If you played another MMORPG, you probably noted a general pattern. The best companies are the ones that group the highest level players.
However, this is not the case in UWO.
Being in the same company as high level players will not give you protection or immunity against pirates or privateers.
Nevertheless, most players will go to the nearest company admin office and look for the highest ranking company that has room and apply.
Choosing a company
If you don't want to be like most people, this is what I advise you to know and do.
Before you choose a company to play you need to understand what are you preferences and needs.
First of all, companies have a physical headquarters. Each capital city and some major cities in the world can host a company.
Where would you like it to be?
It's not a big deal but it is usually desirable that the company be in a place you visit a lot. This is specially true if you are a trader and needs to check out (or resupply) your company store frequently.
If no ideas come to mind, choose your country's capital. Or go to the trading hub of the world (Seville in the global server).
What are your preferences and needs?
Once you figured that out, go find where like minded players are.
There are companies specific for pirates, adventures and traders. But there are much more interest based possibilities.
Specific Advice
New player
If you are new player, I highly recommend that you join a company that advertises itself as beginner-player-friendly. These companies are usually open and run by players that want to help new players.
But how do I know it?
Some will advertise it in the trade / world chat. But you can also find this by doing a quick search.
1 - Go to the company admin office.
2 - Click the "View companies" button.
3 - Click "Search companies:
 |
| (As you can see there are 200 companies, which a lot to look one by one) |
4 - Click "For beginner players" and "Partial Match search" and hit "Begin Search".
And Voilà ! From 200 companies you now have 40 to choose from.
Now I advise you to read the company description for clues that they accept / want beginners.
A green "E" means "Yes" or "equipped" and a gray "E" means "No".
Example:
Is the company above "For beginner players"?
Of course not! It is clear by the "references only". Unfortunately some company leader forgot to uncheck this option.
Bonus advice: Do not apply to companies that are full (50/50 members).
Non-english speaking player
If english is not your native language, I advise you look for a company that is made up by people that speak your language. It makes communication a lot easier.
Explaning the company info screen and search options
Once you know your preferences and needs, you can narrow your search. These are the options:
No item deliveries
Leaders that mark this options are telling you that they will not require contribution from you, which is a way to level up the company. In practice means that the leader will pay for it himself.
For quiet players / For solo players
Some players like to play alone and hardly ever interact with others. Just like a single player offline game. Marking one of these options means the company IS for this kind of player.
For social players
Social players are the opposite to quite players and want to interact and do stuff together. Marking this option means the company IS for this kind of player.
It makes no sense to me to mark "quite players" and "social players". It will please none of the two groups. If you see both marked it means the same as having none marked.
For beginner players
As explained above, it is for new players. Those that will have the most basic questions and needs.
For veteran players
It is for players that already have some experience and will not ask the most basic questions. If you are not in the mood for helping new players with the most basic questions this is the best for you.
It makes no sense to me to mark "beginner players" and "veteran players". It will please none of the two groups. If you see both marked it means the same as having none marked.
For Hardcore players
It is for players that are not only experienced, but are also spend lots of hours playing this game.
It may or may not have specific rules like "logging once a week or every day".
No PvP piracy acts
You and any company mate may not go pirate.
Colony
The company has a colony in north america. It is an exclusive town and may be completely different to other company's colony.
Every company can have one but only the director can create a new colony.
Company nanban trade
You can do some nanban trade at the company admin office without ever going to Asia. Limited to 50 units per month if I recall correctly.
Every company can have it but the director needs to go to EA himself to set it up.
Company house
High ranking companies earn a company house, which is a physical address you can actually go to in the city's mini map.
It also helps the company distinguish itself from others by having a small icon next to the name.
Rank
As the company progresses in the competition with other companies, it will gain ranks, which will help it distinguish itself from others.
Company info screen
Contribution
How much the company has contributed (Item deliveries + Aide fleet points).
The higher the contribution, the higher the company will be displayed in the month.
Members
How many members it has (50 is maximum).
Director
The IGN of the director. You may contact him for information before joining.
Creating a new company
Want to create a new company or learn more about its mechanics? Check my other company guide.
Thanks to...
This guide was made thanks to players like you.
Would you like to make a contribution to our UWO community? Why not become my patron?
COMMENTS