Uncharted Waters

Uncharted Waters (大航海時代, Daikoukai Jidai) is the first numbered title of the Uncharted Waters series. Its Super Nintendo port in Japan is called Super Daikoukai Jidai.

Kou Shibusawa's goal for this game was to let players re-enact the romance and adventure of the Exploration Age as a hero, pirate, or noble. Noriyoshi Ourai illustrated the game's cover. Music was composed by Yoko Kanno.

Gameplay
Players assume the role of a 16th century navigator who seeks to restore his family's lost prestige. They may choose to accomplish their goals by exploring new lands to trade goods or fighting other fleets for valuable treasures. Winning the hand of Princess Christiana is also one of the main goals. The game's beginning date is set to February 21, 1502.

Upon starting the game, the player must name their character, adjust their stats accordingly, and give their flagship a moniker. Bonus points are provided at random amounts, so it may be wise to keep on rolling until the results are satisfactory enough. Default names will be used if the player chooses not to make their own.

Gameplay revolves around managing ships, handling trade, interacting with other fleets, and influencing politics between the three major powers of Europe: Portugal, Spain, and the Ottoman Empire. Players are initially restricted to trading until they accumulate enough gold to develop their fleet however they see fit. Up to 60,000 gold pieces can be held at a time, so it may be wise to store the rest at the royal bank.

Adventure
The adventure phase involves traversing the vast seas in search of new trade routes. Prior knowledge of history and geography can be helpful in remembering the locations of each port in the world map. When sailing, the player must constantly be aware of their surroundings and not make any unnecessary movements. Navigation not only takes up time and resources, it is also affected by the elements. Water currents vary between regions and may entrap unwary fleets. Wind direction, on the other hand, can either speed up or slow down ships while changing yearly.

Three types of oceans are found in the game: temperate, arctic, and tropical. Temperate oceans are commonplace in Europe and have little to no currents. Arctic oceans reside at the very ends of the world map, bearing dangerous currents in certain areas while offering very few ports to sustain the player. Tropical oceans have the strongest currents and are rife with natural disasters. Though few in numbers, disasters can cause tremendous consequences for the player without warning.


 * Typhoons - During a typhoon, the player's ship will lose control and drift in random directions untl the storm ends. This results in a battered fleet as well as a loss of crewmen. Often occurs in tropical waters.
 * Seaweed - A common occurrence in East Asia or the Arctic, ships will get stuck due to seaweed and receive damage upon being released. In the worst case scenario, the player may be forced to scuttle the entangled ship in order to move out.
 * Mysterious Disappearance - Ships sailing near the Bermuda Triangle will suddenly disappear, taking their entire crew and cargo with them. The effects of this disaster cannot be undone.

The number of days a fleet can travel depends on the total amount of supplies they have with them. Crewmen will die if they are left without food or water, so restocking those particular resources in harbors is essential. Loading lumber is optional, but can be useful when making emergency repairs.

Facilities
Most ports contain various facilities that provide the player with different options and commands. At least half of them require gold to be spent, though haggling for better prices is a viable option for some facilities. Investing in a port's economy or industry raises their affiliation with Portugal while reducing ties with Spain and the Ottoman Empire. If the player's relationship with a particular nation is very low, they may be barred from entering that nation's port unless they bribe the guard for access. Hostility gradually decreases over time. Note that the supply port has no other facilities other than the harbor itself.


 * * action commands done in this facility will take up one day after exiting.

A rank system is included to denote the player's influence as well as their ability to gain financial backing from the King of Portugal. Higher ranks are required in order to court Princess Christiana.

To obtain a rank, fame points must be accumulated in order to earn the king's trust. Fame rises by performing various feats which include finding new lands, completing miscellaneous requests, or defeating hostile ships. It decreases if the player fails a mission or refuses it entirely. The maximum amount of fame one can have is 50,000.

When summoned by the king, the player may be asked to import certain goods, deliver letters, find randomly generated treasures, or eliminate specific fleets. Treasures in particular are acquired in two ways: by determining their location on the map or defeating their current owners. Information on their whereabouts can be gathered at the inn, though some backtracking may occur especially if the treasure is in the hands of roving pirates. Achieving these tasks opens up new requests that yield more fame.

Commands

 * Sailing Commands
 * Move - Commands that involve steering and positioning.
 * Direction - Tack ship to change direction.
 * Cast Anchor - Maintain current position by dropping anchor and removing sails. Prevents ships from drifting carelessly.
 * Look - Commands that involve checking one's own surroundings.
 * Inspect - Use telescope to inspect nearby ships or ports.
 * Survey - Use sextant to calculate current position.
 * Negotiate - Interact with a nearby ship for news or hints. Triggers a battle if used on pirates or hostile fleets during the day.
 * Battle - Begin a battle with a nearby ship.
 * Debark - Commands that involve landing a ship.
 * Port Call - Enter the harbor of an adjacent port.
 * Go Ashore - Land on the shore and camp out. Crew members will not consume as much supplies during this command.
 * Information - Information-related commands.
 * Fleet - View current status of fleet.
 * Cargo - Inspect goods carried on board.
 * Land - Use speculum to map out current position.
 * Mates - View current status of player and recruited mates.
 * Items - Check item inventory.
 * Order - Logistics-related commands.
 * Ration - Adjust food and water rations for crew members.
 * Distribute - Reward mates with gold to keep their loyalty high.
 * Personnel - Reassign navigators to different ships.
 * Dispose - Abandon a ship to sea. Cannot use this command if captain is aboard the target ship.


 * On Shore Commands
 * Sail - Set sail to sea by leaving the shore.
 * Fix - Use own lumber to repair damaged ships.
 * Wait - Wait for several days. Ends by tapping the action button.
 * Search - Search-related commands.
 * Water - Find a spring to refill water supply.
 * Treasure - Locate hidden treasure. Works on areas crossed on the map.
 * Transfer - Commands involving reassignment of crew and cargo.
 * Crew - Transfer crew between different ships.
 * Cargo - Transfer cargo between different ships.


 * Harbor Commands
 * Sail - Set sail to sea by exiting the port.
 * Restock - Stock up on water, food, and lumber; the last two cost gold.
 * Transfer - Transfer men and supplies between different ships.


 * Lodge Commands
 * View - View miscellaneous data.
 * Mates - Review status of own characters.
 * Fleet - Review status of own ships.
 * Port - Display a port's current status. Includes data on economy and industry levels, support ratings towards the three major powers, and local price index.
 * Lodging - Spend a whole night at the lodge.


 * Inn Commands
 * Crew - Commands involving human resources.
 * Recruit - Hire crewmen to join the fleet. Amount depends on the port's economy.
 * Assign - Reassign crewmen to different ships.
 * Find Mates - Recruit new navigators if any are available.
 * Quit Mates - Dismiss current navigators.
 * Gossip - Listen for news from other sailors. May provide useful hints.
 * Tip - Tip the waitress to receive interesting news. Can be done multiple times to earn the waitress's favor.
 * Gamble - Play Poker or Blackjack for extra money. Limit cap is determined by the port's economy. In Poker, players must come up with a superior hand and wager as many rounds as possible to win. Blackjack is a less risky game that requires a hand lesser than or equal to 21.


 * Guild Commands
 * Purchase - Buy items that improve navigation and battle skills.
 * Sell - Sell unneeded items.
 * Nation Information - Display a nation's revenue, hostility, and friendship levels. Requires a small sum of gold.


 * Shipyard Commands
 * Buy - Commands involving the purchase of ships.
 * Buy Used Ship - Buy an old ship. Costs less than new ones.
 * Build New Ship - Commission a new ship to be built. More expensive than used vessels, but provides further customization features.
 * Sell - Sell useless ships. Flagship cannot be sold unless the captain switches vessels.
 * Fix - Pay ship builder to repair current fleet.
 * Remodel - Commands involving ship remodeling.
 * Guns - Buy new guns. Unneeded guns can be sold for half the price.
 * Sails - Change current sails.
 * Figurehead - Adorn figurehead to ship for good luck, mitigating the chances of natural disasters from occurring.
 * Rename Ship - Rename ship for a minimum fee.
 * Invest - Invest money on shipyard. Raises port's industry level in proportion to the amount of gold given. Cannot be done in Lisbon, Seville, and Istanbul.


 * Marketplace Commands
 * Sell - Sell current goods.
 * Buy - Buy local goods.
 * View Market - Check current rates of local market.
 * Invest - Invest money on market. Raises port's economy level in proportion to the amount of gold given. Cannot be done in Lisbon, Seville, and Istanbul.


 * Palace Commands
 * Meet King/Sultan - Receive an audience with a ruler to check his nation's influence in other ports.
 * Secret Call - Woo Princess Christiana in secret. Only available in Lisbon. Options to impress her include professing the protagonist's love, giving her flowers, or presenting valuable treasures as presents. Her favor enables the player to obtain more funds from the King of Portugal.
 * Request - Request-related commands.
 * Funds - Request for additional funds.
 * Crew - Request for additional crewmen.
 * Savings - Deposit up to 10,000,000 gold in the ruler's care. Only available in Lisbon.

Sailing Experience
Navigators rely on sailing levels to steer ships more efficiently. Higher levels allow them to not only handle larger vessels, they even lessen dependency on crosswinds and currents. A single day of sailing is worth 10 experience points whereas 10 days yield 400 points. Experience is also accumulated by discovering new ports.


 * Mediterranean Ports - 30
 * North European Ports - 120
 * West African Ports - 270
 * East African Ports - 480
 * American Ports - 750
 * Arabian Ports - 1,080
 * Southeast Asian Ports - 1,920
 * East Asian Ports - 2,470

Battle
The battle phase of the game takes place on a grid-shaped map, only occurring when players initiate combat with another ship or vice versa. An opposing fleet will always take the first turn upon ambushing the player whereas the latter is given a 50% chance to do so as the aggressor. If a disloyal navigator joins the battle, they may defect and take their vessel with them; the most effective way to avoid this is to keep their loyalty high at all costs.

Battles cannot be done during the night, leaving both fleets a limited amount of time to act before sunset approaches. Each side can deploy a maximum number of five vessels including the flagship; the player's forces are highlighted in green while the opposing fleet is marked in red. Ships are destroyed once their crewmen count or hull durability is depleted. To win, the player must sink the enemy's flagship or force them to retreat. Likewise, the destruction of the hero's flagship results in a game over. Defeating the opposing side allows the player to take the enemy's goods for themselves so long as their ships have more than enough space. This is a good way to replenish supplies while out at sea.

There are two common types of ships one may come across: merchant fleets and warships. Merchant fleets are few in number and easy to dispatch, though the rewards are just as minor. Warships are difficult to take on even with the right equipment, but their ships are likely to contain precious cargo. If the player keeps on attacking vessels owned by the three major powers, they will eventually be deemed a pirate and become a target for constant retaliation. This type of gameplay should not be attempted until the player has a sizable fleet built for this endeavor.

Terrain has an impact on the flow of battle and varies depending on the current vicinity.


 * Deep Sea - A deep body of water. Provides smooth sailing for all ships.
 * Sand Bar - A shallow bank of water. Obstructs large ships.
 * Coral Reef - Corals bundled together. Obstructs all ships.
 * Island - Includes small islands or rocks. Obstructs all ships.


 * War Commands
 * Move - Move forward using mobility points. The direction of the wind as well as various obstacles may change the ship's speed. Cannot be used if adjacent to an enemy ship.
 * Stop - Remain on current position.
 * View - View status of all hostile ships in battle. The top number is listed as durability whereas the bottom value represents crewmen.
 * Fire - Fire hostile ships from a distance to reduce their durability. Available if guns are equipped on the ship. Can only fire two or three panels away from both sides depending on the type of gun being used.
 * Rush - Storm an adjacent enemy ship to reduce their crewmen's numbers. Command is effective if the attacker has more sailors than the target.
 * Flee - Lead own ships away from battle. Weak navigators are prone to capture while disloyal ones will flee with their ship in tow.

Battle Experience
Winning a battle earns combat experience for the player's characters. By gaining battle levels, their attack-oriented attributes increase greatly. Each attack performed by a character is worth 2 experience points. Sinking enemy ships yield bonus points as well, but the amount received varies depending on the target's model.


 * Latin - 100
 * Bergantin - 800
 * Nao - 1,600
 * Carrack - 2,500
 * Galleon - 3,600

The highest battle level a character can attain is 50. Below is a list of levels and their respective experience requirements.


 * Level 1 - 0
 * Level 2 - 50
 * Level 3 - 200
 * Level 4 - 450
 * Level 5 - 800
 * Level 6 - 1,250
 * Level 7 - 1,800
 * Level 8 - 2,450
 * Level 9 - 3,200
 * Level 10 - 4,050
 * Level 11 - 5,000
 * Level 12 - 6,050
 * Level 13 - 7,200
 * Level 14 - 8,450
 * Level 15 - 9,800
 * Level 16+ - 12,000

Characters

 * Leon Franco
 * Rocco Alemkel
 * King of Portugal (王マヌエル, King Manuel) - Leon's liege and the ruler of Lisbon. He becomes the player's patron once they earn a proper rank for the first time.
 * Princess Christiana (クリス, Chris) - Leon's love interest. Originally betrothed to a prince from Spain, she may choose to marry the protagonist if they have courted her repeatedly. Near the game's finale, she is kidnapped by Turkish pirates and must be rescued for the story to end. The manual lists her age as 14.

Differences between ports

 * The PC version includes a more detailed interface for navigation. This trend would be applied to the sequel and it spin-off.
 * Event stills for port facilities are found in the PC and Genesis versions.
 * Voice acting is included in the X68000 port.
 * The mobile port keeps the protagonist's stats fixed while giving two of the recruitable mates, Fernando and Marco, their own scenarios.
 * The Classic Game version has updated graphics for character portraits, areas, and event stills.

Expansions/Spin-offs

 * Mobile Daikoukai Jidai

Related Media
One guidebook for the game was published by KOEI on February 1991. A soundtrack CD includes game music and an original image song. This vocal song was reprinted onto Koei Soundware Vocal Collections Vol. 1.

Image Song

 * Nanatsu no Umi he (SEVEN SEAS)
 * Performed by Kumi Sano