very popular genre. I find space themes intrinsically interesting, as do many other people. From the very earliest console games with simple graphics such as Space Invaders and even non-graphical “in the mind” space adventures … Continue reading

Posted in Space | Tagged | Comments Off on Space Themed Games for Learning

Pacman and Space Invaders

As suggested for the MSc in e-Learning Introduction to Game-Based Learning module, I played Pacman (see Wikipedia article) using a free web-accessible version at http://www.freepacman.org/. I also took a look at another even earlier console style game “Space Invaders” (see … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL | Tagged | Comments Off on Pacman and Space Invaders

Game-Based Learning Introduction – Austin Tate

Hello to everyone on the “Introduction to Game-Based learning” (EDIGBL) course. Another blog post introduces me, give a picture and shows my virtual worlds avatar “Ai Austin” for when we meet in places like Second Life. I am a staff … Continue reading

Posted in IDGBL, MscEL | Comments Off on Game-Based Learning Introduction – Austin Tate

Semester 2 Introduction – Austin Tate and Ai Austin

Let me introduce myself.. Austin Tate … and my virtual worlds avatar… Ai Austin In Semester 1 of 2011/12 I took the following MSc modules: “Introduction to Digital Environments for Learning”, “e-Learning and Digital Cultures” and “Understanding Learning in On-line … Continue reading

Posted in MscEL | Tagged , | Comments Off on Semester 2 Introduction – Austin Tate and Ai Austin