Moonbase Alpha takes NASA where it's never gone before: the Unreal Engine (video)
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted July 7th 2010 1:14PM
posted July 7th 2010 1:14PM
Using video games to trick kids into learning is nothing new, and now NASA is getting into the action with something called Moonbase Alpha. Not to be confused with the fictional moonbase from Space: 1999, this is the first of the space agency's two commercial releases based on the Unreal Engine 3. In the multiplayer game you assume the role of an astronaut assigned to the aforementioned moonbase. When life-support systems are damaged by a meteorite, you and your teammates must repair the damage before the Space Vampires steal your soul you all die due to lack of oxygen (and so on, and so forth). Available now for free from Steam. Trailer after the break.
[Thanks, Andrew]
[Thanks, Andrew]
Hmm, I'm going to have to try my hand at not being killed by the vacuum of space.
@Slygathor To boldly go where tons of others have gone before...
@Slygathor
First tip: Do not remove your helmet or gloves.
Second tip: Lunar rovers were not designed to jump anything.
@Slygathor quick someone upload the HAL mod!
If anyone knows how to play this game properly and wants a buddy to play with my steam ID is nvidiagtx add me.
Moonbase Alpha, takes NASA where it's never gone before: the Moon. (o.0)
@wifigod
Well, unfortunately, it takes NASA where it's not going back anytime soon. The President has canceled the return to the moon plans in exchange for timid support for an asteroid mission.
Granted, I kind of get it. It would cost less since the astronauts would not be running around on the surface of anything setting up flags and driving buggies, and at the same time we'd be escaping the earth-moon system for the first time.
Whatever, as long as there are Hi Def video feeds.
@chispito
"The President has canceled the return to the moon plans in exchange for timid support for an asteroid mission."
Or may be, the president has canceled the return to the moon because there are not return without a first trip.
1969 Man walk on the Moon : Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
2010 Man walk on the Moon II :Designed by Epic Games.
@magallanes conspiracy theorists, pssshhh. *puts on aluminum hat and walks away*
@chispito
Completely ignoring the hazards relating to Mars' distance from Earth in the case of an emergency (3 month travel time vs. 3 day travel time), there are two major reasons why the moon is a better candidate for colonization than Mars:
1. The moon has an abundant supply of Helium-3 -- a resource that can be used here on Earth for (comparably) efficient fusion power plant reactors that don't destroy themselves in 2 hours. This could pay for the day-to-day expenses of a colony in such a hostile environment. Getting the He-3 to Earth could be nearly as simple as shooting it at Earth with a solar-powered gun and a parachute. The only place here on Earth with a supply of He-3 is on the ocean floor, and we all know how well that deep water stuff works out.
2. A lunar base could be a permanent presence where larger vehicles could be constructed at a much higher gravitational potential than here on Earth. Our biggest hurdle with exploring our solar system and galaxy is simply getting out of our great big gravity well called Earth. A permanent lunar base would be a huge step in the right direction, and would be arguably better than Mars due to its lower mass.
In the end, the real question you have to ask is this: Are you looking for achievements (getting to Mars and coming home -- what the heck could we do there with no inexpensive way to take construction materials with us, really?) or are you looking to beat the game (establishing new permanent homes for humanity on foreign planets)?
@ImNotBill
That's great long term thinking but we're talking about what to do in the next decade.
Oh man, I'm gonna need a new rig for this one. Dual 480s ain't got nothin on this.
@ROFL meh, max with a 4870x2, guess your nvidia isnt as up to par with ati eh? :P
@ROFL Ha! It's only Unreal engine, I might try this on my Radeon HD 4770... If I'm daring I'll try it on my laptop.
Glad to see Epic is taking over the world.
I played it all night yesterday. Its a fun rpg with a bunch of people online, but needs far more levels/situations. If you have 2 people playing, you can't lose.
@Chroma did you unlock Bruce WIllis and Ben Affleck?
and will never go under this idiot President.
@nastro
Nor any of the others.
The Obama plan for the US: less ambition, more free steaks and healthcare to those on welfare!
@Funke Tobias Dr
Obama is just following the Bush plan :"spend trillions in useless wars"
@magallanes
NASA administrator under Bush (R-Texas): Let's replace the shuttle and return to the moon.
NASA administrator under Obama (D-Illinois): Let's "reach out to the Muslim world and [...] help them feel good about their historic contribution to science [...] math and engineering".
I miss John F. Kennedy (D-America). Once upon a time everyone knew what NASA was for.
@ImNotBill
"I miss John F. Kennedy (D-America). Once upon a time everyone knew what NASA was for"
What? Winning the cold war by proving "Hey, we can go these places!" We honestly had no more reason to go to the moon than because "it was there" and the fact that the Russians had us scared silly.
Only now do we realize what potential the moon holds. The first missions were not economically viable. The next missions must be for some useful purpose. (Yes, I know many things were invented for the early space flights. However, the moon itself didn't really have a point)
Now, we must realize the urgency of the abundant Helium-3 deposits, and the use of the moon as a staging platform for more interplanetary exploration.
Seriously, thought? Reverting to talking points about Muslims? WTF? Is "Muslim" the new 1950s-esque "communist"? Oh, wait. We already have those people. Take your heads out of the sand and realize that we've offended many people in the past with our cowboy-world-policing ways. Once we all realize that the people of Earth are in this together, and stop fighting political battles like sporting events, then we can really get something good going.
Washington warned us about the formation of political parties. He foresaw the current situation we are in.
Oh. Sorry. I'll go ahead and turn my brain off now. Go Democrats! Beat the Party of No! Go Republicans! Beat those sissy communist progressives! Go big business! Here's more money! Maybe it will trickle back down to the rest of us! /s
@Mike10010100
Nice post!
I would add that space has too much politics.
Space is the future of science & our curiosity will lead a future, better human race, there one day. For now we have much to do here, look at all the parts of the deep ocean we haven't explored yet.
No guns?
i want aliens jumping at me, like in doom3 and quake pretty plz
This game looks.....
*puts on sunglasses*
.....out of this world.
YEEEEAAAHHHH!!!!!
@s13vin4t0r
Lol. Well done, sir. Well done.
I played that, last night. It was a blast. You really going to want to play this co-op, with your friends.
...And then something went Terribly Wrong.
Strikes me as being the first step on the Ender's Game trail.
@Sp4rky dude if they could do that man it would be awesome
I have been playing this game for several days now and all I can say is that the majority of players are idiots who don't know what they are doing. So usually I just play with friends or in offline mode. It's really fun though
NASA are crazy!?!?!
Obama canceled the plan to return to the moon, so why waste money on a scenario that will not happen? Maybe we can imagine we are a first world country like India, Japan, China, Russia and every one else with a plan to land on the moon in the next 10 years.
Young whippersnappers! We're not excited because NASA is 11 years too late. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072564/
However, if you do play this game be sure to stay away from the nuclear waste dumps.
@Samurai Jack I love that Engadget went back and re-wrote the intro to include a reference to Space: 1999--after my teasing post above. Good job Engadget! Lolz!
I can't believe they missed out on the publicity of a Moonbase Alpha-Beta!?!?!
Apparently they only want Windows users to experience the moon...not available on Mac. >__>
@FlyersPh9
Flyers I think there is something wrong you with. Jobs hasn't approved it so you're not supposed to want it. Their must be a glitch in cupertino.
Sorry, it's just too easy.
@cerf77
could you have been more of an idiot in one post ? i doubt it.
It could be very nice to prototype designs for things in something like this. So you can get an actual feel for it's dimensions and handling on the moon before you make it.