STORY HOUSE Creative Sparks SPECTRUM 48K Instruction Book YOU DECIDE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS! STORY HOUSE is a reading program which has been designed for a wide range of children. Not only will young readers enjoy reading the story, but older children will learn spelling skills and pre-readers will delight in seeing the graphics and listening to the music. In the first part of the program, children are asked to build up a story in words and pictures by selecting from a range of options offered on the screen. In the second part they have to type in their own names and options. The result is a highly personalised story which children can then go back and change, or save on cassette for reading again later. BEFORE YOU START - A FEW TIPS FOR PARENTS * Before allowing a child to start, check that the equipment has been connected correctly and safely, that the screen is clearly visible and that the colour contrast and brightness controls on the television set are correctly adjusted. Don't let children sit too near the screen. Young children will become impatient waiting for the program to load. Do this before they sit down. * Run the program with children at least once before leaving them on their own. With very young children sit down and read the stories to them. Discuss with them the choices they are asked to make, then enter these choices for them. Let them watch the screen and point out what they should see. If they are old enough, point out the words as well as the pictures and relate them to each other. If children want to use the keyboard themselves don't stop them - but don't tell them that they must do so. * Encourage children to work with others. They might want to make up a story together or show each other stories they have already made up and saved on cassette. Ask to see the stories they have created. * Away from the computer relate objects and words to the real world. Point out other real houses and gardens and talk to them about what they con see. * Get children to try and write on paper their own picture stories - for themselves, for each other and for you. HOW TO BEGIN 1. Connect your 48K Spectrum to a television set and cassette recorder, ensuring that the EAR lead is properly linked, and they are all switched on. 2. Put the STORY HOUSE cassette into the cassette recorder and rewind the tape to the beginning. 3. Type LOAD"" and press ENTER (do not leave a space between the quotes). 4. Press PLAY on the cassette recorder. 5. After a few seconds the screen will briefly display Program: STORY HOUSE - later followed by the opening message STORY HOUSE is loading, PLEASE WAIT with a picture. 6. When the program has loaded, the first option screen is displayed. 7. If the program does not load successfully, adjust the volume setting of the cassette recorder and repeat the above from step 2. LET'S WRITE A STORY .... The opening question asks: Do you want to start? followed by: Yes or No ... which are highlighted in sequence. To start, press the ENTER key when Yes is highlighted. The next question is: Do you want to write a story or play back your story? Write, play back? Press ENTER when Write is highlighted. A series of screen displays use the same question and answer routine. With each response the picture develops and the choice forms the basis of a story. At further stages in the program options will be given to play the story, change it or go on. To complete the story choose the go on option. After the first two stages, you will be told to type words and the instructions will change to Type and press ENTER. Words can be up to twelve characters long, (except when you are saving your story - see later). Where options are given for answers, make sure that they are spelt correctly - if the computer does not recognise the entry, it will tell you! Note: Questions are not asked with every screen display. Always look out for the instruction to press ENTER if you want to move on. PLAYING YOUR STORY Your first story ..... * When you have completed a stage in your story, you will be asked:- What shall we do with the story? Play it, change it, go on. If you select play it, you then decide whether you also want to play music. Your story will then begin. After each sentence the picture will change and you will be asked to press ENTER to continue. Your saved story ..... * If you have a previously saved story an cassette, you can choose to play it when the question is asked at the beginning of the program: Do you want to write a story or play back your story? Write, play back? If you select play back you can then load your own story by following the instructions on the screen. (P.S. Don't forget to show your story to your friends - they can enjoy watching too!). MAKING CHANGES ..... * When you have completed a stage in your story you will be asked: What shall we do with the story? Play it, change it, go on. If you select change it at the first stage you will be sent back to the beginning of the program to re-start. * At later stages selecting change it will lead to the question:- Shall we change the story From the start or the last part? Selecting from the start takes you back to the beginning of the program; the last part takes you back to the previous stage. You then go on to re-select your answers to the questions. * If you wish to change a typed entry before you have pressed ENTER, the DELETE key will remove individual characters. * If you wish to change your previous decision press the SYMBOL SHIFT key with the letter B. This will move you back to the previous screen display. * If you wish to start again at any stage, press the CAPS SHIFT and SYMBOL SHIFT keys together. SAVING YOUR STORY ..... When you have completed your story you are given the option to save it. Note that you will need a blank cassette tape to do this. If you have a tape, just follow the instructions on the screen. It is advisable to disconnect the EAR socket lead, but ensure that the MIC sockets are properly connected. If at any time you wish to stop the saving routine, press SYMBOL SHIFT and CAPS SHIFT together. You will need to give a name to your story (up to eight characters long). Take careful note of this name - you will need it to play the story again. WANTED We are on the look out for qualify software. If you are currently developing original software for the C-64, Spectrum, BBC/B, MSX or Amstrad CPC464 machines and are looking to market it, we would like to hear from you, even if your program is not complete. Should your program be acceptable, we can provide technical backup, and will pay top royalties or buy your copyright. So get the backing of a major software publishing house behind you, write to:- THORN EMI Computer Software 5th Floor, Film House, 142 Wardour Street, London W1V 3AU WARNING. ALL RIGHTS OF THE PRODUCER AND THE OWNER OF THE WORK REPRODUCED RESERVED. UNAUTHORIZED COPYING, PRINTING, LENDING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE, RADIO OR TV BROADCASTING OR DIFFUSION OF THIS CASSETTE PROHIBITED. (P) 1984 THORN EMI COMPUTER SOFTWARE (C) 1984 THORN EMI COMPUTER SOFTWARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UK