Nov

12

Calamity Game

Filed Under Games, Physics 

The Calamity Game is probably the coolest physics application I’ve discovered since I found Line Rider.

The premise of the Calamity Game is that you have some sort of a crash test dummy-like figure. You fasten him to springs or create platforms and then apply force in one direction or another. The dummy springs back and forth and you’re left to figure out why and how. If you wanted it to go up, why did it go sideways? If you thought it would crumple, why did it fly off?

The game comes with a couple of videos to show you how to use the interface so it’s fairly easy to learn.

The really great part about the Calamity Game and Line Rider is that it gets the students’ attention. I talked to our school’s physics teacher about these games while a student was standing close by. The student knew the game Line Rider. His eyes went wide when I suggested it would be a great game to use in class, and it might even be something that a physics teacher could use for contests. I very obviously had the student’s attention. Luckily for him, the teacher went and checked out the game and told me he thought it was cool. It might even work its way into his classroom.

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