BE YOUR OWN MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE 3D virtual world, Planet 10, launches on scienceyear.com

15 Oct 2001 12:00 AM

Embark on a voyage of discovery around the solar system, and then take up the challenge of building your own life-supporting planet with the new online 3D adventure Planet 10. Available on www.scienceyear.com, Planet 10 is made up of two interactive sections Solar System and World Builder - and is free to all wannabe masters of the universe.

Users begin by taking a ''virtual fly-through'' around the Solar System, and can access data files to find out more about each planet, including the type of conditions required for life on a planet to survive and thrive. They can zoom in close on a particular planet or choose a different orbit view to see the whole system from afar.

Armed with new-found facts and knowledge about the solar system, users can then try to create their own planet in World Builder, and put it to the test!

Operating the creation screens, users set the parameters choosing everything they want for their planet - from the composition of the atmosphere and deciding how fast it will spin to whether it will have rings, a moon, aliens, life-forms or plants. The orbit and rate of rotation all affect the outcome and if it''s not right - life can''t survive. Only certain conditions will ensure their planet is a successful place for life to grow and evolve.

The new ''Planet 10'' is then placed within the solar system to see how it survives and fares over time. But users need to watch out for collisions. Their chosen orbit could put them on track to smash into another planet, or be impacted by one of the comets or asteroids that travel continuously through the solar system! But if they crash and burn, they can always try again.

Anne McNaught, Science Year web manager said:

''Planet 10 is both beautifully produced and a genuine educational resource. Using slick graphics and a superb level of interactivity, it lets the user explore the inner workings of the solar system and allows them to discover for themselves the delicate balance of just-right planetary conditions that are necessary to sustain life. We hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity to have a go at creating their own planets and see how they fare as World Builders!''

Notes to editors:

Technical specifications Planet 10 showcases the latest internet technology and was created using Flash and ShockWave 8.5 which features the newly developed 3D authoring capabilities found in Macromedia Director 8.5.

Windows - Intel Pentium 11 processor (or higher) - Windows 95,98,2000, Windows NT 4 (service pack 3) or windows ME - 64 MB or more of available RAM - 100 MB of available disk space - 256-colour monitor capable of 800x600 resolution - Directex 5.2 or OpenGL (recommended) - 3D accelerator (recommended)

Macintosh - Power Macintosh power PC processor (G3 or higher recommended) - Mac OS 8.5, 8.6, 9.0 and 9.1 - 64 MB or more of available RAM (with virtual memory on) - 100 MB of available disk space - 256-colour monitor capable of 800 x 600 resolution - OpenGL 1.1.2 (recommended) - 3D accelerator (recommended)

Modem - Connection 56kbs or above

Browser - Internet Explorer version 4 or above - Netscape version 4 or above - AOL version 4 or above

Plug-ins (freely downloadable) - ShockWave version 8.5

About Science Year

Science Year is a unique initiative managed by National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, and involving their key partners the Association for Science Education and the British Association for the Advancement of Science. It aims to raise awareness of science among young people aged 10-19 years and their key influencers - parents and teachers.

Working with teachers, industry and the Government, Science Year is the launchpad for a wide range of activities, initiatives and programmes delivered by local and national organisations from September 2001 - August 2002.

Science Year seeks to highlight the many creative opportunities that exist in the workplace today for young people with a science qualification, together with the importance and the impact that science has on our everyday lives.