MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail

MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail (also known as "MayaQuest Trail") is an educational computer game created by MECC and inspired by the actual MayaQuest Expedition.[1] It is a spin-off title of The Oregon Trail series, featuring the lands of Mexico where the Mayan People once lived. While travelling across the lands by bicycle, the player learns all about the ancient culture and history of the indigenous people. The game also contains some Spanish language for additional learning.

MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail
Macintosh Cover art
Developer(s)MECC
Publisher(s)MECC
Producer(s)Greg Holey
SeriesThe Oregon Trail
Platform(s)Macintosh, Windows 3.x
Release1995
Genre(s)Educational
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

For many years the Earth has been protected from incoming meteors by a space network. An incoming meteor in a satellite's path causes a shuttlecraft to be accidentally shot down to the Mexican jungles on Earth with only part of the new laser firing codes transmitted to the Meteor Defense Network. The player is sent to cycle through the jungles to find and recover the code pieces with a limited time before a meteor shower impact.

Gameplay

The game has two modes; The Adventure mode and the Explore mode. In the Adventure mode, the player has a limited number of days to find four code pieces for the Meteor Defense Network, before a meteor shower impact can occur. The player will receive objectives from the Mexican station commander and has to complete them as quickly as possible. In the Explore Mode, travels around the Mayan ruins to answer the questions of interested contacts before the rainy season begins.

When travelling around Mexico, the player will cycle on a road to the chosen destination. The player must maneuver the bike in a 3D scrolling road environment without going off the edge and avoiding pot holes, logs and other obstacles along the way, otherwise the player gets an injury or breaks the bike. If the bike gets damaged, the player has the option to get it fixed for a price in one or two places, otherwise the player must walk which takes more time. If the player is injured, there options to rest (which takes up time) or continue in one or more ways.

In a destination, the player can move around by clicking the mouse pointer where it changes to an arrow icon. If the player finds something interesting, the pointer will change into a magnifying glass. The player can also use an overworld map of the destination to travel around quicker. In some places, the player will navigate in a maze-like area with a compass and a map for guides. The player also has the option to immediately escape from the maze.

Development

The game makes use of over 1,500 photos and videos that were taken during Dan Beuttner's expedition.[2] His team consisted of his brother Steve, two anthropologists and a photographer. By February 1995, users could log into the Internet or Prodigy to vote where the team should go. The expedition followed a route based on the popular chosen routes and places and worked with scientists at the historic sites. Online users also got access of the team's progress thanks to the high-tech equipment they brought with them. They updated their website with their daily findings. The expedition was carried out in three months. The product was eventually released by Fall that very same year.[3][4] MECC used the team's video and photographs to produce the visual assets in the educational adventure game.[3]

Reception
Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGame[5]
GameSpot6.5/10[6]

According to surveys carried by Classroom Connect Inc. to over 165 educators around the US, Mayaquest was highly praised for its rich features, high curriculum value and notably the Spanish content for bilingual teaching.[7] Electronic Entertainent compared it to Exploring The Lost Maya, noting that they don't focus on the collapse of the Mayan civilization, instead explores the intriguing life and culture of the civilizations through the ruins they left behind.[8] The Computer Museum deemed it an "authentic...intriguing simulation".[9] Mac For Teachers deemed it "probably the hottest new software title in the world".[10] The game has been recommended for children with special needs.[11] School Library Journal identified a weakness of having to have an intimate knowledge of the user manual before being able to competently understand the game mechanics.[12]

Other quests were also carried out, including AustraliaQuest, IslandQuest, AfricaQuest, AsiaQuest, AmericaQuest, GalapagosQuest, and, GreeceQuest.[13][14][15][16]

The paper Making Connections: Building Family Literacy through Technology conducted research that found parents who experience MayaQuest recommended that their kids instead play a game based on the Aztec civilization due to the perception that they contributed more to contemporary culture.[17]

Sourcewell Technology (Formerly known as TIES) incorporated the MayaQuest material into Minnesota school websites.[18]

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References
  1. Newton's Apple. "Maya Bike Trek". 3M Innovation. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  2. "MayaQuest - MECC". February 25, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  3. Grech, Christine (January 1995). "Hi Ya, Maya". Electronic Entertainment. No. 25. Infotainment World. p. 11.
  4. "The World Wide classroom - Down Mexican way". The Computer Paper. Vol. 10 no. 9. Hebdo Mag International. September 1997. p. 30.
  5. "MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail Review - Allgame". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  6. Shmoe82 (December 15, 2007). "MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail Review - GameSpot". GameSpot. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  7. Classroom Connect (June 18, 2001). "Classroom Connect's MayaQuest Wins High Marks From Educators". PRNewsWire. Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. Marcus, Ann M. (December 1995). "Electronic Entertainment 24 Dec 1995". Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  9. Miranker, Cathy; Elliott, Alison; Computer Museum (Marlborough, Mass (1995). The Computer Museum guide to the best software for kids : more than 200 reviews for Windows, Macintosh & DOS computers including the best CD-ROMs. The Computer Museum Archive. New York : HarperPerennial.
  10. Macs for Teachers 3rd Edition 1997.
  11. Alberta. Special Education Branch (1995). Programming for students with special needs. University of Alberta Libraries. Edmonton, AB : Alberta Education.
  12. Anonymous (June 1996). "MayaQuest". ProQuest 211681369. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. "Rollin' Down the River: Connecting Students to Global Cultures | Edutopia". Edutopia. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  14. "GalapagosQuest". Washington Post. 1999-04-12. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  15. "CNN - GalapagosQuest: Journey to the heart of a volcano - March 16, 1999". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  16. "CNN.com - Nature - AmericaQuest - Why go to Chaco?". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  17. ERIC (2004). ERIC ED481646: Making Connections: Building Family Literacy through Technology.
  18. "MayaQuest Theme-based School Projects". ties.k12.mn.us. Archived from the original on 1999-01-17. Retrieved 2018-09-20.
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