The Oregon Trail is an educational computer game developed by Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann and Paul Dillenberger in 1971 and produced by MECC in 1974. The game was inspired by the real-life Oregon Trail and was designed to teach school children about the realities of 19th century pioneer life on the trail. The player assumes the role of a wagon leader guiding his party of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon's Willamette Valley by way of the Oregon Trail via a Conestoga wagon in 1848. The success of the game has spawned numerous sequels. Screenshot of computer game, taken from http://home. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... The Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (later Corporation), most commonly known as MECC, was a state-funded company founded in 1973. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Brøderbund Software was a maker of computer games, educational software and the Print Shop productivity tools. ... The Learning Company (TLC) is an American educational software company, founded in 1980. ... 1971 1971 in games 1972 in video gaming Notable events of 1971 in video gaming. ... 1974 1974 in games 1973 in video gaming 1975 in video gaming Notable events of 1974 in video gaming. ... 1985 1985 in games 1984 in video gaming 1986 in video gaming Notable events of 1985 in video gaming. ... 1992 1992 in games 1991 in video gaming 1993 in video gaming Notable events of 1992 in video gaming. ... 1996 1996 in games 1995 in video gaming 1997 in video gaming Notable events of 1996 in video gaming. ... 2001 2001 in games 2000 in video gaming 2002 in video gaming Notable events of 2001 in video gaming. ... Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay. ... Edutainment (also educational entertainment or entertainment-education) is a form of entertainment designed to educate as well as to amuse. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... The Battle for Wesnoth turn-based strategy, released under the GPL. A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy, is a game where the game flow is partitioned in well-defined and visible parts, called turns or rounds. ... “Windows” redirects here. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ... This article is about the family of closely related operating systems for the IBM PC compatible platform. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... A 104-key PC US English QWERTY keyboard layout The Dvorak Simplified Keyboard layout A standard Hebrew keyboard showing both Hebrew and QWERTY. A computer keyboard is a peripheral partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard. ... A contemporary computer mouse, with the most common standard features: two buttons and a scroll wheel. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... 1971 1971 in games 1972 in video gaming Notable events of 1971 in video gaming. ... The Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (later Corporation), most commonly known as MECC, was a state-funded company founded in 1973. ... 1974 1974 in games 1973 in video gaming 1975 in video gaming Notable events of 1974 in video gaming. ... The Ox Team or the Old Oregon Trail 1852-1906 by Ezra Meeker. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A family of Russian settlers in the Caucasus region, ca. ... Independence is a city in Missouri, in the Kansas City metropolitan area. ... Official language(s) (none)[1] Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... The Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley is the region in northwest Oregon in the United States that surrounds the Willamette River as it proceeds northward from its emergence from mountains near Eugene to its confluence with the Columbia River. ... A covered wagon replica at the High Desert Museum The Conestoga wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered freight carrier used extensively during the United States Westward Expansion in the late 1700s and 1800s. ...

Development

The original version of The Oregon Trail was created in 1971 by three student teachers at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.^[1] One of these students, senior Don Rawitsch, had the idea to create a computer program for a history class he was teaching, and recruited two of his friends, Paul Dillenberger and Bill Heinemann, both of whom were student teaching math, to help him. In 1974 Rawitch took a job at Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, or MECC, a state-funded organization that developed educational software for the classroom. He uploaded his game into the organization's network where it could be accessed by schools across Minnesota, and it proved so popular that it was released and sold on floppy disk in 1985, when the format had become popular. Several updated versions were released between 1991 and 2001.^[1] Skinner Memorial Chapel, Carleton College Carleton College is an independent, non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The school was founded on November 14, 1866, by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational Churches as Northfield College. ... Northfield is a city in Rice County, Minnesota. ... The Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (later Corporation), most commonly known as MECC, was a state-funded company founded in 1973. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ...

Gameplay

This section is applicable to the 1985 Apple II release of The Oregon Trail.

1985 1985 in games 1984 in video gaming 1986 in video gaming Notable events of 1985 in video gaming. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ...

Random encounters and decision making

Buying supplies

The Oregon Trail gives players opportunities to rationally think about the situation, giving many options and many possible consequences for each event, thus building problem-solving skills. The initial choice players make, and can constantly change if wished, is the pace of the oxen. A faster pace will allow the party to reach Oregon sooner, granting time bonuses. Moreover, the trail becomes much more difficult to travel when encroaching upon the winter months. However, a faster pace will result in a higher probability of wagon parts breaking or oxen dying. A similar set of choices is given for the amount of food to be distributed among the family: a severely reduced diet will result in a higher chance of members succumbing to illness and/or dying. On the other hand, allowing the family to eat too much will result in the food supply running out quicker and can eventually lead to starvation without successful hunts. Image File history File links Oregontrail_02. ... Image File history File links Oregontrail_02. ...

Main gameplay screen

Along the way, numerous random events can occur. Friendly or hostile Native Americans might be encountered, which could result in a gain or loss of supplies. Random events include: a sudden onslaught of disease (such as cholera or dysentery), a bounty of wild fruit, banditry of goods or supplies, sudden inclement weather, and spoiling of food supplies. Furthermore, at each river the player is given choices as to how to cross. A ferry, which costs money but is by far the least risky, is available in some instances. In situations where a ferry is not available, you must decide to either caulk your wagon and float it across or ford, which is dangerous if the water is deep. The depth of the river is stated before making a crossing decision, and the player has the option to wait until conditions become more favorable. Waiting for more favorable conditions uses time but can sometimes result in a reduction of the river's depth. Image File history File links Oregontrail_04. ... Image File history File links Oregontrail_04. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Cholera (or Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera) is a severe diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. ... Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is frequent, small-volume, severe diarrhea that shows blood in the feces along with intestinal cramping and tenesmus (painful straining to pass stool). ... A ford is a section of water (most commonly a section of a river) that is sufficiently shallow as to be traversable by wading. ...

The hunting mode

Periodically, the wagon train stops at outposts along the journey, where goods might be purchased at ever-increasing prices, and where players can learn historical facts about each location. Such stops include Chimney Rock and Fort Hall. At any point between the disparate outposts and landmarks, players can rest, trade with passing travellers and natives, or hunt; though excessive hunting in one area leads to a scarcity of wildlife. Overhunting was explicitly allowed in order to show children the excess and effects of such occurrences. In fact, the shooting of a buffalo yields more meat than is possible to carry back to the player's Conestoga wagon. At the Columbia River, the player is presented with a different set of choices to cross the river. It is not possible to ford the river; instead the player can opt to float downstream in a semi-arcade mode, which is uncharacteristic of the rest of the game. In this mini-game, the player must steer the wagon on a raft, while avoiding rocks. Or the player can simply choose to take the toll road instead, but this costs money and makes the trip a few miles longer. Image File history File links Oregontrail_05. ... Image File history File links Oregontrail_05. ... Categories: Rock formations in the United States | U.S. National Historic Sites | Nebraska landmarks | Morrill County, Nebraska | Oregon Trail | US geography stubs ... Fort Hall Fort Hall in the United States was a 19th century outpost in the eastern Oregon Country. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Subspecies B. b. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ...

Scoring

At the end of the journey, points are awarded according to a formula weighted by the profession chosen (points are doubled for a carpenter and tripled for a farmer), the number and health of surviving family members, remaining possessions, and cash on hand.

Legacy

MECC has followed upon the success of The Oregon Trail with similar titles such as The Yukon Trail and The Amazon Trail.^[1] The original title has been re-released many times, for different platforms and on different media; it is currently up to the fifth edition. The Yukon Trail is a computer game from MECC, the creators of Oregon Trail. ... The Amazon Trail The Amazon Trail is an educational computer game created by MECC, which was later bought by The Learning Company. ...

The game was popular among American elementary school students in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Many students in the United States had access to the game at school.

The game has become culturally iconic and an aspect of nostalgia for those who grew up playing the game. [1][2][3][4] American cultural icons. ... One may feel nostalgic for the familiar routine of school, conveniently forgetting the painful experiences such as bullying. ...

Games in the series

• The Oregon Trail — Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS PC, 1985
• The Oregon Trail — Apple Macintosh, 1991
• The Oregon Trail Deluxe — DOS PC, 1992
• The Oregon Trail — Apple Macintosh, 1993 (MECC)
• The Amazon Trail — PC and Mac Floppy disk and CD-ROM, 1993
• The Yukon Trail — PC and Mac Floppy disk and CD-ROM, 1994
• The Oregon Trail II — PC and Mac CD-ROM, 1996 (collectors edition included earlier versions)
• The Amazon Trail II - PC and Mac CD-ROM, 1997
• Africa Trail — PC and Mac CD-ROM, 1997
• The Oregon Trail, 3rd Edition — PC and Mac CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, 1997
• The Oregon Trail, 4th Edition — PC and Mac CD-ROM, 1999
• The Amazon Trail, 3rd Edition - PC and Mac CD-ROM, 2000

• The Oregon Trail, 5th Edition — PC and Mac CD-ROM, 2001- essentially an update of the second edition, with the botany and fishing aspects of the third. Also added are animated shorts.

The 1977 Apple II, complete with integrated keyboard, color graphics, sound, a plastic case and eight expansion slots. ... C-64 redirects here. ... This article is about the family of closely related operating systems for the IBM PC compatible platform. ... A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals. ... The first Macintosh computer, introduced in 1984, upgraded to a 512K Fat Mac. The Macintosh or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Computer. ... This article is about the family of closely related operating systems for the IBM PC compatible platform. ... A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals. ... The Amazon Trail The Amazon Trail is an educational computer game created by MECC, which was later bought by The Learning Company. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... The CD-ROM (an abbreviation for Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (ROM)) is a non-volatile optical data storage medium using the same physical format as audio compact discs, readable by a computer with a CD-ROM drive. ... The Yukon Trail is a computer game from MECC, the creators of Oregon Trail. ... Oregon Trail II was released by MECC in 1996 as a revised version of the original Oregon Trail computer game. ... Africa Trail is an educational computer game based on the similar idea of The Oregon Trail. ... DVD is an optical disc storage media format that is used for playback of movies with high video and sound quality and for storing data. ...

See also

• Gold Rush! (1988 game)
• The Yukon Trail
• The Amazon Trail

Gold Rush! is a graphic adventure game released by Sierra Entertainment in 1988. ... The Yukon Trail is a computer game from MECC, the creators of Oregon Trail. ... The Amazon Trail The Amazon Trail is an educational computer game created by MECC, which was later bought by The Learning Company. ...

Notes

References

The Oregon Trail

• Educational Software Classics: Interview with Don Rawitsch, the original designer of The Oregon Trail.
• Gamespot: The Oregon Trail
• Gaming Our Way Through History: A thorough exploration of the game and its implications.

Image File history File links Oregontrail_03. ... Image File history File links Oregontrail_03. ...

External links

• Play Oregon Trail on VirtualApple (requires Windows and Firefox