A Slower Speed of Light

A Slower Speed of Light is a prototype first-person game in which players navigate through a 3D space, picking up orbs that gradually decrease the speed of light. A specially developed open-source relativity graphics code ensures that the speed of light in the game approaches the player's maximum walking speed. The visual effects of special relativity gradually become visible to the player, increasing the challenge of the game. These include the Doppler effect (red and blue shifts in visible light and shifts of infrared and ultraviolet light into the visible spectrum), the headlight effect (increased brightness in the direction of travel), time dilation (differences in perceived time between the player and the outside world), the Lorentz transformation (distortion of space at near-light speeds), and the travel time effect (the ability to see objects as they were in the past due to the travel time of light). Players can share their skills and experiences with the game via Twitter. A Slower Speed of Light combines an accessible game and fantasy setting with theoretical and computational physics research to provide an engaging and educational experience.