It seems the Chinese developers are absorbing the bad habits of their English/ Japanese counterparts in announcing their big news just before a major event starts. I am referring to E3 2012, and now this prior to ChinaJoy 2012. Expected to be announced at the event in a few days’ time, Perfect World Beijing has officially revealed Legend of the Condor Heroes to the media a few hours ago.
Although no screenshots were shown, we do know that the game will be developed on the brand new “ARK” engine. And yes, this game will be a full 3D one. The press release goes on raving about the new engine, providing active weather system, character action motion blur, dynamic character skeletal system (injuring different body parts in PvP?), supreme anti-aliasing and more. I shan’t go on, since I am like most of you guys, preferring to see a video or screenshot to be wow-ed.
Features listed includes anti-rooted combat (means active action combat), with 1-hit KO possible if attack the opponent’s weak spot (?!), forming unlimited amount of skill combos within the limited skill slots with various stances ranging from defense, attack and control. Legend of the Condor Heroes also boast a dynamic world storyline, which will change according to how players react in-game.
Other than the 6 clans written in the original novel and learning their skills, players will be able to create their own moves as well, starting their own clans and accepting other players as disciples. The whole game will be a big-ass one to explore, with the brave tagline “Unlimited Exploration” used. As usual, there is no release date yet, but do not expect an early release.
Official press release
Adapted from Louis Cha’s acclaimed novel of the same name, “Legend of the Condor Heroes” is a game Perfect World is developing to cater to the tastes of global players. The game will recreate the magic of the martial arts world for international players while adhering to the novel’s original storyline.
“Legend of the Condor Heroes” will run on the new “ARK” game engine, and introduce innovations in graphics, action, and gameplay designs. Perfect World’s extensive experience and technological expertise in developing 3D online games will provide players with a riveting and enjoyable gaming experience. Additionally, the open-style gameplay will immerse players in an exciting and free gaming world.
Mr. Michael Chi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Perfect World, commented, “We look forward to bringing our new martial arts MMORPG, ‘Legend of the Condor Heroes,’ to gaming communities around the world. As a masterpiece of Louis Cha and representative work of Chinese martial arts culture, the ‘Legend of the Condor Heroes’ novel has far-reaching influence and popularity among the global Chinese community.
Adapting this literary classic into an online game, we look forward to presenting players with a martial arts classic in a new entertainment form. In the production of ‘Legend of the Condor Heroes,’ we will uphold our company’s commitment to excellence, leveraging Perfect World’s expertise in technology and online game development to create an international title that will bring the fun and charm of Chinese culture to gamers around the world.”
