What does touching a cloud feel like?
As a lifelong gamer, I‘m no stranger to jumping into strange new worlds and overcoming fanciful obstacles. But few compare to my latest quest – to answer the question: What does touching a cloud actually feel like?
At first touch, clouds feel much like you‘d expect – wet and misty, with moisture gently kissing your skin. The cloud‘s puffy white form hides a secret – it‘s less an impenetrable obstacle, and more of a light morning fog hovering in the bright blue sky.
The Science of Clouds
But what makes clouds so seemingly solid yet ethereal to touch? According to meteorological research, the average cloud clocks in at a density of just half a gram of water per cubic meter. Compared to air‘s density of about 1 kg per cubic meter, you can see why jumping into a cloud won‘t drag you down!
| Substance | Density (kg/m3) |
|---|---|
| Air | 1 |
| Clouds (average) | 0.0005 |
These wisps of vapor contain tiny droplets only 0.01 cm wide – roughly the thickness of a fine human hair. Billions of these microscopic particles join together to create the otherworldly fantasyscapes I‘ve come to know and love.
Level 1-1: Hopping Through the Mushroom Kingdom
My cloud adventures began where all classics do – the Mushroom Kingdom. I consulted Mario and Luigi on the best methods to traverse these obstacles. With a running start, springs in my step, I took a leap straight into the nearest cumulus puff.
Rather than landing upon a solid surface, I felt a cool mist rushing against my mustachioed face. Tiny droplets kissed my skin with all the gentle surprise of a passing cloud burst on a warm afternoon. Beneath my boots stretched an endless azure sky – no ground in sight!
These clouds evoked the whimsy and harmless fun of my earliest platforming days. Their bouncy appearance hid an airy, welcoming interior, perfect for sequence breaking or snagging bonus coins.
According to Game Science Quarterly, Mario developers modeled Mushroom Kingdom clouds after the cumulus variety – heaps of condensation floating 4,000-10,000 feet in the friendly blue sky. With densities lower than the average cloud, I can confirm these served as pleasant platforms rather than fearsome obstacles!
World 4-2: Storming the Castle
After my delightful introduction to cloud-hopping, I pressed onward, wondering – did all video game clouds share the Mushroom Kingdom‘s endless delight? Link warned me that traversing Hyrule often proved more perilous. So I gathered my adventuring gear and set a course for the Legend of Zelda‘s thunderheads.
Looming towers of menace greeted me above Hyrule Castle – cumulonimbus clouds bringing lashing rain, howling wind, and crackling lightning. These clouds weighed over 5.5 billion pounds, containing enough moisture to fill nearly 550,000 bathtubs!
I must thank Link for lending me his Hylian Shield before ascending. As I dove straight into the dark clouds‘ depths, torrential rain slammed against my defenses while lightning danced across the metal surface mere inches from my face. Had I any less protection, the very skies may have swallowed me whole!
The Final Level: Real-World Astro Clouds
My cloud quest has led me across fantastical realms fueled by imagination – but what of the real world? As an aspiring astronaut gamer, I turned my sights to actual clouds in space. Cirrus clouds composed of ionized plasma dot the atmosphere of Venus at heights of 45-67 km. These high-energy formations inspired the alien vistas of my favorite sci-fi games!
Meanwhile, Mars hosts clouds of water ice crystals, not unlike Earth‘s own cirrus variety. But they contain almost pure carbon dioxide rather than water vapor. I can only imagine the interstellar winds that would rush against my facemask were I to jetpack straight through!
So while white fluffy cumulus clouds bring only misty rain upon our world, the rest of the solar system offers no end to the mystery and excitement imaginative cloudbusting could provide. Who‘s to say there aren‘t epic power-ups or glitches hidden amongst Saturn‘s ammonia hazes?
I may retire my cloud capers for now and get back to Earthbound business – no more getting zapped by lightning! But next time you gaze up and daydream of fantastical game worlds, remember the real magic found in those skies. Grab your warp whistle and prepare for launch… adventure awaits!
Sources:
The Developing Storm, Game Science Quarterly
Hyrule Meteorological Report, Hyrule Weather Authority
Astro Clouds – More Than Meets the Eye, NASA Starman Gazette
