SoylentNews

lhsi writes:

Professors, students and alumni from the University of Texas at Dallas have created a mod for Minecraft that allows players to craft objects out of more complex elements.

With “Polycraft World,” the millions of “Minecraft” players worldwide will now be able to incorporate the properties of many materials — chemical elements and compounds — into game action. For example, said Dr. Walter Voit, players could harvest natural rubber from trees, thwart enemies using flamethrowers and jetpacks, explore underwater biomes by scuba diving, or rapidly travel through virtual worlds on pogo sticks wearing custom-molded running shoes.

Voit, a faculty member in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, is co-creator of the modification, or mod as video gamers refer to the kit.

“The accessibility and popularity of ‘Minecraft’ makes it a great tool as an educational platform,” said Voit, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and bioengineering. “Using our ‘Polycraft World’ mod, people of all ages will have an opportunity to navigate materials science, including metallurgy and polymer chemistry, in a fun, creative self-paced environment.”

It is available at http://polycraft.utdallas.edu/Main_Page.html