Oregon Trail's Phillip Bouchard Blazes Deadly Paths

The Fourth Curtain

Our guest this week is the poster boy for educational software going massively mainstream, Phillip Bouchard. Starting in the world of mainframes he created a worldwide hit on Apple II and beyond. We talk Apple getting kickstarted and science for fun and profit this week!

Episode Highlights

[00:00:00] The Legacy of The Oregon Trail: Still Remembered 40 Years Later
Philip reflects on the surprising longevity of The Oregon Trail, a game still remembered decades after its release and played by new generations.

[00:08:00] Dysentery and Game Design: Origins of a Legendary Game Over Screen
Discover how the infamous “You have died of dysentery” message became part of the 1985 version—and why it wasn’t in the original 1971 text-only release.

[00:13:00] Building the Classic Version: Small Team, Big Impact
Learn how a five-person team crafted the Apple II version that defined The Oregon Trail, combining educational goals with entertaining gameplay.

[00:20:00] From Text to Graphics: A Full Redesign for Apple II
Philip explains how the 1985 version was a complete rebuild with new code, visual assets, and expanded simulations—leaving the original codebase behind.

[00:25:00] State-Owned Software: The Story of MEC and Minnesota’s Role
Explore how Minnesota’s state-funded organization MEC developed and distributed The Oregon Trail, influencing early educational software nationwide.

[00:36:00] Instant School Success: How Teacher Demand Took Over
After initially launching only in the home market, teacher demand led to widespread adoption of The Oregon Trail in classrooms across North America.

[00:41:00] Life After Oregon Trail: From Munchers to Broderbund
Philip talks about his post-Oregon Trail career, including work on the Munchers series and his time at Broderbund and McGraw-Hill.

[00:45:00] Writing, AI Art, and Retirement: Philip’s Current Creative Life
Now retired, Philip shares his passion for writing science books, experimenting with AI art, and staying curious across new creative hobbies.

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