The airship is generally received towards the middle or end of the game, opening up the entire world to player exploration. This allows the player to both advance in the game's plot, and revisit places they've already been. Receiving free access to an airship is often a major event in the plot and opens up many new sidequests. Depending on the game, airships may be in common use over the world, or the player's may be the only one. Some games in which they are more common, such as Final Fantasy XII, provide the player with ferry services using airships, but this is much more restrictive compared to the player flying anywhere they wish. (more...)