Out of the blue yesterday (January 27), a NASA co-developed videogame was announced in a press release. Titled “ Starlite: Astronaut Rescue ”, the game focuses on utilizing problem solving to endure the challenge of serving on the surface of Mars after a mission has gone south.
In collaboration with the organization the game’s developers, Project White Studio’s, used NASA-inspired science and engineering to give players a chance to have a look at and experience what near-future space exploration may be, choosing our neighboring Red Planet as the unsurprising setting.
“Working in collaboration with NASA, University of California Irvine, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation on concepts used in Starlite: Astronaut Rescue and Starlite the larger game is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Khal Shariff said in the press release. “As game developers we are honored to be able to contribute to mankind’s exploration in our own unique way. SAR is just a peek of what we have in store.”
“We invite players to try out this mission and contribute ideas on the forum as we work on the more expansive NASA Starlite game. Where will we explore first? Will bases be underground or on the surface? What will robots have evolved to 20 years from now?”
What’s more, Starlight is actually the first of a series of games leading up to an upcoming Alpha test of the online multiplayer counterpart Starlite: Astronaut Academy this summer. From then on there will be ongoing development for the game, and there will also be an editor pack for players to play around with.
The mission in Starlite is to have you construct a small habitat using tools and advanced robots to your advantage. However, according to the press release there will allegedly be a circumstance 20 minutes into the game where you end up getting more than you bargained for on a seemingly simple mission, which sounds curiously intriguing, I must say. Upon successfully completing the mission, you’ll be rewarded with an official Mozilla Open Badge, which is a recognized digital accolade that can be viewed by anyone, apparently.
Starlite: Astronaut Rescue is available at a 40 percent launch discount on Steam for £1.19 (or your regional equivalent). The launch discount lasts until February 3, after which the game will cost £1.99. An app for iPad is also in the works, but no specifics were mentioned. Those who buy Starlite: Astronaut Rescue will be guaranteed access to Starlite: Astronaut Academy’s testing. The forum in which Shariff was referring to can be found here .