Explore Relativistic Effects in "A Slower Speed of Light" Game by MIT Game Lab

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers around the game "A Slower Speed of Light" developed by the MIT Game Lab, which allows players to experience relativistic effects by manipulating the speed of light to be comparable to a child's walking speed. Participants express interest in the game's accuracy, referencing the book "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" by physicist George Gamow for further exploration of these concepts. Some users criticize the game's lack of updates over the past two years and its reliance on the proprietary Unity game framework, questioning its open-source claims.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of relativistic physics concepts
  • Familiarity with game development frameworks, specifically Unity
  • Knowledge of the book "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" by George Gamow
  • Basic principles of open-source software
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of special relativity and their applications in gaming
  • Explore Unity game development tutorials and best practices
  • Read "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" for insights into relativistic effects
  • Investigate the implications of open-source vs. proprietary software in game development
USEFUL FOR

Game developers, physics educators, and anyone interested in the intersection of gaming and scientific concepts will benefit from this discussion.

ShayanJ
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I just found this interesting game by MIT game lab. It illustrates a world where the speed of light can become comparable to the walking speed of a child by collecting some orbs. So this way you can see relativistic effects directly. I post this thread so we can discuss the game and the effects and maybe the game's accuracy.
 
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You'll find it discussed in some older threads here as well. If I remember correctly, the conclusion was that it is reasonably accurate.
 
The book, "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" by the famous physicist George Gamow, gives an interesting exploration of this (among other things).
 
Nugatory said:
You'll find it discussed in some older threads here as well.

For example, see the Similar Discussions thread listing at the bottom of your thread page... :smile:
 
berkeman said:
For example, see the Similar Discussions thread listing at the bottom of your thread page... :smile:
:blushing:
 
Shyan said:
I just found this interesting game by MIT game lab. It illustrates a world where the speed of light can become comparable to the walking speed of a child by collecting some orbs. So this way you can see relativistic effects directly. I post this thread so we can discuss the game and the effects and maybe the game's accuracy.
I just found the same game while looking up something for another thread. I was going to post on PF about it but a Google search showed me that you beat me to it by a few months. :oldsmile: Looks interesting.
 
HallsofIvy said:
The book, "Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland" by the famous physicist George Gamow, gives an interesting exploration of this (among other things).
s/interesting/inaccurate/ I think ;)

BTW the "game" in the OP hasn't been updated for two years. I think they wanted to drum up some sort of community by calling it "Open Source", but unfortunately they built it atop the closed-source and proprietary Unity game framework. Fail.
 

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