The Great Sea is your primary mode of transportation between islands in Phantom Hourglass. You'll be sailing the S.S. Linebeck, a steamship captained by the flamboyant Linebeck. Navigation is done by drawing a path on the sea chart on the bottom screen. Tap the 'Chart' icon to bring up the full sea chart. From there, you can draw a route for your ship to follow. The ship will automatically follow the path you've drawn, allowing you to focus on other tasks, such as firing the cannon or collecting treasure.
Key Navigation Tips:
- Drawing Paths: Use the stylus to draw a continuous line from your current position to your desired destination. You can draw complex routes to avoid obstacles or navigate through narrow passages.
- Cannon: While sailing, you can tap the cannon icon to fire at enemies or obstacles. Aim by tapping on the top screen where you want the cannonball to land.
- Salvage Arm: Later in the game, you'll acquire the Salvage Arm. This allows you to retrieve sunken treasure chests from the seabed. When you see a sparkling spot on the sea, draw a path over it and then tap the Salvage Arm icon to deploy it. You'll then play a mini-game to guide the arm to the treasure.
- Sea Chart Notes: The sea chart is incredibly useful for marking points of interest, such as islands you want to revisit, treasure locations, or areas with strong currents. Use the stylus to draw directly on the map.
- Wind Direction: While not as prominent as in The Wind Waker, wind direction can affect your sailing speed slightly. However, your steamship is powerful enough to generally ignore it.
Exploring the Great Sea is a core part of the game, revealing new islands, side quests, and hidden secrets. Don't be afraid to deviate from the main path and explore uncharted waters. You never know what valuable items or helpful characters you might discover!