Submissions:2025/WikiAsteroids: Bringing Wikipedia to Life in an Arcade Cabinet
This submission has been noted and is pending review for WikiConference North America 2025.
Title:
- WikiAsteroids: Bringing Wikipedia to Life in an Arcade Cabinet
Type of session:
- Lightning talk
Session theme(s):
- Missing pieces, Future of Wikipedia
Abstract:
WikiAsteroids (https://asteroids.wiki) is a browser game that takes the classic arcade space shooter concept and adds a Wikipedia twist: each time someone makes an edit on Wikipedia, a new asteroid spawns. The size of the asteroid corresponds to the size of the edit. Blue asteroids represent edits with a net increase in content, while red ones indicate a net decrease. A new article creation spawns an extra life, and new user registrations spawn one of several possible power-ups (such as a shield, faster shooting, or slow-motion).
This is a quick lightning talk that demos the game, discusses its creation (including a real-life arcade cabinet), and hopefully inspires more games in the future.
See Diff post.
Author name(s):
Wikimedia username(s):
- SuperHamster
Affiliated organization(s):
Estimated length of session
- 5 minutes
Will you be presenting remotely?
- I will present in-person
Okay to livestream?
- Livestreaming is okay
Previously presented?
- Initially presented game at WikiCredCon, where it wasmade
Special requests: