QuantumSanteria

Similarities: You will be crossing a large portion of the North American continent with a small "team." You will have to very carefully manage resources and risk as you travel. Successful hunting = survival!

Differences: We are portraying actual historical figures, not just "types." So we've done a heck of a lot of work to get the history right for the cast of characters that makes up the Corps of Discovery. We're offering many more RPG-esque non-combat solutions than the original Oregon Trail did. The goals of the Corps of Discovery are more expansive than just "make it to Oregon alive": their mission included holding councils with Native Americans to try to broker peace agreements with them, chart their path over river and land with a mapmaker's accuracy, and preserve scientific specimens of plants and animals. In style, Oregon Trail is a short game meant to be replayed many, many times; ours is more of a RPG-hybrid that will provide a much longer play experience. And if the Corps of Discovery breaks a wagon wheel, they'll just make a new one, no problem!

So many surprising things, isaiaht! The story is truly amazing. I personally was stunned by the survival aspects. Lewis, for instance, grew to enjoy the taste of dog (!). And I quote:

"… the dog now constitutes a considerable part of our subsistence and with most of the party has become a favorite food; certain I am that it is a healthy strong diet, and from habit it has become by no means disagreeable to me, I prefer it to lean venison or Elk, and it is very far superior to the horse in any state."

I was also amazed by more lofty things: The story of Clark's slave, York, who gains an amazing amount of freedom on the voyage, only to have those freedoms stripped once the voyage is over, is truly heartbreaking. The fact that Lewis and Clark split their command and yet succeeded so spectacularly is nothing short of stunning. That only one person died on the actual journey is a testament to their ability to work together. I could go on!

There's an ability where in dire situations you can summon Thomas Jefferson riding a wooly mammoth and he runs over your enemies.

I mean, no there's not. I wish.

(P.S. Members of the Corps could eat eight pounds of meat a day in times of plenty, so the big challenge will be getting the meat back to the keelboat before someone eats it.)

To clarify, Carol is saying here that no one on the actual Expedition died of dysentery--which is almost unbelievable. In the game, you may not be so lucky.

Not enough, alas.