Alice’s Adventures in Neuroland

It’s been an ordinary afternoon, perhaps, but for anyone with an active imagination there’s never quite such a thing as “ordinary.” Here at HQ we’ve received a report of a Hero of Neuroscience with a case of extreme imagination, and the consequences appear to be most extraordinary: this person, hereafter identified as “Alice,” seems to have issued some frenzied comments about hallucinating a white rabbit in a waistcoat with a pocketwatch, after which she disappeared altogether, seemingly in pursuit of whatever she saw, and—

Why, look behind you!

Don’t you see it too? A smartly dressed White Rabbit indeed, muttering to itself about how it’s running behind schedule! Behind schedule for what? But there it goes, jumping into a hole in the ground. Perhaps if you follow it, you can find out where Alice went and whether she’s been having any exciting adventures? Starting on April 20th, we’re embarking on a wondrous journey through a territory that might best be described as Neuroland. Care to come along?

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).*

Accuracy Happy Hours

First session runs from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Friday 4/20
Second session runs from 10:00 PM to midnight on Friday 4/20

Follow the White Rabbit as fast as you can… and as carefully! Neuroland’s gateway, the retinal plain, is a thorny landscape.

Swag: Most accurate player completing at least 20 cubes wins 1 t-shirt and 1 sticker sheet! Second and third place each also win sticker sheets. (And thanks to @susi for sponsoring this year’s swag again!)

Bonuses:
1st Place Accuracy – 10,000 points
2nd Place Accuracy – 8,000 points
3rd Place Accuracy – 6,000 points
Achieve 95% Accuracy – 5,000 points
Achieve 90% Accuracy – 3,000 points
Achieve 80% Accuracy – 2,000 points
1,000 points for anyone under 80% who still plays at least 20 cubes in either slot.
(These bonus thresholds are non-cumulative, i.e. they will not combine. If you earn 3rd place, for instance, and presumably got over 95% accuracy, you still earn a 6,000 point bonus, not 11,000.)

Curious Cubes

Begins at 12:00 AM (midnight) on Saturday 4/21
Ends at 12:00 PM (noon) on Thursday 4/26

That rabbit hole takes you all the way down into the optic nerve, and you find some peculiar cubes indeed. Don’t ingest anything too strange.

Swag: The top scoring player will win 1 mug and 1 sticker sheet! Second and third place each also win sticker sheets.

Bonuses:
1st Place Accuracy – 8,000 points
2nd Place Accuracy – 5,000 points
3rd Place Accuracy – 3,000 points
1,000 points for anyone under 80% accuracy who still plays all 12 cubes.
(These bonus thresholds are non-cumulative, i.e. they will not combine. If you earn 3rd place, for instance, and presumably got over 80% accuracy, you still earn a 3,000 point bonus, not 4,000.)

Trivia

Begins at 11:00 AM on Sunday 4/22
Continues until 11:00 AM on Tuesday 4/24
Finishes with Power Hour from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Tuesday 4/24

The Cheshire Cat welcomes you to another realm of Neuroland, but it has some odd questions for you to answer before it can disappear.

Swag: The top scoring player will win 1 mug and 1 sticker sheet! Second and third place each also win sticker sheets.

Bonuses:
For every question —
1st to answer – 300 points
2nd to answer – 200 points
3rd to answer – 100 points

Mad Hatter vs. March Hare

Begins at 11:00 AM on Tuesday 4/24
Ends at 11:00 AM on Wednesday 4/25

Your journey takes you to a Mad Tea Party, where an argument has broken out (who could have guessed?). It’s your job to judge, or so you’re told.

Swag: 1 shirt, 1 mug, and 3 sticker sheets will be raffled among the top 50% of players on the winning team!

Bonuses:
Earn 5,000 points – 2,500 bonus
Earn 15,000 points – 5,000 bonus
Earn 25,000 points – 10,000 bonus
Every additional 25,000 points – 5,000 bonus
Winning team – 10,000 bonus
Team winner – 5,000 bonus
#1 overall score – 10,000 bonus
#2 overall score – 5,000 bonus
#3 overall score – 2,500 bonus

The Queen of Hearts’ Marathon

Begins at 8:00 AM on Wednesday 4/25
Ends at 8:00 AM on Thursday 4/26

The White Rabbit finally leads you to the start of a most unusual 24-hour Dendriding game, where everyone’s heads hang in the balance if the Queen of Hearts isn’t impressed…

Swag: 1 shirt, 1 mug, 1 poster, and 3 sticker sheets will be raffled among the top 25% of participating players!

Bonuses:
Complete 20 cubes – 2,000 point bonus
Complete 50 cubes – 5,000 point bonus
Complete 150 cubes – 20,000 point bonus
Complete 300 cubes – 40,000 point bonus
For every 150 cubes above 300 cubes – 2,500 points

Also:

Each player who traces at least 50 cubes will win the right to vote on a name for the marathon cell.
Each player who traces at least 200 cubes will win the right to nominate a name for that vote.

Alice in Neuroland Closing Ceremony

Begins at 4:00 PM on Friday 4/27

Come celebrate the end of this competition, where admins will recognize everyone’s achievements. As always, we will include a round of promotions for Scouts, Scythes, Mystics, Moderators, and Mentors. If you’d like a promotion, you can request them here.

Artwork by Daniela Gamba