Copyright: Copyright (c) 1994 DynoTech Software


Dino Spell Contents
  Dino Spell

Dino Spell is a multi-level spelling game for

ages 7 and up.

The Dino Spell Story

Object of the Game

Playing Dino Spell

    Moving in The Maze

    Menu Options

    Game Features

Dino Spell Characters and Items

Using Custom Word Lists

Note to Parents


Dino Spell Story
THE STORY

In the Beginning . . .

It all started 65 million years ago! Rex the Tyrannosaurus and Derik the Dinosaur were in school together. Derik always made better grades than Rex! Derik did better because he listened to his teachers and did his homework. Rex liked to run around in the jungle and get into trouble. Rex never did his school work.

When Derik got better grades than Rex, the other dinosaurs made fun of Rex. That's when Rex decided he would get back at Derik. Whenever he can, Rex quizzes Derik hoping that Derik will answer wrong and Rex can laugh at Derik.  But, Derik is smart and knows he can answer any question Rex can ask!

Why the fruit?

Rex loves to eat strawberries. Sometimes he skipped school to eat them all day long. Derik loves to eat strawberries too. That's why Rex took all the strawberries and hid them from Derik. Rex also hid all the apples because the other dinosaurs love to eat them. Now Derik must help the other dinosaurs get their apples. As a treat, he can get strawberries along the way!

There is a catch to all this though! Rex also put up FAKE trees to confuse and block Derik. But, Derik has a few tricks of his own. If Derik can answer Rex's spelling games he can get by Rex's trees!


Note to Parents
Note to Parents:

Please assist your children with this game. Show them how to use the keyboard and mouse until they are familiar with the devices.

Play along for a few levels until they feel comfortable playing on their own. Make sure they know how to save and retrieve a game for later play.

Most children do not complete the entire game (all ten levels) in one sitting. They usually save games frequently and continue play later.


Object
The Object of the Game:

The dinosaurs of the jungle need their APPLES! Derik must get as many as he can from Rex. To get an apple, move toward it and a spelling question will appear. Questions will vary in difficulty according to the level of difficulty you are playing.

Spelling Questions:

There are three types of spelling questions Rex will ask. For each level of difficulty the question becomes harder to answer. The types of questions Rex asksQUESTIONS are:

1)  Spell the Word.

2)  Pick the Word.

3)  Find the Word.

Getting Started:

After the DynoTech logo and title screen are displayed, the level #1 screen appears. From the Game Menu choose "New Game."  Enter your FIRST name and choose a difficulty level.  Press ENTER or click "OK" when done.

Difficulty Levels:

There are three difficulty levels in Dino Spell. Select a difficulty level when entering your name after choosing a game from the "New Game" Menu.

The difficulty levels are: EASY, NORMAL, and HARD.

Each difficulty level has a different set of mazes (total of 30 mazes for the whole game).

Goal:

The ultimate goal is to get your name on the top-ten list in the "Dino Hall of Fame." The all-time top score receives special recognition.


Questions
Spelling Questions (Games):

Some of Rex's questions are tough! Here are the different spelling "games" Rex wants you to solve:

Spell the Word:

Rex will show you a clue how a word should be spelled. The clue will be a word with missing letters (unless playing EASY difficulty). To the right of the clue will be a list of words. Look at the list and decide which word matches the clue. Next, using the buttons containing letters at the bottom of the screen, click to spell the word. When done click "OK," or press the ENTER key.

Note:  If playing the HARD difficulty level, the player must TYPE the word and click "OK,", or press the ENTER key.

Pick the Word:

Rex will display a list of words with only one of them spelled correctly. Using the mouse, point and click on to the correctly spelled word.

Find the Word:

Rex has taken a word and scrambled it with a bunch of letters. Find the word and click on each of it's letters, one at a time. Be sure to click on the letters in the order it takes to spell the word or Rex will win!

NOTE:  This game is not available when playing the EASY difficulty level.


Difficulty
Difficulty Levels:

EASY:

This is a practice session, and doesn't have the BONUS ITEMS, such as the Golden Apple and Dino Snacks. This level is simple and is recommended for younger children as practice, or for the first time player of Dino Spell. This difficulty level has two of the three different spelling question games.

NORMAL:

A greater challenge than EASY and includes all the bonus items. It contains all three different types of spelling question games.

HARD:

The greatest difficulty. Recommended for those who want a greater challenge. Players must type letters on the keyboard instead of clicking them when trying to win an apple or strawberry.


Playing Dino Spell
Playing Dino Spell:

To start the game enter your name when asked, then press the ENTER key or click on the "OK" button.

The top part of the screen contains a maze. You need to travel in this maze to get to the apples. Objects in the maze:

      Derik

      Trees

      Apples

      Strawberries

BONUS ITEMS ON SOME LEVELS:

Dino Snacks

Golden Apple

Move Derik through the maze with ARROW KEYS on the keyboard. If a tree, apple, strawberry, or BONUS ITEM (Dino Snack or Golden Apple) is in your path move into it. Rex will ask you to solve a problem in a spelling game.


Moving in the Maze
Moving in the Maze:

The screen contains a maze. You need to move in this maze to get various items and earn points.

Move Derik in the maze with the ARROW KEYS on the keyboard.

When you find an apple or strawberry, run into it and solve the game Rex offers you.

Rex puts fake trees in your way to hide the fruit. You can blow the trees out of the way when you win one of Rex's games.


Menu Options
Menu Options:

The game has a menu bar with three selections:

    Game - Save and load games.

    Options - Can choose your setup.

    Help - Get help when needed.


Game
From the Game menu you may choose

one of the following:

NEW GAME:  Restart Dino Spell.

SAVE GAME:  SAVE a game of Dino Spell. You may name your saved games by typing up to 8 letters or numbers (no spaces).

LOAD GAME:  LOAD a previously saved game of Dino Spell. Use your mouse to select a saved game. If no games have been saved, no names will be on the list.

DELETE GAME:  DELETE a previously saved game of Dino Spell. Use your mouse to select a game from the list. If no games have been saved, no names will be on the list.

QUIT:  END the game and return to Windows.


Options Menu
From the Options menu you may choose

one of the following:

ANIMATION:  Turn animation off and on. A check next to this choice indicates animation is turned on.

SOUND:  Turn sound off and on. A check next to this choice indicates sound is turned on.

MUSIC:  Turn MIDI music off and on. A check next to this choice indicates background music is turned on. Some windows configurations will not run the MIDI music. If MIDI does not work on your computer, see your sound card owner's manual for the correct configuration.

NOTE:  Digital sounds and MIDI background music are available only on a system equipped with SOUND  BLASTER® or compatible sound card.


Help Menu
From the Help menu you may choose

one of the following:

HELP:  Display the help screen for Dino Spell.

ABOUT:  Display game version number and show Dino Spell copyright information.


Game Features
Game Features:

Dino Spell contains ten levels of play. Each level is completed when all the apples on that level have been collected.

The game contains a "never loose" feature. Even though a player may not get all of the apples, he or she will never loose the game.

You can collect strawberries and special bonus items (dino snacks and golden apples) for extra points. Each level contains a different  background screen to encourage the player to continue the game.

The ten top scores are saved in a special "Dino Hall of Fame" list. The all-time top score receives special recognition as The Reigning Dino Champ.


Custom Word Lists

You can create your own custom word list using the Dino Spell Word List Manager.

To use a custom word list, select the option at the start of a new game. When prompted for your name, you will see an option selection at the bottom of the window. The option is labeled "Word List." The default list of words is Dino Spell.

Click the choice "Custom" to load a custom word list. Enter the name of the new word list you want to create or double click on the name of a word list shown.


Dino Spell Characters & Items
Dino Spell Characters and Items:

Derik - The Hero. Derik the Dinosaur tries to rescue fruit from Rex. Move Derik in the Maze using the ARROW KEYS on your keyboard.

Rex - The Villain. Rex the Tyrannosaurus tries to keep Derik from finding the fruit. Watch out for Rex around every corner.

Apple - The Goal. Retrieving apples is the main object of the game. When you find all the apples in a level, you will move to the next maze.

Strawberry - Extra Points. Strawberries are worth extra points. To get the strawberry, you will need to win two of Rex's games. You don't have to get any strawberries to finish the game, but why leave them for Rex to eat?

Tree - Obstacle. These aren't real trees; although Rex wants you to think so! When you come across a tree, it can be pretty stubborn. If you don't win Rex's spelling game, the tree won't move!

Dino Snack - Bonus Item. Dino Snacks are "free points" you find in the maze. Derik loves these fruity all-natural snacks. You don't have to solve any problems to get them, just pick them up and enjoy.

Golden Apple - Extra Bonus. Golden Apples are enchanted. They appear and disappear and are worth bonus points. Golden Apples appear at random locations and for random times in some of the mazes. If you see one move quickly. A Golden Apple is fast and smart. It knows when you are just waiting around for it to show up too, so it won't appear unless you play one of Rex's games.


Derik the Dinosaur

  (The Hero)


Rex the Tyrannosaurus

  (The Villain)


Apple

Apple  (100 Points)


Strawberry

Strawberries  (300 Points)


Tree

Tree  (10 Points)


Dino Snack

Dino Snacks  (25 Free Points)


Golden Apple

Golden Apple  (500 Bonus Points)


MIDI

Musical Instrument Digital Interface - Music generated by a device capable of connecting to a computer. MIDI music plays independently "in the background" while your computer is working on another task.


MIDI Error

If you have a sound card in your computer and you get a message such as:  "This file may not play correctly with the current MIDI setup", go to the Dino Spell "options" menu and turn "Music" off by selecting it. A check mark next to "Music" indicates it is ON. Refer to your sound card's owner manual and Window's Reference manual to set up your Windows "MIDI mapper."