NASA’s Cozmic Qwest. The Verge’s Brian Patrick Byrne with a bizarre story on Cosmic Quest, a video game in NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:

Cosmic Quest, developed by a gaming company called Creative Kingdoms, officially opened at the visitor complex in March 2016. The game costs $19.95, and allows players to “launch a rocket, redirect an asteroid, build a Martian habitat, and perform scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station.” But it doesn’t seem to have been properly vetted. […]

The Verge also discovered several typos in the game. For instance, in a bit about experiments with Martian surface chemicals, the game renders “analyze” as “analys.” The game discusses “basic chemistry principals” — should be “principles” — and says: “Now you will understand … why are research is so important.” The game spells “oxide” as “oxcide,” and, perhaps more forgivably, mistakes the verb “affect” for the noun “effect.”

Regardless whether Creative Kingdoms or Delaware North (operator of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex) is ultimately responsible for Cosmic Quest, the fact a scientifically inaccurate space game—aimed at kids—was in NASA’s house is an embarrassment.

Wednesday, 11 October 2017