• Available on CD-ROM (at about £10 - 20) or as a Web Page (free) 
• For 1 or more players (max 6?) aged 10+, including parents or teachers
• Separate versions for single or multiple player with or without adults
• Separate versions for Key Stage levels 3 & 4
• Possibilities for on-line gaming

In this game players will:

• Enter their names
• Rank science subjects according to their likes and perceived strengths
• Be awarded a cash sum to purchase a laboratory, chemicals and equipment
• Choose a level of laboratory – different costs
• Be awarded “cool science” kudos points
• Choose an experiment from a “Commercial” organisation
• Read the introductory information about that experiment
• Choose values of variables or substances for their experiments
• Do the virtual experiment
• See their results, gain or loose “cool science” kudos points and cash 
• May be asked for help by a “famous” scientist
• Are offered the opportunity to buy more equipment or a new laboratory
•   Receive pay rises and an annual salary
• Sell their results to a “Commercial” organisation for cash, job or other
• Become an “essential” worker for their organisation based on their knowledge
• Be awarded a printable “Diploma” when reaching target “cool science” points
• Become the “Government Chief Scientific Officer” or win “Nobel Prize”

Cost of development:

• Cost to date: £2,000
• Estimate for final version £10,000

Development Dates:

• Outline internet version Feb 2001 Beta PC version: Sept 2001
• Final PC Release Dec 2001
• Later for Mac version?

• Opportunities available for backers

Preferred medium

• CD-ROM
• Web Page – probably to large to download in a reasonable time
• Intranet – could be run over a school’s intranet Science Year 2001

Compliance --- the game will:

• Be fun
• Be exciting
• Be challenging
• Show that science is worthwhile
• Relate science to real life situations
• Demystify science

Aims of the Game:

• Develop the idea that students can become experts
• Involve adults if students wish
• Show that science is essential thinking process in other fields
• Show that people need answers which can be provided by science
• Show that pupils already think scientifically in their everyday lives
• Provide positive images of scientists from a range of backgrounds
• Have fun outcomes for the game e.g. print a “Diploma” for winners
• Allow choice of chemistry, physics, biology, ecology, and health sections
• Demonstrate that fun experiments can be done safely in the kitchen
• Demonstrate that even very clever scientists talk to each other to get help
• Up to 30 experiments of which some could be carried out at home
• Up to 30 revision questions – useful for exam preparation
• Interactive: players have to make choices about how to do the experiments
• Contains information about the experiments and about the different disciplines
• Makes links to existing web sites so can be used on line