




    Credits

    This version of The Oregon Trail was designed and produced by a MECC
    development team consisting of Greg S. Johnson, Charolyn Kapplinger,
    Lon Koenig, Larry Phenow, Wayne Studer, Elizabeth Wendland, Jeff White,
    and Tom Zemlin.

    The quality assurance team included Brian Anderson, Nursen Bilge, Barry
    Mansur, Rich Rainelli, and Tim Vogt.

    The manual was written by John Hickman.

    The original version of The Oregon Trail was produced in 1975 for the
    MECC Time Share System. Can you imagine_in the hunting feature of the
    original version you had to type the word "Boom." We've come a long
    way.












































    Getting Started

    A successful journey depends strongly on players' ability to read
    information and make decisions based on that information. This requires
    reading skills at the fifth-grade level or above. Children who do not
    read at this grade level can still enjoy playing The Oregon Trail with
    the assistance of an accomplished reader.

    Hardware Requirements

    You need:

         an IBM, Tandy, or compatible computer;

         640K of memory;

         a hard disk;

         DOS 3.3 or later;

         a mouse;

         a color monitor; and

         a VGA display card.

         a CD-ROM drive.

    A sound card and external speakers are nice to have but not required.
    The program supports Sound Blaster, Ad Lib, and compatible cards.






























    Installation Instructions

    Most of the installation instructions appear on-screen. Here's all you
    have to do:

    At the DOS command prompt (C:>):

         1. Place the CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

         2. Type D:INSTALL and press Enter. Where "D" is the letter of your
         CD-ROM drive.

         3. Follow the on-screen instructions.


    Mouse and Mouse Drivers

    The Oregon Trail requires a mouse driver to be loaded and active.
    If you are having problems with The Oregon Trail recognizing your

    Mouse:

         1. Make sure your mouse driver is loaded. Having it work in
         Windows does NOT mean the driver is loaded. Windows uses its own
         mouse driver.

         2. Make sure you have the latest version of your mouse driver.
         Contact your dealer for more information.


    Sound and Music

    There are enjoyable sound effects throughout the program, and when you
    reach a landmark you hear melodies that were popular in 1848. The
    program is set up to use your computer's built-in speaker. If you want
    to change that, you must do so before you start the program. Here's
    how:

         1. From the "MECC\Oregon" directory, type SETUP and press Enter.
         You see the Sound Configuration dialog box.

         2. Click your option.

         Ad Lib and Sound Blaster are set to their default settings. If you
         want to change them, click the Configure button. See your sound
         card manual for details.

         3. Click OK. You return to DOS, ready to start The Oregon Trail.
    After you have started the program, you can turn sound and music on and
    off by pressing Alt+S (for Sound) or Alt+M (for Music). Hold down the










    Alt key, and then press the S key or the M key.

    If you choose the No Sound option, sound and music are turned off,
    period. The Alt+S and Alt+M keys do not work when the No Sound option
    is turned on.

    Start-Up Instructions

         1. Type C: and press Enter.

         2. Type CD\MECC\OREGON and press Enter.

         3. Type OREGON and press Enter. The program starts and you see the
         title screen. To make a selection, click a button.


    Setting Your Options

    You display the Options screen by clicking the Options button on the
    title screen. You can also display Options while you are traveling on
    the trail.

    List of Legends:

    Shows the ten highest scores. The program comes with a built-in list of
    names of actual pioneers who traveled the Oregon Trail in the late
    1840s. To delete a name, click it and click the Delete button. To
    restore the built-in list, click the Reset button.

    Simulation Speed:

    Lets you change the amount of time it takes for a day to elapse. This
    setting affects only the time it takes you to play a game. It is not
    related to the Pace setting.

    Hunting Time:

    Lets you determine how long a hunting session lasts. If you're not good
    at hunting, you can give yourself more time. If you are good, you can
    make hunting more challenging by giving yourself less time.

    Save Game:

    Lets you do that. Use this option when you want to stop playing before
    you reach the end of the trail. Later, you can use the Load Game
    feature to resume a saved game.


    Export Trail Log:











    As you travel on the trail, the program keeps a log of everything that
    happens. Use this option to save a copy of the trail log as a text
    file. Later, you can edit or print it with your word processing
    program. 

    Credits:

    Shows the version number of the program and a list of the people who
    created it.

    Exit Game:

    Ends the game and returns you to the title screen. (You can also use
    the shortcut key Alt+E.)

    Quit to DOS:

    Ends the game and returns you to DOS. (You can also use the shortcut
    key Alt+Q.)

    Help:

    Provides on-screen instructions for the items on the Options screen.
    Preparing for the Trip

    When you click the Travel the Trail button, the first thing you see is
    a "welcome" screen. Click New Game if that's what you want, or click
    Load Game to resume a game that you had saved earlier.

    If you click Load Game, you see a list of games that you have saved.
    Click the one you want; you'll pick up right where you left off. If you
    need to change directories, click the directory name, then click the
    Open button. The next highest directory is indicated by the "< .. >"
    symbol.


    Stating Your Name and Occupation

    When you start a new game, the first thing you see is the Name and
    Occupation screen.

    In the Name box, type your own name or a good, old-fashioned Western
    name of your choice.

    In the Other People boxes, the program offers four made-up names to be
    your traveling companions. You will see these names throughout the
    game, so change them if you want.

    In the Occupation box, click the button of the one you want. This is a
    very important choice; it has a big impact on the game. Click the Help










    button to learn more about the different occupations.


    Purchasing Supplies

    After you enter your name and occupation, you go to Matt's General
    Store. The amount of money you have (shown at the bottom of the screen)
    is determined by your occupation.

    The Max column shows how much your wagon can carry.

    The Buy column is where you type the amount that you want. Press the
    Tab key to go from one item to the next.

    The Unit Price column shows how much one item costs.

    The Cost column shows how much you are spending.

    Click the Help button if you want some advice from Matt. Matt's advice
    is good, but he's never been on the trail. Here's some advice from
    someone who has: You can buy supplies at stops along the trail, but
    they will cost more than Matt charges. Also, you might want to set
    aside a little pocket money.

    Click the Buy button when you're done.


    Choosing a Departure Date

    The last thing to do before setting out on the trail is to decide when
    to depart. Be sure to read the on-screen text before you decide.


    Traveling the Trail

    You're just about ready to go! Before you depart, however, be sure to
    get acquainted with the various parts of the screen.


    Animation Area
    The animation area shows the wagon traveling across country and a map
    of the area. The red line on the map indicates your progress. When you
    come to a landmark, the screen shows a picture of it.

    Conditions Area
    The conditions area shows the date, the weather, the distance to the
    next landmark, the total distance that you have traveled, and several
    important facts about the status of your wagon.
    Notice especially the status of the Wagon item:











    If it says "Stopped," you must click the Continue button to get going
    again.

    If it says "Delayed," something untoward has happened. (You can see
    what went wrong by looking at the trail log.) When the problem goes
    away, the wagon starts moving again.

    Trail Log
    The trail log records everything that happens along the trail. Some
    important events, such as someone getting sick or injured, appear in
    red print to attract your attention. If you want to make it to Oregon
    alive, you had best pay attention to the trail log!

    You can save a copy of the trail log as a text file that you can edit
    or print with your word processing program.

    Here's how:

         1. Click the Time Out button to stop the game.

         2. Click the Options button. You'll see the Export Trail Log
         dialog box.  Enter a name of your choice (eight characters
         maximum).

         3. Click the Continue button to get going again.


    Saving a Game

    You can save a game anytime before you reach the end. First click the
    Options button, then click the Save Game button. When you enter a name,
    the program automatically adds a .GAM extension.
    It's probably easiest to save games in the same directory as the
    program directory, but you can change it if you like. Click the
    directory name, then click the Open button. The next highest directory
    is indicated by the "< . . >" symbol. You can also change to a
    different disk by clicking the Drive button.

    Additional Resources

    Books
    DeVoto, Bernard. Across the Wide Missouri. Reprint. New York: American
    Legacy Press, 1947.

    Dodd, Lawrence. Narcissa Whitman on the Oregon Trail. Washington: Ye
    Galleon Press, 1985.


    Driggs, Howard R. Westward America. New York: Somerset Books, Inc.,
    1941.











    The Editors of American Heritage. Westward on the Oregon Trail. New
    York: American Heritage Publishing Company, Inc., 1962.

    The Editors of Time-Life Books. The Pioneers. New York: Time-Life
    Books, 1974.

    Holliday, J.S. The World Rushed In: The California Gold Rush
    Experience. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981.

    Josephy, Alvin M., Jr., editor. The American Heritage History of the
    Great West. New York: American Heritage Publishing Company, Inc., 1965.

    Mattes, Merrill. The Great Platte River Road. Nebraska: Nebraska State
    Historical Society, 1969.

    Meeker, Ezra. Ox-Team Days on the Oregon Trail. New York: World Book
    Company, 1924.

    Morgan, Dale L. Overland in 1846. Georgetown, California: Talisman
    Press, 1963.

    Parkman, Francis. The Oregon Trail. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company,
    1925.

    Rounds, Glen. The Prairie Schooner. New York: Holiday House, Inc.,
    1968.

    Schlissel, Lillian. Women's Diaries of the Westward Journey. New York:
    Schocken Books, 1982.

    Unruh, John D., Jr. The Plains Across: The Overland Emigrants and the
    Trans-Mississippi West, 1840_60. Urbana: University of Illinois Press,
    1979.

    Worcester, Don, editor. Pioneer Trails West. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton
    Printers, Ltd., 1985.

    Map
    "The Oregon Trail _ The Highway of the Pioneers to the Pacific
    Northwest." Full color wall map. (Available from Binford and Mort, P.O.
    Box 10404, Portland, OR 97210-0404.)

    Music

    Touch the Past. Record or audio cassette tape. Twenty-two traditional
    melodies popular on the trails with a 16-page booklet containing words,
    music, and a pioneer diary. (Available from The Saint Joseph Museum,
    11th and Charles Street, St. Joseph, M
    issouri 64501.)











    Film/Video

    The Way West. Based on the novel by A.B. Guthrie, Jr. Starring Kirk
    Douglass and Robert Mitchum. Produced by Harold Hecht. Directed by
    Andrew V. McLaglen. Not rated. 122 minutes. United Artists/Harold Hecht
    Company, 1967. Distributed on videotape by Wood Knapp Video, 1989.

    Periodicals

    Cobblestone. The History Magazine for Young People. (December 1981
    issue, "The Oregon Trail." Patrice Press, Box 42, Gerald, Missouri
    63037.)

    The Overland Journal. (A quarterly publication of the Oregon-California
    Trails Association, Box 42, Gerald, Missouri 63037.)

    School Edition of This Product

    Also available from MECC is a school edition of this product. The
    software in the two editions is the same; the difference lies in the
    manual. But a significant difference it is. The school edition provides
    teachers with a wealth of materials that they can use to enhance the
    educational value of The Oregon Trail for their students. The materials
    include:
         ù nine ready-to-use lesson plans, complete with handouts and
         worksheets;

         ù detailed instructions and tips for success;

         ù a description of how points are earned;

         ù a hands-on, step-by-step demonstration of the program suitable
         for teacher training; and

         ù a list of learning objectives for social studies and language
         arts.

    For information about the school edition, call 800/685-MECC.


    MECC Guarantee
    We stand behind our products. Try any MECC software for 30 days. If it
    fails to live up to your expectations, return it to us in its original
    condition, with proof of purchase, and we'll give you a full refund.
    For a period of 90 days after your purchase, MECC will replace free of
    charge any defective original disk, upon receipt of the disk and with
    proof of purchase.
    MECC Technical Support (MECCTECH)











    If you have a problem using MECC software:

    ù Note the name, product number, and version number of the software.
    ù Note the brand and model of the equipment involved.
    ù Please be in front of your computer when calling.

    Call MECCTECH Line (Automated Support System) at 612/569-1678 to
    receive answers to the most commonly asked technical questions about
    MECC products 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Automated Support
    System offers convenient fax-back capability for
    technical tips.

    Contact MECCTECH OnLine (First Class_ Bulletin Board System) at
    612/569-1769 to receive an answer to your question(s) about MECC
    products or to receive product information. You will need a modem to
    use this service.

    You can speak with a Technical Support Representative by calling
    612/569-1678 Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time.

    You can write MECC Technical Support, 6160 Summit Drive North,
    Minneapolis, MN 55430-4003.

    MECC Software License Information
    You should carefully read the terms and conditions of this agreement
    before using this package. Use of any portion of the package indicates
    your agreement to these terms and conditions. If you do not agree to
    these terms, return the unopened disk envelope along with the rest of
    the package to your place of purchase.

    Permitted Uses
    You may:
         ù operate the software on one computer at a time;

         ù make one backup copy of the software for archival purposes only;

         ù transfer the software to a single hard disk or other storage
         device and keep the original disks as your archival copies;

         ù transfer the software and all rights under this license to
         another person together with a copy of this agreement, provided
         you send MECC written notice and the other party reads and accepts
         this agreement;

         ù install this software on a file server and execute the software
         on a network on more than one computer, provided that the total
         number of computers simultaneously using the software does not
         exceed the number of copies of the software purchased.

    For example, if you purchased five copies of this package, you may have










    up to five users simultaneously running the package even though only
    one copy of the software is installed on the network's file server.
    Prohibited Uses

    You may not:

    ù modify the software except as permitted in the normal use of the
    product;

    ù reverse-engineer, disassemble, decompile, or make any attempt to
    discover the source code of the software;

    ù translate or create derivative works based on the software;

    ù remove, obscure, or alter any notice of the MECC software copyright
    or other proprietary rights related to the package;

    ù sub-license, sell, lend, rent, or lease any portion of the software;

    ù copy any portion of the software except as permitted for archival
    purposes or transfer to another medium;

    ù transfer the software or any direct product to any person or entity
    in violation of the United States Export Administration Act.
    Limited Warranty

    MECC warrants that the accompanying disks will operate on the
    specified, appropriately configured MS-DOS-compatible computers.
    EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH ABOVE, MECC DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER
    WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
    IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
    PURPOSE. THIS LIMITED WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU
    MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH VARY FROM

    STATE TO STATE.
    Except as specifically set forth above, MECC and its distributors and
    dealers will in no event be liable for any damages whatsoever, either
    direct or indirect, including but not limited to loss of business
    profits, income, or use of data. Some states
     do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
    damages; therefore, the limitations set forth in this agreement may not
    apply to you.

    Government End Users
    If this software is acquired by or on behalf of a unit or agency of the
    United States Government, this provision applies: The software (a) was
    developed at private expense, is existing computer software, and was
    not developed with government funds; (b) is a trade secret of MECC for
    all purposes of the Freedom of Information Act; (c) is "restricted
    computer software" submitted with restricted rights in accordance with










    subparagraphs (a) through (d) of the Commercial Computer Software-
    Restricted Rights clause at 52.227-19 and its successors; (d) in all
    respects is proprietary data belonging solely to MECC; (e) is
    unpublished and all rights are reserved under copyright laws of the
    United States. For units of the Department of Defense (DoD), thi
    s software is licensed only with "Restricted Rights" as that term is
    defined in the DoD Supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation
    52.227-7013 (c) (1) (ii), Rights in Technical Data and Computer
    Software and its successors, and: Use, duplication, or disclosure is
    subject to restrictions as set forth in subdivision (c) (1) (ii) of the
    Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 52.227-7013.
    MECC, 6160 Summit Drive North, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55430-4003. If
    this software was acquired under GSA schedule, the U.S. Government has
    agreed to refrain from changing or removing any insignia or lettering
    from the Software or the documentation that is provided or from
    producing copies of the manuals or media (except for backup purp
    oses and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement).

    Welcome to The Oregon Trail!
    The Oregon Trail_software program is a time-honored, award-winning
    simulation that provides players with a sense of the great westward
    migration across the United States in the late 1840s. We at MECC
    believe, and millions of children, parents, and teachers agree, that
    The Oregon Trail is a masterful blend of education and entertainment.
    MECC is proud to be able to offer The Oregon Trail in this new format
    for IBM, Tandy, and compatible computers.

  























