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GDC Progress Report: Tabula Rasa
At the Game Developers Conference, Jon Wood had the opportunity to sit down for a look at the upcoming NCsoft title, Tabula Rasa. The demonstration was made by Richard "Lord British" Garriot, the man behind the Ultima series, and now Tabula Rasa.
Tabula Rasa is one of those games that we haven't heard a great deal about during its development cycle, which began back in May of 2001. That's not to say that the game today has had six years of development, as Tabula Rasa has gone through some sweeping changes since its original concept.
Today, Tabula Rasa is a game that, at first glance, integrates the fast-paced action of an FPS with the detailed story and advancement of an MMORPG. Set in a post apocalyptic Earth, after an alien species came to us and invaded wiping many of us out entirely, this game is seen as something new and exciting for many players.
;)
Garriott describes the game as "a step forward in the design of MMOs", integrating combat that is real-time, fast-paced and strategic. Character placement is just as important in Tabula Rasa combat as you would expect it to be in any FPS. If you character is standing behind waist-high sandbags, for example, he becomes more difficult for an enemy on the other side of those sandbags to shoot at accurately. The catch for the players is that once the AI enemies realize that they can't hit you, they will take appropriate action to fight you. In short, the combat appears more reactive than many MMO players are used to in their genre.
Even though it plays a valuable role in TR, or any MMO for that matter, combat is not the be all and end all of this game. Things like missions and character growth also take a front seat in the game's design. As players collect missions, they can and will be given more missions from different factions in the game that conflict with one another. We are told that players will be forced to make specific and difficult decisions about which path they will take. The detail continues as side-missions can be undertaken within the larger scope of a main mission that will have consequences on the overall arc. The example that we saw required that players destroy an enormous machine. In one of the side missions, the player learns that the machine has a weak-point, thus aiding him / her in his /her final objective.
;)
"Players," says Garriott, "have to be adaptable and use strategy rather than just hack and slash."
The game, which is now in Closed Beta, will make use of both instanced and non-instanced areas, with the instanced areas being party-based and heavily scripted for story advancement. Tabula Rasa will also launch with fully-integrated voice chat, a feature that is becoming almost a necessity for a modern MMORPG.
Tabula Rasa is a game about war. As the humans fight for their lives against the invading Bane, players can participate in special battlefield scenarios. On one such map, there is a Human base and there is a Bane base. In between, there is contested area, areas that must be fought over. These spaces in between function like control points in a standard MMOFPS, as each side struggles for control.
There are, of course, consequences to failure in the battlefields. If your side loses an area, it becomes un-friendly to them. If there was, for example, an NPC provisioner or trainer there when your side held the area, that resource is no longer available to you (until your side wins the battle once again).
;)
Character creation is another area of the game that gets some special attention from Garriott and his team. Players can now "clone" their characters so that, if they want to try something new and exciting in terms of class, they don't have to start over again at level one and play through content that the player has already experienced. Instead, players can use these "clones" to keep pace with their game.
While this report might seem fragmented, we saw a great deal of gameplay in our meeting with Richard Garriott, and continue to learn more about this long-awaited game. In a short time, for example, MMORPG.com will be exploring the new, pictographic language that will make an appearance in the game.
(works fine on the frontpage, it's just the link on the news item that's off)
First of all, I think your getting the wrong impression of TR. Tabula Rasa is NOT an FPS by any stretch of the imagination. It is an Action based RPG plain and simple. The only thing TR has in common with FPS games is that you no longer simply click attack and go grab a snack while you wait for the fight to be over. You actually have to participate in your fights instead of macroing Fireball, Fireball, Sword, Heal pot.
Everything else from what we have been told is your standard (but probably more advanced) MMORPG mission running and questing.
I'm not even going to pretend that I am not a TR fanboi (anyone who has checked around the TR community probably knows otherwise). But I would really encourage everyone to take a closer look and not just base your opinions on a couple of interviews. I'm not claiming that TR will be the end all be all of MMORPG's, but I'm fairly sure it will be a contender in the MMO market and a fun and exciting game.
So, I encourage you and everyone else to take some time to check TR out. Read other forums and discussions and check out what is going on in the community and I think you will be surprised at what you find. Keep in mind that regaurdless of what everyone is reporting TR is NOT in closed beta yet. It is still in Friends and Family testing (very early Alpha test), so everything is subject to change.
I've done my part. I hope to see you guys around the TR community.
Skycapp
tr.stratics.com
This may well be the first true second generation mmorpg to be released. If it does reasonably well other developers and publishers may well not shoot down every proposal that is not another eq/wow clone. I am somewhat leary as everything sounds great on paper but, the proof will be in the gameplay. Ultima was one of the very first graphical games I remember playing oh those very many years ago and if Garriott completely scrapped the original Tabula Rasa to go in a different direction I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has never released a flop yet and I doubt he is going to start now. *note: Ultima IX was not his game, it was EA's game.*
Good post severius, I agree. I am excited about trying a mmo that is different and innovative, so I will be giving Tabula Rasa a try when it comes out. I loved UO and I am confident that R. Garriot won't disappoint TB players.
If it's gotten to be more of a FPS, or action-based mmo, that's fine, as long as it's fun to play, immersive, and interesting. The problem I see with many mmos is that they are all so similar that I lose interest after a while. When I played UO and then EQ, it was so new that I was interested for a long time. So we need something different, and I hope Richard Garriot brings it.
I know the game's been changed since the original plan, I've been following it for years. I didn't mind it when it became more martial artsy. I didn't mind it when it became more action oriented. But when the PR starts to focus on things like taking cover from weapons fire and attacking & defending bases, than I have to believe the transformation into a persistent shooter is complete. As a big fan of Lord British's early work, I'm very disappointed. This is not where a designer with his background belongs.
And I'm really tired of MMOs *still* being described by anyone as "click attack and go grab a snack while you wait for the fight to be over." Have you actually played one in this millenium? If anything, they've gone too far the other way. In games like Guild Wars and LotRO, I'm so busy watching recycle timers, buffs & debuff expirations, hit points, mana and accumulating power meters ir order to win a tough fight that I rarely actually get to see what me or the opponent is physically doing. Sometimes I think they could just scrap combat animations completely, because nobody has time to watch them anymore!
at least they are trying something different instead of the same combat as every other MMO out there. This sounds like it will be very tactical (at least from what they have told us.). Instead of just pounding just various buttons and spamming attacks. maybe this will make combat more exciting and tactical, instead of combat so dull that a monkey with half a brain could use.
as for combat animations - yeah they are cool at the beginning. however once you reach high level in any game and have seen them thousands of times ... who really cares?
for example my inquisitor in EQ2 has a cool spell, where golden hammers fly at an opponent. When i was level 20 when i first got the spell i was like "WOW THATS COOL!!!" ... however 50 levels later at level 70 its just like whatever now.
When the game first was announced, I went to check it out. I checked it out at different times and saw the different paths as I could. I have learned a lot with games since then. I still have to say that I don't know what the game will be like. I do hope that it is a lot of fun.
I like the idea of the mouse being a key to the game over the keyboard. Does not sound like the mouse is the same as a FPS but a lot of similiarities. The way there is a battlefront that goes back and forth controlled by the players on one side and computer on the other will be interesting to see.
I hope that the factions will have a great deal to do with the game. I hope to see that someone who wants all to like them doesn't have the ability to get certain perks that someone who does pick a faction does but then has the perk of getting stuff from all factions. Will just have to wait and see how the game plays.
What you describe is exactly the scenario that Garriot is trying to remove from the MMOG genre. He refers to that as "playing the interface". That is exactly how many of the games have become, especially some that you mention. That is not fun and you are correct, you may as well go back to a non-graphical environment.
They are trying to describe verbally the combat system in TR and perhaps it's not coming across correctly.
First off realize this is not a "twitch" based combat system. It is still based on stats and aiming is sticky so it cannot be considered an FPS by anyone's description. Taking a different position (standing, kneeling, prone) affects your accuracy. SWG did this with sniper rifles. Standing behind something can increase your defense and that is not hard to do either. Next, some AoE attacks can be avoid by, *gasp* moving out of the way, something which many players try to do anyway. Some enemies require you to use different weapons or skills to kill them. For instance, a flying ship or mech cannot effectively be taken down with a shotgun. You need something like a rocket launcher. All the while the enemies are employing multiple tactics to attack you. If you hide they will pursue and engage in melee attacks.
Now keep in mind that your reticle sticks to the target you select so there is no reason to aim but I believe you'll probably have to face your enemy at least. Your chance to hit is still calculated on a die roll but stats change based on your position and choice of weapon. Also you only have 2 attack choices at a time. Left click for primary weapon, right click for current Logos ability. You can change those selections much like you would in an FPS which is probably the biggest similarity.
All of this is meant to actually make combat feel like you are playing a game and not an interface. I don't know how smooth it will be until I play it but I'm looking forward to it. I get so bored with current MMOG combat mechanics. CoX adds a little strategy but not much. Generally the most important strategy in CoX is to avoid melee at all costs if you are squishy. It gets very dull cycling the same attacks over and over.
Of course, if you want to fight enemies beneath your current level you can still stand still and spam attacks in TR. You are perfectly able to stand there and absorb all the damage given and play whack-a-mole (as Garriot would say) until the thing dies. You will also not have to engage in the "capture the flag" style battlefields if you do not want to.
Overall, it's still an MMOG but combat should be more engaging and less of a repetitive grind.
That's it. Give us something different then the run-of-the-mill Mage, Elves, Magic genre which all these games are. This is probably the main reason players continue to seek out new games, hoping for something new and different. Hopefully, TR is just that.
I think this is one of the reasons SWG was so liked, it was something different.
While I carry a healthy amount of skepticism concerning any of these games before release I am going to allow myself a little leeway with Tabula Rasa. :)
Sometimes a little gleeful anticipation keeps you young.
/shrug
I mean no offense by this... but wtf.
Housing? Come on. Housing is such a waste of system resources. Every game I have ever played with housing was only a way for people to show how much leeter they were than all the rest of their friends.
You want to show off? Prove yourself on the battlefield, don't just sit your ass in some cozy apartment while I'm off doing all the work.
The article just briefly mentioned Logos, the language Garriott developed, but more on that will come later it seems. Not much said about the "ethical parables" that are also to be in the game but probably wasn't emphasized much based on the GDC presentation video and other interviews.
Short post because I'm at work. Ive been following this title only recently starting maybe May of last year. However, Ive also noticed changes in that short time. I do however feel that those changes are for the better and I look forward with excitement as we get closer and closer to an open beta.
I must also state that Ive always trusted in Richard Garriots work and for someone to simply do a 180 like the gentlemen who posted it as being CS and that he was looking forward to it and that quickly turned it away, I think you need to stop and take a look at the actual changes. A 180 like that is pretty short comming of any fan of Mr. Garriots. I hope they do release a trial on release so that these many skeptics will be able to give it a shot and see if their pesimistic thoughts support what their educated experience with the game now at that instance show.
TBH I kind of see where you are going in your third paragraph on the basic subject of "too many" stats and numbers in MMO's these days that htey have hijacked most games. But then again, after reading the article it "appears" to me that using landscapes, taking cover, and more tactical strategy based on the surroundings was as step away from the numbers game, at least a small baby-step. The targeting system (which I think is what is causing people to use the descriptions you don't like) taking more attention is interesting, at least if it's done well and the system it runs on and enemy A.I. is clean. Those things will hopefully at least direct more attention onto the game, game environment and your encounters with it....and less on what icons I currently have over my head....(at least hopefully)
Hopefully they are able to do what they say in regards to more reactive MOBs for several reasons, most importantly because that is yet another step in the right direction....at least IMO.
Not really disagreeing with you persay, just givin my viewpoint.
THIS is a freaking understatement!
You'd think the Department of Defense or Homeland Security was funding this project by the amount of information that's been released on it! Even this article doesn't do anything but state the same features and game mechanics that were mentioned last year.
Cloning. We get it. Battlefields. We get it.
How about some REAL details or a press conference or letting reviewers play the game or something?
Maybe they figure Garriott will provide all the advertising they need so they don't need to bother. Personally it's more like they're either ignoring the community or they don't have anything to show.
Oh ps plz include DAOC in that list becuase i found it more inovative then EQ anyday. (It just didn't tons of lame fanboyz)
Tabula Rasa - A "clean start" for Richard Garriott. After many years of Ultima he should and must do something new about the online genre that he loves so much.
From clicking skill buttons and health bars to something that looks more like an "arcade" style of gameplay? Who knows... 6 years in development for a game that is just a massive fps is too much. I am sure it will be something more than i can imagine.
I wish you good luck Lord British and i hope that everything will go as you want it to go.
Tabula Rasa is not an fps. The only thing that it uses from FPS-games is the targeting reticle, there is no twitch-action or dodging. (Not sure if you can even move & shot, anyone care to look over the preview videos for gameplay that shows shooting on the go?).
Tabula Rasa is much more than an FPS...it's an inovation.
At E3 '06 they had a playable demo and some have eve posted videos. Repeating information is a bit annoying but understandable. The hype surrounding this game is considerably smaller than Age of Conan and WAR so they try to push what they to be the features that are going to catch people's eyes. CuppaJo has gone onto fan forums answering questions and even an internet radio interview so to say they are ignoring the community is a bit extreme.
E3 '06. Exactly, as in '06. As in last year. There have been plenty of other conventions/confereces or whatever where they could have showed off the game if they want to generate some hype.
Now it seems they have finally started to put links to preview articles up at the Tabula Rasa site. (I've been trying to follow this game and I can tell you there were spans of months and months when that site was not updated or even touched) There seems to have been a big push in March, unfortunately the articles I've read are all pretty much the same, saying the same details so each one is virtually a carbon copy of the next.
My point is that after all these years they have spent talking about this game they really need to do a better job getting information out to the community if they want to generate any interes after all this time.. They can't lay back and play the old-school MMORPG developer game and just do it as an afterthought. They need an to start being a lot more active, because at this point doing such a lackluster PR campaign is the same as ignoring a community that has spent YEARS waiting for this game to see the light of day.
Good point. The game i'm looking for them to make is a cross between Wolfenstein Enemy Territory / Return to Castlewofenstein (its FPS combat) and incorporating it into a MMORPG. Wolfenstein is the only FPS game i play so thats my best comparison. If you can target with a mouse and dogde etc like in a WW2 game, then I'll be trying this game out for sure.
I'm tired of auto targeting etc. I sort of want a more skill based shooter/mmorpg. I'm not sure if this game will emulate that, but thats what i'm hoping for. That would be something new and exciting.
Does anyone know how FPS oriented the combat will be?
The community of fansites around the game have gotten many of their questions about the game answered. The community section of official site has been updated an average of 6 times a month since August and that doesn't include most of the interviews.
If you mean the general MMO community, then I'd agree with you on most counts. The bits and pieces of new information are scattered about various interviews and are difficult for most casual lookers to find themselves. There's been more buzz from the GDC trailer and presentation than the playable demo at E3 (May say something about content but I won't get into that now). They might think that letting the masses try out the game in the planned summer open beta is more effective than articles and leave the pre-beta hype to games based on well-known IPs (And PotBS but a pirate setting seems a lot more exciting).
To the FPS combat question the short answer is probably not a lot. Here's two excerpts concerning combat from Richard Gariott and Starr Long respectively that details more about it.
"Either [players] treat it like a first-person shooter and start jumping up and down and zigzagging, thinking it will make a difference, which it doesn't. What we have to educate people to is that the targeting is "sticky," you still have to aim through the reticle, say I'm going to shoot you, and if he runs under cover, you still need to move so you can get a bead on him, but the targeting reticle sticks to who you mean to be targeted to, so it's not an arcade game...If you and I were fighting, we would do equal damage to each other. If I were to step behind a sand bag, I would take a lot less damage. If I squat down, I can get an easier bead and I am taking considerably less damage. The monsters know that too. If you’re in a tactically superior position, they will come around and kick you to the ground because they know while you are squatting you are a much more vulnerable hand to hand target."
"The front end and the pacing of the game are very shooter oriented, you have the WASD controls and the crosshair in the middle and it feels and plays very much like a shooter, but it’s still an RPG...Your character builds up skills over time, picks up different kinds of weapons and powers and those are the large determinants of how much damage your doing to anything you’re hitting....There are some real-time elements that affect it too, though, like if you’re moving, crouching or standing still, and different weapons are more or less susceptible to movement penalties. It’s kind of a blend of a shooter and an RPG. It’s not just relying on your reflexes like in certain console shooters where the crosshairs will pop over to a target if you’re aiming close enough"
My "friend" from NCSoft said it was them who told him to scrap his initial design, because it was garbage: another fantasy clone.
Regardless of the truth, I'm happy that TR has gone this route. Truthfully, I'd prefer the combat system to be more of an FPS than an RPG, but at least it won't be a click and stuff-your-face-with-cheetos game.
As sad as it is I am just glad a game is comming out that does not have Elves, Orcs & Gnomes...
Vekt