8 things NASA needs to get right

As mentioned previously here, NASA is in the process of gathering information from the public on how best to proceed with designing their proposed educational MMO. If you've been feeling doubt about their ability to pull this off, then you'll want to read this blogpost, entitled Eight Steps to The Stars: How NASA Can Make A Successful Massively Multiplayer Online Game. This was written by BJ West, a former colleague of mine from our days at Atari (Warning: occasional NSFW language).

BJ is a man who cares passionately about space exploration, so it was without surprise, and a good deal of pleasure, that I came across his list of things NASA needs to do to make this work:

1. It's about people, not science
2. Make it dangerous
3. Make it social
4. Make it big
5. Show me, don't tell me
6. Failure is not only an option, it's necessary
7. Embrace the past, embrace the future
8. Rise above NASA culture
   

Check out the meaning of each of these list items, and hope that someone out there's paying attention.