Computer role playing games answer to space exploration blues?

I've been thinking about what could help space explorers pass the long periods of isolation, and boredom on a long trip 3-9 months or more to mars.

Currently games like Everquest, EVE online and Ultima Online provide what I believe is the cure for space blues. Right now several 100000's of thousands of people are addicted to these social, goal and character enhancement oriented games.

Many have given up their real lives, families, and even changed jobs in order to provide more time to play these games. In essence they live in these 3D computer generated gaming worlds.

I myself did so for a few years, after an unusually difficult divorce. I would wake up play, play, play with my mind completely absorbed inside these graphical worlds only looking up to order pizza. When I went to work I longed for the adventures and friendships with others that I met online.

I did eventually give it up for real life and I think it actually was theraputic in nature and helped me through a difficult time.

Finally, I strongly beliveve that fantasy games like these could provide mars explorers with a way to interact (run, walk, talk, and socialize) with each other and computer generated characters and keep their minds happily occupied through the long trip to mars. It would also priovide them with a vast 3d world to move the mind through and probably reduce the "closterphobic" (sp) problem with a small spaceship.

I do not think a humdrum made up reallity world would be as effective as it would be boring.

X

[edit on 23-6-2004 by Xeven]

Doen't it take like 1 hour to transmit a signal from mars to the earth? Can you imagine the lag playing games lol?

Im sure they would figure something out to fix the lag though

Good idea

Originally posted by d1k
Doen't it take like 1 hour to transmit a signal from mars to the earth? Can you imagine the lag playing games lol?

Im sure they would figure something out to fix the lag though

Good idea

Yea I was thinking more along the lines of the crew playing together and possibly updates from mission control via patches to keep it interesting. If they wanted to, they could make it so the crew actually interacted with mission control via the 3d world instead of 2D video monitors.

that's a realy interesting idea. maybe pen out a letter to NASA suggesting it? or, better yet, just give the astronauts ATS accounts! now that would benefit them AND us!

I think thats a really good idea. Mind you , if it was me, knowing how addicted I get to RPGs I'd be moaning that I'd just got to kill this hobgoblin and get enough experience points to gain another level before I go out and do my space walk or what ever duties I had aboard my space ship. And if I had ATS access up there, well, nothing would get done!

That's a great idea actually. I'm surprised it hasn't been thought of. It doesn't even have to be MMORPGs (because it would take a lot to figure out how to get no lag) but it could be any video games. Give them a healthy supply of video games to keep them occupied and keep their minds stimulated. Hell, even though I don't like Halo it would probably be good for them to set up a lan game or something.

Originally posted by pantha
I think thats a really good idea. Mind you , if it was me, knowing how addicted I get to RPGs I'd be moaning that I'd just got to kill this hobgoblin and get enough experience points to gain another level before I go out and do my space walk or what ever duties I had aboard my space ship. And if I had ATS access up there, well, nothing would get done!

oh, i'm sure they could set the controllers down to do their duties... but could they set them down to sleep? and i doubt they'd want to play anything fighting aliens. it could possibly scare them if on a trip to mars. then again, who knows?

and if there was an astronaut in space with access to ATS imagine all the hard information we could get our hands on. not to mention the interviews, and the major increase in traffic.

They'd go nuts and start killing each other. Really... they'd get too far into their characters and fights would break out on the ship.

Give them video games, yes... but not ones that required them to interact with each other.

Originally posted by onlyinmydreams
They'd go nuts and start killing each other. Really... they'd get too far into their characters and fights would break out on the ship.

what makes you think that? i'm yet to hear of anyone go nuts like that. and if that really is a concern, skip video games and just give them tons of ebooks on file.

Cool idea I believe nasa's plan right now is have them spend most of there time to train and check things on the ship not that its needed as much as to keep them busy idle hands thing. Bringing games with them multiplayer ones could help them relax and have fun with each other. It might also have other benefits a recent study had doctors that preformed surgery with robotics play video games before the worked and it had all type of benefits for them making them preform faster and with less mistakes

By the time a trip to mars is viable computer games will be at a whole new level.

As for other forms of entertainment? It's only a matter of time before somebody figures out how to turn those "Real Doll" things into quasi-cyborgs.

If you don't know what a Real Doll is, google it.

No I don't have one, there are better ways to spend money.

If I was gonna get shot into space for a year or so I'd want one.

Spider

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid

Originally posted by pantha
I think thats a really good idea. Mind you , if it was me, knowing how addicted I get to RPGs I'd be moaning that I'd just got to kill this hobgoblin and get enough experience points to gain another level before I go out and do my space walk or what ever duties I had aboard my space ship. And if I had ATS access up there, well, nothing would get done!

oh, i'm sure they could set the controllers down to do their duties... but could they set them down to sleep?

Heh, they'd need NASA to "Parent" the whole thing. . . .

. . .but MOoOoOoOM, I'm not done!!!

--J1m

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid

Originally posted by onlyinmydreams
They'd go nuts and start killing each other. Really... they'd get too far into their characters and fights would break out on the ship.

what makes you think that? i'm yet to hear of anyone go nuts like that. and if that really is a concern, skip video games and just give them tons of ebooks on file.

YES... Please give them e-books.. in fact, i honestly believe that your average astronaut (at least someone who made it through the selection process) would rather read the collected works of Herman Melville or Joseph Conrad than sit around and play Dungeons and Dragons for two years.

here's my problem with RPG games on long-distance voyages: There's a chance that the astronauts might become too attached to their characters. With not much else to do (and with this being set up as the main venue of entertainment) they might get obsessed to the point of dangerous activity.

Ok... you can say... these are adults who wouldn't be distracted by fantasy worlds. Well, then, how well will the RPG thing work at all, then? My guess is that either space-farers will either be totally disinterested in something like RPGs... or that, if they *did* develop an interest, that this might entail a degree of obsessiveness the mission doesn't need...

Well When I played EQ. The friends that played with me (not all by far) were docotors, lawyers, nurses, students (probably most were students), teachers, police officers, just plain ole kids. Just about every walk of life. And reading a ebook is nothing like playing in a 3d world not even close. It does not have the same effect on the mind. I would bet money that most of the astronauts would enjoy it if not all of them.

It is rediculas to make a judgement that highly educated people are to good to enjoy a good ole fantasy game. Oh and age is absolutely not a factor either many many online RPG type game players are over 50 years old as well. Lots of retired folks playing those games to pass time.

If you have never played an MMO or modern RPG then you really have no frame of reference in which to judge this idea. Thats like saying you would not enjoy a food just because it looks gross or something.

These games are highly addictive at least EQ is, and thats exactly what you would want out in deep space. Something that would absorb your time so you don't get stir crazy. Also sleeping would not really matter much till they actually get to point in the mission were they would need to be extreemly alert such as orbit insertion and landing. It also can cause team building as most things in this particular game require several players in a cooperative team to defeat or advance.

Not something that can be explained without you trying it... I however am waiting till I retire to get involved with those games again. Way way to addictive heh.

[edit on 24-6-2004 by Xeven]

I thought about this awhile back.... but insted of RPG i was thinkin more along the lines of quake3 or something.... granted you wouldnt be able to play with world playing quake... satilite lag is just in-escapable.... as of right now atleast.... so you'd have to setup a lan for the astronauts...

i think it'd be fun... get some frustration out in game by killing ppl rather then on the spaceship... ya know?

Originally posted by eXtenz
I thought about this awhile back.... but insted of RPG i was thinkin more along the lines of quake3 or something.... granted you wouldnt be able to play with world playing quake... satilite lag is just in-escapable.... as of right now atleast.... so you'd have to setup a lan for the astronauts...

i think it'd be fun... get some frustration out in game by killing ppl rather then on the spaceship... ya know?

I think Quake would have its place to. RPG is more immersive though as you have character developement. People tend to become attached to their characters a lot like we become attached to a loved pet. But quake type 3d worlds would provide the mind with places to explore and help reduce the closed in feeling while providing entertainment. Both types of games could provide them with real time 3d entertainment which is like participating in television shows. MMO's are basically participative TV.

Originally posted by Spiderj
By the time a trip to mars is viable computer games will be at a whole new level.

As for other forms of entertainment? It's only a matter of time before somebody figures out how to turn those "Real Doll" things into quasi-cyborgs.

If you don't know what a Real Doll is, google it.

No I don't have one, there are better ways to spend money.

If I was gonna get shot into space for a year or so I'd want one.

Spider

i did google "real doll" and that is just wrong. if anything, i do believe that any long duration mission should be with paired couples. of course they'd have to be psycologically paired, and some sort of sterilization would have to take place.

Sigh how do Real Dolls always find there way into recent threads! I think Real Dolls would be better than coupling on short missions like less than 2 years but anything longer coupling would probably be appropriate. Coupling causes more problems than it solves. You want to talk about murder? heh. In fact I think a single gender crew would be best. Don't shoot me ladies as I could live with an all female crew as easily as I could all males. Unless they build a true and very large exploration vehicle.

Man that would be so nice if mankind could get together and build something magnificent to explore our solar system in... instead of lil bitty underfunded rocket ship.. Imagine a modern day cruise liner in space of course with science at the for front, but that would be awesome exploration vehicle this is for a different thraed I think lol....

X

Just give them Morrowind and the expansions to play on their trip, they could get on mars and still haven't finished the game if they want.
A lot of movies would be nice to on such a long voyage, you can't be playing games all the time or you would go insane, or like some of those korean guys and forget to eat and die eventually from being so immersed in the game.

I don�t think astronauts would be interested in playing computer games. Astronauts are highly intelligent people they would find far more constructive things to do with there time. There would be enough problems solving for them to do with on board science projects and as someone else mentioned ships maintenance.