Curiosmos: Unlocking the Cosmic Wonders through Playful Exploration

Meteors hurtling at planet-decimating speeds, luminous balls of hot gas, black holes from which not even light can escape: outer space can fuel nightmares, yet for Céline Veltman, a 28-year-old Dutch game-maker who spent her childhood stargazing, it is the stuff of dreams. She's translating this wide-eyed wonder at the universe into a video game with the grandest of ambitions: the creation of a solar system.

Igniting Curiosity and Inspiring Awe in the Cosmos

Bringing the Cosmos to Life through Playful Experimentation

Rocks collide with one another, chemical reactions occur: lo, a planet – and life itself – is born in the depths of the cosmos. Veltman's game, Curiosmos, aims to capture this captivating process, allowing players to witness the dynamic and intricate dance of celestial bodies as they coalesce into fully-fledged planetary systems. With its bright, illustrative visuals that evoke the whimsical charm of children's picture books, Curiosmos invites players to engage with the fundamental building blocks of the universe in a manner that is both accessible and enchanting.

Translating Scientific Wonders into Playful Experiences

Veltman's vision for Curiosmos is to make everyone as enthusiastic about space as she is, harnessing the power of gaming to ignite a sense of wonder and curiosity about the cosmos. Drawing inspiration from the educational YouTube channel In a Nutshell, which translates complex scientific concepts into engaging, "optimistic nihilism" videos, Veltman aims to make the most far-out, strange, and uneasy mysteries of the universe "accessible to everyone."

Blending Art, Science, and Gameplay

The task of translating the near-unfathomably complicated secrets of the universe into gameplay has proven challenging, but Veltman is undaunted. Collaborating with her colleagues, Guillaume Pauli and Robin de Paepe, she has crafted a game of interlocking systems capable of producing unpredictable outcomes, where asteroids blow up parts of a planet to reveal a molten core, and wafting clouds create the optimal conditions for plant life to emerge.

Reconciling Artistic and Scientific Passions

Curiosmos holds personal significance for Veltman, as it allows her to reconcile her own tension between pursuing art and science. "During development, I came to realise that I was sad about becoming an artist instead of a scientist," she says. The game is her bid to "mean something in the sciences by creating art," blending her creative talents with her deep fascination for the natural world.

Crafting a Tactile and Satisfying Cosmic Experience

Though the subject matter might inspire a dash of existential dread, Curiosmos has been designed to feel good in the hands of players. Veltman, a hobbyist potter, understands the power of touch, and this sensory awareness is reflected in the game's satisfying physics and visuals. Flinging asteroids around has a pleasing snap, and the terrain explodes with a satisfying plop, as if the planets themselves were made of clay.

Sparking a New Generation of Stargazers

Veltman hopes that Curiosmos will have a similar kind (if not size) of impact to the educational YouTube channel In a Nutshell, inspiring a new generation of stargazers and space enthusiasts. By making the most far-out, strange, and uneasy mysteries of the universe "accessible to everyone," she aims to spark the curiosity of players and ignite a lifelong fascination with the cosmos.