EXO-ARCADE by Chechelot

Members

• Flores Morán Julieta Melina
• Zarco Romero José Antonio

About the Team

We are enthusiastic computer science students with a deep passion for technology and science, particularly space exploration. With our background in web development, we aim to inspire curiosity and enthusiasm for knowledge in younger generations. We are also eager to explore new areas and take on innovative challenges, always looking to share the wonders of learning along the way.

Lead us in

About the Challenge "Chronicles of Exoplanet Exploration"

Embark on a thrilling journey to revolutionize exoplanet education! The discovery of exoplanets has redefined our understanding of planetary systems, expanding what we know about our place in the universe. From scorching gas giants to potentially habitable rocky worlds, these distant worlds offer a glimpse into the remarkable diversity of planetary configurations. Traditional educational materials about this topic may not be accessible to everyone, particularly those from underserved communities or with limited access to resources. Your challenge is to develop engaging and accessible learning materials that leverage creativity to enlighten students about the wonders of exoplanets.

What Challenge Does Your Project Address?

Exo-Arcade addresses the challenge of making exoplanet education engaging and accessible, especially for students with limited access to traditional educational resources. The discovery of exoplanets has fundamentally changed our understanding of planetary systems, and yet the educational materials on this topic can be difficult to access or understand. This game aims to bridge that gap by transforming complex astrophysical concepts into interactive, playful learning experiences that cater to different learning styles.

What Inspired You to Choose This Challenge?

We are passionate about technology and science, particularly space exploration. We believe that education should be accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their background. The challenge of exoplanet education resonated with us because we saw an opportunity to take a topic that’s often perceived as abstract and distant, and turn it into something tangible, fun, and inspiring. By using our skills in web development, we wanted to create an experience that could spark curiosity and a love for exploration in students, making them realize the fascinating mysteries that lie beyond our planet.

High-Level Summary

We developed an immersive educational game crafted to teach students about exoplanets through an array of fun mini-games. It includes a trivia quiz, a rocket cabin simulator, a Frogger-style mini-game which allows users to explore different exoplanets, and a dart game that challenges players to estimate the radius of various exoplanets. This web-based project provides an engaging and interactive way for students to expand their understanding of the universe, leveraging the web's universal reach and accessibility.

The game addresses the challenge by transforming the traditionally abstract concepts of exoplanet science into a playful, hands-on learning experience, encouraging the practical application of the knowledge they acquire. Everyone can enjoy it while learning more about a not-so-talked-about topic, making it more accessible and fun.

We aim to make exoplanet education not only accessible but also enjoyable, especially for those who might lack traditional educational tools, such as books or teachers able to introduce them to this science. By offering a fair range of mini-games that stimulate curiosity, we aim to attract more people into learning "complex" and not often discussed astrophysical concepts, turning them into something captivating. The use of a web-based platform enhances the project's reach and inclusivity, allowing students with internet access to benefit from it regardless of their location.

Project Details

What exactly does it do?

Exo-Arcade is an educational game designed to help students learn about exoplanets through engaging, interactive mini-games. It offers five main activities: a trivia quiz to test and expand knowledge about exoplanetary systems, a rocket cabin simulator that provides an immersive space exploration experience, a 'Frogger'-style game where players navigate a spaceship to a specified exoplanet, a dart game that challenges players to estimate the radius of different exoplanets, and finally, a memory game to help reinforce the knowledge about exoplanets.

How does it work?

Exo-Arcade is hosted on a web platform, making it accessible to anyone with internet access. It uses a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create a smooth and visually appealing user experience. Each mini-game is designed with intuitive controls to help players focus on learning while having fun. Players interact with the trivia, rocket simulation, navigation, memory game, and dart challenges directly through their browser.

What benefits does it have?

Exo-Arcade makes learning about exoplanets fun, accessible, and interactive. The game encourages students to explore complex astrophysical topics in a playful way, which can be especially beneficial for those who struggle with traditional learning methods. Its interactive elements cater to different types of learners, helping to promote scientific literacy and inspire curiosity about the universe. By being web-based, the game reaches a broad audience, including underserved students who might lack access to other educational resources.

What do you hope to achieve?

The goal of Exo-Arcade is to make space science accessible and exciting for students of all backgrounds by transforming education into an engaging adventure. By offering interactive, game-based learning, it makes complex astrophysical topics more approachable, encouraging students to explore the wonders of the universe and develop an interest in astronomy and STEM fields. This project aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, astronomers, and engineers, empowering underserved communities with a free educational resource accessible through the internet. Beyond Earth, Exo-Arcade seeks to foster a love for exploration, motivating students to think about humanity's role in the cosmos and potentially pursue careers in space exploration, contributing to our collective understanding of distant worlds.

What tools, coding languages, hardware, or software did you use to develop your project?

To develop Exo-Arcade, we used:

• HTML for the basic structure of the game.
• CSS for styling and creating an appealing visual design.
• JavaScript for adding interactivity and managing the logic behind the mini-games.
• Python for the backend to manage data processing.
• Git for version control and collaborative development.
• GitHub as the repository for code management and collaboration as well as GitHub Pages for universal accessibility.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

• DALL·E 3. Used for generating the team logo.
• CHAT-GPT.Used for translating text into English or Spanish
• GEMINI. Used in the trivia game to generate questions

Space Agency Data

Using NASA’s free, open data significantly enhanced the development and educational effectiveness of Exo-Arcade. By leveraging these resources, we accessed a wealth of data that served as the foundation for the games, ensuring that players engaged with accurate and up-to-date scientific knowledge. Additionally, NASA’s open data provided resources to enhance the game’s visual appeal.

• NASA Exoplanet Archive
• NASA Exoplanet Catalog
• NASA Science Space Place
• NASA Unsplash

References

• Bootstrap
• Oxanium Font Family

Project Links

• Project Demo. Exo-Arcade

• Final Project. Exo-Arcade