Victorian Nautical Archive

🎉 Made for PROCJAM 2024  🎉

Lore

The Victorian Nautical Archive was founded in 1885 in London, and while it retains the monkier of the regent at that time, it is the pre-eminent steamship archive through the end of the steamship era itself. 

You, dear guest, are invited to speak with the docent who has access to the records from the 1880s through the 1910s.

Interactions

Input a name into the input box and search with either the enter key or clicking the enquire button. You can save an image of the index card with the button on the bottom right if you like :)

Background

All ships are generated deterministically and are entirely fictional. Where possible, I have applied realistic measurements and estimations—where these exist—and have guessed wildly in the general direction of the rest. 

There is no generative AI in use here; it is essentially seeded RNG, dice rolling, Tracery-inspired text mashing going on.

I wanted to make a generator focusing on coal-fired steamships of vaguely in this time frame, I've always thought they were cool, and thus the general timeframe of 1880-1917. It also simplified the guesswork by limiting the year-on-year technological improvements. I ran out of time for proper global ports/shipping, so it's Europe/UK/North and South America.

A very special shoutout to the r/OceanLinerArchitect subreddit for inspiration.

I hope you enjoy it ❤️

-Aaron