Airship Guide

[LauphinFaux]

After wayyyy more work than I expected it to be, I've finalized the Time calculation! The prior-posted calculation works fairly well for close zones, but it starts to break down at multiple legs and at higher distances.

Total Time (minutes) = (1150*(sum-of-Distances) + 540*total#Legs + 12600*(sum-of-Barrels)) / Speed + 720 {the initial 12-hour entry}

It will give you exactly the correct value, if you round each individual component down.

*Note: the # of barrels for SC19+ is listed as 6, but it's calculated as if it were 8. Those sectors take forever!

However! You'll need the exact distances, which are not the ones in-game (which can lead you off by up to 10 minutes per leg). I'm still working on those and will hand them to Neri when completed for completion of the very promising Trip Planner. The only way to avoid having to gather data of multiple Speeds for every possible combination is a large endeavor on its own, so it'll take a bit.

Please look forward to it!

[Aeyis]

There is no data to support that yet. All Ships had at least 90+ retrieval when they visited SC15 or higher and in all the data recorded there isn't a single retrieval recording that is anything less then normal retrieval levels.

With 58 retrieval ive received nothing but ''disappointing'' yields on everything in the higher sectors, apart from crystals which were ''substandard'', in the last 2 trips where I had those stats.

However I havent added my data in weeks (not motivated due to missing sector unlocks). I will add the last voyage to the sheet, however.


As for a theory about survey: it might be required to [add progress] towards [second item unlock] for a sector. Higher survey means more progress added, or something like that.
Even with high survey I dont recall visiting a sector and getting the second item right away.
That would also explain why the really high sectors have survey requires added to them. (because otherwise everyone would run with a bronco forecastle after discovering/unlocking everything.

[IrealiTY]

Seein how far away the higher level sectors are it all depends what you want to do really. One Sector to unlock new stuff? Multiple Sectors? High Item gain?

Personally I was playing around with the builder and came out with Tatanora Hull - Enterprise Rigging - Odyssey Forecastle and Bronco Aftcastle

Stats: 126 Survey 62 Retrieval 98 Speed 132 Range 106 Favor

I went that way because even normal retrieval levels are bringing back nice amounts, high survey for multiple items, high range so i can visit 4-5 sectors and medium speed so it doesn't take longer then needed.

How it works out in the end - give me another 6 month and ill have a clear answer for you XD even now we don't know what most of the stats do :/

Thanks, I was thinking of making 1 ship with high speed, 1 with high retrieval etc one for each need basically, we miss only 4 sectors with our FC so'll just rely on RNG to open them up.

[Thaninora]

Seein how far away the higher level sectors are it all depends what you want to do really. One Sector to unlock new stuff? Multiple Sectors? High Item gain?
Personally I was playing around with the builder and came out with Tatanora Hull - Enterprise Rigging - Odyssey Forecastle and Bronco Aftcastle
Stats: 126 Survey 62 Retrieval 98 Speed 132 Range 106 Favor
I went that way because even normal retrieval levels are bringing back nice amounts, high survey for multiple items, high range so i can visit 4-5 sectors and medium speed so it doesn't take longer then needed.
How it works out in the end - give me another 6 month and ill have a clear answer for you XD even now we don't know what most of the stats do :/

you talk about a builder, I have been looking for something like that to play around with, any idea where i could find it?

[Arcticharm]

you talk about a builder, I have been looking for something like that to play around with, any idea where i could find it?

There's a tab on the spreadsheet (link on the first page) where we have all of the ship stats and "capacity". Since even the highest level ship can't use all the highest level parts at the moment, you have to mix and match a little.

[Nyalia]

Spreadsheet updated with the new time formula. Thanks! I've made it clearer which log entries I was deliberately not moving over to the master log due to errors or incompleteness.


Still trying to find a formula that works in Google Sheets for optimizing a path to four destinations. Can't exactly use Dijkstra's Algorithm for this...

[BonzaiFerroni]

As for the best ship build, I think it really will depend on what you want to do. Just some examples of situations that might influence what parts you decide to use:

• You might have a ship that is dedicated to sector unlocks and is making quick trips to sectors with potential. In that case, the best we can recommend with the present knowledge is a great rigging to reduce time.
• Perhaps you are hunting for dusk leather, there are several sectors in the same area that give a chance to find it. You'll want to make sure you have an adequate hull for visiting as many of these as you can in one trip.
• If it turns out that retrieval does contribute to better retrieval levels and a better sector ratings, you will want to make sure you have the best aftcastle on your ships that are still gaining ranks.
• Maybe you are looking for some gathering/crafting materia. There are certain sectors with a gathering/crafting materia theme. If it turns out that surveillance/favor does contribute to your chances of finding a second item per sector, it might be smart to bring along a good forecastle for trips like this to improve your odds.

With the present content, once you've found all the sectors and leveled up your ships, there doesn't seem to be any other reasons to send airships out besides item gathering, so I'm guessing that will influence players opinions about which parts to bring. Perhaps with future patches, stats will have additional effects! \o/

One thing I'm looking forward to is getting more data that isn't so uniform on stats. As Nyalia has mentioned before, most people have upgraded their ships with the latest parts that become available, which means that most of the stats are fairly similar (multicollinearity). Since the best airship parts go well beyond the capacity to equip all of them at once, we might get more people with varying levels of individual stats. This type of data is a lot more likely to help us answer questions about Surveillance, Favor, and Retrieval. So if you do your own experimenting with advanced parts, be sure to add your data to the spreadsheet! \o/

[MysticSpirit]

Deep-Blue Cluster from Sector 19. They are High-Quality and High Retrieval Level is 5 and Normal Retrieval Level is 1.

[Nyalia]

Deep-Blue Cluster from Sector 19. They are High-Quality and High Retrieval Level is 5 and Normal Retrieval Level is 1.

Yup, that's in the spreadsheet.

On that note, Bonzai, want to update the OP with the data collected in the spreadsheet? We have a ton there that you are missing. We almost have the whole thing filled out from 1-21, actually - just missing a few crystal/materia entries and the unique crafting mat for sector SC18 (Dusk Leather doesn't occupy that slot - that appears to occupy the schematic material slot).

[Molic]

snip

was gonna post an end-game ship type guide lol

Heres what i thought of for end-game ships if this helps anyone:

(going off of what we think the stats currently effect)

All rank 50:

The Explorer: (Sur 140/ Ret 50/ speed 140/ rng 64 / favor 136)

Hull: Invincible
Rig: Tatanora
Fore: Tatanora
Aft: Branco


The Retriever: (Sur 120/ ret 140 / speed 50 / rng 84 / favor 136)


Hull: Invincible
Rig: Branco
Fore: Tatanora
Aft: Tatanora

The Multi-Target ( surv 50 / ret 136 / speed 64 / rng 136 / favor 50)

Hull: Tatanora
Rig: Invincible
Fore: branco
Aft: Tatanora

Speedster ( sur 50 / ret 120 / speed 120 / rng 64 / favor 66)

Hull: Branco
Rig: Tatanora
Fore: Invicible
Aft: Tatanora



These were the most useful builds i thought of for endgame voyages, if people have other stuff or want to change these go ahead!