Mississippi Riverboats!!

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Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/4/2006 10:45:03 PM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
Joined: 11/3/2002
From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
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This thread should conjur images right from a Currier and Ives picture book.
In the "Romantic era" of America's past, from the 1820's to the very early 1900's, steamboats plied the Mississippi and its' tributaries, (The Ohio river especially, all the way over to what is now West Virginia and Pennsylvania.)
Over a hundred companies were involved in the operation and development of this steamboat traffic, and the advancement of boat technology, which carried both cargo and passengers in a robust business before railroads made the steamboats less efficient.
I can see a game being developed, where players can design their own boats, (or purchase them from an in-game shipyard), with advances in technology coming along ever so often.
The game would have the ability to bid for landing rights in cities such as Natchez, Memphis, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Louisville,St Louis,etc, and gain favor with these towns by helping in their prosperity.
The rivers would have the occasional risks of weather hinderance, (the rivers are notorious for changing their stream over-night after heavy rains in areas), and perhaps the "grade" of the boats captain would have something to do with the boats survivability in these tragedies.
Too, the Civil War affected river trade for a few years.
To assist the game designer, there are tons of riverboat pictures and specs available, and nice background sounds of clanging bells and calliopes can be downloaded.
The sounds of the big paddlewheels can also be included, (maybe just a clip for when boats pull out?)..
Companies can have bidding wars for passengers, and cargo, and maybe some boats would cater to just the riverboat gambling crowd, or even provide showboats with famous minstrel shows, like Stephen Foster's?
The opening screen for the game would be a shot low on the brown water of the muddy Mississippi, in a bend, overhung with Spanish Moss and a couple of white-coloured steamboats signalling each other in a friendly pass,as lady passengers in their pastel gowns and parousals,their companions in tophats and long frockcoats look on...

If this game were playable online, riverboat races could be run against each other.
Individual players would have the option to give their boats names, like "Cairo Queen", "General Jackson",etc........

Would the game be a financially viable product for a a game company?
Look at the past popularity of games like Rail Baron, Airliner,the "Sims" series,etc.

< Message edited by m10bob -- 5/4/2006 11:20:19 PM >

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/5/2006 6:05:41 AM

ShermanM4

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Joined: 7/14/2003
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Good idea!

It sounds a little bit like the original Rail Road Tycoon or Lords of the Realm.

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/5/2006 10:37:41 AM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
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From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ShermanM4

Good idea! It sounds a little bit like the original Rail Road Tycoon or Lords of the Realm.

Maybe it would cater to people who liked those "construction" type games?..I had both of them as well.....

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/5/2006 8:29:52 PM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
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From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
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An entire library of sound clips awaits for those wishing to create the background music.
The theme might be "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee", or "Old Man River", or........

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/6/2006 6:54:56 PM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
Joined: 11/3/2002
From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
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So far, the idea as I have described it is mostly beer and pretzel stuff, but what if it went further, and became a first-person sim, with shots from behind the big ships wheel in the pilot house, and the river became animated with floating logs after heavy rains, and swirling waters near over-hanging branches?
The sounds of nearby towns being passed.
I know the technology is there, because I have been train-simming for years, and they are first person, with accurate routes hundreds of miles long.
Nothing which could not be done with a flat (albeit sparkly) river.?

< Message edited by m10bob -- 5/6/2006 6:55:22 PM >

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/7/2006 5:46:57 AM

rhondabrwn

Posts: 2570
Joined: 9/29/2004
From: Snowflake, Arizona
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quote:

ORIGINAL: m10bob

So far, the idea as I have described it is mostly beer and pretzel stuff, but what if it went further, and became a first-person sim, with shots from behind the big ships wheel in the pilot house, and the river became animated with floating logs after heavy rains, and swirling waters near over-hanging branches?
The sounds of nearby towns being passed.
I know the technology is there, because I have been train-simming for years, and they are first person, with accurate routes hundreds of miles long.
Nothing which could not be done with a flat (albeit sparkly) river.?

Yep, I own TRAINZ from Auran and there is clearly no technical limit to having incredibly detailed river routes, automated industries, and so forth. Might be a hard sell in the consumer market though for a riverboat game.

Now if you build a Civil War game of riverine combat between ironclads, converted boats of all descriptions, rams, and so forth, you would find a definite market. Running the forts at New Orleans with shore batteries blasting while you "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" could be rather exciting. I could see a game where you could design the shore batteries and then use them to defend against your opponents fleet. You could even take it down to the level where you could "man the guns" and fight like it was GNBA!

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RE: Mississippi Riverboats!! - 5/7/2006 7:29:15 AM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
Joined: 11/3/2002
From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: rhondabrwn

quote:

ORIGINAL: m10bob

So far, the idea as I have described it is mostly beer and pretzel stuff, but what if it went further, and became a first-person sim, with shots from behind the big ships wheel in the pilot house, and the river became animated with floating logs after heavy rains, and swirling waters near over-hanging branches?
The sounds of nearby towns being passed.
I know the technology is there, because I have been train-simming for years, and they are first person, with accurate routes hundreds of miles long.
Nothing which could not be done with a flat (albeit sparkly) river.?

Yep, I own TRAINZ from Auran and there is clearly no technical limit to having incredibly detailed river routes, automated industries, and so forth. Might be a hard sell in the consumer market though for a riverboat game.

Now if you build a Civil War game of riverine combat between ironclads, converted boats of all descriptions, rams, and so forth, you would find a definite market. Running the forts at New Orleans with shore batteries blasting while you "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead" could be rather exciting. I could see a game where you could design the shore batteries and then use them to defend against your opponents fleet. You could even take it down to the level where you could "man the guns" and fight like it was GNBA!

Yup...I'm all for a computer version of Ironclads as well...(See my thread in the Age of Sails forum.)
Lux Et Veritas................

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