Uncharted Waters Online

Uncharted Waters Online Classes

Uncharted Waters Online has three base classes, each with a multitude of specializations.

• Adventurer - tasked with reporting discoveries whether they are treasures, artifacts, exotic animals, or new lands. They excel at sailing and survival skills.
• Beginner Jobs: Adventure Learner, Explorer, Surveyor, Biologist, Fisher, Excavator, Helmsperson.
• Intermediate Jobs: Missionary, Historian, Cartographer, Hunter.
• Advanced Jobs: Ocean Explorer, Archaeologist, Thief, Priest, Naturalist, Ranger, Artist, Guerilla, Interpreter, Salvager, Folklorist, Adventurer Mentor, Ruin Explorer, Treasure Hunter.
• Trader - merchants who buy goods in one region to sell in another. They are also the craftsmen of the world who turn raw resources into finished goods.
• Beginner Jobs: Trade Learner, Foods Dealer, Yarn Dealer, Accountant, Chandler, Mineral Trader, Medicine Trader, Animal Trader.
• Intermediate Jobs: Chef, Trade Merchant.
• Advanced Jobs: Art Dealer, Money Trader, Jeweller, Arms Dealer, Spice Trader, Patissier, Tailor, Blacksmith, Artisan, Alchemist, Sommelier, Artificer, Political Merchant, Caravanner, Merchant Mentor, Master Alchemist, Pharmacist, Millionaire.
• Maritime - Soldiers, pirates, sailors, swashbucklers. Maritime is a profession of fighters of all stripes.
• Beginner Jobs: Military Learner, Mercenary, Bodyguard, Brigand, Jr. Officer.
• Intermediate Jobs: Naval Officer, Privateer, Bounty Hunter, Surgeon.
• Advanced Jobs: Shipwright, Senior Officer, Tactician, Cannoneer, Pirate, Swordfighter, Scout, Supply Corps, Sword Master, Musketeer, Filibuster, Guardian, Maritime Mentor, Light Soldier.

Uncharted Waters Online Review

By Marc Marasigan

Uncharted Waters Online is a 3D nautical MMORPG set in Europe’s Age of Exploration: a period in history sometime between the 15^th and 17^th century when Europe’s superpowers raced to conquer the seas and stake their claim on territories in the New World. The game’s graphics are a bit dated but its anime theme has helped it age slightly better than other MMORPGs released around the same time. Uncharted Waters Online's soundtrack is good and gives off a distinct Renaissance vibe which suits the game’s European theme well.

Choose Your Allegiance

At the start of the game players are given a choice of six nationalities: England, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, or Venice, all of which were naval powerhouses during that period. Players select from a number of premade body types, ranging from extremely large to cute and child-like. They are then given a fairly limited number of options to customize their characters including face-type, hair-style, complexion, hair-color, and accessories. Players also choose from one of three initial classes: Adventurer, Trader, or Soldier, which determines the skills they start out with. Don’t worry about getting stuck with a specific class. If your initial choice doesn’t work out for you, you can change classes at any time in the game.

Going To School

Players begin their journey in different cities depending on their chosen nations but basically follow the same quest lines with slight variations to account for their allegiance. Like most MMORPGs, I expected some sort of tutorial, especially for a game as in-depth as Uncharted Waters Online. I just wasn’t expecting how long it would take. Players attend school and complete a set of tutorial quests depending on their chosen class, role, profession, or whatever you want to call it. The whole tutorial can take around 2-3 hours to complete which, in itself, although extremely helpful, might be enough to scare away most players. It’s easy to be tempted to jump right into the action but I assure you that the tutorial is well worth it. 3 hours tediously completing tutorial quests is definitely better than 8 or more hours spent trying to figure out how things work in the game. Plus, the quests reward players with decent experience points as well as a few useful items.

Choose Your Profession

Uncharted Waters Online features a unique gameplay concept that focuses on exploration. The game’s sandbox nature gives players the freedom to choose how to make a name for themselves and bring honor and glory to their nations, whether as explorers charting unknown waters, traders bringing supplies to and from other nations with their fleet, or as soldiers defending the high seas from pirates and other sea-faring scoundrels. Players still have to follow a quest line but can complete quest objectives however they like. In addition, because of the game’s open class system, players can easily switch roles if their current one isn’t working or learn skills from other classes to fit their own playstyles.

Taking To The Seas

Although players acquire quests along with supplies, ship parts, and crews on land, most of their time will be spent sailing through the vast seas and oceans of the world. The game’s map is based on real-world geography and centers around the European continent. Although there’s nothing stopping you from attempting a trip around the world, just make sure that you have enough supplies to make it back.

Uncharted Waters Online offers hundreds of ship choices which come in three main types: Adventure, Battle, and Trade, each suited to a particular purpose. Adventure ships are small but highly maneuverable, Battle ships are heavily-armed, while Trade ships are large and effective for transporting cargo. As players progress through the game, they can acquire better ships that they can use to sail into more treacherous waters, take on tougher enemies, or carry heavier cargo.

Controls are the same on land and in water, and are similar to most MMORPG’s. The WASD keys are used to move while the left mouse button is used to interact with the environment or to fire at enemy ships when engaged in battle. The right mouse button is used to move the camera around. Movement is a bit clunky and takes a while to get used to especially when controlling ships which respond much more slowly than characters on land.

Pirates, Privateers, and PvP

Like most sandbox MMORPG’s, Uncharted Waters Online features an open-world PvP system that allows players to attack another player outside of safe zones. Players can choose to become Privateers and only attack players from other nations or become Pirates by attacking any vessel that comes their way regardless of nationality. Players can also join world PvP events like Epic Sea Feuds which is a free-for-all nation vs. nation battle, and Battle Campaigns which are similar to PvP Arenas in other MMORPG’s.

The Final Verdict – Good

Uncharted Waters Online’s unique concept is probably the main reason why the game still has an avid following in spite of its dated graphics, ridiculously long tutorial, and slow gameplay. Aside from the open-class system, which is a great addition to any MMO, I also liked the game’s attempts at being historically (mostly) and geographically accurate. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of the game and would rather play World of Warships which pack a lot more action. But if you like trading, exploration, or want to be Jack Sparrow in another life then give it a shot.

Uncharted Waters Online Screenshots

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Uncharted Waters Online Videos

Uncharted Waters Online Links

Uncharted Waters Online Official Site
Uncharted Waters Online Steam Page
Uncharted Waters Online Wikipedia
Uncharted Waters Online Wikia [Database/Guides]
Uncharted Waters Online Subreddit [Community]

Uncharted Waters Online Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 /8.1 / 10
CPU: Intel Pentium Core 2 Duo
RAM: 2 GB
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 7600
Hard Disk Space: 20 GB available space

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10
CPU: Intel Core i3 2.4 GHz / AMD FX 3200 or better
RAM: 4 GB RAM
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 200 series / ATI Radeon HD 4000 or better
Hard Disk Space: 30 GB available space

Uncharted Waters Online Music

Uncharted Waters Online Additional Information

Developer: KOEI Tecmo Games
Publisher(s): PapayaPlay, NetMarble, OGPlanet
Composer: Yoko Kanno

Release Dates:

Japan: April 2005
Korea: July 2005
Taiwan: January 2006
China: January 7, 2007
USA: October 1, 2010 (NetMarble, OGPlanet)
USA Relaunch: October 18, 2017 (PapayaPlay)
South East Asia: November 19, 2011

Steam Release: October 3, 2014

Other Platforms:

PlayStation 3: 2009

Updates:

La Frontera (August 30, 2006) - Released in 3 chapters: Aztec, Angkor, and Spice Islands. Vastly increased the size of the game world by adding the North America, South America, and Southeast Asia regions.

Cruz del Sur (2007) - Released as a series of chapters, this expansion added pets, the Ottoman Empire, Inca regions, new Pacific ports and fields, and additional player housing cosmetics.

El Oriente (December 2009) - Added the countries of Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China. Each country was added in a separate chapter with a difference release schedule in each of the respective countries.

Tierra Americana - Added the cities of Paris, Florence, and Panama. Also added the American Great Plains region and the ability for Companies to found colonies.

Gran Atlas (November 22, 2013) - Many new features including skill refinement, Chrono quests, and 3 new story quest lines. Also added the new cities of St. Petersburg and San Francisco.

Development History / Background:

Uncharted Waters Online is based on the long running game series produced by Koei's Rekoeition brand. The first game in the series launched way back in 1991 for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Games in the Uncharted Waters franchise have been released on a multitude of platforms over the years including PC, PSP, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. Uncharted Waters Online is the first and only MMORPG in the series and is available on both the PC and PlayStation 3 platforms.

The North American version of Uncharted Waters Online was originally published by Netmarble, but their version was shut down in November 2013. OGPlanet shut the game down and service was moved over to PapayaPlay on October 18th, 2017.