Support NeoGAF

[Mr Nash]

For anyone who is following the sci-fi MMO, here's an interview with the man behind the project:

http://www.armchairempire.com/Interviews/tabula-rasa-richard-garriott.htm

It's a fairly chunky article, so cut and paste points of interest as you see fit.

 

[Zweisy1]

This is the game keeping me interested in future of MMORPGs now that even WoW disappointed to some extent..

 

[Pakkidis]

When Ultima 9 went down so did Garrets career

 

[godofcookery]

the previous art style looked "fruitier" but more interesting.

 

[Pellham]

I still have faith in Garriott. Where can we find pics of this game?

 

[TheDuce22]

When Ultima 9 went down so did Garrets career

Maybe you forgot EAs motto. Origin creates worlds, we tear them down. I dont blame Garriot for ultima 9, I still have faith.

 

[Trident]

I thought Garriot quit making games after Ultima 9. He needs to remake that POS until I love it like Ultima 7! Fuck, I'm gonna go play some Ultima 7.

 

[El_Victor]

*picks up a guitar and starts to play Stones*
GARRIOT I LOVED THEE, WHY DID THOU HAST TO FAIL ME WITH THY GAME Ultima IX? WHY?!

 

[Ultra Magnanimous]

I visted the Tabula Rasa site recently after some people commented positively about it... looks absolutley dreadful to me though. *shrug*

 

[djtiesto]

I'd love to see Gariott work on a new, offline RPG...

 

[Tellaerin]

Tabula Rasa was on track to be the perfect MMO for me. A science-fantasy setting with a PSO aesthetic, an emphasis on RP-friendly elements like customizable housing, a deep skill system with the freedom to 'respec' and explore other options without having to start over from scratch... A couple of friends of mine and I were all waiting for word of when it would be going live. Then we found out that the game had been retooled into what looks like a crap pseudo-MMOFPS. Forgive me if I'm a little bitter.

 

[chaostrophy]

Then we found out that the game had been retooled into what looks like a crap pseudo-MMOFPS. Forgive me if I'm a little bitter.

Yeah. I was just flipping through the Nov. issue of Edge today and the new screens of it totally killed my interest. They got rid of the BLUE SKIES and gorgeous fantastical-SF feel and replaced it with a shit generic "war-torn" look. There was a bit in the developer interview when they were asked why they cut the original elements (such as the planned musical instruments that could be used as weapons) from the game, and the dev (not sure if it was Garriot or someone else on the team) said something like "we were making a David Lynch game on a Spielburg budget and we knew that wouldn't end up working out financially". Damn sellouts.

 

[cvxfreak]

Tabula Rasa is that historical term used during the Enlightenment IIRC. It meant that humans were born like blank canvases and gradually acquired knowledge through their surroundings and experiences.

I wonder if that's the whole goal of this game.

 

[hobbitx]

The first shots of this game I saw in CGM we're so beautiful I literally felt like it was a priviledge or an honor just for me to see them. The later screens just look like typical sci-fi though, when I first saw this I thought the whole game would have that crystal-like aura to it's designs. I'm still really stoked about this game though, this and Auto Assault are like the first MMO's I've seriously anticipated ever.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Tabula Rasa is that historical term used during the Enlightenment IIRC. It meant that humans were born like blank canvases and gradually acquired knowledge through their surroundings and experiences.

I wonder if that's the whole goal of this game.

Yep. You're character starts as a "blank slate" and you build him up from there. Also, it's symbolic of Garriots career, as he was in need of a blank slate following Ultima 9.

 

[cvxfreak]

Yep. You're character starts as a "blank slate" and you build him up from there. Also, it's symbolic of Garriots career, as he was in need of a blank slate following Ultima 9.

Whoo. I remember because I had to write a paragraph answer for it on my history midterm. :lol

 

[Mejilan]

Bleh. WTF has RG done recently? U8, U9, and the Lineage games were shit. Everything he's touched or endorsed in the past 10+ years is shit.

I miss Ultima. I miss Origin.

 

[SomeDude]

Ultima VII is one of the greatest games of all time.

With that said, Garriot hasn't made anything 'good' since then.

 

[Tony HoTT]

Ultima 8 was alright after all the patches. Ultima IX was OK if you had a 3dfx card at the time. Throughout the game's production RG was always hinting at how EA was troublesome, I think everyone should hate EA and cut RG some slack and let him prove himself.

 

[Mejilan]

U8 and U9 were shit, regardless of hardware or patch. Hell, I played through U9 for the first time only two years ago on a computer more than powerful enough to run it perfectly well.

The game SUCKED. I still can't believe I actually managed to play all the way through and beat it.

 

[Tony HoTT]

ok

geez

 

[Mejilan]

And U7 (both parts, both expansions) is like my favorite PC RPG ever... :/

Hell, U3, 4, 5, and 6 are also REALLY high up on that list. Which is what makes the reality of the last 2 games in the series so much more painful.

 

[TheDuce22]

With that said, Garriot hasn't made anything 'good' since then.

What they did with ultima online was pretty freaking amazing. MMOGS today still havent caught up.

 

[tahrikmili]

Ultima 5, 6 and 7 Part I & II are possibly one of the best RPG trilogies ever.. that said, I always thought Pagan was a very good game as well. I played it on my P120 at the time and it ran rather well. Never played Ultima IX though.

My favorite Ultima games would be Ultima 5, 7 Pt II and Underworld 2..

 

[Grug]

Obviously his ego has taken a big whack.

He doesnt call himself Lord British anymore.