The Challenge

Create a custom world map generator module using a gaming framework or engine of your choice that leverages altimeter, terrain and imagery data to render realistic worlds. This will involve the use of a World Map Tile Service client to leverage over 1 TB of Mars and Vesta data for use in world generation. Click here for the full description.

Introduction

Gamers use to play their favorite space games over generated planet terrains. How wonderful would it be to play them over real terrains, so we can have our first experience out of this world!

Our solution!

We created a Minecraft Mod where you can explore real Mars' surface (and Vesta's in the near future), and have fun with an entertaining game. The first game we are introducing is Find Rover where you have to find Rover before your friends.

The Server

The platform is now running in a server that is storing all height maps of Mars. We plan to include other planets too. Request are available only through the mod.

The Future

We also want to have a server to host this mod so that people can share with us this experience, and probably contribute creating a new game. Our final goal is to have a scalable tool capable of generating height maps using current and future NASA's tile images, and to share this information as an open source library, so other users can generate worlds on their own platforms.

About us

We are passionate developers living in Guatemala. Our team members are:

• Diego Perez (@alphamander)
• Boris Becerra (@borisfernando)
• Ricardo Zepeda (@Ceborz)
• Henzer Garía (@henzer)
• Oscar Gil (@oscaresgil)

More info

The official NASA project is here.