Overview of The Ark
"The Ark, once a oceanic paradise, has been torn apart by civil war." -Brink's back cover
The Ark is a man-made island featured in Brink. It seems to be just off the coast of San Francisco. It was originally intended to be a massive five star eco-resort. According to the extended teaser, the Ark may have been near the land because it is said to have been relocated, possibly further out at sea. It was originally built to show that life could be sustained while not on land but this was only a prototype and when the waters rose the founders were unable to house all the civilians. The Ark was moved to keep people from finding it and the reason for the war is that the founders did not have enough provisions to keep all the civilians alive and happy.
The Island
The Ark
Built in the near-future as part of a contemporary green vision, the Ark was a model for sustainable living. The massive man-made floating city became a home to the scientists and thinkers focused on making the vision a reality, while its wealthy patrons built a recreational paradise. But soon the threat of a global environmental crisis became real: glaciers melted, sea levels rose, and the very survival of humanity was threatened. Thousands from around the globe fled to the Ark as a last hope. Refugees clung to survival however they could, while the original founders and their descendants struggled to maintain the island. Now, the Ark has lost contact with what remained of the mainland and exists in total isolation. As the Ark's supposedly renewable resources dwindle, the balance of power threatens to unravel and throw competing social factions into a horrific conflict. With tensions growing, Security and Resistance forces are locked in a heated battle for control of the Ark.
Shipyard
Over the years, the Ark has collected a wide variety of abandoned and disused ships. Those no longer seaworthy are broken up at a floating drydock for spare parts and scrap metal - a scarce and vital resource on the Ark. Odd pieces of a wide variety of old boats and ships are scattered all about - ocean liners, cruise ships, pleasure boats and even a scuttled navy destroyer - held together like a patchwork quilt by a network of platforms and cables. Over time, the shipyards and hulls have also been taken over by refugee squatters: living space is scarce and they literally have nowhere else to go.
Container City
Overhead view of Container City map
Originally used as docks and long term storage, the need for "guest" accommodation saw disused shipping containers hastily and sloppily converted into living quarters. With the huge influx of refugees, Container City was born and is now a rusting favela.
Artwork for Container City
The lack of maintenance, marine corrosion, and pillaging have accelerated the aging process. Old rusty containers are piled dangerously high and those that were not strong enough to be stacked have collapsed completely.
Now thousands of men, women and children live in tight, confined spaces with almost no access to vital resources. Out of this decay, the Resistance was born, and they continue to use the city as a base of operations, hiding amongst the civilian populace.
Trivia
- The island could have been named as The Ark as a reference to Noah's Ark, according to which all the living beings in the world were carried on to avoid a massive global flood.
- According to Ark trivia in the Aquarium, the Ark could only support five thousand people
- The Ark was only built to hold five thousand people but is now home to over five million