Jump to content
Game-Labs Forum

Recommended Posts

I noticed a brief mention of whaling in another thread somewhere, and searched the forum but didn't find anything.

 

Do you think whaling would be a good option to have for economy players? This last fall I found an old gem of a book entitled "The Story of Yankee Whaling" at a yard sale. Apparently it was popular during the NA time and potentially very profitable but high risk. It gives examples of whaling ships, and details the equipment a whaling vessel required including the row boats for chasing, harpoons, spear-like cutting implements for cutting them up, huge vats for boiling the oil (in Master and Commander when the Surprise is posing as a whaler, they create smoke to imitate smoke from oil vats). And lots and lots and lots and LOTS of barrels. Some very cool examples of scrimshaw with whale teeth and bones. (Fun fact: whalemen called ships carrying a woman "hen frigates")

 

Apparently whalers could also be sealers... but I don't know if seal clubbing should be an upgradeable crew skill :/ then again, not as hot button a topic as women's rights or slavery, both of which I've seen discussed rather passionately on these forums so far.

 

I'd like to share an excerpt from "The Story of Yankee Whaling", a journal entry from a mate on the whaling ship "Gazelle" regarding the captain's wife:

 

"'Capt.'s wife got sick and so we made all sail for home. I wish she would have a sick time every day if that would only hurry us. She is the meanest, most hoggish and greediest female that ever existed. Her looks is despised by everyone on board and the whistle of a gale of wind through the rigging is much more musical than . . . her voice.'"

 

18th_century_arctic_whaling.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Devs have said that they will not be adding whaling into NA, and to be fair I can understand why. Though it was a large practice in the late 1700's to early 1800's, it is a topic of strong controversy today. The developers are probably  concerned with getting thousands of letters from angry Greenpeace supporters.

 

Perhaps the trade of whale byproducts like oil, but the actual act of whaling I think opens the door to conservationists with nothing better to do then cause problems for a small group of gamers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As it was (at least partly) me, who demanded whaling in the exploration gameplay thread, I have to comment this:

 

I would really like to see whaling in NA, but I totally accept if the amount of coding and political problems stops the devs from implementing it.

 

I just have to say its ridiculous that in a movie where 12 humans are killed violently the scene where a Hamster is killed has to be cut out. The same applies here: We're much more often throwing blazing hot iron balls at the guy next to us than was imaginable in the 18th century, but one of the major trades of that time has to be left out.

 

I don't say that NA is directly this way, but our world is going more and more in the direction of hiding and forgetting the things we overcame deliberately and not because the people of that time just forgot what it was. (Slavery,antisemitism, absolute monarchy, war as means of politics, whaling etc.) Saying "The one who must not be named" does not make Voldemort vanish.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ohh.. political problems, Greenpeace, who the hell cares? It's a darn video game. Don't let pussy's dictate what you can, and what you can't do with your property/VIDEO GAME. Following their logic we shouldn't even have simple fishing mechanic? I say fuck them. Fuck their opinion. Whaling could add so many gameplay scenarios and more depth to the game. Customer is always right.

Sorry for my little rant  :angry: Game age rating doesn't stop kids from buying rated M games.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Devs have said that they will not be adding whaling into NA, and to be fair I can understand why. Though it was a large practice in the late 1700's to early 1800's, it is a topic of strong controversy today. The developers are probably  concerned with getting thousands of letters from angry Greenpeace supporters.

 

Perhaps the trade of whale byproducts like oil, but the actual act of whaling I think opens the door to conservationists with nothing better to do then cause problems for a small group of gamers.

 

And again in reply to this post they have said they have no current plans to add it to the programme of work.

 

It would however be reasonable that even if players do not carry out whaling activites, perhaps NPC ships/fleets of whaling vessels could be in game, both as a target and as something that needed protecting, quite a proportion of naval ships spent time patroling and protecting national whaling fleets and their hunting grounds

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly, I think that the action of whaling is a separate video game and taking Naval Action in a direction other than what is originally intended.  Trading in whaling goods and products may be included in the marketplace, i.e. whale oil and baleen, but I think the devs have their hands full creating a potentially awesome video game atm, and if they wish to do whaling at some future date...then so be it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had to chuckle. I can't find it, I think it was in the slavery post, but admin had some humor: we won't do slavery... Or whaling. But we might do African diamonds trade.

I paraphrase... Funny though b/c blood diamonds are not much better :)

Edit: If you want trading with Africa you can trade ivory or diamonds

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 11 months later...

As i've been reading Moby Dick again, seen The Heart of the Sea and Master and Commander, I'd propose a proper simulation of the bloody craft of whaling, which might bring a kind of philosophy into it.

Hybris?

Great game anyways, thank.you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...