Magic: The Gathering core sets, 1993–2007

The Oregon Trail 4th Edition (Barber)

• Report rights infringement
• published: 14 Sep 2013
• views: 5375

I show off almost all of the NPC banter FMVs on this run. Caroline Crabbe and Sunflower are my partners. I mostly stick to the main trail, although I did get lost for a few seconds forgetting which turn was to Walla Walla. This game has just as much going for it as it has against it. I like being able to consult members of my party for advice (though I think it should've been more of an anytime I felt like it thing, but I guess the periodic thing was more a sign of the tech limits of the time). Having all the trails unnamed was an excellent touch of realism, since I doubt signposts were everywhere (though I wish the map was better marked). Expanding the number of trails, and including both seldom-used ones, as well as forging my own at times, was a good thing to have (getting lost is fun sometimes). The NPC scripting is better (well, for the ones that aren't recycled from 3rd Ed.). The "remember those that gave up their land for you" line doesn't fit the period, and I don't think they properly used the term "Manifest Destiny." Although both seem to be more of a modern take on the events, I actually like the fact they're presented. The hunting is a bit more of a poor execution than a totally bad thing. Kill-zones, like the head (and I think the spine), are guaranteed to drop a critter in one shot. However, the way the game reads what happens when you pull the trigger from disk (as opposed to loading it in the ram) leaves the timing feel off. Sometimes, leading your shots works, other times aiming dead-on does, and still others firing behind where you want it does. It all depends on whether your drive is still reading the last action and your disk is still spinning or not. Even if it worked 100% of the time, I still prefer the hunting in 3rd Ed., since the chance of getting mauled or bitten is half the fun. I also like the way the guide book is indexed (though I didn't show it in this video due to time). Giving drawings of the plants, instead of color pictures like in the other versions, was a great touch of realism. My only problem with the foraging is the fact I have to manually flip through the pages to look it up. I would've rather had it open to two pages of similar plants- one poisonous, one edible- then I'd have to choos which it was. Getting medical advice from the party members was fun though ("Duffy's Elixir cures everything" yeah, right... LMAO) If you want to take the Barlow Road, you have to save your money from the start. You can't trade goods for cash, which I find to be disappointing. I can understand Natives and poor pioneers not having a cent to their names- but a soldier at a fort is bound to have his paycheck, and would fork out good money for a home-cooked meal. Still, I kinda like the way this system makes you guess at how much is a "fair trade," as it allows you the chance to make an offer that's not entirely in your favor, and both 3rd's and this game's trading systems are better than the haggle system from other versions. The rafting mechanics are totally lackluster- there doesn't seem to even be a single detrimental effect for wrecking into something. No challenge whatsoever, just "ooo look at pretty graphics." Overall, I like it, but it's flaws are pretty glaring, especially when compared to some of the earlier installments of the series. 4th Ed. still hates you, just not as much as its predecessors.