Uncharted Waters Online
Encyclopedia
Uncharted Waters Online, referred to as Age of Discovery Online in Japan (Daikōkai Jidai Online), is a MMORPG
developed by KOEI based on the Rekoeition Uncharted Waters
series of games. Set in the Age of Exploration players act as adventurers, soldiers, or traders, and engage in combat, exploration, and trade within the game.
Uncharted Waters Online is available on the Windows platform in English, Japanese, Korean, traditional Chinese, and simplified Chinese, also available on the PlayStation 3
since 2009. Six years after the initial Asian release, Net Marble produced the game, under its traditional English title, for the non-Asian market in North America and Europe. . On August 19, 2010, the official site for English and US game versions was opened and closed beta was announced. The open beta began on October 1, 2010. Beta testing was completed, and the game is now live in North America and Europe.
and Elizabeth I of England
as well as in some quests. However despite some of these timeline inaccuracies the game offers educational content in the form of exploration of geography and culture. Players can discover quests with historical value such as learning about the economic decline of Venice, or the rise of England as a naval power.
As an online game it offers Player vs Player combat areas and factional warfare as well as socialization in the form of in-game chat and card games.
The player may choose from among 6 nationalities: England
, Dutch Republic
, Ancien Régime in France
, Spanish Empire
, Kingdom of Portugal
, Republic of Venice
. As well the player may choose from several "occupations" after choosing a basic class: adventurer, merchant, and soldier. However players can learn and upgrade skills from other classes, albeit needing more experience points. Under certain conditions a player may change their class, occupation, and nationality. Players are able to trade, explore, battle and join in live events such as "Great Sea Fights".
is a mercantile nation that prospers by trade from profits of the land facing the Atlantic Ocean
. They quickly rode the advances of navigation, and were the first to round the Cape of Good Hope
. Recently, after returning from the discovery of the Indian route, and fiercely compete with their neighbor, Spain.
is a powerful authoritarian kingdom dominated by the royal house of Habsburg
. The Habsburgs' rise to the royal throne came because of the premature death of the late king's son. Spain came into possession of the Netherlands which is the territory of the current royal family.
In order to support the country's finances the Netherlands have been taxed heavily, and as a consequences has raised support for their independence movement in recent years.
is a small island country to the north for whom wool
is the key industry. However, the wool market became unstable because of the Spanish political meddling in the Netherlands, which is England's biggest trading partner. The wool trade decreased, and a heavy recession
ensued. The Queen wishes to repair the situation, but there is no method to compete with powerful Spain.
movement, but the military strength of the House of Alba
prevents the movement.
is an agrarian kingdom holding territory from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. France is surrounded by strong ocean-faring countries, and its seafaring business was delayed because of a long line of monarchs who were obsessed with themselves. The half-century delayed Renaissance starts from the Italian peninsula, and there are many nobles who collect rare treasures and artifacts.
is a small city-state floating on the sea. It is called the "City of Water". Venice's maritime industry had long been prosperous, and Venice had long held a monopoly on the profits of the Mediterranean trade on pepper from Alexandria
. However, recently the Ottoman Empire
appeared in the East and Portugal discovered a sea route to the Indies.
Apart from new storyline the expansion includes "pirate islands" for irreputable players, "debates" using discovery card battles for adventurers' bragging rights, "joint built shipwrightery" for craftsmen, duels in towns, housing for all players, and a commissioned ferry service between large cities. The expansion will also include interactive towns that players can change from being a Merchant, Adventurer, or Navy town .
In further developer announcements
, KOEI announced that the land battle system will be overhauled into a "Ranged-Shift Battle" system where players will choose from short, mid, and long-ranged combat positions with strengths and weaknesses. As well, 3 combat classes will be released to enhance land combat-oriented players. New "Imperial Quests" will allow players to run quests pertaining to a specific country.
The expansion pack will be cost an additional fee for current subscribers to be released both as a download and expansion box set like the original game. New subscribers purchasing "La Frontera" includes access to the original setting. The subscription price has not changed.
The second chapter (Special Ornaments) opens the special ornaments in players' flat and allows players to have a pet.
The third chapter (Grand Anniversary) and the fourth chapter (Inca) have been released.
The fifth chapter (Menace Of Ottoman) enabled players to be part of Ottoman by contract.
The extra chapter (Expedition) added new ports and fields in pacific region.
The first chapter (Zipang) opens new ports and fields in Japan.
The second chapter (Ilha Formosa) opens new ports and fields in Taiwan
.
The third chapter (The Morning Calm) opens new ports and fields in Korea
.
The forth chapter (The Land of The Dragon) opens new ports and fields in China
.
, EZweb, or Vodafone Live!
capable mobile phones . This service was beta tested until August 30, 2006.
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....
developed by KOEI based on the Rekoeition Uncharted Waters
Uncharted Waters
is a popular Japanese 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...
series of games. Set in the Age of Exploration players act as adventurers, soldiers, or traders, and engage in combat, exploration, and trade within the game.
Uncharted Waters Online is available on the Windows platform in English, Japanese, Korean, traditional Chinese, and simplified Chinese, also available on the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
since 2009. Six years after the initial Asian release, Net Marble produced the game, under its traditional English title, for the non-Asian market in North America and Europe. . On August 19, 2010, the official site for English and US game versions was opened and closed beta was announced. The open beta began on October 1, 2010. Beta testing was completed, and the game is now live in North America and Europe.
Setting
Uncharted Waters Online is set within several timelines during the Age of Exploration as a romantic and historic fictional account of the era. Inconsistencies are found in the presence of Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
and Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
as well as in some quests. However despite some of these timeline inaccuracies the game offers educational content in the form of exploration of geography and culture. Players can discover quests with historical value such as learning about the economic decline of Venice, or the rise of England as a naval power.
As an online game it offers Player vs Player combat areas and factional warfare as well as socialization in the form of in-game chat and card games.
Gameplay
Uncharted Waters Online features a variety of gameplay. The game can be divided into sea-based areas, land-based areas, and towns. Like most MMORPGs characters gain experience in skills and levels.The player may choose from among 6 nationalities: England
England
England 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...
, Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, Ancien Régime in France
Ancien Régime in France
The Ancien Régime refers primarily to the aristocratic, social and political system established in France from the 15th century to the 18th century under the late Valois and Bourbon dynasties...
, Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
, Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Portugal
The Kingdom of Portugal was Portugal's general designation under the monarchy. The kingdom was located in the west of the Iberian Peninsula, Europe and existed from 1139 to 1910...
, Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. As well the player may choose from several "occupations" after choosing a basic class: adventurer, merchant, and soldier. However players can learn and upgrade skills from other classes, albeit needing more experience points. Under certain conditions a player may change their class, occupation, and nationality. Players are able to trade, explore, battle and join in live events such as "Great Sea Fights".
Storyline
Uncharted Waters Online also includes event storylines for each of the nationalities adding single player depth to a multiplayer environment. Each nation's storyline revolves around a protagonist and their journey much like in previous games of the series. The following contains a translation from the Beginner's Guide as well as basic character information .Portugal
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...
is a mercantile nation that prospers by trade from profits of the land facing the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. They quickly rode the advances of navigation, and were the first to round the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
. Recently, after returning from the discovery of the Indian route, and fiercely compete with their neighbor, Spain.
- Alvero Sarmiento (17) - A trader plying the marketplaces near Portugal. He is a leader among boys his age, and his smile endears himself towards people.
- Diego Sarmiento (42) - The head of the Sarmiento Company, a major company representing Portugal.
- Juan (10) - A boy who accompanies Alvero on his journeys.
- Vasco da GamaVasco da GamaVasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira was a Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India...
(28) - Portuguese naval officer born to a noble house. He became a national hero by discovering the Indian route. - Sanjai (18) - Indian spice trader.
Spain
SpainSpain
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...
is a powerful authoritarian kingdom dominated by the royal house of Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
. The Habsburgs' rise to the royal throne came because of the premature death of the late king's son. Spain came into possession of the Netherlands which is the territory of the current royal family.
In order to support the country's finances the Netherlands have been taxed heavily, and as a consequences has raised support for their independence movement in recent years.
- Baltasar Oliveira (38) - Captain of the mercenary fleet working for Spain. He lives to hunt down the leader of the Barbary pirates - Khair ad Din. He is the leader of the Black Orca fleet.
- Eduardo de Mascareñas (20) - The newest captain of the Black Orca fleet. He was born into just a normal house instead of the famed HidalgoHidalgo (Spanish nobility)A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
class. In order to fulfill his dream of promotion to a hidalgo he joins with Baltasar. - Augustino (39) - An officer originally from an artisan family in the heart of Italy.
- Barbarossa Khair ad Din (38) - Leader of the Barbary pirates. He sails out into the Mediterranean from his base of operations in Algeria.
- Irene (29) - The barmaid at Marseilles. Sophisticated and "high-maintenance" she is known as an "adult woman" who is chased after by many adventurers.
England
EnglandEngland
England 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...
is a small island country to the north for whom wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
is the key industry. However, the wool market became unstable because of the Spanish political meddling in the Netherlands, which is England's biggest trading partner. The wool trade decreased, and a heavy recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
ensued. The Queen wishes to repair the situation, but there is no method to compete with powerful Spain.
- Liza Middleton (21) - An English naval officer from the former pirate Middleton house. She has gained notoriety for her courage.
- Gordon (40) - A veteran crewman who has served the Middleton house for more than 14 years. He runs around trying to protect Liza.
- William Middleton (29) - The family head of the Middleton house who was pirating 10 years earlier. He has passed on naval activities to his sister. He maintains friendly relations with the courier Fredrik nowadays.
- Count Kilingrew, the chief vassal who serves the English Royal Family. He treats the navy as his personal property.
- McGregor (35) - A pirate who stood out after he had beaten the Middleton family.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands is a rising maritime courier nation facing the North Sea. They are a producer of wool fabric. The main Habsburg territory of the Netherlands became Spanish territory by inheritance of the Spanish king. The Spanish political meddling awoke the independenceIndependence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
movement, but the military strength of the House of Alba
House of Alba
The House of Alba is an important Spanish aristocratic family who derive from the 12th century Mozarab nobility of post-conquest Toledo. Their claim to Alba traces to 1429, when the first Álvarez de Toledo was made Lord of the City of Alba de Tormes...
prevents the movement.
- Fredrik Van Metteren (24) - Specializing in the transport of 'dangerous' goods and naturally independent.
- Egmont (25) - A nobleman representative to the Netherlands government. Recently he has been trying to increase monetary support from other nations for the independence movement.
- Hoorn (28) - A revolutionary of commoner origins.
- Amalia (18) - A towngirl liked by many who lives in Amsterdam. She appears to be a normal beautiful girl, but...
- Ines (25) - The trusted retainer of the House of Alba, who indirectly rule the Netherlands, and is a female officer of the Spanish navy.
France
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
is an agrarian kingdom holding territory from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. France is surrounded by strong ocean-faring countries, and its seafaring business was delayed because of a long line of monarchs who were obsessed with themselves. The half-century delayed Renaissance starts from the Italian peninsula, and there are many nobles who collect rare treasures and artifacts.
- Julien Clarence (23) - A quiet man who belongs to a treasure hunting family who holds the patronage of many nobles. He has excellent eyes in regards to art.
- Countess DuBois (42) - The wife of a count in Marseilles who holds lots of power. She has a proud and sadistic demeanor. She makes servants out of those who are unable to pay for services.
- Augustine (39) - A one-eyed priest who recently came to Marseilles.
- France's Queen Mother (48) - The Queen Mother who holds real governmental power in France in place of the young King. At 17 she was married from the Medici family in Firenze, and after a while the king died.
- Ogun (20) - A warrior who travels the continent of Africa. He knows the spirit of animals and how to survive.
Venice
VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
is a small city-state floating on the sea. It is called the "City of Water". Venice's maritime industry had long been prosperous, and Venice had long held a monopoly on the profits of the Mediterranean trade on pepper from Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. However, recently 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...
appeared in the East and Portugal discovered a sea route to the Indies.
La Frontera
"La Frontera" is the first expansion pack for Uncharted Waters Online released in 3 installments the first of which is titled "Aztec" on August 30, 2006 . This extends the Age of Exploration from the early 16th century into the 17th century with new areas in South America & North America . The second chapter of the expansion titled "Angkor" was released December 6 2006 expanding the world map through Southeast Asia. The third chapter of the expansion titled "Spice Islands" will continue to expand the world map throughout Southeast Asia.Apart from new storyline the expansion includes "pirate islands" for irreputable players, "debates" using discovery card battles for adventurers' bragging rights, "joint built shipwrightery" for craftsmen, duels in towns, housing for all players, and a commissioned ferry service between large cities. The expansion will also include interactive towns that players can change from being a Merchant, Adventurer, or Navy town .
In further developer announcements
, KOEI announced that the land battle system will be overhauled into a "Ranged-Shift Battle" system where players will choose from short, mid, and long-ranged combat positions with strengths and weaknesses. As well, 3 combat classes will be released to enhance land combat-oriented players. New "Imperial Quests" will allow players to run quests pertaining to a specific country.
The expansion pack will be cost an additional fee for current subscribers to be released both as a download and expansion box set like the original game. New subscribers purchasing "La Frontera" includes access to the original setting. The subscription price has not changed.
Cruz del Sur
The second expansion pack titled "Cruz del Sur" was released in the late summer of 2007. As with the first expansion pack, "La Frontera", this second expansion will also include 3 chapters, the first of which is entitled "Circumnavigation". Also similar to the expansion pack system users must pay an additional fee (2940 yen) to download the expansion .The second chapter (Special Ornaments) opens the special ornaments in players' flat and allows players to have a pet.
The third chapter (Grand Anniversary) and the fourth chapter (Inca) have been released.
The fifth chapter (Menace Of Ottoman) enabled players to be part of Ottoman by contract.
The extra chapter (Expedition) added new ports and fields in pacific region.
El Oriente
The third expansion pack 'El Oriente' was released in December of 2009. The new expansion opened 4 east Asian countries: Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China. Unlike previous chapters, the first chapter will be released respective to the countries the game is being hosted, which changes the order of chapters depending on the countries of the players.The first chapter (Zipang) opens new ports and fields in Japan.
The second chapter (Ilha Formosa) opens new ports and fields in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
The third chapter (The Morning Calm) opens new ports and fields in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
The forth chapter (The Land of The Dragon) opens new ports and fields in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Mobile Support
The Japanese version of Uncharted Waters Online offers mobile-to-game mail service for I-ModeI-mode
NTT DoCoMo's i-mode is a mobile internet service popular in Japan. Unlike Wireless Application Protocol, i-mode encompasses a wider variety of internet standards, including web access, e-mail and the packet-switched network that delivers the data...
, EZweb, or Vodafone Live!
Vodafone live!
Vodafone live! was the brand name for the multimedia portal service of mobile phone operator Vodafone, which was initially developed by Japan's J-Phone under the J-Sky brand...
capable mobile phones . This service was beta tested until August 30, 2006.
Release
External links
- Uncharted Waters Online Database Fansite
- Official Japanese Site
- Official Korea Site #1
- Official Korea Site #2
- Official Taiwan Site
- Official China Site
- Official South East Asia Site
- English & Traditional Chinese News Blog
- Global/International Site
- Global/International Publisher Blog
- Global/International Official Fan Page