Reach for the Stars

Amid shining stars, a particularly brilliant one has seen the light. Six third-year students from the video game programme at e-artsup have created ‘Reach for the Stars’, a one-of-a-kind video game that combines cooperation, learning and spatial reveries.

In cooperation with ArianeGroup, the game aims to teach younger generations about space exploration and construction as part of a fun family journey.

A cooperative and intergenerational game

‘Reach for the Stars’ is a sort of cooperative puzzle that relies on parent-child interaction towards a common goal: to build a rocket. No need for advanced technologies, however. Players evolve in a small imaginary village, and collect used materials to erect a cardboard spaceship in the family’s backyard.

“Space is the stuff of dreams. That’s the kind of inquisitiveness that we want to instil in children”, explained Mathilde Tomelka, e-artsup student. “Space becomes a pretext to spark the imagination and prompt dialogue between generations.”

A game directly created in collaboration with ArianeGroup

ArianeGroup and e-artsup have established a fruitful collaboration for quite some time. For ArianeGroup, it goes beyond products and technologies; it is all about sharing values.

“Space is about teamwork, curiosity and the fascination of discovering new worlds. We hope that many children and adults will be just as enthusiastic as we are, and that the game sparks new interest in space”, explained Olivier Dery, project manager at ArianeGroup, and Élodie Chevalier, e-artsup student.

A design challenge for young and not so young alike

Creating a game suitable for all ages is far from easy. Emma Martin, also a team member, described the strong challenges regarding game design: a one-button gameplay that is sufficiently simple for children but engaging for adults. “We want adults and children to have fun together; it is a fine balance to achieve”, she admitted.

A game to transfer knowledge

The creators of ‘Reach for the Stars’ were able to combine poetry, technology and learning goals. Such a project is proof that it is possible to talk about space differently, to make it part of the everyday life of families, and above all, to let our imagination soar… grounded on Earth but reaching for the stars…

Feel like testing the game? Click here: bit.ly