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- This is a DOCs file for the READ
- GAME game. READ GAME is a game that
- uses SAM and RECITER to help teach
- word recognition. You can store words
- in SEQ disk files to be loaded later,
- and then be read back into the game.
- The game play is as follows: after
- inputting the childs name, the computer
- SAYS a word, and then a list of 6 words
- is printed on the screen, and the child
- must pick which number is the correct
- word. The "pick the number" prompts and
- the congratulatory messages are picked
- from a random assortment of messages,
- to keep the game from becoming
- monotonous. The child can hear the word
- again by pressing F7.
- A nice thing about this game
- is that it addresses you by name, and
- REPEATS the prompts both visually and
- by SAYing them. If the child is not
- sure about what the prompt was, he can
- wait, and it will be repeated. This is
- true of ALL game prompts except for the
- initial main menu.
- SAM and RECITER must be loaded first
- and I usually place RECITER in HIGH
- memory. When READ GAME is RUN, you will
- see a menu with options of:
- 1: Play Game
- 2: Write New Word File
- 3: Scratch a Word File
- 4: Quit
- Select #1, and you go to a menu page to
- select which file you want to load. You
- can have 9 files of words, just press
- 1-9 to load which one you want. If you
- specify a number for a file that does
- not exist, you will be prompted to try
- another number. Pick an existing number
- and the file will be loaded, and the
- game will begin.
- The first thing the game does is
- ask you your name. Then it will check
- to see if it is pronouncing the name
- correctly. Re-spell the name more like
- it sounds if it doesn't come out right.
- You can add your child's name into
- the program itself, to bypass this
- pronunciation routine. List lines 6300
- to 6400. There you will see my kid's
- names, and some of their friends'
- names. If your childs name gets
- pronounced OK as it is spelled, enter
- it in line 6300-6400 like the names in
- 6301-6304 are. If it is necessary to
- phonetically re-spell your childs name
- to get it to sound right, enter it in
- lines 6300-6400 like the names in lines
- 6305-6306. Don't forget the :RETURN at
- the end of the line!
- Then just re-save the program with
- your childs name permanently in it.
- After you input the name, the game
- begins. At just about any prompt,
- pressing X will exit.
- Function #2: Write a New Word File
- You can create your own word lists,
- (9 files total) each with up to 100
- words in length. It is recommended,
- however, that you limit the file length
- to about 20-30 words, so the child does
- not lose interest. Disk filenames are
- handled automatically, you do not have
- to specify or remember what they are-
- just press 1-9 to select which one you
- want to create. If you select the
- number of an existing file, you will be
- prompted to pick another number.
- When the file is opened, you are
- asked to input the actual word, and
- then the phonetic word. This is done
- because it is often necessary to spell
- a spoken word differently so it sounds
- right. After you enter the phonetic
- word, the computer will SAY it, and ask
- if it was pronounced OK. If not, you
- can re-spell the phonetic word to try
- again, or press Q to start over with a
- completely different word. When you get
- enough words entered, enter X for a
- word to exit, and the file will be
- written to disk. One word of caution:
- do NOT use commas in the words!!!!!!!
- You can use the hyphen for pausing, as
- well as the period, but NO COMMAS!
- There are already some words stored in
- data statements to be used as dummy
- words in the lists, and if you try to
- input one of these words into a word
- file, you will get the prompt of:
- "word already used", and will have to
- use another word.
- Function #3: Scratch a Word File
- If you have used up all 9 word files
- and your child knows them all well
- enough to progress to another file, you
- can scratch an old one. Just press 1-9
- to scratch which file you no longer
- need. You are allowed to change your
- mind before it is scratched.
- I think that using SEQ disk files
- adds a lot of versatility to this game,
- because you can create different files
- for different children, and if you
- use more than one disk, can start over
- again with another 9 files on that
- disk.
-
- ******* Hope you enjoy it! ************
-
- John Crookshank
-