Explore interconnected worlds in an infinite
universe. A malevolent force that surrounds you is closing in, extinguishing
everything in a Cascade of annihilation. You are the last frontier against this
devastation, save as many worlds as you can before there is nothing left to
save and all is lost to memory. Fayju have teamed up
with Dr Jody Mason at the University of Bath, a leading biochemist currently
researching the causes and prevention Alzherimers disease.
The gameplay and its environment have been developed directly from research
into the disease and have been inspired by the amyloid cascade hypothesis. A
major objective with Cascade is to raise awareness of Alzherimers
disease as well as to drive scientific engagement.
Cascade is a game set inside the brain of an Alzheimers disease sufferer. The game allows players to fly
around the brain cells in a tiny craft and observe the pathology of the
disease. In this craft the player is able to mirror some of the therapeutic
intervention strategies that are being pursued by University laboratories and
pharmaceutical companies around the globe.
Our major goals for Cascade are threefold:
i)
Increase
understanding and awareness of Alzheimers disease
ii)
Increase empathy
for those suffering from the disease
iii)
Increase the
level of funding for research into dementia.
The numbers of people with dementia are set
to rise to 1 million by 2025 and then double every twenty years. What is clear
is that the young people of today will become the carers of those with dementia
tomorrow. We intend to contribute to the aims above by addressing the subject
in a respectful and sensitive manner. Throughout the game we have added
information about the disease that also contextualises the gameplay so that
players leave knowing much more about Alzheimers than
they had previously. Cascade has been part-funded by a Wellcome
Trust People Award.
Cascade will initially launch on Steam but is also being developed for
other major platforms, including the 3D headset known as Oculus Rift!
Video Links:
Wellcome Trust video about Cascade:
Jody Mason
explaining proteins and Alzheimers:
Cascade
Gameplay:
TV/Radio/Podcasts (discussing Alzherimers
Parkinsons and Cascade):
BBC TV - Points West – Discussing our research into
Parkinsons
BBC Radio Bristol/Wiltshire/Somerset/Gloucestershire –
Discussing our research into Parkinsons
The
Naked Scientists - what is Alzheimers? With
Professor Chris Dobson
The
Naked Scientists - Cascading through the brain Jody and Gaz Bushell of Fayju discuss Cascade as it is tested by school kids
The
Naked Scientists - finding the right drug for Alzheimers
With Professor Chris Dobson
The
Naked Scientists - Using arm hair to grow brain cells With Professors Chris
Dobson and Richard Wade-Martins
Jody
Mason, BBC Radio Essex (10/2009) discussing research into Alzheimers disease by the Mason lab
Jody
Mason BBC Radio Essex (06/2012) discussing making our game Cascade to
educate about Alzheimers
Featured Web Articles:
Talks:
The
Watershed Bristol (11/2013)
Café Scientifique (Colchester, 2011)
Café Scientifique (Beverley, 2012)
Awards and shows showcasing Casacde:
UKIEs
game of the show (Gamescom 2013)
Big Bang
Fair 2015
Big Bang
Fair 2014 (see here
for video). This took
place at the Birmingham NEC and saw over 75,000 visitors over four days. We had
a phenomenal response for Cascade and some great feedback.
BigBang@Essex 2012,2013,2014
Game developers conference, San
Francisco 03/2014
Develop Conference (with Wellcome Trust), Brighton 07/2014
Paxs Prime, Seattle 08/2014
Images:
Mason laboratory Alzheimer related research papers:
Cheruvara H., Allen-Baume VL, Kad N.M., Mason
J.M. Intracellular screening of a peptide library to derive a potent peptide
inhibitor of α-synuclein aggregation. J Biol Chem.
(In Press).
Fayjus webpages on
Cascade: