Tabula Rasa Shows Potential Again

Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa was once again on display at E3 last week, and the general consensus seems to be that it's finally turning into a somewhat solid game. This is an improvement compared to a few years of awkward re-envisionings that sucked away much of the original enthusiam for the project. Although it now looks like a regular large-scale shooter, there are RPG elements that significantly affect how combat actually plays out. GameSpot has a decent preview of the latest build of the game. The article talks with Tabula Rasa Producer Starr Long, who began at Origin in 1992. He's a neat guy who worked on Wing Commander Academy, Armada and Privateer, a number of Ultima titles and was project director for Ultima Online. Note the TR logo in the first screenshot.

There are going to be dozens and dozens of weapons--including energy, incendiary, poison, and more--and enemies will be vulnerable to particular types of damage, so you'll need to make constant tactical decisions about what to use in battle. We got to play as a heavy-duty soldier type, armed with multiple rocket launchers as well as various magic-style special abilities, such as a particularly nasty chain lightning ability. The way in which the game combines both science fiction and fantasy conventions isn't entirely unfamiliar but seems unique all the same.