Orlando Science Center's Science Night Live, Magdalena Lamarre, retired Full Professor of History and Sociology at Miami Dade College, photo by Roberto Gonzalez
Orlando Science Center’s Science Night Live returns this Saturday, May 30, from 8 to 11:30 p.m., and it’s for adults only (18 and up), $25 for non-members and $5 for OSC members.
The centerpiece of the night is PHENOMENA, a new traveling exhibit on Level 2 dedicated to optical illusions and human perception. Mirror mazes, zero-gravity rooms, and mind-bending displays walk visitors through how scientific principles trick the brain, and the whole space is selfie and camera-friendly.
Game Night Unleashed takes over the Founders Room on Level 3, where three local tabletop game designers will be set up with their original games. We actually sat down with the makers ahead of Saturday’s event for a special bonus episode of “The Orlando Shine Show,’ so if you want to know the stories behind the games before you play them, go give it a listen. The three games on the floor will be Waddle Waddle, a penguin conservation strategy game featuring real photos taken in Antarctica; Wonderland’s War, a faction-based area-control game with card drafting and bag-building; and Sky 5, a fast-paced card game where every turn forces a tough choice between drawing again or banking your points. Also on hand is One of Us Must Die, a party role-playing game built around hilarious relationships and group consensus; it’s like a themed improv game with queues for your dumb friends.
Two game design presentations follow during the night. JB Howell of Druid City Games presents at 9:15 p.m. on the psychology and math behind great game design. Then at 10:15 p.m., Barry Allen Warren, the creator of One of Us Must Die, takes the stage to talk about the challenges and breakthrough moments of designing a game.
Also on the schedule: artist and engineer Austin Lubetkin speaks at 8:30 p.m. in the Digital Adventure Theater about his work developing brainwave-based communication technology, shaped by his own experience with POTS, autism, and synesthesia. His augmented reality art show, Memories of Water in Fusion, is on display on Level 3. Curtis Earth runs PHENOMENA-themed science trivia at 8:45, 9:30, and 10:15 p.m. in 4Roots Café. The Central Florida Astronomical Society will have telescopes set up on the Level 4 terrace for night sky viewing, weather permitting.
Food and drinks are available throughout the night from Premier Catering, Naked Cupcake, and Sampaguita Ice Cream, with cash bars on multiple levels. Adult beverages for 21+.
Tickets and more info available HERE.
