WASHINGTON, March 9, 2012 - For nearly three years, millions of gamers
have used physics in the battle between birds and pigs in the video game
Angry Birds. In cooperation with NASA, Finland-based Rovio Entertainment, creator of the Angry Birds franchise, announced its newest game, "Angry Birds Space," on Thursday, March 8.
NASA and Rovio are working together to teach people about physics and
space exploration through the internationally successful puzzle game.
Game developers have incorporated concepts of human space exploration
into the new game. From the weightlessness of space to the gravity
wells of nearby planets, players use physics as they explore the various
levels of the game set both on planets and in microgravity.
"This collaboration began with a simple Twitter exchange about birds
and pigs in space, and it has grown into a tremendous outreach and
education opportunity," said David Weaver, associate administrator for communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
"Games are fun and entertaining, but they also can be inspirational and
informative. This ongoing collaboration with Rovio and Angry Birds is
an exciting way to get people engaged with NASA's missions of
exploration and discovery, and get students energized about future
careers in science and technology."
Aboard the International Space Station, Flight Engineer Don Pettit
of NASA created a video using Angry Birds Space to explain how physics
works in space, including demonstrating trajectories in microgravity by
catapulting an Angry Bird through the space station. The video was shown
this week to an audience at the South by Southwest Conferences and
Festivals, an annual convention of original music, independent films,
and emerging technologies in Austin, Texas.
"We focused on every detail in development of Angry Birds Space to build
a special experience for our fans," said Peter Vesterbacka, chief
marketing officer and mighty eagle of Rovio Entertainment. "I believe we
have succeeded well with the game, and we wanted to create something as
unique around our launch events. NASA has been the perfect partner for
our Angry Birds Space program, and we can't wait to work with them on
creating more compelling educational experiences."
No comments:
Post a Comment