Part 2: Shiptalk.txt

This has been sitting in a text file aptly named "SHIPTALK.txt", and I figured it's about time I posted this.

I'm not sure if there really is anything else that's worth writing about, so if you'd like me to explain some mechanics in greater detail, feel free to ask!

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About ship parts



While playing through the game you'll collect a plethora of items, treasures, upgrades and whatnot. One of the more interesting type of item you can collect in the game are the ship parts. There are various ship parts that you can equip Linebeck's ship with. All of the ship parts belong to their own set, which share a specific theme or aesthetic. Another thing to note is that the ship parts you get in your playthrough will be randomly generated on the spot.

There are several ways to obtain ship parts. One of them is to simply buy them with Rupees from the various item shops located on the bigger islands, or to buy them from Beedle, who sails aimlessly across the ocean. Another easy way of obtaining new ship parts is to salvage them at the bottom of the ocean. Normally you don't get good results when you try to salvage at random locations on the ocean. Instead, you can use the treasure charts which you can find throughout the game to guarantee to get a randomly generated ship part.
Like most of the treasure charts you find in the game, you can also find ship parts in various treasure chest hidden throughout the island overworlds, dungeons and temples. The final reliable way to obtain more ship parts is to play mini-games. Upon beating most mini-games, you generally get either more rupees or another ship part as one of your rewards. The final option is to trade ship parts with other players via Nintendo Wi-Fi, which can be done at Freedle's place on Mercay Island.

The rarity of a given set is determined when you create your save file. This means that some particular sets might be harder to obtain for you than others, while someone else playing the game might have difficulty obtaining a set that's easy for you to collect. Supposedly they added this to the game to encourige people to trade ship parts and treasures that are common for you but rare for your friend, and vice versa. The golden set is guaranteed to be the rarest set. The value of a set is also determined by its rarity. Every ship part will sell for at least 50 rupees, and as they go up in rarity they can also sell for 150, 800 or 1500 rupees.

To customize the look of your ship, you can visit the shipyard on Mercay Island. It's located right next to the dock, you really can't miss it. At the shipyard you can mix and match every ship part you have obtained thus far. Usually, this is just for aesthetics, but if you equip multiple ship parts from the same set, you can get a bonus to your ship's health capacity!
The way the game calculates this is as follows: Having three ship parts of the same set equipped nets you one extra heart, while equipping six nets you two extra hearts. Equipping an entire set gives you three additional hearts. This applies to every set excluding the golden set.

For the golden set, gain one extra heart for every second matching part. This means that you'll be able to hit the maximum of eight hearts by equipping all eight golden ship parts. If you don't have every golden part, an alternative is to combine an even number golden ship parts with matching parts from another set. Doing this allows you to get up to seven hearts by equipping six parts from the same set plus two golden ones, or perhaps two golden parts, three parts of the same set and three parts of another set.

With all of that out of the way, here's a picture of every set along with the descriptions that go along with every part:

Normal Ship

Passable Prow - An average prow that came equipped on the S.S. Linebeck.
Normal Anchor - The S.S. Linebeck came equipped with this average anchor.
Standard Hull - The original hull of the S.S. Linebeck. Nothing special.
Eddo's Cannon - A cannon bought from Eddo for the high price of 50 rupees.
Simple Handrail - The handrail that came stock on Linebeck's ship.
Steady Bridge - The original bridge of Linebeck's ship. It's a common style.
Normal Chimney - The normal chimney that came with Linebeck's ship.
Normal Wheel - The paddle that came stock on Linebeck's ship. It... works!

Bright Ship

Bell Prow - This bell doesn't chime, but it gives the prow a nice look.
Bell Anchor - A modern, bell-shaped anchor. Ironically, it doesn't ring.
Bright Hull - A modified hull from a standard ship with a fancy yellow spot.
Artistic Cannon - A cannon with truly avant-garde design. Catches the eye!
Arch Handrail - It draws attention for its playful and ornate design.
Restful Cabin - Soothing design offers an escape from the stresses of battle.
Elegant Chimney - A simple shape, but something about it is so enticing.
Paddling Wheel - A wheel with bent paddles. It steams your ship along!

Iron Ship

Drill Prow - Broken, and nobody in the world has the parts to fix it.
Iron Anchor - An iron-spiked anchor that can secure a ship in any storm.
Iron Hull - Looks strong and heavy. Too bad it's neither.
Strong Cannon - Very functional, but it's not very different from other cannons.
Chain Handrail - A handrail forged with hefty chains so it won't break easily.
Conning Tower - A bridge designed for those engaged in battle day after day.
Parasol Chimney - A chimney made of iron. Caution: Gets very hot when used!
Screw Wheel - A wheel rumored to have been made from a battleship screw.

Stone Ship

Mermaid Prow - The design was based on eyewitness accounts.
Ancient Anchor - An anchor shaped from the mold of an ancient statue.
Stone Hull - A hull that looks like an ancient stronghold. The deck is so green.
Ancient Cannon - A cannon surrounded with the glory of an ancient age.
Pillar Handrail - Made from pillars of exotic ruins. It was recently recovered.
Peaceful Bridge - With its temple-like serenity, it offers peace and comfort.
Stone Chimney - A chimney once used by a bread baker. Smells fresh-baked!
Stone Wheel - Legend says it was made from a giant's table, but no one knows for sure.

Vintage Ship

Log Prow - Made with waterproof lumber, so it's surprisingly valuable.
Swim Ring - It is what it is... No one knows if it works as an anchor.
Vintage Hull - A worn, rugged hull with a manly, burly style of its own.
Meager Cannon - Looks like it could break easily, but it's sturdier than it appears.
Worn Handrail - In dire need of repair, but its design adds a lot of flavor!
Barrel Shack - A modest design for the environmentally conscious!
Strange Chimney - Looks a little like garbage, but that's its main appeal!
Simple Wheel - The number of paddles was cut to four to simplify it.

Demon Ship

Demon Prow - A prow adorned with a scowling demon, Very... intense.
Sickle Anchor - An anchor made in the image of an evil sickle. Scary!
Demon Ship - A scary ship said to ferry the foulest of evils.
Fear Cannon - Some suspect it can fire cannonballs of pure malice.
Spiked Handrail - A handrail made of sharp thorns. Actually not a handrail at all.
Demon Prison - A prison designed to cage the foulest villains!
Demon Chimney - This chimney is said to have been attached to a pot used for boiling lava!
Insect Wheel - A wheel made from the hollow shell of a red insect. Ewww!

Tropical Ship

Tropical Prow - A prow made with swaying palm trees in mind. No coconuts.
Shell Anchor - An anchor made from a shell. Girls go wild for it!
Tropical Ship - A themed ship with the appeal of a private tropical oasis.
Seapony Cannon - A seahorse-shaped cannon. Very fairytale-like, but it's powerful.
Wood Handrail - A very basic handrail. Sometimes the basics are the best!
Shell Apartment - Top creature comforts combined with the small of ocean air.
Horn Chimney - An artistic chimney filled with rustic charm.
Shell Paddle - Aesthetic design made from an ancient spiral shell.

Dignified Ship

Tourist Prow - A prow made for those looking for the romance of the sea!
Weighty Anchor - A three-pronged anchor. No frills, but it gets the job done!
Dignified Ship - A hull with a very serious red and black paint scheme.
Red Cannon - Looks complex, but it's easy to use. The professional standard.
Utility Handrail - A handrail that works even in violently churning seas.
Practical Bridge - Created for those who live their years on the high seas.
Tall Chimney - Towering over the horizon, all chimneys aspire to its glory.
Red Wheel - A wheel with nothing special. That is what draws many to it.

Golden Ship

Golden Prow - An extravagant prow that uses an expensive golden pot.
Gem Anchor - An anchor patterned after a gem. A sure hit with celebrities!
Golden Hull - A hull that delivers an experience in pure extravagance.
Golden Cannon - The perfectly designed cannon. Truly the gold standard.
Golden Handrail - Note the elegant curve and design. A true masterpiece!
Golden Bridge - A bridge for royalty. The interior is also gold and the bed is super-fluffy.
Golden Chimney - A simple chimney, but its surfaces gleam mysteriously.
Golden Wheel - The skilled craftsman's love can be seen in the details.

And that's pretty much all there is to the ship parts!