Rendezvous
Object:To steer a rocket powered craft in earth orbit to rendezvous with an orbiting space station. The score is the amount of fuel left at time of rendezvous. It is strategic to use therefore the least amount of fuel and let the orbiting speeds assist in positioning to meet the space station. Simple rocket controls would be retro rockets to rotate the rocket and a main engine to thrust in the direction the rocket is pointed. There should be a time limit of 3 or 4 minutes per try (call it oxygen supply) in order to make it important to not just sit for hours waiting for a lower orbit to gradually catch up to the higher orbit.
The resulting game would be tough if not impossible if in 3 dimensions but if limited to a 2 dimensional profile of the orbits with the earth at the center of the screen the resulting game would be challenging and would provide a great way to learn the behaviour of orbits from a "seat of the pants" rather than mathematical standpoint.
Learning is Perception:
We all have a good perception of how a ball travels when thrown above a flat ground. But how it would freefall in orbit with the elliptical path and varying speeds depending on where in the ellipse the object falling is, is not a common perception. This game would act to enhance our perception of this behaviour.
Rob Mckenzie
robndi@flytandem.com
Very interesting, interesting indeed, though I'm not sure if the game would have applied to many people being so rock hard and all. But personally…I certainly can take a challenge.
Idea Reviewer:
-Vegard Aure-
