Here are the pictures from the blessed event. Note the lack of vomit and the lack of upskirt shots on the fabulous wedding dress.

The bride and groom, New York couple Noah Fulmore and Erin Finnegan, are huge sci-fi fans according to a June 2 press conference the couple held to discuss their extraordinary wedding plans. They wanted to do something sci-fi-ish and weird for the wedding — so who better to oblige them than the creator of Tabula Rasa?

The zero-g ceremony was facilitated by the Zero G Corporation, a federally-approved tourist flight service that simulates spaceflight by flying in parabolic arcs between 36,000 and 24,000 feet. (Flying up, then dropping down and then going back up again.) The flight costs $5,200 per person.

Couple married in zero gravity [Reuters]

The New York couple Noah Fulmore, 31, and Erin Finnegan, 30, are paying a small fortune to throw their wedding on a Zero G Corporation flight. Zero G is the only federally-approved tourist flight service that simulates spaceflight by flying in parabolic arcs between 36,000 and 24,000 feet. (That's flying them up and then dropping them and then going back up to do it all again). Zero G charges $5,200 a person per flight.

Daily News reports that the couple is the first to exchange wedding vows in freefall.

The pair met at an NYU science fiction club in 2000 and began dating in 2002. They went to so many "conventional" weddings they decided to do something out of this world.

"Since this is the one time in our lives that we were going to do this [get married], we thought we should make it a once-in-a-lifetime event," Fulmore said.

"My mom thinks I'm absolutely nuts."

The wedding is set for later this month. I hope nobody gets cold feet. I guess you don't need your feet in zero-g, but still...

So in love they could float away [Daily News]

While at the time it sounded like Garriott had - fresh from his trip into space - simply walked away for a new challenge outside of games development, court documents have surfaced today showing that Garriott is suing NCsoft for a whopping $24 million.

The suit was filed in the Texas Western District Court earlier today, with Garriott, the plaintiff, accusing NCsoft of fraud. We've contacted both NCsoft and the court for further information, and will update when we hear more.

GameDaily writer and occasional Kotaku contributer N. Evan Van Zelfden (possible robot) got a chance to speak with Garriott about his future gaming plans during The Game Business Law summit founder's dinner.

Do I have a plan that I can tell you now? No. I'm still finishing my space flight. I am literally still in the middle of NASA and ESA medical experiments. I am literally still in the middle of my earth observation analysis, as well as the particle crystal growth stuff we're wrapping up. And that's going to take me some weeks and months to wrap up. But, some day in the future, it's hard not to assume I will get back into gaming. I still personally believe I have lots of great ideas and desire to build games. It's just today, it's space.

Hit up the link below for the rest of the interview, in which Garriott bemoans the early closure of Tabula Rasa and expresses interest in returning to the Ultima property somewhere down the line.

Richard Garriott Talks Games After Space [GameDaily]

Fresh from his historic trip to the International Space Station, Richard Garriott is making a slightly less historic trip to the Zach Theater in Austin, Texas, on the 24th of January in order to tell everybody willing to pay $65 for a ticket about the experience. Shows will run at 2:30 PM and 8:00 PM, during which the gaming pioneer will discuss what it was like following in the footsteps of his astronaut father.

While I doubt he'll touch much on gaming issues, such as his recent departure from NCsoft, there is a Q&A session after each lecture, which I feel should needs to be positively brimming with questions about the utter failure of his latest MMORPG, Tabula Rasa. If you're going to be in the Austin area on the 24th, pony up the $65 and go make us proud.

Extreme Voyage: Richard Garriott's 12 Days on the International Space Station [Zach Theatre via Massively]

I am very grateful to you loyal players for sticking around through what I think we can all honestly say was a rough launch. I thank the development team for pushing hard to get polish, updates and new content out every month since launch...a feat that I think is unusual in MMO development. They have a lot to be proud of.

Many of you probably wonder what my plans are, now that I have achieved the lifelong dream of going to space. Well, that unforgettable experience has sparked some new interests that I would like to devote my time and resources to. As such, I am leaving NCsoft to pursue those interests.

We'll be following up with NCsoft and Garriott, but in the meantime we wish Lord British and his glorious rat tails the best of luck in his future endeavors.

An Open Letter from General British [Tabula Rasa - Thanks Seth]

SPACE ADVENTURES’ CLIENT, PRIVATE ASTRONAUT RICHARD GARRIOTT, RETURNS TO EARTH AFTER COMPLETING MISSION TO THE ISS

Garriott Makes History as 1st Second-Generation Astronaut

Vienna, Va. – October 23, 2008 – Space Adventures, Ltd., the only company that provides human space missions to the world marketplace, announced today that its orbital client Richard Garriott and his crew successfully landed in the Kazakhstan steppes after a visit to the International Space Station (ISS). Garriott returned to Earth aboard the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft with Expedition 17 crewmembers Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko, who both spent six months aboard the ISS.

Garriott, son of NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, made history during his mission by becoming the 1st second-generation astronaut. The flight back to Earth marked another historical milestone as Garriott traveled with the 1st second-generation cosmonaut, Sergei Volkov.

“This mission to the ISS fulfilled a lifelong dream to experience spaceflight as my father first did 35 years ago; it’s an honor to be the first American to follow a parent into space,” said Richard Garriott. “This experience made possible by Space Adventures – from my training in Star City, to lift-off, orbit and finally docking with and staying on the ISS – has been more gratifying than anything I could have ever imagined.” Garriott continued, “While in space, I had the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments and environmental research, but what was most rewarding was speaking to students. Growing up in an astronaut family, I firmly believed that every person could go to space, and now I have. I took this opportunity to inspire them with my adventure and let them know they can achieve their wildest dreams as well with hard work and perseverance.”

Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures, said, “We’re proud to have assisted Richard in achieving his lifelong goal of spaceflight. This history-making mission not only made Richard the 1st second-generation astronaut, but also opened the space frontier to commercial opportunities, which truly demonstrates the reality of private space exploration.”

On October 12, Garriott launched aboard the Soyuz TMA-13 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. He joined Expedition 18 crewmembers Mike Fincke and Yuri Lonchakov, for the flight. They arrived at the space station on October 14 and were greeted by the Expedition 17 crew.

In preparation for his spaceflight, Garriott completed a cosmonaut-training program at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center located in Star City, Russia. During his stay aboard the ISS, Garriott focused on scientific and environmental research, as well as educational outreach:

Garriott communicated with students associated with the Challenger Center for Space Science Education via a NASA-sponsored teleconference, HAM radio downlinks and through videotaped experiments. Garriott also conducted a HAM radio downlink and two science experiments designed by primary and secondary students from the United Kingdom in partnership with the British National Space Center.

In cooperation with NASA, Garriott performed a series of experiments that examined the physical impact of spaceflight on astronauts. Garriott observed the reaction of the eyes to low and high pressure in a microgravity environment; the effects of spaceflight on the human immune system; and astronauts’ sleep/wake patterns and sleep characteristics.

On behalf of The Nature Conservancy, Garriott photographed a number of ecologically significant places on Earth. The photographs will be compared to shots taken 35 years ago by Garriott’s father while in space. Together, Garriott and The Nature Conservancy will review the images to document how the Earth has changed in one generation.

Garriott worked in cooperation with the European Space Agency to perform a series of experiments that observed early detection of osteoporosis, vestibular adaptation to G-force transitions and the occurrence of lower back pain.

Garriott supported a number of commercial partners. He assisted the biotechnology company ExtremoZyme, co-founded by Owen Garriott, by conducting Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) experiments. Additionally, Garriott tested a SEIKO Spring Drive Spacewalk watch, specifically designed for use in space. Garriott also conducted a physics experiment as part of an initiative sponsored by DHL, planned as an educational contest that will take place at the DHL Innovation Center in Bonn, Germany.

Garriott has been chronicling the details of his mission, from training to landing, on his Web site www.RichardinSpace.com with photos, video, audio, in-depth blogs and answers to questions posed by visitors to the site. Now back on solid ground, Garriott will continue to share his experiences on his site, expanding upon his time aboard the ISS and providing insights into his landing and return to Earth.

Not plucky Lord British, though. No, the good lord is safe in his heaven and has found the time to transmit a coded message of hope to us earth-bound types.

The multisquillionaire held up a card containing the message shortly after reaching orbit - the message is encoded in Logos Elements - the fictional runic system used in Garriott's game Tabula Rasa.

Fans of the game have now decoded the runes and found it to be a quote - hit the jump to see what Lord British thinks we ought to know.

"Earth is the cradle of humanity but mankind will not be in the cradle forever."
-Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky (Soviet Rocket Scientist)

Wow, that's like, really deep.

Richard Garriott Sends Message During Launch

So while we don't get to see Stephen's reaction to Garriott's majestic rattail, at least we did get to hear him chat with Richard about his testicles, and that's what it's all about, isn't it?

Be sure to set your favorite TV recording device to see if Colbert can possibly resist saying something about Garriott's magnificent hair.

1971 - Gary Gygax and Jeff Peren create Chainmail, a fantasy miniatures game implementing rules from standard medieval gaming, adding elves, giants, halflings, and other elements borrowed from sources such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

1972 - Dave Arneson visits Gygax in order to demonstrate the game that would become Dungeons & Dragons.

1973 - Gygax and Don Kaye found Tactical Studies Rules - TSR.

1974 - TSR publishes the first edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

1976 - Willie Crowther, an early D&D player, creates a text-based game called Crowther's Colossal Cave, which would eventually morph into Adventure, which was a direct influence on the creators of the ultimate text-based game, Zork.

1977 - Young Richard Garriott attends a sumer computer camp, where he earns the nickname Lord British and is exposed to Dungeons & Dragons for the first time. Soon he would be hosting popular D&D weekends at his parents house.

1978 - Roy Trubshaw and Richard Bartle create the first MUD - Multi-User Dungeon. It is the precursor to the modern MMO.

1980 - Richard Garriott releases one of the first computer role-playing games, Akalabeth: World of Doom. This year also sees the release of Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game, the first computer game using the D&D license. as well as Garriott's Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness - a game that influences the RPG genre to this day.

1982 - The first Dungeons & Dragons console game is released for the Intellivision, simply titled Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Dragonstomper is released for the Atari 2600, widely considered to be the first console RPG. Dragonstomper included gathering experience points and gold, random battles, and multiple ways to solve problems in the game.

1985 - TSR lets developers know that the AD&D license is up for grabs, with big names like Electronic Arts, Origin, and Sierra being beaten out by SSI (Strategic Simulations, Inc.). SSI would go on to create 30 AD&D games.

1988 - SSI releases Pool of Radiance, the first in the Gold Box series of D&D games, which allowed you to import your characters into subsequent games to continue your adventure.

1991 - The first graphical MMORPG is released via America Online - Neverwinter Nights. Based on the Dungeons & Dragons setting The Forgotten Realms, the concept of clans and PVP in online role-playing started here.

1996 - Ultima Online is released, its popularity paving the way for the enormous glut of MMORPG games we're experiencing today.

1998 - A small company called BioWare gets put on the map when it releases the Forgotten Realms game Baldur's Gate - incidentally the first computer game I ever reviewed on a professional basis.

2002 - BioWare releases a new version of Neverwinter Nights, featuring the ability for players to create their own modules and run them via the internet, effectively bringing the tabletop experience online.

2006 - Gary Gygax lends his voice as the Dungeon Master to Turbine for certain quests in Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach, bringing the whole thing full circle.

While certainly not a complete listing, you can easily see how the creation of Dungeons & Dragons influenced the video game industry. Every time you gain hit points, or generate your numeric attributes, or choose what type of elf you want to be in the latest fantasy MMO, you're dealing with concepts that spawned from that weekend in 1972. Even when you play a game that isn't an RPG, there's a good chance that someone involved in the creation of that game wouldn't be here today if the works of Gary Gygax hadn't inspired them to dream up their own fantastical worlds. He will be missed, but more importantly - he will forever be remembered.

Portions of this article were referenced from Brad King and John Borland's excellent 2003 book Dungeons and Dreamers. The book explores gaming from those early days in Wisconsin up to today's massive online communities, and is a must read for anyone interested in the roots of gaming.

Space Adventures Offers Unique Opportunity to Participate in Richard Garriott's Orbital Spaceflight Mission as Back-up Crew Member

First time ever this training opportunity is commercially available

Vienna, Va. - November 15, 2007 - Today, Space Adventures, Ltd., the world's leading space experiences company, announced that for the first time the coveted opportunity to train as a private space explorer alongside one of its orbital spaceflight candidates, and among professional astronauts, is now available to the public.

"Participation as an official back-up crew member is a once in a lifetime opportunity for an individual, or a company sponsoring an individual, to experience first-hand how our clients train for spaceflight," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures. "It is with great enthusiasm that we, along with Richard, offer this position to a member of the public. The individual selected will be someone who not only has a genuine interest in human spaceflight, but also one who is able to be an active participant in Richard's mission, to include being featured in a documentary TV series."

Famed game developer and son of former NASA astronaut, Richard Garriott, currently planning a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in October 2008, will begin spaceflight preparations after the first of the year.

"I want to involve as many people as possible in my mission and this is one of the most innovative ways to do so," said Richard Garriott. "I encourage anyone who has ever dreamed of traveling to space to contact to Space Adventures. Not only will the back-up crew member be certified as a 'fully-trained cosmonaut' and be named to an official space mission crew, a distinction that less than 1,000 people have ever had; but, our combined participation is a step forward in the progression of our expansion into the cosmos."

"The back-up crew member's financial investment into this program can be credited in-full toward a future orbital or lunar spaceflight mission," added Mr. Anderson. The price of the program is $3,000,000 (USD) which includes the required spaceflight training costs, along with accommodations in Star City and other training locations. For more detailed information, please visit www.SpaceAdventures.com/backup .

"If I had not trained as a back-up crew member in 2006, then I would never have flown to space that year," said Anousheh Ansari, Space Adventures' fourth orbital client and first female spaceflight participant to launch to the ISS. "The training was exhilarating and ultimately prepared me for my flight which I'm thankful for."

Mr. Garriott's spaceflight is the first in a series of missions that will accommodate commercial activity aboard the ISS. Involvement from the private sector will range from scientific and environmental research to educational outreach programming. For more information, please visit Mr. Garriott's mission web site, www.RichardInSpace.com .

Space Adventures, the company that organized the flights for the world's first private space explorers: Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth, Greg Olsen, Anousheh Ansari and Charles Simonyi, is headquartered in Vienna, Va. with an office in Moscow. It offers a variety of programs such as the availability today for spaceflight missions to the International Space Station and around the moon, Zero-Gravity flights, cosmonaut training, spaceflight qualification programs and reservations on future suborbital spacecrafts. The company's advisory board includes Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, Shuttle astronauts Sam Durrance, Tom Jones, Byron Lichtenberg, Norm Thagard, Kathy Thornton, Pierre Thuot, Charles Walker, Skylab/Shuttle astronaut Owen Garriott and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachev.

"I am dedicating my spaceflight to science," said Mr. Garriott. "It is my goal to devote a significant amount of my time aboard the space station to science, engineering and educational projects. I understand the necessity for conducting research in extreme environments whether it is collecting microorganisms from deep sea hydrothermal vents to carrying out experiments in the continuous micro-gravity of Earth orbit."

Space Adventures Announces 1st Second Generation Astronaut Plans Flight to International Space Station

First private spaceflight open to commercial involvement in mission activities

Vienna, Va. - September 28, 2007 - Space Adventures, Ltd., the world's leading space experiences company, announced today that famed game developer Richard Garriott, son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, has begun preparations for a "commercially active" mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Mr. Garriott's spaceflight, currently planned for October 2008, will be the first in a series of missions that will accommodate commercial activity aboard the ISS. Involvement from the private sector can include scientific and environmental research and educational outreach programming.

"It has always been Space Adventures' goal to open the space frontier. Now, with Richard's flight, we have designed a series of missions devoted to increase commercial involvement in manned space missions," said Eric Anderson, president and CEO of Space Adventures. "It is a very rare occasion when so many commercial opportunities are available in one space mission. We encourage interested parties to contact us."

Space Adventures made history in 2001 by organizing the mission of the first private space explorer. Now, the company continues to bring innovation to manned spaceflight by enabling corporate and non-profit entities to participate in commercial endeavors on the planet's only orbiting outpost.

"I am dedicating my spaceflight to science," said Mr. Garriott. "It is my goal to devote a significant amount of my time aboard the space station to science, engineering and educational projects. I understand the necessity for conducting research in extreme environments whether it is collecting microorganisms from deep sea hydrothermal vents to carrying out experiments in the continuous micro-gravity of Earth orbit." He continued, "We need to be adventurous in mind and simulate our intellects to answer today's most daunting scientific questions and to invent tomorrow's technological marvels."

The first commercial research partner involved in Mr. Garriott's mission is ExtremoZyme, Inc., a biotechnology company co-founded by Owen Garriott. The company plans to conduct protein crystallization experiments in space with proteins that have important cellular functions and are usually associated with common human diseases. Having access to these superior crystals will enable researchers to learn more about the molecular details of these proteins which is essential for protein engineering and structure-guided drug design.

"Because of my career, it was almost natural for Richard to be interested in space and exploration. I am so pleased that he is able to embrace this himself and that he is dedicating his flight to research. I am very proud of him," said Owen Garriott, Mr. Garriott's father and former NASA astronaut (Skylab II/SL-3, STS-9/Spacelab-1).

Interested parties, including commercial and non-profit entities and space enthusiasts, can get involved in Mr. Garriott's spaceflight via his web site (www.richardinspace.com). Mr. Garriott will be updating the site continuously via photos, blog entries and individuals can submit questions and suggestions for his mission activities. "I want to involve as many people as possible in my mission," said Mr. Garriott.

EA Celebrates 10 Years Of Ultima Online

A Decade of Groundbreaking MMO Gaming Celebrated with In-Game Activities, Special Items and "Return to Britannia" Campaign for Past Players

Redwood City, CA, September 25, 2007 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment company, today celebrated the 10th anniversary of the classic massively-multiplayer online game (MMO), Ultima OnlineTM. Launched on September 25, 1997, Ultima Online broke new ground in the multiplayer game space and ushered in the modern MMO era. Anniversary celebrations include special in-game activities and rewards, plus a new amnesty program that invites former players back to experience the major game update, Ultima Online Kingdom Reborn, for free.

"Ultima Online has thrived for 10 years and achieved the status of an MMO classic, thanks in large part to the devoted player community," said Mark Jacobs, VP and general manager, EA Mythic. "We are very excited to celebrate this special anniversary with players."

In celebration of the 10th anniversary, EA is kicking off the "Return to Brittania" campaign, an amnesty program that welcomes former players to discover the gameplay and graphics upgrades implemented in Kingdom Reborn. Past subscribers in good standing will be able to play for free through October 9, 2007 by visiting www.uo.com/kingdomreborn/gamefiles, downloading Ultima Online Kingdom Reborn and logging in using their former account name and password.

During the in-game 10th anniversary celebration, players will be able to take part in a monster hunt with special prizes including an ankh pendant necklace, map of Brittania, Ultima Online commemorative sculpture and virtue armor set. Additionally, all players will receive 10 décor tokens and a wand of fireworks in their characters' inventory.

Why a giant elevator? Well it figures in to the design of the attached main hall. It will be a massive, ,three-story structure comprised of a dining area on the second floor and a balcony on the third floor, overlooking said dining area. Not content to have just two stories for dining, the second floor will be able to transform itself into a balcony overlooking the first floor for maximum dining occupancy. The attached elevator will be used for entertainment. He could use the first floor for a dressing area for performers, having them rise to the second floor via the elevator to surprise guests. When the dining hall is opened up for all three floors, the elevator room could house the main dining table, allowing the host to visit any of the three levels as he entertains guests.

Underground passageways also figure big into Garriott's plan. The house will eventually consist of three separate buildings, connected via a network of underground passages. Then the swimming pool will also have passages you can swim through to come up in any area of the house. The manor's air-conditioning system runs underground as well, and Garriott had it built with 3-and-a-half-foot cement ducts, so the entire thing is crawlable.

Many other surprises will lie in wait for visitors to Britainnia Manor MK 3 when it is finished. Guests rooms will have swiveling walls to allow beds to move from room to room in the middle of the night. Secret doors will contain elaborate lock mechanisms that require you to reach into a hole to fiddle with the lock, with a pneumatic clamp snatching your arm until the lock is properly open. He's dug a 100 foot pit on the property to make a tunnel that leads to the river bordering the property.

Garriott is an 8-year old with no parents and a ton of cash to throw around, and I think it is just fantastic. He creates these places some would call silly and others would call magical, purely out the passion for adventure that drives him. When we get our own Kotaku castle built, we are totally going to war with him.

EA MYTHIC'S ULTIMA ONLINE: KINGDOM REBORN LAUNCHES IN NORTH AMERICA

Pioneering MMORPG Receives Massive Graphic and Gameplay Update Via Free Downloadable Expansion - New 14-day Trial Available

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - August 27, 2007 - Electronic Arts Inc (NASDAQ: ERTS), the world's leading interactive entertainment company, today announced that Ultima Online(TM): Kingdom Reborn, the latest expansion to Ultima Online, is now available for free download at UO.com and IGN's popular game download site FilePlanet. Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn introduces a stunning graphic update, all-new user interface and updated new player experience to Ultima Online, the MMO that ushered in the modern MMO era. Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn is available for free to all players at:

UO.com
www.uoherald.com/kingdomreborn/gamefiles

FilePlanet
http://www.fileplanet.com/promotions/uo

For newcomers to Ultima Online, a free 14-day trial of Kingdom Reborn is now available for download at: http://www.uoherald.com/kindomreborn/trial

With Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn, the legendary kingdom has been redrawn, reengineered and rebuilt for the next decade of players seeking an epic, fantasy MMO experience. The revamped new player content welcomes those who have never adventured through the celebrated lands of Ultima Online. Additionally, enhanced visuals and brand-new user interface present the game in a whole new light to veteran players.

"As the tenth anniversary of Ultima Online's launch approaches, Kingdom Reborn introduces an entirely new experience while preserving the spirit of the classic MMO," said Mark Jacobs, VP and General Manager of EA Mythic. "Kingdom Reborn represents EA's ongoing commitment to MMOs and Ultima Online's dedicated and loyal community, some of whom have been playing the game since its launch almost ten years ago."

To learn more about Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn, visit www.uo.com/kingdomreborn. This game is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB.

###

Until police found their digital camera, still on the scene, filled with pictures of them committing the crime. Bloody brilliant. Said Lord British,

"We we're joking to ourselves about tomorrow morning, when they wake up with a hangover, they're going to wonder where that camera is," he said. "This is one of those Darwin-style kind of awards, where people leave the self-incriminating evidence behind at the scene."

Digital camera left at scene of crime [KVUE Austin - Thanks Chef Booyadee!]

Tabula Rasa is an action-oriented game that sees the human race launched into the stars and struggling along with other races in a struggle against the evil Bane. The mission we were show involved the characters going infiltrating an alien factory that the Banes had been using to turn the local populace's corpses into weapons of war.
Garriott explained that he wanted to make sure that players could play together without worrying too much about maintaining a level grind, so any particular mission contains content suitable for a wide range of levels. If you are a high level character you can just blast your way through, but if you are low level there are side quests you can do to lessen the strength of the enemy, opens new paths, etc. Monsters within 10 levels of your character either way still provide rewards for killing, so you don't have to stay neck and neck all the time with your friends.

The interface is extremely simple compared to other MMO offerings on the market. Just your name, health, power, and experience, as well as the weapon and powers you have mapped to your right and left mouse buttons. Combat is an interesting mix of action and RPG, with cover coming into play heavily in determining how much and how often you are hit, again allowing lower level players a bit of strategy to take on higher level creatures.

Some of the creatures themselves require a level of strategy often reserved for boss mobs in other games. Some packs of creatures spawn with a shield generator, forcing one player to jump in, taking damage from the mobs inside while he disables the shield, allowing other players or NPCs to attack. Other monsters defy the tank character role, meaning no one can stand toe to toe with them and live, causing tactics to shift quickly on the fly.

The world itself is made up of instance zones in which missions of earth-shattering import take place. Garriott assures us that these won't be simple kill the boss, get the item missions, but quests with epic storylines and ramifications. There are world zones as well, though these are split up into control points which contain quest givers, spawn points, etc. Basically if you wish to do the quests, you have to make sure the enemy doesn't take over the land. NPCs fight a constant battle, and you can join in and possibly turn the tide. This system allows for a very dynamic world that changes from login to login.

The game also takes tier based advancement to a whole new level. Instead of having to start a character over from scratch in order to experience a different fork in the advancement ladder, at key points you actually create a clone, allowing you to go back and make a different choice without having to struggle with starting over again. Anyone who has played Dark Age of Camelot knows what a pain in the ass that can be.

While I can't say I love the graphical style of the game more than the original concept, the game is very pleasing to look at. Plenty of special effects, laser blasts, and explosions combined with exotic locales and unique creatures to make the world of Tabula Rasa quite unique.

I've been looking for a new futuristic MMO since I left Anarchy Online behind a few years back, and Tabula Rasa is looking to fit the bill quite nicely. Check back in a bit for the GDC trailer and a new gallery of screens for the game. Michael Fahey