News

September 7, 2007

NCsoft, Richard Garriott throws party to celebrate pending launch of Tabula Rasa
By Michael Lafferty

Story element underscores party for the game, treating those in attendance to more than just chat and drinks

The disheveled man cast furtive glances about the lobby of the AmeriSuites Arboretum. He had a nervous air about him, occasionally stopping passers-by and handing them crumbled pieces of paper and a glossy scrap with an illustration of a symbol and a strange iconic language.

Those that took the time to read the paper realized that it contained not only the ramblings of someone who believed in an extra-terrestrial threat and government cover-up, but clues to deciphering the glyphs on the paper.

The message, once revealed, was an invitation to the Tabula Rasa Logos Academy at Richard Garriott’s house (Richard being the executive producer on the game, and the man who brought the world the ethical parables of the Ultima universe). But the evening was more than what it seemed. Two large buses left for Britannia Manor (Mark 2, the second home built for Garriott and not overly far from Mark 3, the site along Lake Austin where Garriott’s expansion and imaginative new home is being built), and were almost there when flashing lights pulled them over. A man in a black suit with white shirt, black tie and dark sunglasses boarded the bus, holding a picture of the man from the hotel. The inference being that these were government agents looking for someone they deemed important enough to apprehend.

Arriving at the manor there was a welcoming buffet and opening address from Richard. Garriott said that Tabula Rasa was more than just a game, he considered it “a cautionary tale about what I feel might befall the Earth.” He then introduced the first of a cast of characters, Dr. James Cooper, author and UFO specialist. Dr. Cooper began by discussing the recent discoveries at Garriott’s future house, objects decidedly alien in nature, and remarkably similar to elements in the world of Tabula Rasa. The rest of the cast of characters were introduced at that point, including Alan Azzwami, a native of New York who looked like an East Indian swami, and who was traveling the world studying the ley lines, or points of power (places like Stonehenge). Apparently there was a ley line under Britannia Manor Mark III. Then there was Max Maven, a parapsychologist who believed in the extraordinary cognitive powers of the human mind; and Eric Mead, Garriott’s wine supplier who would travel about finding rare wines to put in Garriott’s cellar, but also possessing the mental capabilities to use his mind to accomplish things like bending spoons.  

The assembled guest were broken into several groups and were given a tour of the existing Britannia Manor, with stops along to the way to appreciate the skills of the other cast members.

Key to Tabula Rasa, the game, are Logos, which are hieroglyphic-type symbols that can unlock powers for the few capable of understanding and using them. While the special guests (Maven, Azzwami and Mead) demonstrated the powers of the mind, what they were really doing was “identifying” the individuals who possessed rudimentary Logos skills. This would play out in a later scenario.

One of the stops along the way was a brief chat with Tabula Rasa producer Starr Long, who gave an overview of the game (GameZone story about the game). Starr was asked a variety of questions, such as whether the game will allow for the deconstructing weapons and armor to gain the components for new crafting (the answer was yes), and whether NCsoft – now that its lineup of MMOs is growing more substantial would consider doing what Sony Online has done in creating a pass that will allow players to play all NCsoft MMOs for one monthly fee.

“That’s a brilliant idea,” Long said, and then stated that NCsoft was having those discussions.

Once the manor tours were over, the guests were piled back onto the buses and take down to the construction site for Garriott’s new home, and that was where the action picked up. In one area there was a tower, or what appeared to be a control point in the game. Nearby was a table with desktop PCs and monitors. In a semi-sheltered area was a floating metallic-appearing sphere, another of the uncovered artifacts. With still photographers and cameras recording it, those identified as possessing Logos abilities were called forward to see if they could touch the ball.

There were a few harmless arcs and sparks and finally four were able to put their hands on the sphere. That started ominous music and lights flashing on the control point tower. The monitors and PCs sent out flashes and burst into flames. An image popped up on a nearby black cloth, the image of a Bane commander, telling the assembled group that they were too late, the invasion was imminent and that the human race would perish. It called for the human spy/traitor to step forward and a comely woman, speaking in monotone, answered.

She was asked if she had eliminated the opposition and she said she had, pulling the head of Azzwami from a bag (for the faint of heart, it was a nice stage prop, not a real head). Attention turned swiftly away as a still photographer started to snap flash pictures off to the side of the guest’s area. He was rewarded with a burst of some sort of weapons fire, his chest erupted in flaring sparks and he fell ‘lifeless’ to the ground. A Bane trooper wandered into view, ignoring the party guests and heading down into the construction. Soldiers were in pursuit, firing shotguns and other weapons at the Bane. Balls of fire leapt into the air, with countering flares of sparks. A helicopter came into low (piloted by NCsoft’s Robert Garriott, Richard’s brother), its searchlight trying to stay fixed on the Bane. The firefight lasted minutes, finally culminating with the call that the enemy was destroyed it was clear.

Cheers went up, and the final announcement of the evening – that Tabula Rasa would ship to retail on October 19 – was made. Then it was time for treats and a bus ride back to the hotel where it all began.

The event was meant to pique interest in the game and it certainly did that. Some of the performances were a tad over the top, but generally the party, the story underscoring it was well done. Tabula Rasa is a fast-paced action MMO that puts players into the middle of a desperate struggle for survivor, not merely on an individual planet basis, but on a universal basis. For eight hours on Wednesday night, in Austin, Texas, partygoers were able to touch on the story in a way that should be remembered for a long time to come.