CHALLENGER CENTER
For the Moon’s landing 50th anniversary, Pixeldust Labs designed this edutainment Rover crafting and simulation experience for mobile platforms. A collaboration with the Challenger Center, this project highlights Pixeldust’s game design and development capabilites. Creative Director: Ricardo Andrade CG Supervisor: Samar Shool Executive Producer: Elizabeth Andrade Game Developer, Animator: Roland Womack Modeler: Jordan-Chedalavada
TAKING STEM EDUCATION ABOVE AND BEYOND
Challenger Rover was an in-depth game design endeavour. This app allows you the opportunity to explore the surface of the Moon and Mars using robotic planetary rovers. You can partake in different exploration missions that will use scientific tools and sensors to collect valuable information needed to better understand our Solar System. For your mission to be a success, you will need to outfit your rover with specific equipment designed to collect atmospheric readings, soil samples, or photographs, depending on the mission parameters. After your rover is successfully assembled, you must program the rover to remotely complete its tasks on the surface of the Moon or Mars. Use your rovers to make important discoveries such as the age of the Moon, the temperature on Mars, if there is water on the Moon, or if there is life on Mars. These discoveries will help to unlock the secrets of our closest astronomical neighbors and will pave the way for further exploration.
When the commands are executed, the rover will traverse the landscape and embark on its journey.
The simulation starts with a mission briefing, enumerated with a set of instructions and rover requirements. The game UI gives the player the option of choosing between a Moon or Mars themed mission.
The player must assemble the rover from the ground up with all the required components necessary to complete the mission. These components include rover body type, wheels, scanners, power supply, drills, and an array of tools and sensors.
The player will learn a multitude about different equipment, tools, and deployments and how they are used on real missions.
GAMEPLAY
After the rover is customized, the mission begins with a top-down view of the Martian terrain and programable drop code terminal.
But the Mars terrain can be rough, and even the slightest miscalculation can thwart the mission.
Commands are planned and stacked to complete the mission with the highest efficiency.
