While not exactly an official reveal, Perfect World Beijing has announced its new MMO after Swordsman Online, currently translated as “The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber Online”. Similar to Swordsman Online, the new title will be based on one of the most popular novel by famed writer, Jin Yong. For more about the game’s storyline, you can click here to have a read. I am wondering if Perfect World has a MMO based on “The Legend of the Condor Heroes” or “The Return of the Condor Heroes” next…
The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber Online will be developed using Perfect World’s in-house 2D graphics engine, EPARCH 2D. A thing to note, this engine does add elements to make 2D graphics look more 3D, so players do not have to worry about having a game with “flat” graphics. The game’s graphic engine boosts the ability to bring extra realism to the graphics department, including changes in weather, seasons, various environmental effects and more. An interesting note, Perfect World Entertainment, the North American subsidiary, has yet to bring any of the 2D games to the English market.
Perfect World has also recently announced a new system, called the AX System. Also designed in-house, the new system will boosts data reading speed significantly between the server and end-users and this new title will be the first to utilize it. I shall not go into too much technical details as I am actually lazy to type more :p
Here are some of the features revealed so far in the teasing announcement:
1. Players get to choose between 3 factions, with mass PvP wars and territorial control a main focus of the game. While not explained in details, players’ equipments and players’ own stats will be combined into a new unique “inner energy” feature. More on this in the future.
2. Enhanced community features, including a mini in-game blog (?!).
3. If you have played Silkroad Online, this feature will be familiar. Players will be able to go on trade runs between different locations. I am guessing an almost totally similar system to Silkroad Online’s. But as I mentioned, more details will be posted once available.
4. There will be a talent system based on the 5 elements, a horoscope system and more. Do note that this is only a teaser announcement, more info will be available later (I don’t think there is even an official website yet!).
