The ship pieces act as a physical icon [phicon] that allows for game input and output. The phicon design endeavoured to ensure the user experience was as rich as possible.
Ship with smoke billowing from the masts.
During battle, the game is divided into two intertwined interfaces: physical and virtual.
The phicon on the physical layer connotes the desired location of a ship. The image of a ship on virtual layer denotes the actual location of the ship in battle.
Moving the phicon commands the movement of a virtual ship to arrive at its correlating location. In order to afford bilateral movement, a croupier baton accompanies each player.
A croupier baton affords bilateral movement of phicons.
Electronics fitted in the phicon actuate situational feedback. These components respond to the progress of a game.
When commanded to fire, LEDs illuminate from the port and starboard side batteries. As a ship sustains damage, smoke billows from its sails. On its destruction, masts fall signifying its inability to compete.