A friend who shall at the moment remain nameless slipped me a DVD full of ancient games from the days when having a Sound Blaster was really cutting edge. Among the gems in its numerous subdirectories was a copy of The Oregon Trail. Who doesn't remember the days huddled in front of an elementary school Apple II with that game? Buying rope, crossing rivers, breaking legs... I remember coming away from it with a firm conviction that, given the opportunity, one should always buy rope. That guideline has served me well in games, RPGs, and wedding rehersals.