Forum:Technology

If the events of Dishonored never happened (including the rat plauge) what do you think the technological/political advances of the empire would be? Would they eventually find a more sustainable power source other then Whale Oil?

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It depends on whether or not there was a driving influence behind the advances. Mankind, unfortunately, has a great tenacity to advance technology for one main reason: Competition. There has to be some REASON for the advances to occur.

War is one such competitive influence. Sadly some of the greatest inventions/advances came during major wars in the real world. With everything seemingly under the Empire's control (and assuming the plague is gone as in your supposition) then the other countries wouldn't have blockaded Dunwall/Gristol.

Profit, would be a second competitive motivator. As in A Captain of Industry, Sokolov designs a device for maximizing whale oil output, and reducing a lot of the problems associated with it (note). As long as there is a steady supply of whales to take the oil from, and men to build the devices or work the ships, the usage of whales would continue. This is especially true since the entirety of their economy now seems dependent on it.

Exploration is a third competitive influence. As with North America after it was 'discovered' France, Spain, Britain, and many others wanted a piece of this 'new land'. In Dishonored the same concept could be applied to the exploration of Pandyssia. With the advances made in technology, and the ability to now create and ship 'pre-fab' bunkers and defensive positions... the various Isles could start establishing outposts on the huge continent-island. Exploration could begin in earnest, and the different countries would all want to be the first to discover something new or find some different artifact.

I know overall this doesn't answer your questions... but it does establish some prime motivators as to why such would even occur. As for political change - unless there is a drastic attack to the status quo... either the extinction of the whales, or a rebellion such as the Morley Insurrection, I doubt anything would change much.

Thoughts? MDGeistMD02 (talk) 21:20, February 2, 2014 (UTC)