Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft-again/#comments Last July, spacefaring game developer Richard Garriott won $28 million in a court case against former employer (and Tabula Rasa publisher) NCSoft, claiming that he was forced to sell his stock in the company at a low point in the market following his termination. NCSoft appealed the decision, and, after more than a year of further legal struggle, an appellate decision was reached in the 5th Circuit Court: Richard's getting paper.

"It would be unjust to allow NCsoft to sit back during trial, observe Garriott's litigation strategy, and then demand a new trial on damages when it dislikes the verdict," the ruling reads. Garriott's former victory was not only upheld -- NCSoft now owes him $32 million with interest and attorney fees. With that kind of cash, he could buy back his old manor, and build, like, five new manors on top of it. Or he could just go into space again; in the long run, that's probably the better investment.

Continue reading Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again)

JoystiqRichard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>courtlawsuitlegalncsoftpcRichard-Garriotttabula-rasaTue, 25 Oct 2011 19:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott is selling the manor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/richard-garriott-is-selling-the-manor/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/richard-garriott-is-selling-the-manor/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/richard-garriott-is-selling-the-manor/#comments "We'll be honest Claudette, we both just love it. When you told us the home used to belong to Richard Garriott and that the asking price was $4.1 million, we were unsure. But this is one of the most beautiful homes we've seen in Austin. And the walk-in tunic closet? Just lovely."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. There's just one other ... small thing. Teensy really."

"...What?"

"Well, I'm legally required to tell you the home ... is constructed on a Tabula Rasa burial ground."

"Surely not!"

"No, no, it's true. The Neph, the Bane, the AFS, all jammed under the floorboards. They're hermetically sealed, but still ... pretty grim."

"How could --"

"Now, on the plus side. That lamp over there? He stole it from the International Space Station."

"So you're saying I have to live over the remains of an entire MMO, NPCorpses stacked on top of each other like cordwood, but on the bright side -- space lamp?"

"... So, maybe ... $3.9 million? You think?"

"We'll ... we'll get back to you."

JoystiqRichard Garriott is selling the manor originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>nc-softrichard-garriotttabula-rasaultimaWed, 19 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-richard-garriotts-space-epiphany-ncsoft-departure-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-richard-garriotts-space-epiphany-ncsoft-departure-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/interview-richard-garriotts-space-epiphany-ncsoft-departure-a/#comments It's a sad day, my friends. With Richard Garriott starting Portalarium, we may retire the spaceman Garriott photoshop (above). With Garriott back on terra firma and with a new company, it's probably time to bury the image that represents the last couple years of his life, in which Garriott went to space, saw his name on failed MMO Tabula Rasa and encountered professional issues that saw him departing NCsoft and suing it for $27 million. Here are some excerpts from our discussion of Garriott's past and future at DICE.

Joystiq: Before we talk about the future, let's talk about the past a little bit: how was space?

Richard Garriott: Life changing, phenomenal. It is a series of life-changing epiphanies. ... My first thought was when I saw the Earth from space was not, "Oh wow, how high and beautiful it is above this beautiful Earth." It was: "Wow, we are not that high up. I sure hope they made this orbit perfectly circular or we're going to be reentering again real soon." That was my honest first thought when I saw the Earth from space. But it is perfectly circular.

During this whole space situation the NCsoft thing happened. What's the current status of the $27 million lawsuit?

Active, so, therefore I can't talk about it. There's a court date somewhere in the summer. Maybe things will resolve before then, maybe they won't.

Are there any unresolved issues with NCsoft beyond the lawsuit?

No, not at all. In fact, there's even areas where I'm quite supportive of NCsoft, both their products and a number of people there. Not my lawsuit, but there are other lawsuits where I fundamentally take their side on. I really have no bad blood with NCsoft globally, at all. I think they still do great products and have some really great people. I just have issue with one particular aspect of how my employment was dealt with. I thought it was an error and that's the basis of the lawsuit.

Continue reading Interview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium

JoystiqInterview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dice-2010ncsoftportalariumportalarium-playerrichard-garriotttabula-rasaThu, 18 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Garriott hits NCsoft with $27 million lawsuit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/garriott-hits-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/garriott-hits-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/garriott-hits-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/#comments
Tabula Rasa's absentee landlord (well, before it burned to the ground), Richard Garriott, is suing NCsoft for $27 million, according to a Texas court filing. GamePolitics has the documents detailing how Garriott was laid off from NCsoft while he was still in quarantine from his space trip. However, due to the characterization of his termination as "voluntary," he apparently missed out on millions in stock options, which is what the suit is all about.

The official word -- up until this point -- was that Garriott left NCsoft late last year after ... let's see, as Garriott put it at the time, his trip into space "sparked" some new interests for him to pursue. Hopefully the lawsuit will shake out more behind-the-scenes NCsoft drama and Tabula Rasa embarrassment nobody was willing to discuss openly.

Update: The figure is $27 million according to the court documents. Thanks, @leighalexander.

Source -- Garriott suing NCsoft for $24 million [Kotaku]
Source -- Garriott sues NCsoft for $24 million [GI.biz]
Source -- Garriott sues NCsoft for million in stock options [GamePolitics]

JoystiqGarriott hits NCsoft with $27 million lawsuit originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessgarriottlawsuitlegalncsoftrichard-garriotttabula-rasaWed, 06 May 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apocalypse Soon: Tabula Rasa going out with a bang]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/apocalypse-soon-tabula-rasa-going-out-with-a-bang/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/apocalypse-soon-tabula-rasa-going-out-with-a-bang/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/apocalypse-soon-tabula-rasa-going-out-with-a-bang/#commentsFiled under:

It seems that NCsoft will be ushering the fairly unsuccessful Tabula Rasa off this mortal coil in a somewhat unorthodox, yet completely awesome fashion. Soon-to-be-retired players won't be popping champagne and mingling during tomorrow's server shut-off festivities -- no, they'll be pushing back one last onrush of bloodthirsty Bane combatants in a cataclysmic event that will likely see the annihilation of every living thing, ever.

Players were warned in an in-character message on the Tabula Rasa site that should their defenses crumble during the Bane's final onslaught, humanity will turn to its ominous-sounding "last resort weapon," which will ensure the complete destruction of both sides of the conflict. The missive's reasoning was concise -- "if it is truly our destiny to be destroyed," it explains, "we are taking them all with us." Tabula Rasa may have not made a flashy arrival onto the MMO scene, but it sounds like NCsoft is making sure it has one hell of a departure.

JoystiqApocalypse Soon: Tabula Rasa going out with a bang originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocalypsemmoncsoftpcserver-shutdownshutdowntabula-rasaFri, 27 Feb 2009 23:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa adds mech suits in final weeks of operation]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/tabula-rasa-adds-mech-suits-in-final-weeks-of-operation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/tabula-rasa-adds-mech-suits-in-final-weeks-of-operation/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/11/tabula-rasa-adds-mech-suits-in-final-weeks-of-operation/#commentsFiled under: ,


The most important element to MMO development and maintenance is also an integral component for comedic exploits -- timing. Here's a sterling example of bad timing: Noted spaceman Richard Garriott/Lord British's overwhelmingly unpopular Tabula Rasa, which has about two weeks left before its servers shut down, just released a patch adding "mech suits" which are available for all classes. It sounds like a neat feature -- one that might have attracted some much-needed attention to the game before it nestled soundly into its death bed.

If you've been intrigued by Tabula Rasa, but couldn't be hassled to, you know, purchase it, it's free to play now. Just don't get too attached -- the game's servers are going down on February 28, at which point Garriott's final project with NCSoft will have an ironic, though extremely appropriate moniker.

[Via EuroGamer]

JoystiqTabula Rasa adds mech suits in final weeks of operation originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mech-suitncsoftpatchPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaWed, 11 Feb 2009 10:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa now free for all until its death]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/23/tabula-rasa-now-free-for-all-until-its-death/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/23/tabula-rasa-now-free-for-all-until-its-death/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/23/tabula-rasa-now-free-for-all-until-its-death/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Terminal sci-fi MMORPG Tabula Rasa is free to play for all until its death on February 28, 2009. NCSoft had previously announced the game would be free-to-play beginning Jan. 10, but now new players can request a serial code from the support site and download the game via FTP. Former players can head to PlayNC.com and reactivate using their account management settings. Credit card numbers will be requested, but no money will change hands.

Here's your chance to get a free Christmas present and play the game before its servers get wiped clean.

[Via Eurogamer]

JoystiqTabula Rasa now free for all until its death originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ncsoftPCtabula-rasaTue, 23 Dec 2008 08:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively week in Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/massively-week-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/massively-week-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/03/massively-week-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Joystiq's sister site Massively.com has all the news you'll need about MMOs. Here's the best, brightest, and most interesting stuff from the last week, all in one convenient place for your MMO minute.
EA licenses Dungeon Keeper MMO, for China
Electronic Arts has licensed out the Dungeon Keeper property as an MMO to Chinese-based developer NetDragon Websoft with the intent to eventually bring it overseas.
Warhammer Online 1.0.6 patch adds new classes, tidal wave of updates
Today, Mythic brings us Black Guards and Knights of the Blazing Sun! For those who didn't finish the full Heavy Metal event, don't worry, the classes will become available to everyone next week.
DC Universe probably coming early 2010/late 2009, says comics writer
Most intriguing was his up-front information on the game's launch window. According to Johns, the developers are aiming to release the game in "early 2010, it could be late 2009." Read on into the brief interview for the goods.
Richard Bartle responds to "torture quest" issue
A few days ago we ran a report on Richard Bartle's take on a torture quest in World of Warcraft, the Art of Persuasion. Since then, the discussion has exploded and some have taken Bartle's quotes out of context. Because of this, Bartle has created a follow-up post to clarify some of the points that may have been misinterpreted.
NCsoft clarifies its rationale for closing Tabula Rasa
Last week we spoke very briefly with NCsoft's Director of Public Relations David Swofford about the company's decision to close Tabula Rasa. He reiterated the basic statement we heard from several sources surrounding the call: this was all about the bottom line.

Continue reading Massively week in Review

JoystiqMassively week in Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dc-universe-onlinedungeon-keeperfeaturedmassivelymassively-week-in-reviewPCtabula-rasawarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftWed, 03 Dec 2008 03:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa shutting down on Feb. 28]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasa-shutting-down-on-feb-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasa-shutting-down-on-feb-28/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/21/tabula-rasa-shutting-down-on-feb-28/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We kind of knew that Tabula Rasa's run wasn't going to end all that well. And it will end ... on Feb. 28, 2009. This comes after months of reports concerning the NCsoft MMO's poor performance and, most recently, the departure of creator Richard Garriot.

The news of Tabula Rasa's impending shuttering came today via the game's community site, with the team issuing a formal "Thank you and farewell" message to players. "The development team has worked hard to improve the game since launch, but the game never achieved the player population we hoped for," the statement reads. "So it is with regret that we must announce that Tabula Rasa will end live service on February 28, 2009."

Tabula Rasa will be free-to-play beginning Jan. 10, 2009, through the day its servers power down. Subscribers to the game will be given a parting gift from NCsoft to the tune of three free months of City of Heroes, Lineage II, and access to the Aion beta when it becomes available (plus a free month of Aion once it's released).

[Via Massively]

JoystiqTabula Rasa shutting down on Feb. 28 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewsncsoftPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaFri, 21 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott to leave NCsoft]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/richard-garriott-to-leave-ncsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/richard-garriott-to-leave-ncsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/richard-garriott-to-leave-ncsoft/#commentsFiled under: ,

Boy, a guy takes one flight to space and suddenly he's too good for all of us earth-bound jerks. Tabula Rasa creator and semi-professional spaceman Richard Garriott recently revealed that his flight to the cosmos awakened some new interests in him, and that he'd be leaving TR publisher NCsoft to pursue those interests.

We at Joystiq HQ would like to suggest Garriott begin his search by looking for the Planet of Misfit Games, where technically sound titles that were utterly ignored here on Earth are each found by a special girl or boy and loved for all eternity. Barring that, a planet made of oil would also be super.

JoystiqRichard Garriott to leave NCsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ncsoftPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaTue, 11 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively week in Review]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/massively-week-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/massively-week-in-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/04/massively-week-in-review/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Joystiq's sister site Massively.com has all the news you'll need about MMOs. Here's the best, brightest, and most interesting stuff from the last week, all in one convenient place for your MMO minute.
World of Warcraft cranks it up to 11 (million)
Just two weeks before Wrath of the Lich King descends upon the denizens of Azeroth the world over, Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft has reached the 11 million subscriber mark. That's yet another milestone for the oft-celebrated MMO from the house that built Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo.
The Digital Continuum: Let's talk about the Fallout MMO
What's always been in the back-burner of my mind is whether or not the Fallout license would be necessary for a post-apocalyptic to flourish. While endlessly exploring our own personal post-apocalypticia is incredible fun, do we want a massive one?
Please make George Lucas stop
Dear Massively, What exactly are "they" smoking over at the Skywalker Ranch, or wherever it is that LucasArts has set up shop these days? "Star Wars: The Old Republic will be bigger than World of Warcraft" ?!?!?! Is Jar Jar Binks working in their PR department?
The Best of Massively: Our five all-time greatest hits
Three of these are top five articles, so we're three-fifths of the way to making a top five top fives list, it would seem. The numbers don't lie, though, so enjoy!
Tabula Rasa finally gets an FPS camera view
Have you ever wondered why a game like Tabula Rasa never utilized that classic first-person view, considering the fact that it's billed as an FPS-style MMO? The over-the-shoulder view never really did it for most players who were looking for more of a shooter aspect in their game. Rest easy in knowing that the FPS view is finally coming to this NCsoft sci-fi MMO, according to the latest Feedback Friday.

Continue reading Massively week in Review

JoystiqMassively week in Review originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BethesdaBethesda-Game-StudiosBethesda-Softworksfallout-3featuredmassivelymassively-week-in-reviewPCRPGstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republictabula-rasaworld-of-warcraftTue, 04 Nov 2008 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott is back on Terra Firma]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-is-back-on-terra-firma/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-is-back-on-terra-firma/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/24/richard-garriott-is-back-on-terra-firma/#commentsFiled under: ,

Praise the Eloh! Richard Garriott/Lord British, creator of Tabula Rasa and the Ultima series has returned to Earth after his 12-day-long journey into space. You sensed it when he reentered the atmosphere didn't you? Yeah, we did too.

In addition to, and we can't emphasize this enough, ensuring the eternal preservation of the human race, Garriott also became the first 2nd-generation astronaut (his dad, Owen, was also a spaceman). Welcome back, boss, we're glad that shirt's not the only thing that's out of this world.

JoystiqRichard Garriott is back on Terra Firma originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lord-britishPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaFri, 24 Oct 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watch Richard Garriott get shot into space]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/watch-richard-garriott-get-shot-into-space/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/watch-richard-garriott-get-shot-into-space/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/14/watch-richard-garriott-get-shot-into-space/#commentsFiled under: ,

After finishing Tabula Rasa, Richard Garriott decided to take a break from reaping the adoration of the game's dozens of fans to be (literally) shot into space. Video of his flight was released yesterday, and you can watch it just after the jump.

Just after liftoff (at about 2:15 into the video) Lord British holds a message up to the cockpit camera written in Logos, the language of Tabula Rasa. We'd love to make fun of him for doing something so incredibly nerdy, but we're ashamed to admit we actually think it's kind of cool. Sorry.

Continue reading Watch Richard Garriott get shot into space

JoystiqWatch Richard Garriott get shot into space originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaTue, 14 Oct 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft Austin to expand at a 'dramatic pace']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/#commentsFiled under:


This according to David Reid, the president of publishing at NCsoft's recently christened Seattle office, who despite rumors to the contrary recently assured Edge that the company's Austin office, which includes customer service, QA and the Tabula Rasa team, isn't going away anytime soon. Quite the opposite, in fact, as Reid describes Austin as "critically important" to NCsoft.

"We really do believe that Austin is going to grow at a fairly dramatic pace over the next few years," noted the exec. Growth is expected to be fueled by the company's upcoming MMO Aion, as well as other unannounced projects based on NCsoft's existing franchises. Truly, we're excited to hear of NCsoft's future plans, though we imagine not half as much as those in Austin who can now rest easy knowing, for the time being at least, any slips they may find at their desk when they arrive in the morning will be anything but pink.

JoystiqNCsoft Austin to expand at a 'dramatic pace' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionncsoftncsoft-austintabula-rasaFri, 19 Sep 2008 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: NCsoft to shutter Austin studio, reassign Tabula Rasa to Guild Wars dev]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Hot on the heels of news that Midway would be laying off approximately 90 employees from its Austin location comes a tip from a reliable source that NCsoft Austin (a.k.a. NCsoft North America) is on the verge of eliminating all of its development staff. The studio is currently home to the teams behind Tabula Rasa and Dungeon Runners, the latter of which will "be closed," according to our source. We've been told that only customer support staff will continue to operate out of the branch.

Future development of Tabula Rasa will reportedly be handed over to Seattle-based Guild Wars creator Arena.net, with Massively reporting that the title may meet a similar fate as Dungeon Runners if it "fails to turn the tide of subscribers and expectations." It has also learned that any future collaboration between NCsoft and Tabula Rasa principals Richard and Robert Garriot will be "limited in scope," due to a souring of relations with the Korean management team over their title's lackluster performance.

With regard to City of Heroes, a source at NCsoft's Bay Area studio confirmed with us that its development staff will be completely unaffected by the events transpiring in Austin, saying that the title's status is "sound." Further to this, the source echoed Massively's report that only the Austin studio is being affected, with remaining development proceeding normally in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Korea.

JoystiqRumor: NCsoft to shutter Austin studio, reassign Tabula Rasa to Guild Wars dev originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena.netbreakingnewscity-of-heroesguild-warsNCsoftNCsoft-North-AmericaPCRumortabula-rasaTue, 12 Aug 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft says Tabula Rasa is doing fine]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/#commentsFiled under: , ,

An NCsoft Europe spokesperson tells Eurogamer that Tabula Rasa has a growing player base and isn't in any trouble. Recent reports suggest otherwise, as NCsoft was apparently too embarrassed by the game's performance to mention it in its recent Q1 financial report. NCsoft states that a recent European trial met with "great demand" and it'll do a similar promotion later this year.

It's no secret that Tabula Rasa's had a slow start, but just how bad is it? If MMOGCHART is to be believed, Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa has approximately 75,000 players, the same subscription numbers as his decade-old Ultima Onine.

JoystiqNCsoft says Tabula Rasa is doing fine originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ncsoftncsoft-europePCrichard-garriotttabula-rasatabularasaWed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa largely absent from NCSoft financial reports]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/#commentsFiled under: ,


Wherefore art thou, Tabula Rasa? Though we knew the title's been a bit slow to start, we were still a shocked when Richard Garriott's MMO was largely absent from publisher NCSoft's Q1 financial report. As Massively reports, the title appears only twice throughout the publicly accessible earnings report, and neither time in a particularly favorable light.

In a conference call following the release, CFO Lee Jae-Ho confirmed that the "Tabula Rasa operation" has not yet been profitable for NCSoft. This point, however, was only addressed during the Q&A session, and otherwise entirely ignored during Jae-Ho's formal presentation.

For those interested, Massively presents a more thorough breakdown of the financial standing of Tabula Rasa. We'll summarize here by saying "it ain't good."

JoystiqTabula Rasa largely absent from NCSoft financial reports originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ncsoftPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaFri, 06 Jun 2008 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Producer admits Tabula Rasa is starting slow [Updated]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/#commentsFiled under: ,


Though it certainly looked promising pre-release, it has seemed to us that Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa isn't exactly taking off. We're not playing it, and as far as we know, we don't know anyone who's playing it. Now, in a "State of the Game" post on NCsoft's official website, producer Starr Long admitted that they haven't received the reception they would have liked, saying, "the game has not taken off as quickly as we had hoped."

The admission comes almost a month after reports of major financial trouble and layoffs for NCsoft caused by the game. That said, Long does have some good excuses, and he reaffirms that NCsoft is still devoted to seeing the game succeed. Meanwhile, Richard Garriott is training to go into space. ... We don't have a joke here, we just thought you should know.

[Via Eurogamer]

[UPDATE: Starr Long is, in fact, a male, not a female. We regret the error.]

JoystiqProducer admits Tabula Rasa is starting slow [Updated] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ncsoftPCrichard-garriotttabula-rasaThu, 06 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zero Punctuation hates on Tabula Rasa]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/zero-punctuation-hates-on-tabula-rasa/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/zero-punctuation-hates-on-tabula-rasa/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/zero-punctuation-hates-on-tabula-rasa/#commentsFiled under:


If you've been paying attention to the Escapist's Zero Punctuation reviews, then you've caught on that the whole point is to listen to some British guy hate on a game for a few minutes (the exception being the Psychonauts review where he just hates on people who didn't buy it). The latest review from "Yahtzee" has him hating on Tabula Rasa. As Americans (or, at least, Escapist editors) seem to love listening to British accents getting all uppity and nit-pick on things in absurdest Monty Python-esque statements, this Tabula Rasa review (found after the break) is another entertaining stroll of Yahtzee's breathless rage.

Continue reading Zero Punctuation hates on Tabula Rasa

JoystiqZero Punctuation hates on Tabula Rasa originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>escapistescapistmagazinegarriottPCreviewstabula-rasatabularasayahtzeezero-punctuationzeropunctuationThu, 11 Oct 2007 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa delayed until Nov. 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/#commentsFiled under: ,


Despite confirming an October 19th release date early last month, NCSoft has announced their years-in-the-making MMO Tabula Rasa will see a minor delay, bumped two weeks back to November 2. A message from the game's producer, Starr Long (now that's a stellar name!), on the official site explains, "This short but critical amount of time will give us time to address several issues including stability and balance as well as allowing our players to test the continent of Ligo (L38+) and our major changes to crafting for a few weeks rather than a few days."

Don't get all worried pre-orderers, your Halloween plans aren't ruined after all; you'll still get the game three days early on Oct. 30. Everyone else, what can we say besides we're sorry?

[Via Gamespot]

JoystiqTabula Rasa delayed until Nov. 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Oct 2007 23:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsdelayNCSoftPCTabula-RasaTabulaRasaTue, 02 Oct 2007 23:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa's opening cinematic]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/tabula-rasas-opening-cinematic/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/tabula-rasas-opening-cinematic/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/14/tabula-rasas-opening-cinematic/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Reminiscent of Sarah Connor's monologue from Terminator 2, the opening sequence to Tabula Rasa sets the stage for the sci-fi MMORPG. Of course, being an MMORPG, we know the thing won't have an ending, so there's no chance we'll ever be able to finish the fight. But the cinematic sure is pretty and accomplishes the age-old trick of getting us to try the game just because of an over-the-top gorgeous opening sequence.

Hopefully Tabula Rasa ends up being good ... there really aren't enough non-fantasy high-profile MMOs on the market. Other than EVE, we can't remember a single major sci-fi MMORPG since Earth and Beyond -- and those servers were shut down years ago. Tabula Rasa is currently in beta with no official release date yet.

JoystiqTabula Rasa's opening cinematic originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCtabula-rasaTue, 14 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq interviews NCSoft's Brian Clayton and Richard Garriott]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/08/joystiq-interviews-ncsofts-brian-clayton-and-richard-garriott/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/08/joystiq-interviews-ncsofts-brian-clayton-and-richard-garriott/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/08/joystiq-interviews-ncsofts-brian-clayton-and-richard-garriott/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Whilst at the Develop Conference last month we, unfortunately, managed to miss our meeting with NCSoft's Richard Garriott. Thankfully we have still been able to get our questions answered via email. The majority of the following are responses by Brian Clayton, Executive Producer at NCSoft, who was directly involved with the Sony partnership. Richard Garriott answers the final two questions on MMO design.

Why choose to develop exclusively for Sony in the console market?

Brian: Sony has shown a commitment to developing robust console hardware with strong longevity which is crucial to any viable MMO console strategy. In addition, Sony understands that our MMO business model is different than the traditional console model and is giving us the flexibility to develop and publish AAA MMOs. We feel that together our strategic partnership will offer console gamers an experience that can't be matched anywhere else.

Continue reading Joystiq interviews NCSoft's Brian Clayton and Richard Garriott

JoystiqJoystiq interviews NCSoft's Brian Clayton and Richard Garriott originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BrianClaytonNCSoftPS3PSPRichardGarriotttabula-rasaTabulaRasaWed, 08 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott calls for MMO devs to innovate]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/richard-garriott-calls-for-mmo-devs-to-innovate/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/richard-garriott-calls-for-mmo-devs-to-innovate/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/25/richard-garriott-calls-for-mmo-devs-to-innovate/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Speaking at the Develop Conference, game designer Richard "Lord British" Garriott (Ultima series) called for innovation in the field of MMO games.

"Game design has not changed over 10 years. Fundamentally the gameplay is unchanged," he said, referring to his 1997 Ultima Online title that arguably laid the framework for modern-day MMOs. He later added, "We owe it to consumers to provide new kinds of gameplay."

Garriott lamented on the prevalence of level grinding in current titles and emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence as the genre moves forward. We can think of at least nine million people who enjoy the current state of MMOs. Garriott has laid down the gauntlet; time will tell if his latest project, the oft-delayed Tabula Rasa, will advance the genre.

JoystiqRichard Garriott calls for MMO devs to innovate originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developlordbritishrichardgarriotttabula-rasatabularasaultimaWed, 25 Jul 2007 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[How not to rob Richard 'Lord British' Garriott]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/how-not-to-rob-richard-lord-british-garriott/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/how-not-to-rob-richard-lord-british-garriott/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/20/how-not-to-rob-richard-lord-british-garriott/#commentsFiled under:

Richard "Lord British" Garriott could not have designed a more perfect ending to this little chapter in his game called life. Recently Garriott, who is currently working on Tabula Rasa, was the victim of a burglary. Some youths broke into Garriott's vacation complex, drinking over $5000 in alcohol and having their way with the property. The little felons would have gotten away with it too -- if they hadn't left the digital camera used to document the night's events behind!

"We were joking to ourselves about tomorrow morning, when they wake up with a hangover, they're going to wonder where that camera is ... This is one of those Darwin-style kind of awards, where people leave the self-incriminating evidence behind at the scene," Garriott said to Austin's KVUE. This is the second break-in on Garriott's property in two years. We're expecting him to either build a moat around the property with a dragon or have it patrolled by some giant mechanized death machine.

JoystiqHow not to rob Richard 'Lord British' Garriott originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>tabula-rasaTue, 20 Mar 2007 04:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa not vaporware -- starts beta testing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/tabula-rasa-not-vaporware-starts-beta-testing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/tabula-rasa-not-vaporware-starts-beta-testing/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/06/tabula-rasa-not-vaporware-starts-beta-testing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

NCSoft's Tabula Rasa began sign-ups for beta testing this week. The sci-fi MMO, headed by Richard Garriott of Ultima fame, is a title that's been a long time coming. Showing at E3 2005 and 2006, with launch dates always shifting, there still is no reasonable explanation as to why this game is taking so long. We're sure to get another Tabula Rasa fix at Min-E3 and with any luck they'll finally nail down an official launch date.

See also:

JoystiqTabula Rasa not vaporware -- starts beta testing originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 06 Jan 2007 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betammorpgncsoftPCtabula rasatabula-rasaTabulaRasaSat, 06 Jan 2007 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[New Tabula Rasa gameplay vid]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/23/new-tabula-rasa-gameplay-vid/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/23/new-tabula-rasa-gameplay-vid/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/23/new-tabula-rasa-gameplay-vid/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tabula Rasa gameplay video
NCsoft has released a new gameplay video from Tabula Rasa, the forthcoming MMORPG from Richard Garriott's Destination Games. You'll want to crank up the brightness, as this is one dark and muddy looking featurette. Watch it on GameSpot, or download it from File Front.

See also: Joystiq E3 impressions: Tabula Rasa, Lord British to receive lifetime achievement award

JoystiqNew Tabula Rasa gameplay vid originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 May 2006 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>destination gameslord britishncsoftPCrichard garriotttabula rasatabula-rasaTue, 23 May 2006 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[PC impressions: Tabula Rasa]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/11/pc-impressions-tabula-rasa-/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/11/pc-impressions-tabula-rasa-/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/05/11/pc-impressions-tabula-rasa-/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Tabula Rasa is a sci-fi themed MMO from NCsoft. Among its arsenal of features are: party-based voice chat, instances and open battlegrounds, a range of weaponry and an interesting cloning system. The class system is branching, and players can clone their character at any time -- change your mind about a class, and you can just dust off the clone and try again, rather than re-roll at level one.

Playing the game, it comes across as the crazy lovechild of a MMORPG and MMOFPS. Combat is fast-paced and loud, with a big focus on guns and special abilities. Aiming isn't the FPS-style twitch-based shooting, though, and players progress through levels and missions much like in other MMOs. Being able to zoom into first-person view makes Tabula Rasa play almost like a straight-up FPS at times, but without the response and accuracy that FPS games are used to.

Continue reading PC impressions: Tabula Rasa

JoystiqPC impressions: Tabula Rasa originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 May 2006 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e32006episodicmmommorpgncsoftPCrpgscifitabula rasatabula-rasaTabulaRasaThu, 11 May 2006 23:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa at E3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2005/05/19/tabula-rasa-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2005/05/19/tabula-rasa-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2005/05/19/tabula-rasa-at-e3/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Tabula Rasa Gameplay Screenshot

Excuse us for a moment while we wax philosophical.

Tabula Rasa, when it's not a proper noun referring to the new MMO by NCsoft, literally means "scraped tablet" or blank slate. According to the philospher John Locke, tabula rasa represented the idea that all human minds are a blank slate at birth with no pre-programmed behaviors and therefore each individual is free to author his own destiny.

John Locke would have probably liked the MMO genre, because all players enter a given virtual world as a blank slate. We create a character who enters the world naked and defenseless, and the game then teaches us how we're supposed to behave and what we're supposed to aspire to, as players.

Tabula Rasa the game is an MMO set in some far-distant future after the Earth has rendered charred and uninhabitable in an intergalactic war between hostile alien species. Surviving humans have banded together to fight against and put an end to the war, saving the universe in the process. This is one backstory that could have been popped out of the random sci-fi adventure generator, it's that hackneyed.

Luckily, the gameplay and graphics on display at E3 easily trump the story. Though the game isn't due out until February or March of next year, it's already looking fairly polished and playable. We spoke to the lead level designer about the game and he described it as "less twitch" than most typical first person shooter games, though it does have strong FPS elements to it. He also noted that the game is entirely player-versus-environment at this point though they haven't ruled out adding PvP elements later. Tabula Rasa is due in the spring of 2006. Check out the five Tabula Rasa gameplay videos here.

JoystiqTabula Rasa at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 May 2005 10:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>PCtabula-rasaThu, 19 May 2005 10:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa goes low key with site update]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2005/04/18/tabula-rasa-goes-low-key-with-site-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2005/04/18/tabula-rasa-goes-low-key-with-site-update/http://www.joystiq.com/2005/04/18/tabula-rasa-goes-low-key-with-site-update/#commentsFiled under: , ,

garriot

Richard Garriott is considered the daddy of the massively multiplayer online game. Ultima Online was unlike anything anyone had seen before. The scale of the world and the addictiveness of the gameplay took a lot of jaded gamers by surprise. It's a tough act to follow, but he's going to try with Tabula Rasa. Expectations couldn't be higher for the MMOG title, especially after a sudden retooling that Garriott thought was necessary. Was the delay a sign of a project in trouble? Or was it further proof that whatever we end up getting will be worth it?

The Tabula Rasa website has been updated with a simple run-down of where the project is, and why. They promise more updates as we get close to E3.

[via ShackNews]

JoystiqTabula Rasa goes low key with site update originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 18 Apr 2005 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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