To encourage a fantastic journey and the thrill of the ocean, exhilaration of bringing home a big score. Etc etc

To incorporate sailing. To make sailing home a more strenuous yet epic feeling. Like, you have a full hold of iron and blackmetal and you're far from home so you set sail, yet a storm sets in and you take a little bit of damage from the waves. Them you hear a roar and see a sea serpent barreling towards you but thankfully you happen to have the wind on your side.

But you got to close to the shores of the plains and a deathsquito sinks your boat while trying to kill you.

Bet you thought this story was gonna end well, didn't you?

Originally posted by ShaftAlmighty:

To incorporate sailing. To make sailing home a more strenuous yet epic feeling. Like, you have a full hold of iron and blackmetal and you're far from home so you set sail, yet a storm sets in and you take a little bit of damage from the waves. Them you hear a roar and see a sea serpent barreling towards you but thankfully you happen to have the wind on your side.

But you got to close to the shores of the plains and a deathsquito sinks your boat while trying to kill you.

Bet you thought this story was gonna end well, didn't you?

As soon as you said a full hold of iron? No.

theres nothing like bring a ship full of iron home from the swamps

Originally posted by Kerfana:

theres nothing like bring a ship full of iron home from the swamps

YES!

Getting home with your longship full of metal swag, was a wonderful thing. I looted 6 entire crypts, and packed my ship full of iron. I was chased by a sea serpent on the way back (you are NOT sinking my ship!), and outran it finally.

I remember running into my workshop to load up the furnaces with the new metal. I was hopping up and down like a little kid on Christmas morning, waiting for the first bars to come out. Dreaming of all the wonderful new toys I could make with that metal.

Being able to just step through a portal... would have taken all that fun and excitement out.

Nothing like flipping your karve at sea filled with iron.
Oh btw, some devs regret portals being in game.