john.falco.16
July 17, 2019
Education as an experience
When I first saw the title for this app, I was a tad confused. Of course it’s a real place, I thought. I wondered what the emphasis was. After having spent significant time with it, it seems apparent now. The focus here is on the educational. It’s not a game; there is no wave-shooting, cockpit-view navigation, aliens, or even movement. Being aware of that fact up front will hopefully avoid feeling let down if that is what you seek. If, however, you are looking for an above-average learning experience, this is for you. What it does provide you with are some truly excellent static shots of the planet’s surface and its numerous terrains and a vast wealth of knowledge. There is a LOT of information provided here. Once you navigate all of the pictures and text captions, you arrive at the final money shot, which many reviewers have already commented on. It is definitely a jaw-dropper; I can’t recall the last time I spent so many minutes just absorbing one single image. If you find yourself wondering throughout the experience where the VR component comes into play, this 3D panoramic view of the landscape answers that question emphatically. So, yes, this title tells us that mars is a real place, not one borne of imagination. It has so many interesting qualities that are facts, not science fiction. That is the app’s inherent strength, and is worth your time and money, especially if you can find it on sale. The one-star deduction is due to a lack of dynamics. Imagine visiting a museum where you just stand in one place for the entire exhibition, and you can imagine the feeling of limitation and constraint. For as much obvious work that the developer has put into it, it could greatly benefit from some differentiated environments and feelings of movement. An app about space should not be devoid of space. Otherwise, I highly recommend it. I learned quite a bit, and it’s nice that VR as a technology can enhance such a meaningful practice.
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