The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

CASTLES AND CLOWNS

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Educational Arcade Games

Authors            : Betty Root & Fisher-Marriott

Standalone Release(s)   : 1985: CASTLES AND CLOWNS, Macmillan, £5.99

Compilation Release(s)   : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron Side A, BBC Side B

Actual compatibility    : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier            : MACMILLAN, Macmillan Publishers Limited, 4 Little Essex

                    Street, LONDON WC2R 3LF

Disc compatibility     : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Instructions

"Two great games of fun and skill for kids of 4-8. See your children's reading abilities grow as they play and learn.

* Teaches initial letters and sounds * Desgined by one of Britain's top reading experts * One or two players * Choice of nine speeds * Disk copyable

Devised by Betty Root, one of Britain's leading experts in reading. Betty Root is the 1985 President of the United Kingdom Reading Association and is in charge of the Centre for the Teaching of Reading, University of Reading. She is especially well known for designing educational games for young children.

Programmed by Fisher-Marriott, award-winning software developers.

The cassette contains two different games, one on each side : KING OF THE CASTLE and CLOWN."

Copying to disk

The publishers allow you to make one copy only of each program on to disk. Any further copying is prohibited and is an offence under the Copyright Act. Make sure you have a formatted disk with at least 15K spare memory for each program. You must make your copy as soon as the program has loaded and the main menu screen has appeared, before any key has been pressed.

Press <CTRL> and D simultaneously then release. The program saves automatically in two parts: CASTLE and BYTES; CLOWN and SHAPES.

To load the programs from disk type CH."CASTLE" or CH."CLOWN" then press <RETURN>.

Running the programs

Both games are great fun for children but they also have an educational purpose. They help children recognise initial sounds and letters of words. They also give children practice in finding their way around the computer keyboard. The games involve an element of chance as well as skill, so children of varying ages and abilities can play together happily.

Program settings

To play the game without sound effects, wait until the menu screen has appeared, then press CTRL and S simultaneously.

Type 1 or 2 then press <RETURN> to select a one-player or two-player game.

Type a number between 1 (very slow) and 9 (very fast) to select an appropriate speed.

To break out of the game at any stage and return to the menu for re-selection, press <CTRL> and Z simultaneously, then release. New options can be set and the game begun again.

When you have finished playing one game, and want to load another, press <CTRL> and <BREAK> simultaneously then release.

KING OF THE CASTLE

Two player game

Pictures appear in two castle towers, one set for each player. The pictures are numbered for each player in turn and the computer's number generator produces a number at random. The player must press the initial letter of the word represented by the appropriate picture. For example, the computer generates the number five. Picture 5 is a mushroom, so the player must find the letter M on the keyboard and press it before the time is up. If successful, the window shuts. The winner is the first to shut all his or her windows.

One player game

This works in the same way, but with one set of pictures numbered 0 to 9. The aim is to shut as many of the windows as possible.

CLOWN

Two player game

A picture appears on each side of the clown in turn. If a player's picture begins with the letter shown on the clown's hat, then he or she must press A (left-hand side) or <RETURN> (right-hand side) respectively. Spotting a correct match wins a balloon: a mistake loses one. The winner is the first to get six balloons, which carry the clown away.

One player game

This works in the same way, but with the player (right-hand side of the screen) challenging the computer (left-hand side of the screen). The player must press <RETURN> to indicate a match.

Instructions' Source   : CASTLES AND CLOWNS (Macmillian) Inner Inlay

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