The Voyage of Nizmo is a collaborative production by the students and faculty of Michigan State University Game Development Program and students and faculty of Waverly High School with the Michigan State University Abrams Planetarium.
Teaching Next Generation Science Standards to High School Students through games.
, Solve the problems t
In the distant future, humanity has gone beyond the far reaches of our solar system. As more and more ships go into service, the demand for crews goes up. That's where you come in. You are a group of recruits looking to one day be able to captain your own ship. In this exercise, you will be led by a seasoned captain on the U.S.S. Nizmo to show you the ropes of the job. However, things take a turn for the worse, and you will need to work together to save the ship from peril.
This is a demo of what is displayed on the Planetarium Dome.
The orbital pattern of a star around a black hole.
Go to Arstechnica.com
How to Play
While there is a threat of war and violence, it will never actually be shown or initiated beyond screen shake and sirens, as the correct solutions will avoid conflict. The threat of war is purely to add a sense of urgency and add weight to the player’s choices.
Students will take on the role as an academy student in training to captain their own ship. During a training exercise, they will need to use the Laws of Motion and gravity to solve the problems that lay before them in a peaceful manner. They will also need to consider other risks such as energy loss and simplified diplomacy and how their actions affect the outcome. This will culminate in in the ship getting too close to a black hole and risks getting trapped in its gravitational force while the ship is low on energy.
Prototype of The Voyage of Nizmo
HS-PS2-1 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution, particularly regarding Newton’s second law of motion.
Go to Nextgenscience.org
This planetarium interactive film experience for 9-12 grade students reinforces the knowledge of motion and forces through space travel and the problems that come with it. The writing and student involvement will help increase interest in mathematics and science.
The Voyage of Nizmo reinforces Newton’s second law of motion and the mathematics around it.
The game simplifies the physics of orbits to use a linear reference frame in order to use F=ma, an essential equation in physics. In addition to that, it will also ask questions about velocity, weight, and work. All will be portrayed as it will look in algebra so it will be more accessible to learners grades 9-12.
The Prototype in the Planetarium
The assessment will come in two ways.
The first is the final problem of the game, where students have to make a decision that will have consequences that affect the end of the game.
The second will be in the form of a take-home worksheet to see how much information was retained after the experience.
The Game Designers
Alex Gabbard: Game Design, Art, Digitstar Planetarium Dome Programming, Voice of Admiral Rippe and Ricky
Charles Morris: Writing, Game Design
Cormac Roth: Music Composition
JJ Sanchez: Sound Design, Game Design
Valeta Wensloff: Voice of Captain VW
Susan Bonner
MSU Abrams Planetarium
Dr. Shannon Schmoll: Director the Planetarium
NASA
Digistar
The Noun Project
High School Collaborators: Connected through the IGNITE program at MSU
Stephen Stauffer - Waverly High School Science teacher
Waverly High School science, robotics, and game design students
The Voyage of Nizmo is a collaborative production by the students and faculty of Michigan State University Game Development Program and students and faculty of Waverly High School with the Michigan State University Abrams Planetarium.
Teaching Next Generation Science Standards to High School Students through games.
Adventures of USS Nizmo - A Dome Game
