# New PC Game: The Ship **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292 "2006-07-20T04:17:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/1 "2006-07-20T04:17:34Z")
Just thought I’d give a little heads up as this is one of those quirky little games that have a tendency to fly under the radar. It’s based on the Source engine, though it’s nothing like Half-Life. It can be played alone vs the computer AI or multiplayer over Valve’s Steam. The basic idea is this: You’re on a **1920’s Style Luxury Liner** -type ship. You are given a target of a single other person on the ship you are to murder. You can kill them with a wide variety of different objects from swords, guns, knives, down to frying pans, unbrellas, hammers, and maniquin arms – all of which you must find. You can’t kill the person in front of any of the (computer controlled) crew of the ship, security guards, or security cameras. If you even flash a weapon in front of those things, you lose money and get sent to the brig for a set period of time depending on the seriousness of the offense. You also can’t just kill any passenger you see since you lose (a lot of) money for killing an innocent. What keeps your target from just camping out in front of the security guards? Every character gets little The Sims-style “needs” that have to be fulfilled. Anything from going to the bathroom, talking to others, eating, drinking, entertainment, and even the nerve-wracking sleep (your screen blacks for a solid 30 seconds and you’re totally vulnerable). This is also where money comes in as you use your cash on hand (and in bank account) to buy stuff. The game boils down to exploring around the ship for useful items, searching for your target and following them or luring them into vulnerable situations. The actual killing is actually quite brief and easy to do, consisting of either firing a gun or swinging your object. Doesn’t particularly require the twitch reflex of most online multiplayer FPSs (it is First Person Shooter, did I mention that?) The graphics are very cartoony Sims/The Movies style. Of course the “twist” to the game is that while you are doing all this hunting and stalking around the ship for your prey, you are also being hunted by someone else who has your name as their target! There’s also a thing about changing your clothes/appearance to throw off your would be trackers. I can explain that if you want, but hopefully you get the basic idea of the game. Check it out – [The Ship](http://www.theshiponline.com). It’s $20, available for download on [Steam](http://www.steampowered.com). Anyone playing it? Anyone interested? I’d love to play with some Dopers. It’s a pretty fun little diversion and I always appreciate developers trying something new in terms of game play. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/2 "2006-07-20T04:25:53Z")
Awesome! And completely out of my reach since I have a PPC-based Mac. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/3 "2006-07-20T06:32:54Z")
I thought about preordering it a few weeks ago, but decided not to. It sounds fun, but I shouldn’t be spending money right now. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/4 "2006-07-20T06:48:10Z")
It was a free HL1 mod a few years back. Perhaps there are still some servers kicking that around. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/5 "2006-07-20T06:53:40Z")
Well it’s well worth the $20, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/6 "2006-07-20T13:06:34Z")
It sounds a lot like a FPS version of [Kill Doctor Lucky](http://www.cheapass.com/products/boardgames/cag001.html). ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/7 "2006-07-20T17:47:09Z")
So nobody’s playing it yet? ---
**Author:** ![mkl12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@mkl12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkl12)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/8 "2006-07-20T19:35:19Z")
> [@Jayrot](#): > > So nobody’s playing it yet? I’m trying, but the game keeps crashing my computer. ---
**Author:** ![Subway\_Prophet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Subway\_Prophet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subway_Prophet)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/9 "2006-07-20T19:47:40Z")
> [@mkl12](#): > > I’m trying, but the game keeps crashing my computer. That’s because there are no witnesses handy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/10 "2006-07-20T19:51:33Z")
Yeah I’ve heard similar complaints, but can’t say I’ve experienced even the slightest glitch at all. Obviously the cartoonish graphics aren’t all that taxing as compared to, say, HL2. Got up to date video drivers? Have you tried the “-autoconfig” option. See [this thread](http://forum.theshiponline.com/showthread.php?t=1231) in The Ship forums. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/11 "2006-07-20T20:25:29Z")
> [@Subway Prophet](#): > > It sounds a lot like a FPS version of [Kill Doctor Lucky](http://www.cheapass.com/products/boardgames/cag001.html). I really like _Kill Doctor Lucky_ (the whole Cheapass line is worth a look), but _The Ship_ sounds even more like a goofy 1965 Italian movie [_La Decima vittima (The Tenth Victim)_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059095/). I’ll give it a look-see. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/12 "2006-07-24T00:07:12Z")
Is it only available online? ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/13 "2006-07-24T04:30:43Z")
> [@liirogue](#): > > Is it only available online? From the site: > [@](#): > > The game will be released worldwide as a retail product, available in a shop near you, from 29th September 2006 UK, Europe & Australia and January 2007 for USA. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/14 "2006-07-24T13:34:30Z")
Wow, for once things will be released in Europe first! But why so long until a US release? I don’t want to wait until next year!! ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/15 "2006-07-24T14:35:46Z")
Why not buy it through Steam? I know some people had problems with Steam when it first came out (definitely not me, it’s always worked flawlessly) but that’s pretty much a thing of the past. It’s a solid distribution system. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/16 "2006-07-25T20:21:47Z")
I have never purchased a game through an online download site before. Does it come with a manual, etc.? And since it will be several months before its retail store release, will there be more bells and whistles and such added to the retail version? ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/17 "2006-07-25T20:50:47Z")
The manual is [all online](http://www.theshiponline.com/about-the-game.php), though there’s not all that much explanation needed. It’s a fairly simple game. As for bells and whistles, purchasing it through Steam gets the advantage here since any additional features (including patches, updates, and new maps) are pushed out through the online system. A further bonus is that you needn’t keep track of original game CDs, etc. As long as you know your user name and password you can always re-download and play the game. That includes if you’re over at a friend’s house or a different computer and want to play. (of course you can’t both play on the same account). I highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/18 "2006-07-25T21:54:22Z")
Alright, I give in… 😛 I’ll give it a shot on Friday ---
**Author:** ![Draax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Draax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draax)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/19 "2006-07-25T21:58:37Z")
Sounds neat. I’m reminded of the “Whodunit” quest in Oblivion. God that was a beautiful piece of gaming. I’ll probably check this out. Thanks for the heads up. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2006, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292/20 "2006-07-25T23:12:57Z")
> [@Subway Prophet](#): > > It sounds a lot like a FPS version of [Kill Doctor Lucky](http://www.cheapass.com/products/boardgames/cag001.html). A mix of Kill Dr. Lucky and Save Dr. Lucy. Save took place on the Titanic. Kill takes place in a mansion and he is rather tough to kill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pc-game-the-ship/365292.md?page=2)