Moon Base: A Serious Game for Education

1st Anonymous 1 2nd Anonymous 2 3rd Anonymous 3

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Abstract—To increase the interest of young people in the

technological and scientific aspects of space research, the Eu-
ropean Space Education Resources Office (ESERO) has decided
to develop a set of games with space themes. Our group was
selected to design and implement a game in virtual reality. In
this paper, we describe the main design principles, interaction and
navigation techniques, technological details, and user experience
of the final game titled Moon Base.
Index Terms—educational game, virtual reality, space explo-
ration

I. I NTRODUCTION
Enjoyable, funny and exciting activities significantly help
users to understand and to remember a subject of interest. That
is why usage of games in education is widely accepted as a
great and efficient extension to traditional education processes.
This approach is even accelerated in the last years when
powerful smartphones and attractive devices like VR headsets
become widely available for a young population.
An extensive survey of the serious games in education can
be found in [1]. The authors show an increasing number of
Fig. 1. Moon Base: Spaceship take-off preparation.
suitable games for educational purposes and their indisputably
positive effect on learning. On the other hand, they also
mention various issues with the integration of games into have led to the development of educational game Moon Base
schools. We share their observation dealing with a certain which is described in the following text.
skepticism among students, low acceptance by some teachers,
and technological obstacles, however, we believe that all these II. R ELATED W ORK
issues change in time and that most problems will soon Usefulness of applying games to increase the interest of
disappear quite naturally with the increasing impact of the students and to fulfill their hunger for knowledge has been
information society. shown in several papers. It covers a wide range of target users
Having all these facts above in mind, the European Space starting at primary school [2] up to university classes [4].
Education Resources Office (ESERO)1 tried to arouse the Kleinhans at al. [2] describe their complex approach con-
interest of students at secondary and high schools towards sisting of classroom game (targeted to primary schools) called
research in space by developing a virtual reality (VR) game. Expedition Mundus, bringing pupils to a science museum,
Such a game could increase the number of highly motivated and experimental work on sandbox scale models. Although
students both at universities of technology and natural sci- no computers support was included and the game was based
ences. As we register a shift of students’ interest from these on paper materials including maps, cards, text with anecdotes
areas of education to social and management fields in last and scientific facts, the authors were able to cover the Earth,
years, the activity of ESERO is welcome especially at our the Moon, and the Mars.
university with a long tradition of education in technology
More technically oriented education game is described in
areas.
[3]. The authors created a computer game based on a real
The ESERO intention and support together with our experi-
Apollo lunar exploration mission. The game develops mul-
ence in computer graphics, user interfaces, and virtual reality
tidisciplinary activities in three phases - planning routes on
1 ESERO is a project of the European Space Agency (ESA) targeted to the lunar surface, loading science equipment, driving a rover.
education. Game components build on scientific data from NASA, both
 Fig. 2. Moon Base: the main menu offers a selection from five voyages of exploration.
for digital elevation model (terrain) and 3D virtual lunar rover
vehicle and its controls. A usability study was performed on
a group of 30 participants between the ages of 19 and 38.
The game was positively accepted and marked as a game
with a power to engage youth and young adults in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning.
We also appreciate the Kerbal Space Program game pre-
sented by Ranalli and Ritzko [4]. Students in the first year of
their Engineering Design study build a rocket that could fly
from the Earth to the Moon and return safely. The model of the
spaceship was motivated by Apollo 8. However, students are
required to compute their rocket parameters and to simulate
various flight phases like take-off, orbital trajectory movement,
and landing. As the students have to concentrate on correct
computations and simulations, the game itself is not very
complicated, but students were still enthusiastic about using a
game in education.
While the previously mentioned serious games have limited
scopes, e.g., the Moon exploration in [3] or rocket construction
in [4], we aimed to offer a complex view on space research
possibilities and activities. To achieve this goal, we have
intentionally suppressed a priori technical knowledge required
for the game, but extended a game scope to five very different
areas to engage various users/players.
III. G AME D ESIGN AND P RINCIPLES
The main task was to present a variety of activities that
are connected with space research. Each part of the game
should motivate players to become interested in a different
discipline(s). Since we know neither the users’ preferences
nor their educational background, we have decided to offer
them a choice from five game activities/scenes (short stories
and corresponding tasks). A selection from these choices is
shown in Fig. 2.
Game scenes are fully independent, no achievements and
no knowledge from one scene are necessary to enter and play
another scene. The content and the most significant features
of every scene are as follows:
Scene 1: Spaceship Construction
The first scene takes place in a space rocket hangar (for-
mally Launcher Integration Building - BIL) in Guyana Space
center in French Guiana. There are three different Ariane
rocket types in the hangar (Ariane 5R, Ariane 5C, and Ariane
5P), which are dismantled into several pieces, see Fig. 3. The
goal in this scene is to try to assemble an Ariane 5 rocket and
inform users about tow strength, weight, and amount of fuel
the rocket needs to reach the cosmic space.
This scene requires the handling of rocket parts and an easy
to understand system for joining these parts together. It is also
necessary to solve the movement over a large area in all three
axes (i.e., even vertical movement).
Each rocket part is extended during the interaction with
color balls informing the user about proper parts placing
and parts compatibility. The parts are automatically snapped
together if corresponding balls are close. Moreover, each
rocket part is annotated by factual information. The user can
naturally walk on the platform (it is bounded by the railing) but
for traveling on large distance or in the vertical direction, she
has to use the platform control panel to transport, see Fig. 3
and Fig. 6.
Scene 2: Take-off
The second scene retakes place at the Guyana Space Center.
In this scenario, the user will become familiar with the launch
process of the Ariane 5P rocket, which begins by bringing
the missile from the ’final assembly building’ to the launch
pad, see Fig. 1. Subsequently, first phases rocket engines are
launched, and the rocket takes-off the earth. The first phase
engines are discarded after reaching the space, and second
phase engines ignition occurs.
The entire rocket launch process is prepared as a cinematic
animation; it can be freely played, skipped, played backward
and repeated to get the eventuality to investigate the launch
process deeply. For this purpose, there are also several viewing
positions in the scene, from an outer view around launchpad,
attached to the rocket, or from Earth orbit. The key to this
scene is a media player (Fig. 1) that influence the flow of
time in the scene in different ways.
Scene 3: Operations in Microgravity
The third scene takes place in one module of the ISS
(International Space Station) where the user can experiment
with barycentric balls, i.e., to study how the center of mass
(barycenter) is determined by geometrical properties of a
bodies-system and not by the mass of individual bodies like
Fig. 3. Moon Base: Construction of different Ariane rockets in a virtual hangar. A user can see information about rocket parts during an interaction. There
are visible helpers for correct parts placement (colored balls). A platform control panel is visible in front of the user.
it is on the Earth. This scene fully reflect ESA educational
material Barycentric balls [9].
The user will be able to assemble a system of objects
from balls and sticks. The physics behavior of the body
system is simulated concerning microgravity, and it orbits
around a common center of mass. There are four drawers
with an endless count of sticks and three different balls (pool
ball, tennis ball and bowling ball). Users can freely connect
balls and sticks together and explore the physical behavior of
complex systems.
The navigation in the scene is specially designed to remind
a movement in the state of weightlessness. The user grabs
ISS module walls with hands; she can attract to them and is
oriented by the direction determined from hand position and
wall normal.
Scene 4: Moon Surface Exploration
The fourth scene takes place on the surface of the Moon
where the European Space Agency is planning to build a lunar
base [10]. The aim in this scene is to collect samples of lunar
rocks, which will then be used for various geological tests in
a laboratory (Scene 5). The sampling of rocks will be carried
out using the remote-controlled moon carriage.
Since the moon carriage is remotely controlled, we need
to create a clear remote control in this scene. It will enable
the user to navigate the vehicle to the sampling zones without
changing the location herself. The user will also be able to
track what the vehicle is currently doing by using the display
on the remote control, see Fig. 4.
Scene 5: Moon Research Laboratory
The fifth scene takes place in the laboratory inside the Moon
Base. Rock soil samples will be tested for soil grain and
calcium content. The soil grain test is carried out using a sieve
set of different fineness, in this case, two sieves.
The testing procedure is as follows: a sample of the lunar
rock is weighed, the sample is then divided into three different
coarse fractions using sieves (coarse, medium coarse and fine).
The weight ratio of the fraction to be sampled and the whole
sample determines the weight fraction of this fraction. The
calcium test is carried out using a solution of vinegar. If a
rock sample contains calcium, then in combination with the
vinegar there is a reaction that occurs with rumbling. For the
coarser sifting fraction, it is possible to see the rock-cut under
the microscope; the task will be to find a sample with a suitable
microscopic structure.
There are three containers in this scene, each contains
another sample of lunar rocks (collected in Scene 4). Each
container firmly determines the properties of the sample,
i.e., the weight of the individual fractions, and whether the
sample contains calcium. The samples can be removed and
subjected to testing. Different fractions are separated from
the sample using sieves, thus generates five options: coarse
fraction, medium fraction, fine fraction, a mixture of coarse
and medium fractions and a mix of medium and fine fractions.
Also, there is a weight on which the samples and sieved
fractions can be weighed. In addition to the pots, a sample
of the vinegar is placed nearby. When the sample is put in the
vinegar beaker and is immersed by the fluid, the visual effect
(smoke) reveals which indicates whether the sample contains
calcium or not. The last part of this scene is a microscope,
 Fig. 4. Moon Base: Moon rover is driven using virtual touchpad.

Fig. 5. Moon Base: The laboratory is equipped with various instruments including virtual computer, scales, sieves and microscope. Textual information is in
Czech language as the first version of the game is targeted to Czech schools.

Fig. 6. Moon Base: Transportation platform in Scene 1 allows the user
movement over a large area in all three axes using the control panel in the
top-left corner.
which shows the rock cut for the coarsest faction.
Interaction patterns and techniques
The user interaction for generic VR systems can be gener-
alized into high-level interaction concepts called patterns and
techniques, see [11] for overview of commonly used. While
the pattern represents a generic classification of interactions
(i.e., walking pattern), the techniques are concrete pattern
realization, often device dependent (like real walking, steady
walking, walking with game-pad, etc.).
We will describe individual implemented interaction tech-
niques, in relation to interaction concepts described earlier in
this section, and VR devices possibilities.
We are designing the game for three different types of
virtual reality devices as will be discussed in the next section.
It is an immersive headset with full head tracking and hand-
motion controllers (like HTC VIVE), immersive headset with
positional and/or orientation tracking with limited user input
possibilities (Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, and other
phone-based VR devices), and for PC with a monoscopic or
stereoscopic screen.
Fig. 7. Moon Base: Walking in Scene 4 and 5 is realized by hands waving
from front to back around the user body. A steering of movement is determined
by the torso reference frame forward direction.
Viewpoint control pattern Viewpoint changes can be sepa-
rated into two components. The continuous change of
Fig. 8. Moon Base: With Google Cardboard, rocket parts in Scene 1 or lunar
samples in Scene 5 can be moved closer and further either by using a specific
tool for each direction (see Fig. 9, buttons 4 and 8) or using a universal tool
and a head inclination up to 30 degrees (5 in the same picture).
Fig. 9. Moon Base: Toolbox for Google Cardboard v2 controll.
viewpoint direction is often realized by direct mapping
of device sensors to orientation change (IMU on headsets
or mouse position change for PC variant). The change of
avatar positions is commonly done by walking patterns or
automated patterns (like teleportation or passive vehicles).
We have implemented a special variant of a walking
pattern on larger distances for HTC vive, where the
user moves hands controllers forward and backward like
during a real walk, see Fig. 7. In PC variant the walking
is realized like in FPS-like (First Person Shooter) game,
ie. WASD keys on a keyboard. On Google Cardboard
we replace the walking by teleportation (i.e., automated
pattern). Walking is enabled in Scenes 4 and 5. Avatar
positional change in Scene 1 is realized by passive
vehicle. We create a platform with a control panel (Fig.
6), and the user changes his position by manipulating
buttons on the control panel. This platform can move in
all three axes.
Selection pattern Selection in our game is realized with
Pointing pattern, i.e., the user can target interactive ob-
jects even on larger distance than is his motor space by
something like a laser pointer. We have two techniques
 for pointing pattern; one is designed for HTC vive, it is
a hand pointing where the laser pointer is projected from
the end of a hand controller. The other is targeted for
Google Cardboard and PC variant. It is Gaze pointing. In
this case, the laser pointer is projected from the cyclopean
eye (center space between the user’s eyes) through the
center of the user’s view, where is a visible pointer. The
selection action is performed after trigger press on hand
controllers, a button press on a cardboard box, or mouse
button press in PC variant.
Manipulation pattern Interactive objects can be operated
using a 3D tool manipulation pattern. We mostly change
Fig. 10. Abstract interaction layer design.
objects positions by ”levitation” tool with the possibility
to move objects also closer and further from the user.
Thanks to limited operability of Google Cardboard v2,
we make special toolbox palette with concrete tools, goal at each scene was accomplished by all users with all VR
see Fig. 9. In this VR variant, rocket parts in Scene 1 game variants. The main goal of tests was verification of UI
or lunar samples in Scene 5 can be moved closer and intuitiveness on each device.
further either by using a specific tool for each direction The target group of testing users was primary and secondary
(see Fig. 9, buttons 4 and 8) or using a universal tool school students, i.e., people aged 8 to 20 years, see Fig. 11.
and a head inclination up to 30 degrees (button 5 in We have eight participants. Each participant followed a fixed
Fig. 9). The head inclination is depicted in Fig. 8. In scenario that should correspond to the real use of the game.
other VR variants, these tools are mapped on buttons of The questionnaire form was filled after tasks accomplishment.
interaction devices (hand controllers touchpad and mouse
From the responses given by the participants to the question-
with keyboard). Rocket parts in Scene 1 and stick and
naire, all participants were satisfied with the game. Throughout
balls in Scene 3 are extended with Jigs for easier placing
testing, it was not found that some of the game’s components,
of objects together, objects snap together if corresponding
such as user interface elements or scene navigation, caused
Jigs are close enough.
nausea. Also, during the testing of the game, no error was
IV. T ECHNICAL A SPECTS AND U SER E XPERIENCE detected that would make it impossible to complete the level or
cause the fall of the application. An Error associated with the
We aimed to enable this game to be playable at most
user interface was detected in the 2nd and 4th scene in Google
schools as possible. For this, we decide to make it as much
Carboard variant - the UI for gaze pointing was to close to
VR-platform independent, as is possible. The leading target
the user and cause discomfort for the user. We summarized
platform of our project is VR system HTC vive. Moreover,
the positives and negatives that the participants mentioned in
we implemented an interface for Google cardboard (and
the questionnaire in the following text.
other phone-based VR devices) and also PC variant with a
monoscopic or stereoscopic view (Side-by-Side format). The
main advantage of our approach is that the scene and game
logic are the same for all platforms, and interaction interface
solves mapping between game and HW-device.
Specified user interaction interface was designed for each
platform. While fully immersive headsets benefit from hand-
motion controllers, the minimalistic cardboard variant can
complete all tasks with just one button. The PC variant uses
classic game interface with mouse and keyboard. See abstract
interaction overview in Fig. 10.
Our game was implemented in Unity, with OpenVR [5]
support. Thanks to it, it can run on most immersive devices
on the market (the HTC-VIVE devices [7] and also Windows
Mixed Reality immersive devices [8] through the interface
application [6]).

Application testing
All VR-device variants of the final game were tested with
the target group. We altered the order of device variants to
eliminate the influence of the order effect. Each individual Fig. 11. Moon Base: Girl assembling Arian5C rocket in Scene 1.
 Positives found during testing:
• The ability to interact with a large number of objects,
even those that are not needed to complete a task.
• Good first experience with virtual reality.
• Nice graphics.
• Amusement, thoughtfulness and enthusiasm.
• Natural navigation after the scene.
• Elegant zooming and zooming out for Google Card-
board v2.
• Positive evaluation of diegetic user interfaces.
Negatives detected during testing:
• In the view of Google Cardboard v2, the user interface
appears in the second scene too close.
• In the view of Google Cardboard v2, it was tedious to
look to the left so that they could control a moon rover
in the fourth scene.
• Google Cardboard v2 overlaps the delta muscle with long
gaming, forcing users to hold the device at eye level,
which was not pleasant for a participant.
• Lower frame rate in Google Cardboard v2.
Fig. 12. Moon Base: Results of scenes evaluation for VR device
We also evaluated the preference of the participant by
individual devices. Figure 12 shows user ratings for individual
scenes. The best of all devices for virtual reality was HTC
Vive, followed by a PC and the last place to place Google
Cardboard v2. Since all of the negatives found were related to
Google Cardboard v2, it is not surprising that it was ranked last
in the ranking, so it would be advisable to focus on improving
the version for this device. The graphs also indicate, that the
first scene, that is most complex for user interaction, is the
most demanding for user control with cardboard.
Deployment at school
Our VR educational game is designed as an essential part of
a ”project day”, what is a five-hour long educational exercise.
Students work in groups during this exercise and practices
similar five tasks as were introduced for our VR game, but in
reality. At the end of each of these tasks, students will repeat
similar procedures in VR, in a more-likely space environment.
The tasks, in reality, are rocket design, plastic water powered
rocket launch, barycentric balls, soil samples collection, and
collected samples analysis. The project day is now in the
process of accreditation by the Ministry of Education in the
Czech Republic. Up to now, the project day was accomplished
by approx 150 students, but we are not able to say, how many
times was also used VR part of tasks.
V. C ONCLUSION
We have developed an educational VR game that has the
potential to motivate students towards space exploration and
research. Five separate game phases enable students to find
topics that are near to their previous interest or knowledge.
Gifted users can even discover new research areas. The game
runs on several platforms which should make its practical
usage and acceptance in school environments easier.
The game is currently tested by teachers in selected sec-
ondary schools. In case that ESERO will recognize and
appreciate the impact of the game on the target group, we
will prepare a second edition of the Moon Base game upon
feedback from teachers and students.
The game is not publicly available at this moment, so
we provide an in-game video from a PC variant [12] (it
is anonymous upload for review process). There are short
sequences of all implemented interaction techniques from all
levels.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work has been (partially) supported by [INTENTION-
ALLY REMOVED FOR THE REVIEW PROCESS].
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