TX2 Status

My previous post on TX2 can be found here:

http://chinese-net-gaming-stock.blogspot.com/2007/10/status-on-tx2.html

Netease’s TX2 developer answered some questions regards to the new game. The link is as follows:

http://tx2.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=208555&extra=page%3D3

I will translate the important point.

- There will be a lot more contents.

- A lot more main quests.

- Allows more costumes and in game items.

- Allows the players more options to turn on/off various graphics options.

- Much more Player vs Player (PvP) features. In addition to the existing features of castle siege and gang-warfare, it will adds three new PvP features, battlefield, fighting ring and beast fighting ring.

- Closed beta will start after the Spring Festival (2/7/2008).

My impression is as follows:

One of the main knock against TX2 before is that the game is too much for the players with old computers. It looks Netease is taking a three-prawn approaches. It will use the latest version of the game engine. It will re-write the game from the ground up, but this times emphasize on the game resource allocation. Finally, it will allow players more options that will allow them to turn off graphic options dynamically when the players are in the middle of major battle field. Hopefully, this will solve this problem.

I was a little surprised at the emphasis on the PvP features. But after further reading, it starts to make sense. The older PvP features (castle siege and gang warfare) are designed specifically for major gangs and tribes. The old TX2 was a game for global domination. But the new PvP features are more for individual and for small groups.

World of Warcraft is a game that had thousands of side-guests that will keep players busy for long time. In addition, it has a lot of PvP features that keeps the players interested after they finished the side quests.

The older TX2 was a completely different game. It was a global domination game that are designed for big gangs (or tribes) that have hundreds or thousands of members.

I always wished TX2 can be a WOW clone. If TX2 adds many more side-guests, the transformation will be complete. A WOW clone will give TX2 a good chance to be a major hit in China.

They are going to start closed beta in mid to late February, 2008. The closed beta could be 2 to 4 months in duration followed by 1 month of open beta.

My speculation is we might be seeing commercial operation somewhere either from middle of 2Q to the end of 3Q.

Note: From the following link, the 2^nd closed beta will most likely be early March. The link:

http://tx2.netease.com/viewthread.php?tid=206599&extra=page%3D2