Learning with Leeper: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|1983 educational video game}}

{{AFC submission|T|ts=20140915165452}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Learning with Leeper

| image = Learning with Leeper cover.jpg

| italic title =

| collapsible caption =

| developer = [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line, Inc.]]

| state =

| publisher = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

| show image =

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| caption engine =

| platforms = [[Apple II]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Tandy 1000]]

| developer = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

| released = 1983

| publisher = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

| genre = [[Educational video game|Educational]]

| distributor =

| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]

| series =

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| platforms = ColecoVision, Commodore 64

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| released = {{Video game release|1983}}

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| genre = Educational (preschooler), single-player, third-person

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}}

'''''Learning with Leeper''''' is a 1983 [[educational video game]] developed and published by [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line, Inc.]]. It is similarSimilar to ''[[Learning with FuzzyWOMP]]'' (1984), it teaches [[color|colours]], [[number]]s, and the [[Latin alphabet|alphabet]] to players.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vF8EAAAAMBAJ|title = Black Enterprise|last = Ltd|first = Earl G. Graves|date = 1984-09-01|publisher = Earl G. Graves, Ltd.|language = en}}</ref> It reuses the character from the Sierra On-Line game ''[[Lunar Leepers]]''

== Development ==

==Critical reception==

"A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech" asserted that, in 1984, several commercial software developers had decided that "there is a market for children as young as three" in the gaming space. ''Learning With Leeper'' is one such game that attempted to appeal to this segment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last = Behrmann|first = Michael M.|date = 1984-01-01|title = A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech|journal = The Pointer|volume = 28|issue = 2|pages = 23–26|doi = 10.1080/05544246.1984.9943002|issn = 0554-4246}}</ref>

''Learning with Leeper'' was well received,{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}} gaining the award for "1984 Best Educational Video Game/Computer Game" at the 5th annual [[Arkie Awards]] where judges described it as "a painless way for youngsters to learn such tricky concepts as counting and shape recognition". It was predicted that children who had not yet learned to read would still have "a fine time" with the game and that the game's "Painting" segment would "be a spur to youthful creativity".<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (gaming)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= February 1984 |title= Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II |journal= [[Video (magazine)|Video]]|publisher= Reese Communications|volume= 7|issue= 11|pages= 28–29|issn= 0147-8907}}</ref>{{rp|29}}

== Gameplay ==

In regard to creating a [[softkey]] for the game, ''[[Hardcore Computist]]'' writer Marco Hunter wrote: "The three things you can count on in this life are death, taxes, and Sierra On-line nibble counts. With this in mind, I tackled Learning with Leeper, a recent educational release from Sierra. I quickly discovered that, as usual, the disk is normal DOS 3.3. This means it is easily copied with COPYA."<ref>Hunter, Marco. "[https://archive.org/stream/computist-scan-13/issue13#page/n9/mode/2up/search/learning+with+leeper Softkey for Learning With Leeper]". ''[[Hardcore Computist]]''. Issue 13. 1984.</ref>

The game is played with a [[joystick]]. Players navigate the Leeper icon across the menu screen to choose a minigame.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jqA0AAAAMAAJ|title = The Computer As a Paintbrush: Creative Uses for the Personal Computer in the Preschool Classroom|last = Beaty|first = Janice J.|last2 = Tucker|first2 = W. Hugh|date = 1987-01-01|publisher = Merrill Publishing Company|isbn = 9780675205238|language = en}}</ref> The four available choices are symbolized by a [[dog]] (counting), [[balloon]] (shape matching), [[frog]] (hand-eye coordination), and overturned [[paint]] can (creativity).<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QZFVAAAAMAAJ|title = Personal Computing|date = 1983-01-01|publisher = Personal Computing Magazine|language = en}}</ref> The game does not record performance scores.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Vy4QAQAAMAAJ|title = Software Reviews on File|date = 1986-01-01|publisher = Facts on File, Incorporated|language = en}}</ref>

==Reception==

''Learning with Leeper'' was well received,{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}} gaining the award for "1984 Best Educational Video Game/Computer Game" at the 5th annual [[Arkie Awards]] where judges described it as "a painless way for youngsters to learn such tricky concepts as counting and shape recognition". It was predicted that children who had not yet learned to read would still have "a fine time" with the game and that the game's "Painting" segment would "be a spur to youthful creativity".<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (gaming)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= February 1984 |title= Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II |journal= [[Video (magazine)|Video]]|publisher= Reese Communications|volume= 7|issue= 11|pages= 28–29|issn= 0147-8907}}</ref>{{rp|29}} Personal Computing wrote that children should enjoy the title,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NFRRAAAAYAAJ|title = The Digest of Software Reviews: Education|date = 1984-01-01|publisher = School & Home CourseWare, Incorporated|language = en}}</ref> while Betsy Staples of Gifted Children Newsletter explained "all in all, we think [it] is an excellent package" due to being aesthetically pleasing, attention-holding, and educational.<ref name=":0" />

In regard to creating a [[Software cracking|softkey]] for the game, ''[[Computist|Hardcore Computist]]'' writer Marco Hunter wrote: "The three things you can count on in this life are death, taxes, and Sierra On-line nibble counts. With this in mind, I tackled Learning with Leeper, a recent educational release from Sierra. I quickly discovered that, as usual, the disk is normal [[Apple DOS|DOS 3.3]]. This means it is easily copied with COPYA."<ref>Hunter, Marco. "[https://archive.org/stream/computist-scan-13/issue13#page/n9/mode/2up/search/learning+with+leeper Softkey for Learning With Leeper]". ''[[Hardcore Computist]]''. Issue 13. 1984.</ref>

Math and Science for Young Children argues the game can be utilised by children for one-to-one kinesthetic and perceptual-motor experiences.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tfEJAAAAQBAJ|title = Math and Science for Young Children|last = Charlesworth|first = Rosalind|last2 = Lind|first2 = Karen K.|date = 2012-10-22|publisher = Cengage Learning|isbn = 978-1133712060|language = en}}</ref> Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective gave the game a rarity score of 3, and a Historical Importance score of L.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ecuoBQAAQBAJ|title = Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective|last = Dillon|first = Roberto|date = 2014-12-03|publisher = Springer|isbn = 9789812873415|language = en}}</ref> Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing deemed it a "very simple program".<ref>{{Cite journal|last = Sisson|first = Lee Hansen|last2 = Mayfield|first2 = Shirley A.|last3 = Entz|first3 = Susan|date = 1985-03-01|title = Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing|journal = Journal of Reading, Writing, and Learning Disabilities International|volume = 1|issue = 3|pages = 61–83|doi = 10.1080/0748763850010311|issn = 0748-7630}}</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

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[[Category:1983 video games]]

[[Category:Apple II games]]

[[Category:Atari 8-bit computer games]]

[[Category:ColecoVision games]]

[[Category:Commodore 64 games]]

[[Category:ZX Spectrum games]]

[[Category:Educational video games]]

[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]

[[Category:Children's educational video games]]

[[Category:Single-player video games]]