Uncharted Waters: Difference between revisions

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''[[Uncharted Waters (Video Game)|Uncharted Waters]]'' ([[Market Based Title|originally known]] as ''Age of the Great Voyages'') is a series of Japanese [[Pirate|privateer]]/[[An Entrepreneur Is You|trader]] video games set in [[The Cavalier Years]]. [[The Original Series|The first game]] was developed by Koei in 1991 (for [[MSX]] and [[NES]], and later for [[Sega Genesis]], [[Super NES]], and the PC). The second installment, ''Uncharted Waters II: New Horizons'', followed in 1994 on NEC [[PC 98]], SNES, and Genesis, later ported to PC, [[Sega Saturn]], and [[Play Station]]. Unfortunately, the second game was the last to be officially translated into English. Two more sequels, a [[Gaiden Game]], and a [[MMORPG]] based in the setting never made it out of Japan. However, as of October of 2010, the [[MMORPG]] is in an open beta for the English speaking world.

''[[Uncharted Waters (Video Game)|Uncharted Waters]]'' ([[Market-Based Title|originally known]] as ''Age of the Great Voyages'') is a series of Japanese [[Pirate|privateer]]/[[An Entrepreneur Is You|trader]] video games set in [[The Cavalier Years]]. [[The Original Series|The first game]] was developed by Koei in 1991 (for [[MSX]] and [[NES]], and later for [[Sega Genesis]], [[Super NES]], and the PC). The second installment, ''Uncharted Waters II: New Horizons'', followed in 1994 on NEC [[PC 98]], SNES, and Genesis, later ported to PC, [[Sega Saturn]], and [[Play Station]]. Unfortunately, the second game was the last to be officially translated into English. Two more sequels, a [[Gaiden Game]], and a [[MMORPG]] based in the setting never made it out of Japan. However, as of October of 2010, the [[MMORPG]] is in an open beta for the English speaking world.

Gameplay-wise, the series is a [[Wide Open Sandbox]] with [[RPG Elements]] in it. You play as an owner of a small fleet (up to 5 ships in the first game, up to 10 in the second) and are free to engage in any kind of activity on the high seas: trade, gambling, [[Design It Yourself Equipment|ship pimping]], [[Pirate Booty|piracy]], [[Treasure Map|treasure hunting]], exploration, even global politics, once you have the money (and firepower) to. What set the first game apart from its Western competitor ''[[Sid Meiers Pirates]]'' was the sheer size of the game world: instead of being confined to the Carribbean, you have the ''entire world'' to explore. The exploration gameplay was further enhanced in the second game, where you could sell the maps of your voyages, find natural and cultural wonders around the world, and look for even more treasures. The underlying gameplay mechanic involves ship management (crew, supplies, captains, repairs), character evolution (both the PC and the captains you hire), port development (trade balance, investments), and [[Alliance Meter|maneuvering between the major factions]] (Portugal, Spain, Turkey, [[My Friends and Zoidberg|and pirates]] in the first game; England, Holland, and Italy join the club in the second). It's pretty complex but not excessively so.

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* [[Informed Ability]]: Joao playing a lute.

* [[Intrepid Merchant]]: Ali.

* [[Market Based Title]]: The original Japanese title of the game series was ''Dai-kōkai jidai'' (''Age of the Great Voyages'') but "Uncharted Waters" does sound better in English.

* [[Market-Based Title]]: The original Japanese title of the game series was ''Dai-kōkai jidai'' (''Age of the Great Voyages'') but "Uncharted Waters" does sound better in English.

* [[Number Two]]: The first game had Rocco Alemkel, a bearded [[Boisterous Bruiser]] who couldn't navigate his own ship but always followed Leon (as opposed to hired navigators who could [[So Long and Thanks For All The Gear|desert you with their ships]] if their loyalty wavered). In the second game, you had number two (First Mate), number three (Book Keeper), and number four (Chief Navigator) in your [[Player Party]].

* [[The Original Series]]: The first game was titled simply ''Uncharted Waters''.

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* [[Treasure Map]]: In a particularly nice touch, a treasure map appears just like your own global map so if your visual memory (or geography knowledge) is good enough, you can find the location of the treasure just by looking at it. Otherwise, you can ask around in bars (first game) or cartographer guilds (second game) for approximate coordinates of the location.

* [[Undying Loyalty]]: Plot-relevant party members in the second game will never abandon you (except for plot reasons).

* [[White Haired Pretty Boy]]: Ernst. Also, Joao, though he is more naturally blond than white-haired.

* [[White-Haired Pretty Boy]]: Ernst. Also, Joao, though he is more naturally blond than white-haired.

* [[Wide Open Sandbox]]: Really wide. Like, the entire world wide.

* [[With This Herring]]: Played with in Pietro's route and double-subverted in Otto's.