3$                                                                Brainscape - 1
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
                                   BRAINSCAPE!
        
                          An Adventure in Neuroanatomy
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
                       W. Jeffrey Wilson & lynne ostergren
        
        
        
        
                      Department of Psychological Sciences
        
              Indiana University - Purdue University at Fort Wayne
                          2101 Coliseum Boulevard East
                              Fort Wayne, IN  46805
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
        Copyright 1985, Purdue Research Foundation.  All Rights Reserved.
        Unmodified copies of this documentation, or of the disk on which
        is distributed, may be freely distributed.
        












                                                                Brainscape - 2
        
        Introduction
        ____________
        
             Welcome to Brainscape!  You will have the unique opportunity
        of learning neuroanatomy by wandering around inside of your
        brain.  There are 50 locations available for exploration,
        including the ventricular system, limbic system, sensory and
        motor systems, and cortical and brainstem regions.  There are
        also treasures to be found, problems to be overcome, and a few
        denizens of the brain to be met.
             Brainscape! takes the form of an adventure, in which you,
        the hero, find yourself in unfamiliar territory armed only with
        your wits.  Those of you familiar with the genre of adventure
        games might wish to skip over the rest of the Introduction,
        proceeding to the section labelled Preparing the Game Disk.  If
        you have never played an adventure game, read the rest of this
        Introduction to see what is in store for you.
             The first adventure game, written by Don Woods and Will
        Crowther, was called Adventure, and took place within a giant
        cave, Colossal Cavern.  The computer provided a window onto
        another world, a world that existed wholly within the memory of
        the computer, but which quickly became very real for the player.
        The player told the computer what he or she wanted to do, and the
        computer carried out the command and indicated the results of the
        action.  Most of the commands involved movement; the player typed
        "Go West", and the computer revealed a description of the
        location reached by this movement.  Objects found throughout the
        cave could be gotten ("Get gold"), put down ("Drop torch"), or
        manipulated in various ways ("Eat food", or "Open door").
        Communication with the computer was by means of two-word
        commands, in the form of verb-object.  The player was free to try
        anything; the computer would respond by letting the player know
        the result of the action.  In essence, the player could explore
        this computer-generated world in any way that he or she saw fit,
        solving problems that arose by whatever means seemed appropriate.
             Brainscape!, like all of the other adventure games that
        followed Woods and Crowther's initial effort, is in many ways
        similar to the original Adventure.  A world exists in the memory
        of the computer, based on the world that exists inside of your
        head.  When you play the game, you are free to try any command
        that comes to mind.  You will spend a lot of time exploring,
        learning how to get from one part of the brain to another.  You
        will also come across numerous objects, some of which are
        inherently valuable, some of which allow you to solve problems,
        and some of which are totally useless.  Try anything that you
        feel like doing with these objects.  If it is a reasonable
        command the computer will act on it; if not, the computer will
        indicate that the command is not to its liking.  There is nothing
        that you can type that will disrupt the program or break the
        computer, although you can do things which jeopardize the success
        of your journey through the brain.  Have fun, be imaginative, and
        learn a lot!













                                                                Brainscape - 3
        
        Preparing the Game Disk
        _______________________
        
             The disk you received from us is a Program Distribution
        Disk; that is, it contains Brainscape!, but no operating system.
        To use the program, you should copy it onto a disk that has been
        formatted with your operating system on it.  To do this, proceed
        as follows:
        
            1.  Turn on your computer, with a system disk in Drive A and
                a blank disk in Drive B.
        
            2.  Type "format b:/s", and obey the prompts which are then
                displayed.
        
            3.  After the disk has been formatted, remove both disks and
                put your system disk away.
        
            4.  Place the newly formatted disk in Drive A, and the
                Program Distribution Disk in Drive B.
        
            5.  Type "copy b:*.* a:".
        
            6.  When the message "# file(s) copied" appears, you are
                finished.
        
        
             Put away the Program Distribution Disk for safe keeping.
        The disk in Drive A is your Game Disk; label it "Brainscape!".
        Use this disk whenever you play the game.
        
        
        Starting the Game
        _________________
        
             If the computer is turned off, insert the Game Disk in Drive
        A and turn the computer on.  The game will automatically be
        loaded, and the title will be displayed.
             If the computer is running, insert the Game Disk in Drive A
        and press the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys simultaneously.  This will
        cause the game to be loaded, and the title to appear.
             From the title, you may press "I" to read the Introduction,
        or "G" to play the game.  We recommend that you read the
        Introduction at least once before playing the game, as it
        contains information concerning the goals of the game.  Once you
        are familiar with the Introduction. you can skip it by pressing
        "G" from the title.
             Keep the Game Disk in Drive A while you play the game.
        Brainscape! is so large that part of the program must reside on
        disk, so the game will fail if the Game Disk is not available.
        The presence of the disk will also allow you to save and restore
        games readily (see below).














                                                                Brainscape - 4
        
        Display
        _______
        
             Brainscape! employs two different formats for video display.
             When you are travelling toward the brain, and after you have
        left the brain, a single, large window appears, in which the
        events befalling you will be displayed.  In this display mode,
        your only option is to press the space bar when you are ready to
        proceed.
             For most of your playing time, the screen will be divided
        into three windows: a large one across the top of the display,
        and two smaller ones at the bottom.
             The top window is the Location window.  Brainscape! will
        describe your present location in this window.  Be sure to read
        this information, as it will include the directions in which you
        can proceed.  The description will also contain information about
        the known behavioral functions of the location.
             The smaller of the two lower windows, on the right side of
        the screen, is the Object window.  This window will contain a
        list of the objects that you come across in each location.  Some
        are treasures, some allow you to solve problems, and some are of
        no use at all.  If you pick up an object, it will disappear from
        this window; if you drop an object, it will appear here.  Keep an
        eye on this window.  If you move rapidly through the brain
        without watching it, you might miss something important.
             The final window, occupying the lower left region of the
        screen, is the Command window, where you communicate with
        Brainscape!  Most of the time, this window will display the
        prompt, "What do you want to do?", followed by a flashing cursor.
        You respond to this prompt by typing a one- or two-word command,
        as described below.  If the program understands the command, it
        will act upon it, and might display a message to you in the
        Command window.  If it does not understand, it will also display
        a message in the Command window.  Any messages displayed here
        will remain until you enter your next command.
             Occasionally a message will be displayed that has no direct
        bearing on your last command, but instead is determined by things
        going on around and within you, over which you have little or no
        control.  These messages will also stay on the screen until you
        enter your next command.  On rare occasions, one of these latter
        messages might overwrite the comment made in response to a
        command.  This is to be expected, as the events described are
        usually intrusive, demanding your immediate attention.  In most
        cases, simply repeating your previous command will cause the
        overwritten comment to be rewritten.
             At times, you will have to answer questions, either to
        clarify the meaning of your command, or to progress in the game
        (see below).  When this occurs, the questions will appear in the
        Command window, and your response will be typed there as well.
















                                                                Brainscape - 5
        
        Communicating with Brainscape!
        ______________________________
        
             In response to "What do you want to do?", you are free to
        type any one- or two-word command that you like.  Brainscape! has
        a limited vocabulary, but will understand most commands that have
        some relevance to the game, or that might seem to make sense
        under the circumstances.  Don't be afraid to try something; at
        worst, Brainscape! will let you know that it does not understand.
             Always press the Enter or Carriage Return key after
        completing your command.  If you make a mistake while typing the
        command, the Back Arrow key ( <-- ) will allow you to correct the
        mistake.  Correct spelling is important; Brainscape! cannot
        properly interpret misspelled words and typographical errors.
        Some of the commands that you might employ are described below.
        
        
        Movement
        ________
        
             To explore the brain you must tell Brainscape! that you wish
        to move.  The direction of movement must be specified in standard
        anatomical terms.  "Rostral" indicates toward the front of the
        head, "caudal" toward the rear of the head, or tail.  "Dorsal"
        means toward the top of the head, "ventral" toward the bottom of
        the head.  "Lateral" means toward the side of the head, and
        "medial" means toward the midline.  The movement command takes
        the form "Go rostrally", "Walk dorsally", or "Run medially", or
        simply "v" as a shorthand way of indicating "Go ventrally".  In
        almost all cases the directions in which movement is possible are
        indicated in the description of your current location.  If you
        should try to move in a direction in which movement is impossible
        you will be informed of your error.
             In all but a few special circumstances you can retrace your
        steps without difficulty.  That is, if you move from A to B, you
        can usually return from B to A, although not always by going back
        in the direction opposite to that which brought you to B.  For
        example, if you move medially to go from A to B, you can usually
        return to A by moving laterally.  In some cases you might have to
        move rostrally to return to A, having moved medially to arrive at
        B.  This was a necessary concession to the twisting nature of
        connections within the brain, and eliminates the need for
        directions like dorsomedial or rostroventral.  We have tried to
        be consistent, if not always apparently logical.
             Movement is not always under your control.  There are some
        locations from which you might be moved when you do not intend to
        move.  When you find your way out of the brain, your movement
        will once again be out of your control; you will be at the mercy
        of your venous system at this point.

















                                                                Brainscape - 6
        
        Treasures, Tools, and Trash
        ___________________________
        
             Scattered throughout the brain are treasures that will
        increase your score, whenever they are in your possession.  These
        include neurotransmitters and various types of cells.  You will
        also come across various "tools" that will allow you to solve the
        problems that you encounter.  A small number of useless items can
        also be found; these do not increase your score or help you with
        problems.
             The presence of an item will be indicated in the Object
        window, in the lower right corner of the screen.  To pick up an
        object, type "Get dopamine", or "Get cell".  The command
        "Inventory" (or "I") will reveal what you are carrying.  To put
        down an object, type "Drop dopamine", or "Leave cell".  If you
        want to get everything that appears at a given location, type
        "Get all"; to put down everything that you are carrying, type
        "Drop all".
        
        
        Problems
        ________
        
             Your exploration of the brain will be hindered by a number
        of difficulties that must be overcome.
             In certain locations you might be moved against your will.
        The reason for this should become clear.  This movement can in
        fact be used to your advantage.
             Some areas of the brain cannot be entered if you are empty-
        handed.
             You cannot leave some areas without answering a question.
             You can get lost in one region of your cortex.  Random
        wandering will allow you to escape.
             You might encounter two other inhabitants of the brain.  One
        is harmless; the other will make your life difficult.  There is a
        logical solution to the problem posed by the latter.
             You can carry only a limited number of objects at a time.
             You must find growth hormone in order to return to your
        original size.
             If you enter the blood supply unprotected, you will be
        attacked and eaten by white blood cells.

























                                                                Brainscape - 7
        
        Score
        _____
        
             Your score is determined by a number of things.  For each
        location of the brain that you discover and enter, you are
        awarded 10 points.  There are a total of 50 locations to explore.
             Every neurotransmitter or cell that you carry with you adds
        50 points to your score.  Putting down the object deducts those
        50 points, until the object is picked up again.  There are 8 such
        treasures.
             Solving certain problems adds to your score.  Carrying the
        growth hormone adds 50 points to your score.  Swallowing it (at
        the appropriate time) adds an additional 50 points.  Entering the
        venous supply protected from the immune system adds 50 points.
        Dealing effectively with the rambunctious resident of the brain
        adds 100 points to your score.
             The total score possible is 1150 points.
             When you leave the game, either on purpose or inadvertently,
        your score will be displayed.  At any point you can type "Score"
        in response to the prompt "What do you want to do?" to find out
        your current score.
        
        
        Saving or Restoring a Game
        __________________________
        
             You can save the game in progress by typing "Save".  After
        your response to the prompt indicates that this is in fact your
        intention, Brainscape! will save on disk an "image" of the game.
        This will overwrite and thus destroy any previously saved game on
        that disk.
             To resume a game that was previously saved to disk, type
        "Restore" or "Resume" in response to the prompt.  This will
        replace the game in progress with the game last saved on the
        disk.
        
        
        Leaving the Game
        ________________
        
             You can leave the game in one of four ways.
             If you type "Quit", Brainscape! will tell you your score,
        and ask whether or not you are serious about quitting.  If you
        indicate that you are, the game will end.
             At five different locations, you must answer a question in
        order to proceed.  The question will be selected randomly from a
        pool of questions available at that site.  If you answer
        incorrectly twice in a row, the game will end, and you will be
        urged to study a bit harder.
             You can make one fatal error in judgement that will result
        in a rapid end to the game.  We hope that you don't find out what
        this error is.
             When you find your way out of the brain, the game will end.
        Descartes will meet you and let you know how well (or poorly) you
        did.  This way of leaving the game is the only one that will
        allow you to achieve a perfect score.











                                                                Brainscape - 8
        
        A Final Comment
        _______________
        
             We have worked hard to make Brainscape! free of errors in
        spelling, typography, anatomy, and logic.  To the best of our
        knowledge, there is nothing you can type that will cause the
        program to "bomb", that is, to stop running.  However, you might
        find that the program does not understand a command that you
        type.  This will occur from time to time because you have used a
        word that Brainscape! does not know.  If you get the same
        response (or lack of response) after trying several synonyms, it
        probably means that what you are trying to do is not possible.
        This would indicate that what you are attempting, despite being
        highly creative, probably is of no value in the game.
             We wrote Brainscape! to educate, but also to entertain.  We
        hope you find that your understanding of neuroanatomy improves as
        a result of your wanderings through the brain.  We also hope that
        you are not too frustrated by the problems that must be overcome
        in the course of the game.  If you have any comments, criticisms,
        praise, pleas for help, or suggestions for improvements, please
        send them to:
        
                  W. Jeffrey Wilson, Ph.D.
                  Department of Psychological Sciences
                  Indiana University - Purdue University at Fort Wayne
                  2101 Coliseum Boulevard East
                  Fort Wayne, IN  46805.
        
        
        
        
        References
        __________
        
             For further information about the anatomy of the brain, and
        about the functions of brain structures, refer to the following
        texts.
        
        Carlson. N. R. (1986). The physiology of behavior, third
                               __________________________       
             edition.  Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
        
        Carpenter, M. B. (1985). Core text of neuroanatomy, third
                                 _________________________       
             edition.  Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
        
        Diamond, M. C., Scheibel, A. B., & Elson, L. M. (1985). The human
                                                                _________
             brain coloring book.  New York: Barnes & Noble.
             ___________________                            
        



















3$
