UT Dallas ATEC Students Launch Second Serious Game Project

Students enrolled in the Arts and Technology program at the University of Texas at Dallas have released a serious game application exploring the ramifications of life-prolonging technology. Endless Life, playable for free online as part of the UT Dallas Values Game Initiative, presents a humorous take on the monotonous reality that accompanies a human life extended via medical breakthroughs. In the game, players may choose to perform mundane tasks as part of a daily job or succumb to the allure of a comfortable life spent at home. "As science and technology allow us to extend our lives indefinitely, how will we deal with the monotony of everyday life?" asks Endless Life co-developer Jacob Naasz at the game's website. "And when death doesn’t occur naturally or due to illness, but through accidents and mishaps, how many of us will retreat into our homes or other 'safe’ places instead of fully living our lives? "Endless Life invites players not only to laugh, but also to engage in conversations about the potential effects that longer lives might have on our workplaces, our homes and ourselves." Endless Life is the second game to be released as part of the UT Dallas Center for Values in Medicine, Science and Technology, following up on Marching Ever Onward, launched earlier this year. Both games complement the Center's "Incite Your Curiosity" lecture series.