IBM Launches PowerUp 3D Game

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IBMLabs
February 14, 2008

MADE IN IBM LABS: IBM is making online gaming a matter of life or death for the planet ...at least virtually. The company is launching a 3D multi-player online game (www.powerupthegame.org) that w...

MADE IN IBM LABS: IBM is making online gaming a matter of life or death for the planet ...at least virtually. The company is launching a 3D multi-player online game (www.powerupthegame.org) that will challenge teenagers to help save the planet Helios from disaster. Teens will have to beware of sandstorms, floods and "SmogGobs" while solving missions for solar, wind and water power before the planet's resources are used up. While they are doing so, kids will be employing engineering principles to rebuild wind turbines and solar panels, and make decisions about energy consumption that will effect the planet's resources. The educational game is being launched as part of Engineer's Week 2008.

The goal is to take advantage of the interest in online virtual worlds to teach basic engineering principles and energy conservation and get more teens interested in math and science. It's more than just fun and games. Dramatic changes are needed to restructure our schools and prepare students for the innovation economy that they will some day lead, and these include the use of new technology such as 3D platforms. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth in science, technology, engineering and math will grow 22 percent through 2014, faster than the average (13%) for all other jobs. Computer specialist occupations are expected to grow much faster at more than 30 percent. But at the same time, the U.S. grade school students continue to lag behind other parts of the world in math and science.

So while players create their own avatars and meet in the Orientation Center to chat with others, they can also interact with non-playing characters who are experienced engineers from diverse backgrounds that will act as guides. The avatars will be faced with timed challenges and activities that include driving an electric-powered buggy across desert terrain to find heliostats and racinge through a "junkyard" to find parts to rebuild wind turbines.

More than 200 kids provided input into the game to ensure that it is fun and I can provide you with a video clip to demonstrate the graphics and different missions.

Category: Science & Technology

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IBM EngineersWeek Education

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MustNotRead (4 months ago) Show Hide

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IBM brainwashing "kids" through videogame technology. quite discusting and disturbing.

i wonder what other influences they have in the videogame industry?

stockingheaven (4 months ago) Show Hide

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What IS disturbing is your attempt to spell 'disgusting'. For your information, IBM produce the graphics engine for all 3 major games consoles. Without IBM these consoles would be very lame.

MustNotRead (4 months ago) Show Hide

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Yes, I already know about their influence on the hardware side of the games industry, but that wasn't my point - was it.

I have just sat through a seminar at this year's Assembly '09 (demoscene conference, in Finland) given by some System Arch. from IBM. He spent most of his discussion talking about the potential for corporations to "educate" the young through videogames.

The whole talk was quite "disGusting".

btw, I speak 3 languages fluently and tend to spell phonetically.

40126876 (5 months ago) Show Hide

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50 years! Wow! what are we worring about then...

40126876 (5 months ago) Show Hide

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"the 3d internet" hehehe...

1337h4x0r3r (7 months ago) Show Hide

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global warming is scam. you really think big corporations care about the environment? of course not, they can make money of this shit thats why all of the sudden try to save the planet

oc5nsli341nforce4 (5 months ago) Show Hide

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It has always been the bottom line and nothing will never change that just look at Goldman Sachs.

keyblade3324 (8 months ago) Show Hide

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this is freakin boring cant belive i downloaoded it I was just surfing in google writing crap and thought it was good this game is craap only thing u do is shoot green thingie on black octupusus and repair stuff that a grade 1 kid could do it

BlueTropX (9 months ago) Show Hide

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I think this game will make me hate the environment even more.

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IBM Launches PowerUp 3D Game

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