Player Airships

Let's use this thread to discuss how airships could be implemented and what features we'd like to see.

Tech:
What kind of tech would the airships use? I could see 3 different levels of tech.

Balloons:
http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...IV_Airship.jpg

The most basic of ships. They use balloons filled with...some lighter-than-air gas. This designed is shared with the Ixali balloons (don't wanna spoil anything to those who haven't done the Ixal quests.

Because of their low tech, these airships could be the cheapest or the earliest available ships to us. I haven't seen this design with weapons, but given the open deck design and the vulnerable balloon, I'd think these ships are ill designed for combat. Think of these ships as the smallest house.

Propeller:
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...Highwind_5.jpg

These ships are slightly more advanced than their balloon cousins. They sport propellers for lift and armor too! Decks are covered in armor, making them good candidates for Airship-airship PVP/PvE. Faster than the baloons, yet more expensive as well.

Compare these to the medium houses.

Cerulean Power:
http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...rokairship.jpg
http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2...Airship_CM.png

This design has the best weapons/armor. They are also the largest and fastest ship. The most advanced airship available. Built using stolen plans from Garlean shipwrights (Thanks Cid).


Acquisition, uses, and crews:

How do we get an airship? Is it like buying a deed then actually crafting the ship using DoH? Or will it be as simple as buying the entire ship pre-made? Yoshi already said there would be locations that are only accessible by airship. Would that mean they will actually be acquirable by most of the population unlike housing?

There may be special sky battlefields that pit our ships against Garlean ships. There could also be PvP Game modes as well. Each ship would need abilities that would be fitting for combat (like "use cannon" "Use missile" "Evasive maneuver" I dunno.)

The balloon airships are crewable by a single person, a pilot. Would the more tech-y ships require bigger crews? How would/should that work? Would it be like a full-party enters the party leader's ship as his/her crew? Each person takes a different system like 1 person is a pilot, one person is the navigator (Highlights enemies), and the rest of the people work on weapons?

If this works out, the last thing to add is the Sky Fortress!
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2.../Bashamut2.png

It could work as a flying FC HQ with a huge hangar for the members' Airships. Sky Fortress PVP ooooo.

All aboard the hype train! CHOO-CHOOOO!

I could be misaken, but I don't believe that the current Map structure / zone lines would serve as a suitable world for free-form Overland flight. I Could be wrong, Airship in FFXI did travel properly over the land, and you could see the correct areas that lined up with the maps beneath you. Even then, While I liked he ravel time etc, FFXIV has set a precedence to there being just a simple cutscene.

If we get one, I would imagine someway being able to use it to enter the residential District. Probably via he Ferry Docks. (Either a new add-on, or just a random NPC standing there.) ou could talk to that NPC, as long as your FC had an Airship, and select a destination of the major cities. undoubedly as he said, a new continent would not be reachable by the current Eorzean Airships used to shule between cities. Nay, Adventurer's would ned some spectacular Ixali/Ironworks design~! So in the cut scenes and story wise it will have room to be super epic, but we won't be able to fly around etc.

Yoshi & Team : Please prove me wrong :D

Also, this thread reminded me of FFVII, when the airship transforms . . .

I believe Yoshi said there would be special airship-only zones. Like "Above Thanalan" which would encompass North/South/East/West/Central Thanalan and you could see the landmarks below like UD and the Castrums. Like you said, the current zones are WAY to small for airships to fly above players. I think Yoshi also said something about when you're on the ground, you can look up and see AI airships flying around giving you a sense of how many player ships are in the "Above ____" map.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lucke

I believe Yoshi said there would be special airship-only zones. Like "Above Thanalan" which would encompass North/South/East/West/Central Thanalan and you could see the landmarks below like UD and the Castrums. Like you said, the current zones are WAY to small for airships to fly above players. I think Yoshi also said something about when you're on the ground, you can look up and see AI airships flying around giving you a sense of how many player ships are in the "Above ____" map.

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Unless they have announced otherwise, at the fanfest it was stated that flight would only work in Heavensward areas, and we would not be able to fly in 1.0/2.0 areas.