THE GAME

In Westward Ho! you are the head of a family of five setting out from Independence, Missouri, in the spring of 1847 on the Oregon Trail. Your objective is to arrive safely in Oregon City, Oregon.

Having saved about $420 you must purchase a wagon for $70, and with the remaining money you must also buy enough equipment, supplies, and livestock to sustain you on your strenuous 2000-mile journey. As you travel, you encounter the same hazards and conditions that American pioneers faced during the Great Migration: wagon fires, polluted water, wild animals, bad weather, illness, and topographical obstacles. The following hints will help you on the Trail:

In Independence you decide how much of your money to spend on the things you need for the trip. You can spend all of your money there, but if you do, you will not be able to buy supplies at forts along the way.
The trip is divided into two-week segments. Between segments you have an opportunity to stop and hunt for game. Hunting may augment your food supply, but it always consumes valuable time.
At the beginning of the game, you are asked to rank your shooting (typing) ability. When you are hunting or being attacked by hostile Indians, you are asked to type a word that sounds like a gunshot; the faster you type it, the more likely you are to hit your target. Of course, not all Indians that approach your wagon are hostile, and shooting at friendly Indians costs you time and ammunition.
If you make the correct decisions along the way, you and your family will join the hundreds of thousands of pioneers who settled and developed the land west of the Rockies. If you prepare poorly or if you make foolish decisions, your bones will serve as a warning to those who come after you on the Oregon Trail. Good luck!

