Early Learning Maths

                      Early Learning Maths

                              from

                            Budgie UK

                 Copyright 1990,92 Philip Rankin

                    Programmer: Philip Rankin
                    Graphics  : Philip Rankin,
                                Eddie Bryan
                    Sound     : Philip Rankin                         
     
     Dizzy Lizzy and the Meanie appear courtesy of Eddie Bryan
      Dizzy Lizzy and the Meanie copyright 1990, Eddie Bryan


At last,  quality software at an affordable price.  Over the past 
18 months or so, ELM has been available as a full price, piece of 
educational software.  During this period it has gained a  number 
of excellent reviews:

Atari ST User  : "A great favourite with all the testers."

Amiga Computing: "Great fun","Great colourful characters"
                 Implementation 9/10, Overall 8/10

Amiga Shopper  : "Implementation is excellent","Testers 
                  maintained high interest levels","I can 
                  heartily recommend this offering for any
                  family with primary-aged children. It is
                  flexible, fun, and above all excellent value"
                  Educational Value 5/5,  Addiction 4/5,  
                  Overall 4/5

Unfortunately as it was only available via mail order, it did not 
receive the distribution and sales it deserved.  Now all this  is 
going  to  change  with  the  programs  release  as  licenceware. 
Hopefully it will gain the recognition it warrants, as a piece of 
quality educational software - at a very reasonable price.

I  hope  you  enjoy  using the software  as  much  as  I  enjoyed 
designing and programming it.  If you do, maybe you would 
consider purchasing Early Learning Maths 2 - also available as  a 
Budgie  UK  licenceware release - which  follows  the  continuing 
adventures of Dizzy Lizzy and the Meanie,  while trying to  teach 
long addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

If  you  would  like to give me your thoughts  on  this  program, 
report any bugs etc., you can contact me by writing to:

     67 Pepper Lane, Standish, Wigan, Lancs, WN6 OPY.

I  will  endeavour  to  respond to  your  letter  as  quickly  as 
possible,  but this isn't my permanent address - so you may  have 
to wait a few weeks.

Before I sign off, and go onto the instructions a few hellos to:

Simon  Rush for originally releasing ELM on his ESP  Software
label,  Camy, Eddie (for the graphics) and all the rest of the 
Budgie  crew,  for  producing quality software at  an  affordable 
price.

                    Cheers,

                         Philip Rankin, 1st Feb 1992.

Introduction:
     
Early  Learning  Maths is a program designed to  assist  children 
learn  the basic principles of mathematics.  It aims to build  on 
and  enhance  their  abilities  in  subjects  such  as  addition, 
subtraction,   multiplication,   division,   shape   recognition, 
sequencing, logic and relations - all of which are integral parts 
of the National Curriculum for Mathematics.  The target group for 
the program are primary school children ( 5 to 8 year olds ).

The program consists of twelve games each of which aims to  teach 
or reinforce at least one, and occasionally more than one,  of the 
above subjects.  


Getting Started:

     [ NOTE: in the following you are asked to 'point and click'
       at various objects. To do this you should move the mouse
       pointer over the object you  are told  to point and click
       at and then press either mouse button.                   ]

Once the program has loaded you will be presented with a  credits 
screen. When the mouse pointer appears press a key and you will 
be  asked to type your name ( see section titled  'Enter name' ).

After  you have entered your name you will be asked to enter  the 
level  you  wish  to  play the games  at  (  see  section  titled 
'Enter  Level'.   Once you have selected a level the screen  will  
fade to black and  then the main menu will appear.

From  this menu you can select a game to play,  change your  name 
and the level you play the games at, or view the credits screen.

To select a game point and click at its picture.  To change  your 
name  and the difficulty level point and click at  the  'OPTIONS' 
button.  To  to  view the credits screen point and click  at  the 
'CREDITS'  button.  

If you select a game the screen will again fade to black and  you 
will be asked if you wish to view the 'How to play'  instructions 
( see section titled 'How to play' ). 

A  start game animation will now be displayed and once  this  has 
finished  the  game will either start,  or you will be  asked  to 
enter  the  type of questions you require ( see  section  'Select 
subject' ).
 
The  game you have selected will then begin and you can play it. 

Once  the  game is complete a report screen will be  displayed  - 
telling you how well you have done. You can press any key when on 
this screen to return to the main menu.



Instructions:

During  the  games  various controls  are  required.Following are
descriptions of these controls.

     1)  The spacebar - this is fairly  obvious,  when  the 
pointer is below,  next to etc the answer press the 'space bar' ( 
the  biggest  key on the keyboard ).  You can also  click  either 
mouse button.

     2) On screen calculator -   answers can be entered using the 
calculator displayed on the screen. To enter an answer you should 
point and click the mouse at the numbers.  When you have  'typed' 
the  full number point and click at the 'ENTER'  button.  If  you 
make  a  mistake you can point and click at the  'CLEAR'  button. 
This  will erase what you have entered and you can re-input  your 
answer.
        You can also use the keypad at the right hand side of the
keyboard to enter your answers.  The '+' and '-' keys  correspond 
to the clear button,  the '.' key corresponds to the minus button 
and all the other buttons directly correspond to their on  screen 
counterparts.

     3)  Joystick - This is needed for the Shape Invader and  the 
Equation  games. In both games you move the ship/pointer left and 
right by moving the joystick left and right. In the Shape Invader 
the  joystick  fire button is used to fire missiles  and  in  the 
Equation game it is used to swap two tiles.

     4)  Mouse - This is used to move the arrow which  appears on 
the  screen.  To select something which the arrow is pointing  at 
press either of the mouse buttons.

NOTE: You can quit all the games by pressing the Esc key - at the 
top left hand corner of the keyboard.


The Relational Game:

In  this game you will see two numbers displayed  underneath  the 
tent roof.  You have to help Dizzy Lizzy decide whether the first 
one is;
     i) smaller than the second one - the '<' symbol
    ii) the same as the second one - the '=' symbol
   iii) bigger than the second one - then '>' symbol
When the pointer is below the correct symbol you should press the 
space  bar.  The symbol will then move between the two numbers  - 
and if you are correct Dizzy Lizzy will jump in the air.

For example if the numbers 2 and 5 were displayed you would press 
the space bar when the pointer was below the '<' symbol.

You have to answer ten questions.



The Symbol Game:

In  this game you will see part of a number bond displayed  below 
the tent roof.  The only thing that is missing is the symbol that 
makes  the  bond complete.  You have to help Dizzy  Lizzy  decide 
which of the four symbols plus,  minus,  multiply or divide  will 
make the number bond correct.

When the pointer is below the correct symbol you should press the 
space bar.  The symbol will then move up into the number bond and 
if you are correct Dizzy Lizzy will jump in the air.

For  example  if '3   3 = 9' was displayed you  would  press  the 
space bar when the pointer was below the multiplication symbol.

You have to answer ten questions.


The Counting Game:

A number of objects - apples,  oranges,  joysticks, disks, cups - 
will be displayed on the screen and you have to help Dizzy  Lizzy 
count them.   You can enter the number by pressing the space  bar 
when the pointer is opposite the correct number.

For example if 3 apples were shown you would press the space  bar 
when the pointer is opposite the number 3.

You have to answer ten questions. 



The Shape Invader:

You have to defend Dizzy Lizzy's shape stations from attack.  The 
Meanie  is dropping shapes on each station.  You have to let  the 
matching  shapes go down to the stations,  but you have to  shoot 
shapes  which don't match.  Dizzy Lizzy only has three  ships  so 
successfully defending the stations from attack will not be easy.

Use the joystick to control Dizzy Lizzy's ship.

The  number  of  shapes  you  have  to  defend  against  increase 
according to the level.


The Rocket Launch:

Dizzy  Lizzy wants to get to his spaceship.  Help him  climb  the 
launch  tower  by  answering the questions which  appear  on  the 
ladder next to him. A correct answer will let Dizzy Lizzy jump up 
one level of the tower, and an incorrect answer will cause 
Dizzy Lizzy to fall down a level.

Use  the  on  screen calculator to enter   your  answers  to  the 
questions.

To  get Dizzy Lizzy to the top of the tower you have to help  him 
jump up ten levels.  The game will not end until you either  quit 
or Dizzy Lizzy has reached the top of the tower.


The Picture Displayer:

Dizzy  Lizzy has just bought a painting which the Meanie has  cut 
into  twenty five pieces.  You have to help Dizzy Lizzy  put  the 
painting back together again by answering questions.  Use the  on 
screen calculator to enter your answers to the questions.

To  put  the picture back together you have to  correctly  answer 
twenty five questions. The game will end once you have been asked 
these twenty five questions.


The Chase Game:

Dizzy Lizzy is going on holiday! You have to help him travel from 
the  city to his holiday island by answering  questions.  If  you 
answer  a  question  correctly  Dizzy  Lizzy  will  continue  his 
journey, wrongly and the Meanie will be able to move. You have to 
get Dizzy Lizzy to the island before he is caught by the Meanie.

The  number  of  squares Dizzy Lizzy will move  when  you  get  a 
question right are shown on a dice. When you get a question wrong 
the  Meanie will move not more than the  number of  squares shown
by  the dice.  He will not begin to move until you are  at  least 
four squares from the start.
 
Use  the  on  screen  calculator to enter  your  answers  to  the 
questions.


The Division Game:

You  have  to  share out the cakes between Dizzy  Lizzy  and  his 
friends.  To  enter the number of cakes they will each get  point 
and click at that number.

You have to answer ten questions.


The Code Game:

Oops,  Dizzy Lizzy has forgotten the combination to his safe.  In 
this  game  you have to help him open his  safe.  A  sequence  of 
shapes  will be displayed which you have to  remember.  When  the 
sequence is removed from the screen try to replace it  correctly. 

To enter a shape press the spacebar when the pointer is below that 
shape.

You have to try and correctly replace ten sequences.


The Grid Game:

In  this game you will be asked sixteen questions.  You  have  to 
point  to the answer to each question in the grid.  You  have  to 
fill in the grid in as few turns as possible.

You have to answer all sixteen questions to complete the game.


The Card Game:

Will you play cards and help Dizzy Lizzy build up his  energy?  A 
target  card  is displayed which has two attributes (  shape  and 
colour ).  You have to enter the number of attribute  differences 
between  the shape on the target card and the shapes on the cards
dealt from the pack.   Use the  mouse to  point  and click at the 
number of differences.

As  well as shape cards there are three types of special card  in 
the pack:
     i)  The  'New' card   - this changes the shape on the target 
                             card.
    ii)  The 'Dizzy' card  - this increases Dizzy Lizzy's  energy 
                             by one point.
   iii)  The 'Meanie' card - this decreases Dizzy Lizzy's  energy 
                             by one point.

The game is over when Dizzy Lizzy's energy has reached 10 points.


The Equation Game:

Dizzy  Lizzy and the Meanie are having a race.  You have to  help 
Dizzy Lizzy win by re-arranging the number bonds.  If you can re-
arrange a number bond before the Meanie catches Dizzy Lizzy  then 
Dizzy Lizzy will win the race.  Fail to re-arrange a number  bond 
in time and the Meanie wins. Use the joystick to move the pointer 
and press fire to swap two tiles.

You have to re-arrange five number bonds.



Enter Name:

Using  the keyboard you can type your name ( there is a limit  of 
10  characters  ).  If  you make a mistake you can  erase  it  by 
pressing  the backspace or delete keys.  Once you  have  finished 
typing your name press the return key.

If you type nothing - and just press the return key -  you 
will be given the name 'Joe 90'.


Select Level:

To  select  the level you wish to play the games  at  you  should 
point and click at the relevant button in the question box.


How To Play:

When the 'how to play?' question box appears on the screen;

If you wish to see a summary of the instructions for a particular 
game you should point and click at the 'yes' button.If you do not 
need  to see the instructions you should point and click  at  the 
'no' button.


Select subject:

Early  Learning Maths allows you full control over  the  subjects 
you  are questioned on in several of the games.  

When you are asked to 'select subject' you should point and click 
at the subjects you require.  When you have selected a subject it 
will be highlighted.  To deselect a subject just point and  click 
at its button. When you are happy with your selections you should 
point and click at the 'okay' button.



Subjects:

A summary of the subjects covered by each game is given below:

The Relational Game  - less than, equal to, more than.
The   Symbol  Game   - number   bonds,   addition,    subtraction, 
                       multiplication, division.
The Counting Game    - simple counting.
The Shape Invader    - shape recognition.
The Rocket Launch    - addition,    subtraction,   multiplication, 
                       division. 
The Picture Displayer- addition,  subtraction,  multiplication, 
                       division.
The  Chase Game      - addition,   subtraction,   multiplication, 
                       division.
The Division Game    - division.
The Shape Code Game  - sequences, shape recognition.
The Grid Game        - addition,    subtraction,   multiplication, 
                       division
The Card Game        - simple logic, shape recognition.
The Equation Game    - number bonds, addition.