1,000 Game Manuals/1000gamemanuals.iso/Colecovision/Smurf Paint 'n Play Workshop.txt

Text File | 2001-10-17 | 25KB | 484 lines

Smurf: Paint 'n' Play Workshop
by Coleco


Do-it-yourself cartoon maker!
Ages 4-8

A FEW WORDS ABOUT CREATIVE PLAY

Watch a child at play, and you'll witness something special. There is a certain
honesty and vividness to the way children reveal themselves in a play situation.
Play is a natural medium for self-expression and a way for children to make
sense of their world. By testing, exploring, and imitating real-life events they
learn to solve problems and make choices. In the process, they stretch their
imaginations and lay the groundwork for developing basic skills. That's why
educational toys are so important and why you, the parent, will want to be sure
your child gets the very best.

Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop is a combination of the toys kids benefit from
most. It's an electronic paint set, flannel board, puppet theatre and movie
maker, all rolled into one. The program is designed to gently guide children as
they embark on their own explorations into movement, color, animation, and
imaginative play.

During the workshop, children can play, paint, place objects on blank or
predrawn screens, stage and record plays, even create animated cartoons. The
activities entertain, but they also give kids the opportunity to explore an
unlimited range of concepts. The workshop promotes creativity as well, by giving
children the freedom to experiment in a microworld where there are no rights
and wrongs.

To be sure your child gets the most out of Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop, we
suggest you take some time to explore the program yourself before introducing it
to your child. Start by watching the demonstration program to get a feel for the
types of activities you can perform, then experiment with the various functions
symbolized on the Keypad Overlay. When you're feeling comfortable with the
controls, try to imitate the activities you see in the demonstration. Place
predrawn objects on the background scenes provided, paint a scene all your own,
stage a short play and record it, or experiment with simple animation sequences.
If you need extra help, refer to the systematic instructions, beginning on page
6 of this guide.

After you've played with the program for a while, sit down with your child and
let him or her experiment. Offer guidance when necessary, but try not to explain
too much. It's important that children have the chance to "mess about" in the
microworld presented on their computer screens. By testing and exploring the
Smurf environment, they get the chance to make their own discoveries and to
practice important skills.

On page 17 of this guide, you'll find suggestions for more specific activities
designed to build on children's explorations with Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop.
Refer to these activities when your child is ready to expand his or her
repertoire.


GETTING READY TO PLAY

MAKE SURE THE COLECOVISION OR ADAM IS OFF BEFORE INSERTING OR REMOVING A
CARTRIDGE.

One-Player Workshop
Use the Port 1 Controller.

Two-Player Workshop
One child uses the Port 1 Controller while the other child uses the Port 2
Controller. For additional information on two-player workshops, refer to page
16.

It's Your Choice!

Press the Reset Button. The Title Screen for Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop
appears on your screen. After a few moments, the Option Screen appears. It
contains a list of three choices:

Paint 'n Play
Record
Demonstrate

Use the Control Stick to move Painter Smurf's paintbrush beside the option
you'd like to select. Then press either Side Button to register your selection.

If you do not make a selection, the demonstration program begins automatically.
To cancel the demo at any time and return to the Option Screen, press OPTION
(Keypad Button 9).

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS

1. Control Stick: Use the Control Stick to move characters up, down, left or
right, to select objects and colors, and to paint.

2. Side Buttons: Press either Side Button to select a playing option. During
play, press the Left Side Button to make your character jump. Press the Right
Side Button to make your character slide.

3. Keypad Buttons: Each Keypad Button has a specific function. Those functions
are symbolized on the Keypad Overlay provided. Refer to the following sections
for more specific information on using the Keypad Buttons.

HOW TO PAINT AND PLAY

The instructions that follow explain how to use your Hand Controller for
painting and playing. For information on recording and animating scenes, refer
to "Special Effects" on page 13 of this guide.

Selecting Objects

Press OBJECTS (Keypad Button 1) to cycle through the three available Object
Screens: Indoor Objects, Outdoor Objects, and Letters, Numbers and Shapes. Each
press takes you to the next Object Screen. Painter Smurf appears in the upper
left-hand corner of each screen. Use the Control Stick to move him up, down,
left, or right until the white "X" above his paintbrush is touching the object
you want to select.

Placing Objects on the Screen

When you've decided which object you want, press DO (Keypad Button 2) to take
that object back to the scene you were in. Painter Smurf appears in the center
of that scene, holding the object you chose. To actually place the object in
the scene, first use the Control Stick to make Painter Smurf position it where
you want it. You'll notice that the object disappears as you move it and
reappears when you stop moving it.

When you're ready to place the object permanently on the screen, press DO again.
Your object is now a part of the scenery. It helps to listen for the "ding"
sound to be sure the object is permanently in place.

Now you can return to an Objects Screen for more objects. But first, you might
want to conjure up a little magic. Move Painter Smurf, and watch what happens.
The object you placed in the scene is still there--but Painter Smurf is holding
one just like it. You can "stamp" as many copies of an object as you want in a
scene. Just be sure to press DO each time to put the object permanently in
place. Try painting a bed of flowers. If you don't like the way one looks in
the scene, press UNDO (Keypad Button 5) and presto! It's gone.

When you're finished placing objects, you can paint or play by pressing COLOR
(Keypad Button 3) or CHARACTER (Keypad Button  6). If Painter Smurf was holding
an object that was not permanently in place, pressing either key makes that
object disappear.

Choosing Colors

Press COLOR (Keypad Button 3) to select a color for painting or to change the
color of the letters, numbers and shapes on that Objects Screen. When you press
COLOR, a color palette appears at the top of your screen. Use the Control Stick
to move the X on Painter Smurf's paintbrush to the color you want to select.

Painting

Once you've decided on the color you want, press DO to return with it to the
scene you were in previously. Painter Smurf appears in the center of the scene
with his brush up, poised to paint. Use the Control Stick to move him where you
want to start painting. Then press DO again to put his paintbrush down on the
screen. Now use the Control Stick to direct his painting. If you want to lift
the brush to move to another place on the screen without painting as you move,
press DO again. The paintbrush returns to the up position. Now you can use the
Control Stick to move the brush and Painter Smurf anywhere you want.

Using Blank Screens

If you'd rather paint or place predrawn objects on a blank screen or if you want
to animate objects, press BLANK (Keypad Button 4). Each time you press this
key, a new blank screen appears, up to four in all. The white boxes in the
lower left corner indicate which of the four screens is showing.

Canceling Commands

As mentioned before, if you place an object on the screen and decide you don't
like the way it looks, you can press UNDO (Keypad Button 5), and the object
disappears! Continually pressing this key erases objects from the scene, one by
one, in reverse of the order in which they were placed. (The last object placed
is the first to be erased.)

UNDO also works if you've painted an object or design on the screen. Simply
press this key to erase one "block" of color at a time. Kids love to do this!
To erase color more quickly, press and hold down the UNDO Key, and watch your
work of art disappear.

Choosing Characters

The first time you select the Paint 'N Play option, a silhouette of Smurf
appears in the blue border area at the lower left corner of your screen
(offstage). You can use the Control Stick to move Smurf to center stage, or you
can choose from three additional characters: Smurfette, Papa Smurf, and Gargamel
(who, your children will notice, has been accidentally shrunk to Smurf - size by
his own evil alchemy). To choose a new character, press CHARACTER (Keypad Button
6) and poof! Smurf changes to Smurfette. Keep pressing this key until you reach
the character you want to select. Then use the Control Stick to move the new
character around in your scene.

Younger children especially love this magic key that allows them to transform
one Smurf into another. They also like to use the offstage area for switching
characters during their plays. Older children often use the magic key to
"disguise" the evil Gargamel as a Smurf. Then, when he gets close to an
unsuspecting Smurfette, for example, it's back to Gargamel again!

Notice that anytime you move to the Objects Screen or select a color, your
chosen character disappears and Painter Smurf takes over. This can be confusing
to children at first, so you might want to explain that Painter Smurf is used
only for painting and placing objects. To get your chosen character back again,
just press the CHARACTER Key.

Changing Scenes

Each time you press one of these four keys, a different indoor or outdoor scene
appears, as follows:

It's Showtime!

You can use the Control Stick to move your Smurf character around on the
screen, even in a two-player workshop when the other player is painting.
Younger children will probably start out moving Smurf on one of the background
scenes provided. Older children will enjoy first adding placed or painted
objects, then maneuvering the characters up, down, around and over these
objects. They'll also move characters from one background scene to another,
using the objects as props in their own improvised plays.

As you and your child play with the Smurf characters and try moving them from
scene to scene, you'll find that the character you are using in one scene
disappears when you move to the next and is replaced by the character you were
using previously in that scene. If you want to use the same character (or
characters for a two-player workshop) throughout your play, you'll need to "set"
them in each of the scenes you plan to use. To do so, press the CHARACTER Key to
switch characters when you move to each new scene, either before your play or
during it. (Hint: It looks great when you move each character offstage before
making the switch.) The illustration shows Smurfette having some fun on a slide
from the Objects Screen.

All's Clear

Anytime you want to start a new play session from scratch, press the Reset
Button. The Option Screen appears and any objects or characters you placed or
painted on the screen disappear.

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Recording Sessions

When children are recording their play sessions, they feel as if they're
performing before an audience. For this reason, they're inclined to try new,
more adventurous techniques and to think about a logical sequence of events
when creating their "scripts." In addition, recording encourages children to
plan character entrances and exits, to prepare "sets" with painted or placed
objects, even to outline scripts in advance. Of course, they can improvise
when the mood strikes, too!

If your child is ready for a recording session, demonstrate the simple procedure
described below.

1. Press OPTION (Keypad Button 9) to return to the Option Screen, then use the
Control Stick to move Painter Smurf's paintbrush beside RECORD. Press either
Side Button to register this selection. The scene you were using before
pressing OPTION appears.

2. Notice the red bar that appears at the top of the screen. This bar means a
recording session is in progress.

3. Now you can use the Control Stick to move your Smurf character anywhere in
the scene. If your script calls for a different character or background scene,
make the switch just as you would during play (See "Choosing Characters" on
page 9). The recording session continues until you want it to stop or until
the time runs out.

4. When your play is over, press OPTION to end the recording session. A second
Option Screen appears, giving you the additional choice of playing back your
recording.

5. To do this, select PLAYBACK. A green bar now appears at the top of your
screen and the scenes you've just recorded are played back.

6. Be careful. Each time you press RECORD, it erases any material you recorded
previously. Also, when you shut off or reset the machine, all recorded material
is erased.

Cause to Pause

When children are recording or narrating scenes they are playing back, they
sometimes need to take a break from the action. When narrating, such breaks
give them time to collect their thoughts about what they're going to say next.
When recording, they can use the time to decide what the characters are going
to do next.

To stop at any time during a recording session or during playback, press PAUSE
(Keypad Button #). The action immediately stops. To continue recording or
playing back a scene at the point where you stopped it, press PAUSE again.

Note: If you press PAUSE while painting or playing, only the music stops.

Animation Techniques

With Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop, children can make objects come to life using
actual animation techniques. This feature gives them a chance to explore space,
time, and cause and effect. And besides that, it's fun!

When you're ready to explore animation with your child, look at the last few
scenes in the demonstration program. You'll see Painter Smurf make a cloud move
from left to right across the screen and a painted apple fall from a tree. You
might want to explain to your child that the objects aren't really moving--it
just seems that way. Then demonstrate how it's done by following the process
described below.

1. Press BLANK to make the first blank screen appear.

2. Select the cloud from the Outdoor Objects Screen and place it in the upper
left-hand corner of the first blank screen. Make sure it is permanently in
place before going on. Then press BLANK again. Place the cloud on the second
blank screen, but this time put it a little more to the right. Place the cloud
on the two remaining blank screens, each time moving it more to the right. The
last cloud should end up in the far right corner of the fourth screen.

3. Select the tree from the Outdoor Objects Screen and place it permanently in
the center of the first blank screen. Then press BLANK again and place the tree
in the center of the second screen. Repeat the process on screens 3 and 4, then
return to the first blank screen. Placing the clouds first and then the tree
creates the illusion of the clouds moving behind the tree. If you wanted to move
something in front of the tree, you would place that object after you'd placed
the tree.

4. Now paint a small red apple on the tree in the first blank screen. Make sure
it's permanently in place. Then move to the next blank screen and paint it a
little lower this time. Repeat the process on screens 3 and 4. The last apple
should be touching the bottom of the screen.

5. When your sequence is complete, press and hold down BLANK to cycle quickly
through all four screens. Voila! The cloud and the apple appear to move!

Now see if your child can make the sun animate so it appears to be setting.
Remember that if the child places the sun on the tree it will appear to be
passing in front of it. To avoid this, you might want to suggest that he or she
place the sun on either side of the tree.

To record an animation sequence, follow steps 1, 2, and 3, described in
"Recording Sessions." Then press and hold down BLANK to cycle through all four
screens. When you're finished, press OPTION to end the recording session. Now
play back your animated cartoon.

Two-Player Workshop

When two children use Smurf Paint 'N Play Workshop, they learn to cooperate and
to respect the decisions of others. They may argue a bit at first, but that
usually subsides when they realize how much helping each other can improve the
finished product--and double their fun!

Have one child use the Port 1 Controller (Player 1) while the other uses the
Port 2 Controller (Player 2). Either player can make a selection from the Option
Screen to start the workshop. During the workshop, players can select their own
characters and move them with their own Control Sticks. Both players can also
paint. However, both players cannot place objects simultaneously. If Player 1,
for example, is placing objects, Player 2 must wait to place objects until
Player 1 finishes and presses the CHARACTER Key.

But, of course, while one player is placing objects, the other can paint or
play--except when an Objects Screen is in use. At that time, the only key
working on either Controller is the DO Key belonging to the person using the
Objects Screen. Because young children especially love having roles to play,
you might want to suggest that they take turns being the "painter" and the
"placer" throughout the workshop.

GUIDING YOUR CHILD'S DISCOVERY

It's important to give young children the freedom to explore in an unstructured
environment. But sometimes a little guidance doesn't hurt. With Smurf Paint 'N
Play Workshop, you can provide that guidance while becoming more directly
involved in your child's early learning experiences. Best of all, you can have
some fun while you're at it!

On the next few pages, you'll find suggestions for simple activities you might
want to try with your child. The activities are categorized according to
approximate age level, but that doesn't mean these levels are set in stone. As
a general rule, it's best to observe your child at play to find out what types
of activities he or she is already doing in the Smurf environment. Then use the
exercises that follow to build on that repertoire. To get the most out of these
activities, have your child use one Controller while you use the other. Use the
Controller to imitate his or her actions, then add a new element. For example,
you might want to say, "I like the way you're moving your Smurf . Now I'm going
to try to make my Smurf jump over the flower." If your child shows an interest
in imitating this activity, you can show him or her how it's done.

Playing

Pre-school children will enjoy moving Smurf characters around on the screen.
Because horizontal movement is tricky for little hands to manage, demonstrate
up-and-down movement first. When your child feels more comfortable with the
Control Stick, suggest that he or she try moving a character from left to right
or right to left. A good time to introduce moving horizontally is when one of
the characters is "stuck" offstage. You might want to ask, "How can we get Smurf
back on stage?" Later, encourage the child to push the Side Buttons on the Hand
Controller to make a character jump (Left Side Button) and slide (Right Side
Button).

Discovery Activity: Show your child how to make a Smurf character jump in an arc
(over the river in the last outdoor scene, for example). Position Smurf so he is
facing sideways, then press and hold in the Left Side Button to make him jump
and complete the arc.

2. Nursery-school children are inclined to act out stories using the Smurf
characters, thereby creating their own electronic fantasy worlds. Encourage your
child to use a variety of objects and background scenes when staging short
"plays." Discovery Activity: Collaborate with your child in discovering how to
introduce three characters into a two-person story. For example, make Papa Smurf
walk out the door and make Smurfette come in immediately thereafter. Or, make
Gargamel cast a spell that turns Papa Smurf into a regular Smurf.

3. School-age children enjoy recording short plays. Explain how the record
function works, then let your child record a sequence of scenes and ask him or
her to narrate the action during playback. Later, encourage the child to plan a
short play and record it. You might even offer to write down a brief script
outline that your child dictates to you.

Discovery Activity: When playing back and narrating recorded scenes, have your
child use the PAUSE Key to freeze the action from time to time. Then encourage
him or her to think ahead by asking, "What happens next?"

Placing Objects

1. This activity works well with pre-school children. Show your child how to
choose background scenes, then how to place predrawn objects on each one. Also
demonstrate how to "stamp" copies of the same object. Be sure to explain that
the "ding" sound indicates when an object is permanently in place.

Discovery Activity: Have the child place objects that will encourage character
movement during imaginative play. Examples include the slide, the jungle gym,
chairs, and benches. When the objects are in place, encourage your child to
maneuver Smurf characters around and over them. This activity teaches children
how to move the Control Stick with greater precision and promotes better
eye-hand coordination, while reinforcing concepts such as over, around,
through, and so on.

2. Nursery-school children like to group objects that belong together. When your
child shows an interest in this type of activity, suggest that he or she furnish
one of the indoor scenes. You might want to guide your child by saying something
like, "Where does the stove belong?"

Discovery Activity: After furnishing indoor scenes, let your child create
different objects by combining two, such as a double ladder or a
floor-to-ceiling window. Or, reinforce letter recognition by having the child
choose letters from the Object Screen and use them to write his or her name on
a blank screen or to "label" objects with initial letter sounds.

3. When creating scenes, school-age children sometimes become dissatisfied with
the predrawn objects. If that happens, show your child how to change or build on
objects from the Object Screens. For example, if the legs on the diving board
are too short, you can use paint to make them longer. If the window in the
kitchen is too bare, add a pair of curtains. Then let your child explore other
ways to change existing objects.

Discovery Activity: See if your child can change objects to fit the
requirements of a particular story. Examples include turning a bed into a
trampoline or a tree-house into a spaceship by adding or erasing detail. Or,
have your child paint the bathtub red so Papa Smurf can take a bath without
showing his legs!

Painting

1. A pre-school child will enjoy using his or her favorite color to scribble on
a blank screen. You might want to call this activity "video finger painting."
Be sure to demonstrate how to put Smurf's paintbrush in the down position and
how to lift it up again.

Discovery Activity: Show your child how to select a different color, then let
him or her divide the finger-painted screen with a line of that color. Later,
let the child scribble on another blank screen, this time using a variety of
colors.

2. Nursery-school children are ready to create simple geometric shapes. Help
your child paint circular shapes, diagonal lines, and so on. Then introduce an
interactive painting activity. Use your Controller to paint a "path" on the
screen and have your child "chase" you by painting over your path in a
different color.

Discovery Activity: While painting geometric shapes, your child may have created
a few unwanted lines. If so, it's a perfect time to let him or her explore the
UNDO Command. Start by demonstrating how to erase color, one block at a time,
then see if your child can discover how to erase more quickly (by pressing and
holding in the UNDO Key).

3. School-age children enjoy painting freehand, but sometimes they need
suggestions on what to paint. If your child is stumped, suggest that he or she
paint a specific background scene, such as a farm or outer space. Then work
together to create a play based on that scene.

Discovery Activity: Use letters from the Object Screen to create a simple
message on a blank screen. Then paint over the entire screen. When you've
finished, have your child use the UNDO key to erase the background color to
"decode" the message underneath.