FPT Telecom - the sole provider in Vietnam of the online game “Tian Long Ba Bu” (Thien Long Bat Bo)

Developed by the SOHU Corporation, “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” is based on the well-known Kim Dung novel. It is among twenty games selected by the Chinese Government for promotion, with investment of 100 billion yuan and more than three years of research and development.

Players enter the world of swashbuckling heroes found in the novel “Tian Long Ba Bu”. The game is grounded on from the context of China ’s wartime with the apperance of a secret and precious martial arts book prepared by a talent knight-errant. As rumoured, the person owning the book can lord over a region. The game gradually and fantatiscally passionates the players as a literature work often does.

With sharp graphics and scenes of vast and grandiose plains, the game takes players to the world of people of the same ambition and plunges them into surprising events. However, it is the characters’ ability to give the game and the novel a sense of vividity that makes “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” absolutely real and amazing.

What also help the game stand out from the rest are the amazing martial arts and the eye-catching images based on descriptions in the novel. From graphics to music, “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” meets the highest possible criteria.

Apart from its fascinating content, the game proves its uniqueness for its diverse collection of swords, bows, and lances, and its exciting martial arts. The game’s strengths compared to others lie in its sharp 3D graphics and modern playing method, under the MMORPG criteria (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game – an online role playing game for various players) in computers with low configuration. “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” is widely popular in China and FPT is pleased to have secured the Vietnamese rights from SOHU.

From May 15 players can register to receive one of 5,000 hero cards to experience a real game posted on www.tl.gate.vn. Two weeks later, on June 1, the first experimental game will be made public and the registration of all players is welcome. The official Close Beta day is expected to be June 15, on which the highest level that players can achieve is 100.

Hoping to maintain and promote Kim Dung’s language, literary style, and unique characteristics when introducing the game to Vietnamese players, FPT Telecom has decided to cooperate with the Phuong Nam Corporation in translating “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” (Thien Long Bat Bo) from Chinese into Vietnamese. Journalist and musician Vu Duc Sao Bien, who is regarded as “ Vietnam ’s most knowledgeable researcher of Kim Dung”, is in charge of revising the Vietnamese version.

Among the activities marking the entry of “ Tian Long Ba Bu ” into the Vietnamese market are the “Selecting a Tian Long Ambassador” and “Opening a Tian Long Account - Opening Golden Hearts” programs. Besides celebrities such as My Tam, Quang Dung, Ho Quynh Huong, Tuan Hung, Dam Vinh Hung, Ung Hoang Phuc, Ngo Thanh Van, Ho Ngoc Ha, Le Quyen, Duy Manh and Miss Vietnam Mai Phuong Thuy selecting a Tian Long Ambassador on Besides holding a selection among celebrities such as My Tam, Quang Dung, Ho Quynh Huong, Tuan Hung, Đam Vinh Hung, Ung Hoang Phuc, Ngo Thanh Van, Ho Ngoc Ha, Le Quyen, Duy Manh and Miss Vietnam Mai Phuong Thuy on www.tl.gate.vn to find out Tian Long ambassador, players contribute VND50 to the Golden Heart Fund organized by FPT Telecom when opening a Tian Long account. The programs last from May 2 to June 15. The Tian Long Ambassador will represent the game’s players by sending money collected to the Ho Chi Minh Poor Children Fund.

Mr. Luong Cong Hieu, Director of FPT Online Content under FPT Telecom, said: “Hoping to bring players an advanced online entertainment product in Vietnam , FPT Telecom has long researched Vietnamese players’ demand and approached dozens of game projects of US, South Korean and Chinese partners. FPT Telecom has decided to collaborate with SOHU Corporation to introduce ‘Tian Long Ba Bu’ as its content is appealing and the functions are suitable to the demands of most Vietnamese players. FPT Telecom believes that ‘Tian Long Ba Bu’ will provide Vietnamese students and youngsters with sound entertainment during the summer of 2007.”

Since its introduction in China in 2005, as at April 4 this year “Tian Long Ba Bu” had attracted more than 3.12 million players (100,000 per day). Key words for “Tian Long Ba Bu” were the most searched in China during April. It has also received a range of prizes, such as “2006 National Chinese Online Game”, and won the “Chinajoy Game Competition 2006 Award” for the most anticipated online game”.

Information on FPT Telecom:

FPT Telecom is the leading provider of Internet services and content in Vietnam . It is now providing two other online games:

MU Vietnam : Meritorious Heroes (Xung Danh Anh Hung) ( www.muonline.vn) has been the longest-lasting in Vietnam and is developed by South Korea ’s Webzen Corporation. Meritorious Heroes-(Xung Danh Anh Hung) was introduced in Vietnam in 2002 by the community of game lovers.

FPT Telecom has been the sole provider since 2005. Nearly one million people have registered and the highest number of members simultaneously playing has reached over 60,000 concurrent users (CCU). In 2006, with more than 4,415 votes, MU won second prize for “The Most Popular Online Game of the Year” at the E-CHIP ICT Awards 2006.

PTV - “Priston Tale” (Gianh Lai Mien Dat Hua) ( www.ptv.com.vn) is the first online Full 3D game in Vietnam, with the Vietnamese version having been developed by South Korea’s Priston Inc. FPT Telecom has been the sole provider in Vietnam since March 2005. With over 600,000 accounts and the average number of players at any one time reaching around 20,000 CCU, the game is among the top three online Full 3D games in the country.

Information on SOHU Corporation

Established in 1996, SOHU is the most prestigious corporation in China . Having succeeded in developing and managing the largest Internet Portal and Search Engine in China, at www.sohu.com, the Corporation was listed among the “Top Ten Chinese Global Brand Names” by the Financial Times newspaper. SOHU is the only Internet company selected as the informatics sponsor for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. SOHU’s CEO is Mr. Charles Zhang, the man considered to be China ’s Bill Gates, who was selected as one of 15 Global Tech Gurus by Time magazine and among 25 typical CEOs of global electronic enterprises.

In 2004, at the ChinaJoy Game Competition, SOHU’s “Knight Online” and “Blade Online” received two of the ten awards for the most popular online games in China . In 2005 and 2006, SOHU Game was recognized as one of the top game-issuing companies at China ’s Annual Industrial Online Game Convention.

Website: http://www.sohu.com.

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