mattbarton.exe Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Hi, guys, I was wondering if anyone could help me with my research. I thought that Oregon Trail was first released for the Apple IIe, but now I'm wondering if an Atari 400 version may have been released as early as 1982. I haven't been able to confirm this or get any more info on it, so wondering if anyone here knew anything about it. I know the prototype was a mainframe game, but I'd still like to know for sure about the first commercially sold version. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 according to Atarimania the 400/800 version was released in 1982 http://www.atarimania.com/detail_soft.php?...VERSION_ID=3819 don't know if that helps you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 I can't recall if the Apple II version had the creation date indicated right in the program code. You could try there as well. I've got 3 boxes of II stuff to dig through should disk images turn up nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbarton.exe Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 (edited) I can't recall if the Apple II version had the creation date indicated right in the program code. You could try there as well. I've got 3 boxes of II stuff to dig through should disk images turn up nothing. The Apple II screens clearly say copyright 1985 on them, which coincides with other data I've seen. However, I don't have the Atari 400 disk image to work with, and the screens don't show a year (at least the ones I've seen). I'm wondering why they're saying 1982. Edited April 18, 2009 by mattbarton.exe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sl0re Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 (edited) I can't recall if the Apple II version had the creation date indicated right in the program code. You could try there as well. I've got 3 boxes of II stuff to dig through should disk images turn up nothing. The Apple II screens clearly say copyright 1985 on them, which coincides with other data I've seen. However, I don't have the Atari 400 disk image to work with, and the screens don't show a year (at least the ones I've seen). I'm wondering why they're saying 1982. I know I played it on Apples before 85.... Maybe there was more than one apple II'ish version? Some apple screen shots I've seen of the game look a lot better than the version I remember playing... Edited April 18, 2009 by sl0re Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Are you serious?? I personally played the Apple II version in my Junior year at school. That was 1982. The first year that my school offered computer courses...and it was their disk that I "borrowed" to make the copy that I still have today...somewhere... It's true that there are revamped versions of the game (that offered updated color GFX and such instead of primitive line-drawn shape tables). But the title existed before 1985. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 The program in our database is public domain and is from 1982. Adapted from other computers by Softswap (a project of the San Mateo County Office of Education and Computer-Using Educators). MECC did write a version for the Atari but it wasn't the full-blown Apple game. Actually, it was sold with three other programs as Expeditions. Re-released by Atari as well. -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbarton.exe Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 I know there were earlier versions, including some mainframe ones that go back to the 70s. What I was trying to find was the first commercial release of the game. Then again, it might be interesting to look at the public domain one--I'd be happy so long as the one that everyone remembers playing back then. I don't remember if I played the PD or the commercial one to be honest; it's been too long and I wasn't paying attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastRobPlus Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Speaking of MECC. I think you are missing The Market Place from the AM database. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.atarimania.com Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 You're correct, we don't have all titles listed yet. Check this thread: http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105864 Expeditions is probably 1982. -- Atari Frog http://www.atarimania.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbarton.exe Posted April 25, 2009 Author Share Posted April 25, 2009 Hi, guys, I posted the Matt Chat about The Oregon Trail! You can view it here: I also did a brief writeup about the game here: http://armchairarcade.com/neo/node/2532 Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastRobPlus Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Well made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHA Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 yeh, was interesting..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 You may find enlightenment in the latest ANTIC interview podcast posted yesterday with Philip Bouchard, principal designer of the 1985 release of The Oregon Trail for the Apple ][: https://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-369-philip-bouchard-the-oregon-trail It was originally released in 1971 for mainframes, as a simple text-only game. That was what most other versions were based from, until the heavily enhanced version for the Apple ][ was released in 85, which is the one that was the most popular and what most people associate with the name, The Atari version is based off of the original 1971 text only version. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) It's been talked about several times before here. The Atari version is pretty uninteresting; just a little too simplistic. I'll take the Apple II version, please... or some of the later ones (but not too late -- they made it too complicated and trivial later on -- 50 different food types, etc...). Edited February 5, 2019 by MrFish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) The C64 got this upgraded release of Oregon in 1984 (in addition to also having the 1983 text only version, like on A8's). It's basically the 1983 release with some graphics bolted on (maps, animated hunting, etc.). It's more playable with the additions (especially adding hunting that isn't based on typing the word "BLAM" ); but it's still pretty far away from the standards of Apple II - Oregon Trail. I think the delineation is that the older versions were just called "Oregon", and then when it changed to "The Oregon Trail", it was upgraded significantly enough to put the game into another realm -- and eventually into great popularity. Edited February 5, 2019 by MrFish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 hey the apple 85 version is actually 'worth' porting! who would have guessed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) hey the apple 85 version is actually 'worth' porting! Worth porting, but I've already been in all the BASIC source for the program and determined it would be easier and better to just do a rewrite (a lot of Apple BASIC specifics and raw machine code routines). The most useful thing about the source code would be the textual data (which I've already gleaned from the files) and the variable formulas. At that point, it would also make sense to just upgrade things a little and make an improved version; so, a kind of hybrid between the Apple II version and one of the newer versions -- like the early one from the Macs. I started working on the graphics while I was going through the source code. The graphics area of the screen could be black and white or color. If it's black and white it would be easier because all the graphics could be taken verbatim from the Mac. If we went with color, everything would need converting, but it would be a degree nicer. PMG's could be used to enhance a B & W version, of course. In the color version below, it's not been fully converted; the color part is the right resolution (160 width mode equivalent) but hasn't been edited yet. This type of display for the color portion lends itself well to using DLI's to get a lot of color on the screen. Definitely something I'd like to get back into in the future. Edited February 5, 2019 by MrFish 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) aside from the mostly text version, there was Mac DOS and Windows version across the board... plenty of color pictures and game play each having some good parts.Oregan Trail The Oregon Trail (1971) The Oregon Trail (1985) Oregon Trail II The Oregon Trail 3rd Edition The Oregon Trail 4th Edition The Oregon Trail 5th Edition The Oregon Trail (2009) The Oregon Trail:American_Settler The Oregon Trail (2011) The Amazon Trail The Amazon Trail Amazon Trail II Amazon Trail 3rd Edition Other titles The Yukon Trail MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail Africa Trail Wow, what a series! Black and white for night, color for day? or maybe color for notable things that are happening. Just different ideas bouncing about Edited February 5, 2019 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 aside from the mostly text version, there was Mac DOS and Windows version across the board... The Mac and Windows versions of The Oregon Trail were pretty much the same thing. The DOS version of The Oregon Trail was basically the same as the Apple II version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
power Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) did anyone else buy the handheld verison?? I saw it on LGR and well it was on sale on Amazon recently, still waiting for delivery but i'm looking forward to dissin' Terry! Edited February 5, 2019 by power 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nezgar Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Having the 'superior' Atari computers at home, I always remember the sorely lacking Apple ]['s that my elementary school had.. But I do vividly remember enjoying playing Oregon Trail, and I think it had a mode where it would print your commands and text output on a printer?? I can understand with the late release in 85 it was too late to spend resources porting to Atari at that point. I didn't realize it was partially written in Applesoft BASIC with ML routines - but I guess why not since it was in ROM. I would love to see a port of it to the 8-bit, even if it's just simply the apple 240x192 re-mapped to the Atari's mode F/Graphics 8... I guess everyone reading this thread could upvote Oregon Trail on MrFish's other thread .... http://atariage.com/forums/topic/277255-top-games-youd-like-to-have-for-atari-8-bits/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) The C64 got this upgraded release of Oregon in 1984 (in addition to also having the 1983 text only version, like on A8's). It's basically the 1983 release with some graphics bolted on (maps, animated hunting, etc.). It's more playable with the additions (especially adding hunting that isn't based on typing the word "BLAM" ); but it's still pretty far away from the standards of Apple II - Oregon Trail. I think the delineation is that the older versions were just called "Oregon", and then when it changed to "The Oregon Trail", it was upgraded significantly enough to put the game into another realm -- and eventually into great popularity. Curiously, it doesn't seem like Gamebase 64 has that version covered. GB64 has a text version dated 19?? and a German translated version also dated 19?? though the one in the video seems like a third one. Based on what Philip mentions in the ANTIC podcast, MECC were on purpose waiting a few years (from early 1983 to October 1984) before greenlighting the improved home/consumer version of OT for the Apple ][. If no previous versions had graphics, it would seem like a retroactively dated C64 game (perhaps programmed in 1986-87 but dated 1984 to seem more adequate) or else he misremembers or the Apple ][ game instead borrowed parts of this otherwise unknown C64 game. By the way, Intellivision Revolution released Oregon Bound in 2017, as far as I understand based on the original text version of Oregon Trail but renamed and with changes to not infringe on the trademark. Edit: Aha, that is not Oregon Trail on the C64, that is Expeditions which also was brought up in the podcast. As mentioned above, MECC did Expeditions for the Atari 8-bit as well (one year before the C64 version it seems) though perhaps even less graphically enhanced so it would be a gradual process going from text to graphics, through two versions on the Atari and C64 before making the grand number on the Apple ][, which took them 10 months. Edited February 6, 2019 by carlsson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) Edit: Aha, that is not Oregon Trail on the C64, that is Expeditions which also was brought up in the podcast. As mentioned above, MECC did Expeditions for the Atari 8-bit as well (one year before the C64 version it seems) though perhaps even less graphically enhanced so it would be a gradual process going from text to graphics, through two versions on the Atari and C64 before making the grand number on the Apple ][, which took them 10 months. They show two versions for the C64 in this video. The first one is called "Oregon Trail", and is the same as the all text version in the Atari "Expeditions" suite, where it's called "Oregon". The second C64 one shown here is the same as the one I posted a link for (where you're quoting me), and yes, this is also just called "Oregon" as part of the "Expeditions" suite, but with graphical additions. Edited February 6, 2019 by MrFish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefffulton Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Hi, guys, I was wondering if anyone could help me with my research. I thought that Oregon Trail was first released for the Apple IIe, but now I'm wondering if an Atari 400 version may have been released as early as 1982. I haven't been able to confirm this or get any more info on it, so wondering if anyone here knew anything about it. I know the prototype was a mainframe game, but I'd still like to know for sure about the first commercially sold version. There were multiple Apple versions. The first was pretty much just text (what i played in Jr high in 1982-83). The 1984 version was much improved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.