My snowy island fishing town

[KayAU]

I already mentioned the snowy island I found in the screenshots thread, but I thought it might be fun to zoom in a bit on the development of just one city in Ara, and make a thread chronicling it.

It was during the high medieval era that a flotilla of Carracks led by the renowned Pioneer Marco Polo went out to explore the Adriatic Sea. Hildegard von Bingen's Germany was looking to expand, but outside of conquest, there were few good opportunities on the mainland.

 

[KayAU]

Success! The explorers discovered a sizeable island right in the middle of the Adriatic: west of the German mainland, south of Ethiopia, and east of Italy.

The island was heavily forested, and it's cold climate meant that it was not well suited for farming. A settlement here would need to be supported with food from the mainland in the early years, but would give Germany access to fishing resources it sorely needed.

 

[KayAU]

Settlers from New Ulm arrived on the island a few years later to found the city of Henningsvær.

 

[KayAU]

It's the early years of the city of Henningsvær. The climate is rough, but the fires at the Gathering Hall burn bright and warm.

In the city center, you can hear the sound of workmen constructing additional Dwellings for new citizens. Hildegard von Bingen has generously supplied the newly founded city with Gourmet Meals, to not only provide nourishment, but also boost the city's growth, health and overall happiness.

 

[KayAU]

Wolves roam the forests of Henningsvær. If the city is to expand, the Scouts will have to deal with them.

 

[KayAU]

Recently, citizens of Henningsvær could celebrate a major milestone: the construction of the Docks on the southern shores. Already the fishermen are bringing back fresh catch, providing a valuable commodity for the German economy.

 

[KayAU]

Meanwhile, the city center is growing steadily, with more people arriving every year.

 

[Civinator]

A very nice story and very nice pictures. Unfortunately the climate in Henningsvær seems to be so cold and the fingers of its population so frozen, that they hanged up their flags all in the wrong direction.

 

[KayAU]

A very nice story and very nice pictures. Unfortunately the climate in Henningsvær seems to be so cold and the fingers of its population so frozen, that they hanged up their flags all in the wrong direction.

Hehe, yeah I'm sure they must have noticed by now, but I can relate to not wanting to go out and redo it in this this kind of climate.

 

[KayAU]

Germany has entered the Rennaissance era, and in the growing island city of Henningsvær, there is great excitement about the recent news. The rumors have been confirmed! Hildegard von Bingen has ordered the construction of a grand structure on the island, one of such ambition, that it would be a source of pride not just for the local Henniningsværings, but a Triumph for all Germany.

 

[KayAU]

A few years later, construction is well underway on the building site on the eastern side of the island. Such an undertaking will take many years to complete still, but the emerging forms hints of what is to come.

 

[KayAU]

After years of construction, the once humble island town of Henningsvær is now home to a grand structure: The Monastery of Batalha.

 

[Civinator]

What is about all the peole that can be seen in Henningsvær ? Are they only there for decorative reasons, or do they have a deeper meaning for the game play?

 

[KayAU]

What is about all the peole that can be seen in Henningsvær ? Are they only there for decorative reasons, or do they have a deeper meaning for the game play?

They're mostly decorative as I understand it, although this is one of the bullet point features of Ara, the "living world". The citizens are there to make the world more lifelike, and to reflect what is going on around them. You can't directly interact with them, with the exception that if you find a dog and click it, you will get an achievement for petting the dog. :-D

I appreciate it, it adds a lot to the aesthetic and immersion of Ara. As someone who used to play a lot of the classic city builders from Impressions, Ara's visuals reminds me of these games. Although I have more than 200 hours in Ara at this point, I still find myself zooming in and exploring the world. It's not just people, you also have animals in the forests and such.