“Intricate Victorian technological marvel, the airship, with its simple design resembling a standard balloon, served as a primary mode of aerial transport for nearly six decades,” reads the description of the latest flying machine in Minecraft. However, judging by the image above, it seems that this won’t last long, as the small airship is about to be struck by a massive fish-shaped vessel known as “The Bounty.”
“Bounty is a build that narrates the tale of conflict between the old and the new,” explains Meafcraft, the creator of the assembly. The ship’s name suggests a reward of six million for capturing the crew, though what kind of reward remains unspecified. Could it be dollars? Pounds? Minecoins? Ultimately, the currency doesn’t matter much; regardless of whether it’s yen or something else, the crew is in trouble. Looking at the ship, even the most skilled fisherman would find it quite challenging to get inside and rescue them from the giant lionfish, armed with harpoons, which has become their home.
“This build represents a chase involving two airships,” Meafcraft elaborates. “Old technologies were once seen as innovative and superior, but progress marches on, rendering them outdated, primitive, and ultimately just a part of history.” The smaller airship hails from the Victorian era and is no longer in use today. Constructed from wood and fabric, it stands in stark contrast to The Bounty, a newer, modern, and powerful vessel in Minecraft, built using cutting-edge technology and, regrettably, based on an actual fish.
At the core of the ship lies a real lionfish, which, when not associated with the airship, poses a significant threat. Not only is it venomous and capable of harming humans, but there are also no creatures that prey on this fish, meaning nothing can effectively stop it. Sounds intimidating. “In many states across America, such as Florida, bounties are offered for lionfish to help control their spread,” says Meafcraft. “That’s where the idea for this project originated!”
We didn’t include an actual image of a lionfish because we simply can’t.
The first step in creating “The Bounty” in Minecraft was planning the scale. Using wool blocks, Meafcraft drafted a rough outline to gauge the desired height, length, and width of the build. Once the base was established, he began filling in the interior space. The primary materials used for constructing the ship included dyed clay and stone bricks to give it a metallic appearance. To prevent everything from blending together, gold blocks and empty bricks were added. The final touch involved crafting wings made from stained glass for transparency.
“I didn’t start with stained glass. Initially, I intended to make the wings entirely out of white wool, but upon realizing that a large portion of the ship consists of wings, I switched to glass to avoid cluttering the structure.”
Challenges also arose during the adjustment and refinement of the ship. Merging the mechanical shape of the airship with the natural form of the fish proved difficult. “Ideally, I planned to construct the body of the fish first and then gradually transform it into the desired structure by adding steampunk elements,” shares Meafcraft. “Yet, the coolest aspect of the build turned out to be the steampunk interpretation of the airship.”
Meafcraft aimed to ensure that the design resembled a fish while incorporating industrial features indicative of an airship. He wanted viewers to immediately recognize what the structure represented. Look closely, and you’ll see that the fins serve as the ship’s sails, the mouth and eyes function as windows, and the tongue acts as a harpoon gun. And if you happen to glance at the tongue, don’t forget to duck; otherwise, things could end very poorly.
“Naturally, I’m not an organic builder,” admits Meafcraft. “It took considerable effort in sketching, planning, and constructing to finally achieve a result that met my standards. While the interior of the ship may appear labor-intensive, for me, building it was far easier than the exterior. I have ample experience in designing various interiors in Minecraft Bedrock. But, you know, dealing with an airship based on a fish was a first for me.”
However, like many other builds in Minecraft Pocket Edition, the outcome makes all the hard work worthwhile. And Meafcraft wholeheartedly agrees. “This project is probably one of my best works!”
The Bounty may look intimidating, but that was intentional, designed specifically for players. “One of the goals in creating this build was to craft a ship that players could explore,” says Meafcraft. “I hope those who venture inside the airship will discover plenty of intriguing details and come up with their own stories about it!” So, if you’re eager to visit this vessel, head over to the website to download this build right now!
