Case Study: The Oregon Trail
A Digital Card Game Reimagining a Classic Journey
2024
Race to Oregon is a pass-and-play digital card game inspired by the historic Oregon Trail. Developed by the NoToo Lead Software Engineers — Alexander Marsh, Ahmed Shaban, Jayden Walker. The project was created for ENGR-3400: Software Verification and Validation at Robert Morris University under the guidance of Professor Simone Maccanti.
The game transforms the Oregon Trail experience into a competitive, strategy-based card format, designed for 2–5 local players. Players trade, collect resources, and overcome randomized challenges to reach Oregon first, blending nostalgia with modern gameplay dynamics.
Key Features
Gameplay Mechanics
Turn-based multiplayer (2–5 players) on a single device
Resource management with four suits: Food, Wood, Bullets, and Fabric
Dynamic card types including Resource, Event, and Point cards
Competitive goal: reach 100 points or survive the full journey
Core Interactions
Trading System: Players barter Resource and Point cards strategically
Events: Randomized challenges (e.g., snowstorms, raids, diseases) that affect gameplay
Scoring: Points earned or lost dynamically; visualized with an oxen marker across a map
Game Progression: Seven rounds representing the seven states along the Oregon Trail
User Interface
Full-screen UI with changing seasonal backgrounds
Clear player dashboards showing cards, resources, and points
Interactive pop-ups for event notifications and trades
Accessibility features including adjustable text size, high-contrast visuals, and multilingual support (English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese)
Technical Specifications
Offline play (no internet or LAN required)
Built for Windows compatibility
Local file storage for high scores and game data
Encrypted data storage using AES-256
Auto-save every 60 seconds or after major actions
Non-Functional Highlights
Performance: Game loads in under 5 seconds, with 95% of actions executing within 1 second.
Reliability: 99.5% uptime target with auto-save recovery.
Usability: Step-by-step tutorial designed to onboard new players in under 10 minutes.
Accessibility: Adjustable interface and multiple language support.
Results
Delivered a complete Software Requirements Specification (SRS) ready for development.
Designed a game that is functional, testable, and user-friendly, meeting all IEEE verification and validation standards.
Positive peer and instructor feedback on game logic clarity and UI intuitiveness.
Provided a working blueprint for future implementation using Python or Unity.
Key Learnings
The importance of defining MVP scope early to avoid feature creep.
How cross-functional collaboration improves requirement accuracy.
The value of user testing and iteration in clarifying ambiguous game mechanics.
Translating technical requirements into user outcomes is the bridge between engineering and product success.
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© 2025 — Ahmed Shaban