What truly happened with the sad tale of Tabula Rasa, the scifi MMO that had the full backing of Richard Garriott and NCsoft -- and yet lasted only 15 months before being shuttered? For the full scoop, it's good to go right to the source: General British himself.
Garriott sat down with Eurogamer for a candid dissection of what went wrong with Tabula Rasa. Ultimately, he feels that he did not do enough to make the game the best it could've been. Initially, Garriott's team brought on several Asian developers to help shape the title to be appealing to the Eastern market.
The partnership didn't work out, and after two years the team basically started over. By then, Tabula Rasa was already struggling. "So Tabula Rasa started its two-year late restart under exceptionally unusual pressures and with understandable corporate discontent, which made it very difficult to finish," he said.
Garriott then acknowledges that the MMO's failure has caused players to be wary about his future projects: "Since Ultima Online was a fair time back and Tabula Rasa had its troubles, it makes perfect sense that people would go, 'I'm cautious as to what my expectations are.'"
Reader Comments (51)
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 10:36AM Issmir said
I have a lot of respect for Garriot and his legacy. I really enjoyed his games back in the day and think he's had a profound impact on the industry.
However.
I seem completely unable to read anything he says without hearing it in a crazy boozed up ex sailor voice.
However.
I seem completely unable to read anything he says without hearing it in a crazy boozed up ex sailor voice.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:44AM ScottishViking said
@Issmir
"I once invented video games!" *drinks* "Yep. They called me Captain SpacePresident, and I ruled the world from Venus!" *drinks* "Why won't anybody listen to me?"
Reply
"I once invented video games!" *drinks* "Yep. They called me Captain SpacePresident, and I ruled the world from Venus!" *drinks* "Why won't anybody listen to me?"
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 10:37AM Calen said
Heh. He really can get it said, huh? He's starting to become the joke of the industry...
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:02AM hami83 said
@Calen I imagine you're a part of the industry then? What type of developer are you, and what is being said about him within the industry?
Or are you just one of those people that make blind comments every time you see an article with Garriotts name?
Kind of like how people like to bash Micheal Pacther without actually listening to what he has to say.
....I bet you didn't even read the article...Oh you!
Reply
Or are you just one of those people that make blind comments every time you see an article with Garriotts name?
Kind of like how people like to bash Micheal Pacther without actually listening to what he has to say.
....I bet you didn't even read the article...Oh you!
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:40AM SnarlingWolf said
@hami83
Are you Garriot? Because that rant sounded as crazy as the rest of his.
Reply
Are you Garriot? Because that rant sounded as crazy as the rest of his.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:52AM hami83 said
@Calen If you actually READ my post, I'm not defending him at all.
I played Tabula Rasa and it sucked. I loved it but it sucked.
If you READ the article he admits this and takes full blame for it.
All I'm doing is mocking people who jump on the hate bandwagon with little to no defensible points given.
He sucks cause he sucks is all I read from you post.
But since you just proved you don't even read user comments, I can't even expect you to read a whole article.
But..I must apologies. I usually don't do this, but sometimes I brain fart and believe there's rational thought on the Internet...I mean wow am I stupid sometimes. lol
Reply
I played Tabula Rasa and it sucked. I loved it but it sucked.
If you READ the article he admits this and takes full blame for it.
All I'm doing is mocking people who jump on the hate bandwagon with little to no defensible points given.
He sucks cause he sucks is all I read from you post.
But since you just proved you don't even read user comments, I can't even expect you to read a whole article.
But..I must apologies. I usually don't do this, but sometimes I brain fart and believe there's rational thought on the Internet...I mean wow am I stupid sometimes. lol
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 12:00PM Calen said
@hami83 I'm sorry, that I didn't type a wall of text. I'll make sure to type atleast 3 paragraphs of why I hate the stuff coming out of his mouth for future reference.
As for why he is a joke? Cause everything he says sounds like he smoking the funny socks.. pretty much all the time.
Reply
As for why he is a joke? Cause everything he says sounds like he smoking the funny socks.. pretty much all the time.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 12:56PM (Unverified) said
@hami83
I'd think any game designer who claimed the things he did then announced his first upcoming game was a garage sale collection game is out of his mind.
Reply
I'd think any game designer who claimed the things he did then announced his first upcoming game was a garage sale collection game is out of his mind.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 1:29PM Utakata said
@hami83
Yep, Shawn Schuster made a ruling awhile back saying the only peeps who should only post here are game developers. Since nobody else knows what they're talking about, unless their names begin with "Ghost" and end with "crawler"....or something like that...
...not.
Reply
Yep, Shawn Schuster made a ruling awhile back saying the only peeps who should only post here are game developers. Since nobody else knows what they're talking about, unless their names begin with "Ghost" and end with "crawler"....or something like that...
...not.
Posted: Dec 14th 2011 9:30PM (Unverified) said
@Calen "I don't like what this guy says because he sounds arrogant."
One sentence. Where are you getting that three paragraphs is the only way to explain your thoughts? You might be thinking too hard.
Reply
One sentence. Where are you getting that three paragraphs is the only way to explain your thoughts? You might be thinking too hard.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 10:39AM Ranxerox said
L . O . L .
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 10:40AM (Unverified) said
I like to point my finger at other people too for not being a self proclaimed genius.
Posted: Dec 14th 2011 9:32PM (Unverified) said
@(Unverified) He says it's his fault in the interview. This article paraphrases a lot.
Reply
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:13AM gegner said
I've got respect for the guy but ever since the close of TR is seems that all this guy does is complain about it getting shut down. He needs to get over it and either make another game or go away.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 11:17AM (Unverified) said
Lol try removing ": 'Exceptionally unusual pressures'" from the post title.
Posted: Dec 13th 2011 12:14PM fallwind said
@(Unverified) no kidding... where has this guy been working where you DON'T have deadline pressure from the brass?
I know I couldn't get away with telling my boss "sorry for the crappy job, but a deadline is just so *exceptionally unusual* that I couldn't deliver"
Reply
I know I couldn't get away with telling my boss "sorry for the crappy job, but a deadline is just so *exceptionally unusual* that I couldn't deliver"
Posted: Dec 14th 2011 9:35PM (Unverified) said
@fallwind More like, "Sorry for the crappy job, but you just had us working with another company for two years on the project, and now they left, so we're starting from scratch." There's "deadline issues" and then there's "you have wasted two years".
Also, he -was- the boss, and in the interview, takes full responsibility. He's crazy, he's probably blowing a bunch of smoke, but there's no need to twist words to make him look worse. RG is doing a fine job of that on his own, it seems.
Reply
Also, he -was- the boss, and in the interview, takes full responsibility. He's crazy, he's probably blowing a bunch of smoke, but there's no need to twist words to make him look worse. RG is doing a fine job of that on his own, it seems.
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