Uncharted Waters
Encyclopedia
is a popular Japan
ese video game series produced by Koei as part of its Rekoeition games. In East Asia
, the series has a large cult following, but has not received much recognition outside the region. The series has been compared to Sid Meier's Pirates!
in gameplay
and theme. It is a simulation
and CRPG series dealing with sailing and trading.
In the games, the player takes up the role of a captain
(also called commodore
in some translations) and manages a seagoing fleet to participate in trade
s, privateer
ing, treasure hunting, exploration
, and plain piracy. Even though the series is largely open-ended, there is still a loose plot which requires the player to follow certain paths, and deviating from these paths may stall the progress of the story.
an explorers sailed the seas to open new alternative ways to Asia
when the Ottoman Empire
blocked the land routes
.
This period was characterized by the rivalry between Spain and Portugal, the advent of colonization, and general exploration. In later games, other countries are also involved. Some historical events during the Age of Exploration, like the Treaty of Tordesillas
, were mentioned.
The game series makes many references to the historical background, although much like Pirates!, the more treacherous details of the era are idealized to create an adventurous and exciting mood.
. The goal of the game is to restore the family's former glory and achieve Leon's dreams. Only three nations are represented, Portugal, Spain
and the Ottoman Empire
, although there are many neutral ports around the world that the player can "invest" in and thus make part of Portugal's sphere of influence. This, as well as discovering ports and defeating other merchants and pirates in sea battles, increases Leon's fame. With increased fame, Leon can complete tasks for the King of Portugal and gain higher titles of nobility.
The story is set in the early 16th century. It was released on MSX
and NES
in 1991, and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and SNES
in 1992, with the SNES versions known as Super Daikoukai Jidai in Japan. The English versions were also released in the same years respectively. The game was ported to PC
, as well.
popularity Pirates! had. There is only a relatively small following outside of East Asia.
Also set in the 16th century, this game is a sequel
to the first title and was released for NEC PC-98, SNES
and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. It was the last part of the series to be ported for PC
. It also saw releases in 1996 on Sega Saturn
and PlayStation
in Japan exclusively. The SNES version recently appeared on Nintendo's Virtual Console
in Japan on March 17, 2009 and in North America on April 6, 2009.
In this game, there are six protagonist
s to choose from, each of them representing a different path or career
featured in the game. They are listed as follows:
While the game is more or less open-ended, developing the character's career is necessary to advance the plot.
, this title was the first to depart from the formula
and engine of the series. The traditional focus on story was removed in this game, and some character customization is possible, if only purely decorative. There are two player character
s from Portugal and Spain. Although the differences between them are mainly mechanical, the role-playing element was greatly reduced.
The theme of exploration is heavily emphasized, as land travel is now possible, and there is a lot more to be explored and discovered overall, compared to the early titles. The game starts in the mid fifteenth century and allows for the player to make historical discoveries such as the New World
or a route to India
as well as conquer civilizations like the Aztec
and Inca Empire
. Also, the game experiments with the concept of language
in a video game, a feature uncommon in the industry, and necessitating the hiring of translators and teachers. The player can also continue the game by marrying bar-girls and having children, who in turn can continue the seafaring tradition and even take on part of his father's skills and inventory. Perhaps it is due to these dramatic changes that Daikoukai Jidai 3 left players uncomfortable and failed to achieve much popularity even within Japan.
At its initial release, this title caused some controversy for allowing slave trade in the game. The feature is disabled in later updates.
Unlike most games in the series, this game was never released for consoles; it was only released for PC
, working under Windows 2000
.
and Sega Saturn
after New Horizons, the game uses the same engine
and focuses on the story of two characters
instead, further expounding upon the loose plot that ties the series together. The two protagonists are as follows:
and PC
under Windows 2000
and XP
.
This game returns to the previous formula, although its open-endedness has decreased and the engine has been updated. This title is plot-wise unrelated to the series that ended in Gaiden. Porto Estado is known for its fine art and high-quality illustration
s.
The story evolves on the search of the seven Proof of the Conqueror, which are seven ancient artifacts, in seven areas around the world (Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Africa, New World, Indian Ocean, South Asia and East Asia). It is said that having these proofs proves that the sailor is the champion of all sailors. Four sailors (plus another three in expansion) unwittingly involved in the struggle of the quest of the search of the Proof of the Conqueror. It is interesting that not all sailors are from Europe: two of the seven characters are from Asia (one from East Asia and another from southeast Asia), one from Caribbean and another one from Middle East.
There are many significant changes in this game. For example, the game no longer has the concept of year and the result is that characters in this game will not age. Also, player can set up regional fleets and these regional fleets are valuable financial resources. In combat, naval battle is now fought in real time.
The country boundaries have disappeared. Each character is only represented by their own guild and their home country is not important in gameplay. Ports in this game also have a market share rating in a percentage scale. Players can trade in a port only when his guild has some market share in that port, which can be gained by signing a contract with the local governor.
and Nintendo DS
. This is a remake of Porto Estado for handhelds:
Country boundaries have reappeared, with more countries (Spain, Portugal, Venice, Ottoman Empire, France, England, and The Netherlands), however the concept of time is non-existent. The storyline is important to unlocking new areas in the game. The player now receives fame from activities such as battling, trading, discovering, and sailing. When fame levels reach required amounts, the player unlocks new areas of the world. The level of fame required differ from country to country.
The game introduces a 3d-environment with DirectX
9.0c capabilities. As any MMORPG
the game features fleet operations (party-system), companies (guilds), player versus player
combat, trade, adventure, and poker, and large-scale factional warfare. As well, the game offers a single player storyline and player-vs-environment
quests.
" (http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/dol/topics/0606012.htm).
Succeeding chapters will be released later containing even more areas and gameplay.
This expansion pack (Aztec) will be released on the U.S version of Uncharted Waters Online in a few weeks from the date of this post (Today is Wednesday, November 2, 2011).
. The soundtrack for Uncharted Waters Online is based in part on those works.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese video game series produced by Koei as part of its Rekoeition games. In East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, the series has a large cult following, but has not received much recognition outside the region. The series has been compared to Sid Meier's Pirates!
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Sid Meier's Pirates! is a video game created by Sid Meier and published and developed by MicroProse in 1987. It was the first game to include the name "Sid Meier" in its title as an effort by MicroProse to attract fans of Meier's earlier games, most of which were flight simulators...
in gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
and theme. It is a simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
and CRPG series dealing with sailing and trading.
In the games, the player takes up the role of a captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
(also called commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
in some translations) and manages a seagoing fleet to participate in trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
s, privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing, treasure hunting, exploration
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
, and plain piracy. Even though the series is largely open-ended, there is still a loose plot which requires the player to follow certain paths, and deviating from these paths may stall the progress of the story.
Historical background
In Japanese, the term Daikoukai Jidai refers to the period between the 15th century and the 17th century, when EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an explorers sailed the seas to open new alternative ways to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
when the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
blocked the land routes
Trade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial...
.
This period was characterized by the rivalry between Spain and Portugal, the advent of colonization, and general exploration. In later games, other countries are also involved. Some historical events during the Age of Exploration, like the Treaty of Tordesillas
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas , signed at Tordesillas , , divided the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal along a meridian 370 leagueswest of the Cape Verde islands...
, were mentioned.
The game series makes many references to the historical background, although much like Pirates!, the more treacherous details of the era are idealized to create an adventurous and exciting mood.
Uncharted Waters
In the first game of the series, the player assumes the role of Leon Franco, the young, ambitious son of a noble family fallen on hard times in PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The goal of the game is to restore the family's former glory and achieve Leon's dreams. Only three nations are represented, Portugal, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, although there are many neutral ports around the world that the player can "invest" in and thus make part of Portugal's sphere of influence. This, as well as discovering ports and defeating other merchants and pirates in sea battles, increases Leon's fame. With increased fame, Leon can complete tasks for the King of Portugal and gain higher titles of nobility.
The story is set in the early 16th century. It was released on MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
and NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in 1991, and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in 1992, with the SNES versions known as Super Daikoukai Jidai in Japan. The English versions were also released in the same years respectively. The game was ported to PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
, as well.
Uncharted Waters: New Horizons
Known as Daikoukai Jidai II in Japan, this game is perhaps the most famous of the series. Even though an English version exists, it still has not managed to achieve the mainstreamMainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
popularity Pirates! had. There is only a relatively small following outside of East Asia.
Also set in the 16th century, this game is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to the first title and was released for NEC PC-98, SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. It was the last part of the series to be ported for PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
. It also saw releases in 1996 on Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
and PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
in Japan exclusively. The SNES version recently appeared on Nintendo's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in Japan on March 17, 2009 and in North America on April 6, 2009.
In this game, there are six protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s to choose from, each of them representing a different path or career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
featured in the game. They are listed as follows:
- João Franco: Son of Leon from the first game, a PortuguesePortuguese peopleThe Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
explorer sent by his father to follow the family's footsteps and discover the secrets of the lost continent of AtlantisAtlantisAtlantis is a legendary island first mentioned in Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, written about 360 BC....
. - Catalina Erantzo: Former SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
naval officer turned pirate, she avenges the loss of her brother and her fianceé and suspects that the Franco family is behind this scheme. She is loosely based upon the historical character of Catalina de ErausoCatalina de ErausoCatalina de Erauso, also known as La Monja Alférez , was a semi-legendary personality of the Basque Country, Spain and Spanish America in the first half of the seventeenth century.- Life :Catalina de Erauso was daughter and sister of soldiers from the city of San Sebastián in Spain...
, the Lieutenant Nun. - Otto Baynes: EnglishEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
naval officer, a privateerPrivateerA privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
sent by Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
in a secret mission to defeat the Spanish ArmadaSpanish ArmadaThis article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
and prevent Spanish hegemony in the European continent. - Ernst von Bohr: DutchNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
teacher and cartographer, he is set to make a journey to far lands and with this experience create a map of the entire world. - Pietro Conti: ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
treasure hunter, he inherited a huge debt from his father and is set to travel for treasures and other secrets in order to cover the debt. - Ali Vezas: TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
merchant, he grew up as an orphan in extreme poverty. With the help of his friend, he decides to become a trade merchant and find his lost sister.
While the game is more or less open-ended, developing the character's career is necessary to advance the plot.
Mobile Uncharted Waters II
In 2007, Koei announced the release of mobile daikoukai jidai 2 (English: Mobile Uncharted Waters II) http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/products/products/ee/keitai/daikou/mdaikou2.htm. The game is a port of the original game for both iMode and Yahoo Mobile capable mobile phones in Japan.Daikoukai Jidai III: Costa Del Sol
Released in 1996 on PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, this title was the first to depart from the formula
Formula
In mathematics, a formula is an entity constructed using the symbols and formation rules of a given logical language....
and engine of the series. The traditional focus on story was removed in this game, and some character customization is possible, if only purely decorative. There are two player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s from Portugal and Spain. Although the differences between them are mainly mechanical, the role-playing element was greatly reduced.
The theme of exploration is heavily emphasized, as land travel is now possible, and there is a lot more to be explored and discovered overall, compared to the early titles. The game starts in the mid fifteenth century and allows for the player to make historical discoveries such as the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
or a route to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as well as conquer civilizations like the Aztec
Aztec
The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
and Inca Empire
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
. Also, the game experiments with the concept of language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
in a video game, a feature uncommon in the industry, and necessitating the hiring of translators and teachers. The player can also continue the game by marrying bar-girls and having children, who in turn can continue the seafaring tradition and even take on part of his father's skills and inventory. Perhaps it is due to these dramatic changes that Daikoukai Jidai 3 left players uncomfortable and failed to achieve much popularity even within Japan.
At its initial release, this title caused some controversy for allowing slave trade in the game. The feature is disabled in later updates.
Unlike most games in the series, this game was never released for consoles; it was only released for PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, working under Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
.
Daikoukai Jidai Gaiden
A side story released in 1997 on PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
after New Horizons, the game uses the same engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
and focuses on the story of two characters
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
instead, further expounding upon the loose plot that ties the series together. The two protagonists are as follows:
- Miranda Verte: GenoeseGenoaGenoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
adventurer who mistakenly thought the treasure hunter, Pietro Conti, had asked for her hand in marriage, and sets off to find him. Her quest eventually leads to a plot relating to an ancient civilisation in South America, which were touched on by Pietro's previous adventure. - Salvador Reis: Pirate and adopted son of Hayreddin Reis (aka Khayr ad-Din). His adventure involves rising to fame as one of the Algerian pirates, compete for domination with enemy pirate clans and also struggle for power within his own clan.
Daikoukai Jidai IV: Porto Estado
The fourth game in the series was released in 2000 for both PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
under Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
and XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
.
This game returns to the previous formula, although its open-endedness has decreased and the engine has been updated. This title is plot-wise unrelated to the series that ended in Gaiden. Porto Estado is known for its fine art and high-quality illustration
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
s.
The story evolves on the search of the seven Proof of the Conqueror, which are seven ancient artifacts, in seven areas around the world (Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Africa, New World, Indian Ocean, South Asia and East Asia). It is said that having these proofs proves that the sailor is the champion of all sailors. Four sailors (plus another three in expansion) unwittingly involved in the struggle of the quest of the search of the Proof of the Conqueror. It is interesting that not all sailors are from Europe: two of the seven characters are from Asia (one from East Asia and another from southeast Asia), one from Caribbean and another one from Middle East.
There are many significant changes in this game. For example, the game no longer has the concept of year and the result is that characters in this game will not age. Also, player can set up regional fleets and these regional fleets are valuable financial resources. In combat, naval battle is now fought in real time.
The country boundaries have disappeared. Each character is only represented by their own guild and their home country is not important in gameplay. Ports in this game also have a market share rating in a percentage scale. Players can trade in a port only when his guild has some market share in that port, which can be gained by signing a contract with the local governor.
Daikoukai Jidai IV: Rota Nova
Rota Nova was released by KOEI on March 23, 2006 for the PlayStation PortablePlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
. This is a remake of Porto Estado for handhelds:
- The PSP version includes a ship race function.
- The DS version includes use of the stylus and map.
Uncharted Waters Online
Uncharted Waters Online offers much of the same gameplay experience seen in the single player games in a multiplayer environment. Players of the single player series will be well aware of similar concepts such as Missions, Adjutants, Investment, and National & Pirate NPC fleets.Country boundaries have reappeared, with more countries (Spain, Portugal, Venice, Ottoman Empire, France, England, and The Netherlands), however the concept of time is non-existent. The storyline is important to unlocking new areas in the game. The player now receives fame from activities such as battling, trading, discovering, and sailing. When fame levels reach required amounts, the player unlocks new areas of the world. The level of fame required differ from country to country.
The game introduces a 3d-environment with DirectX
DirectX
Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay,...
9.0c capabilities. As any MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
the game features fleet operations (party-system), companies (guilds), player versus player
Player versus player
Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of multiplayer interactive conflict within a game between two or more live participants. This is in contrast to games where players compete against computer controlled opponents, which is correspondingly referred to as player versus environment...
combat, trade, adventure, and poker, and large-scale factional warfare. As well, the game offers a single player storyline and player-vs-environment
Player versus environment
Player versus environment, or PvE , is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs, CORPGs, MUDs, and other online role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled enemies—in contrast to PvP .Usually a PvE mode can be played either alone, with human...
quests.
Uncharted Waters Online La Frontera
"La Frontera" is the name of the expansion pack for Uncharted Waters Online released in Japan on 8/30/06. The expansion includes new areas and a new gameplay extending the "age of discovery" into its maturity of the 16th and 17th centuries. The first chapter for the expansion is titled "Aztec", in which "a new adventure begins" as players "seek out the legend of El DoradoEl Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
" (http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/dol/topics/0606012.htm).
Succeeding chapters will be released later containing even more areas and gameplay.
This expansion pack (Aztec) will be released on the U.S version of Uncharted Waters Online in a few weeks from the date of this post (Today is Wednesday, November 2, 2011).
Soundtracks
The soundtracks for both Uncharted Waters and New Horizons were composed by Yoko KannoYoko Kanno
is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements...
. The soundtrack for Uncharted Waters Online is based in part on those works.