As part of the requirements to finish a Bachelor of Individualized Study (BIS) at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA it was necessary to develop a creative capstone project. The goal of that project was to encompass all the disciplines that contributed to my concentration in Technical Game Systems Design. Those disciplines include Game Design, Biology, and Computer Science. Given my extensive coursework in Biology, as well as my growing career in game development, it seemed only appropriate that I use the tools of Computer Science to conceptualize a serious game with a strong foundation in teaching Science. Magrathea is inspired by my early childhood experience with edu-games like Reader Rabbit and The Oregon Trail, and a love for Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The goal of Magrathea is to motivate learning complex systems, like the evolution of life on Earth, through an immersive, engaging, and impactful virtual reality experience. As I worked through the details of the project with the faculty of George Mason University, it became clear that building even a working prototype within the time frame available was unattainable. To answer this concern, Magrathea was delivered in the form of a federal grant application through the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, Phase I. The STTR requires exhaustive details on all aspects of the project. Once completed, the application was submitted to GMU faculty for review, and an overview of the process was presented to both faculty and peers.
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