Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes both ASU Theses and Dissertations, submitted by graduate students, and the Barrett, Honors College theses submitted by undergraduate students.
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For my thesis, I developed an educational video game titled Cannon Quest. Based around a thought experiment proposed in 1687 by Sir Isaac Newton, Cannon Quest allows players to explore a miniature, 2-dimensional solar system using real physics and gravity. My principle goal was to create an interactive model of orbital motion, with some game/simulation elements. This allows players who are totally unfamiliar with orbital mechanics to gain at least a rudimentary understanding simply by playing the game.
While the educational model was my primary goal, care was taken to ensure that Cannon Quest functions as a playable simulator. I developed my own user interface (UI), control setup, and art, as well as integrating music and animation for a more complete user experience. I also spent a significant amount of time balancing the gameplay aspects with the real physics, occasionally sacrificing reality where needed to ensure a better experience. The resulting product is simple and straightforward, while retaining much of the nuances of actual orbital motion.
I also developed a website to host Cannon Quest, and better direct my playtesters from a single hub. You can visit this website at www.cannonquest.carrd.co.
Alternatively, you can visit https://possiblymatthew.itch.io/cannon-quest or https://github.com/matthewbenjamin22/Cannon-Quest to play the game.
ContributorsBenjamin, Matthew (Author) / Kobayashi, Yoshihiro (Thesis director) / Feng, Xuerong (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor)
Created2022-05