Way back in 2001, some of the creators of Ultima Online announced that a new MMORPG is in the works. Back then, it was just concepts, ideas, and pretty much a promise of a different MMORPG experience. Though there was little information back then, it created a buzz in the MMO community, especially to the loyal followers of Ultima Online. Unfortunately, there were internal conflicts that plagued the development team. Two years in the development of the game, there was a major revamp, not just in the staff, but also in the direction of the game. The result, which was introduced in E3 2005, is a Role Playing Game that has a real-time combat system, with some shooter aspects incorporated into it. It's a far cry from the MMOs of yesteryears. As it stands, Tabula Rasa is banking on Richard Garriott's name and reputation.

On May 2007, the closed beta started, with some people lucky enough to get invites. The clamor to give out more beta invites prompted the NCsoft to send out more invites.

We were lucky enough to get one of those most coveted beta keys and we like to share with you the experience we had trying out the beta, for whatever purpose it might serve.

Tabula Rasa tells the story of how humans are left helpless in the hands of an alien race called The Bane. Humans, together with other species, decided to join forces and form the Army of the Allied Free Sentients, with the comon objective of fighting the Bane.

With that as the background, I imagined a dark futuristic setting filled with dead bodies and blown up infrastructures. So I quickly logged on to the closed beta to see if what I had in my mind matches the game's setting and overall feel. I was immediately redirected to the character creation screen with some sort of a broken down aircraft as my main view. I also noticed some missiles and lasers being fired at the back, to create a feeling of war and chaos. It's a bit drab, but I'm just nitpicking.

The Character Creation process can be done in a matter of minutes. After putting in a first and last name, I chose my gender and body size. The body size slide bar lets you choose from small to large frame. I was given 48 Face Types to choose from. I honestly think that there's just very subtle differences on each of the choices that choosing Face Type 25 is no different from choosing Face Type 44. I just quickly browsed through the 12 Hair Types and later on toyed with the idea of having a bald female character (can you say Sigourney Weaver). The Upper Face lets me choose different sets of eyewear - patches, eyeglasses, and sunglasses. For my female character, I was given 9 accessories to choose from. I had this notion that it will be different types of accessories. Unfortunately, it's very limited to the neck (bah! no earrings!). My male character had it better, though he doesn't have accessories, he got to sport a Beard and I reckon the scruffier, the better. As for the Armor, I'm not surprised with the limited choices (vest1, vest2, sleeveless, etc). What will differentiate me from other characters will be the color of my armor, which includes my gloves, pants, tops, and boots.

After the quick character creation, I was redirected to the next screen which gives the AFS Intelligence Report. It reads: "AFS Intelligence reports that Denzil's Calders, an AFS Outpost vital to the training of new recruits, is under attack. Setscan indicates a large Bane incursion force sweepin into the area. Captain Elvers is awaiting incoming assistance."

That was actually my cue to enter the Battle area. Before I knew it, I was standing face to face with Commander Elvers. Only then I realized I was already in Foreas, the AFS headquarters and bootcamp to new recruits like me. After learning the basic controls, I was immediately given a short mission - to blow up the dropship blocking the valley, that will then allow me access to the other side of Denzil's Caldera. It was too easy. But as soon as I make my way towards the steel bridge, I sensed some activity - that of a hovering aircraft that dropped off three Thrax Infantry Initiates. I prepared myself for battle and slowly moved forward. I started shooting fire but they counter-attacked. I quickly ran for cover and started to target and shoot. I didn't need to accurately target the enemy as the combat system automatically locks the target. The red numbers that show up when I hit the targets indicate the damage dealt on the enemy. The series of attacks and counter-attacks show the mix of RPG with FPS (First Person Shooter).

The combat system is pretty much like that of Dungeons and Dragons Online, in that there's this virtual dice that determine the effect of your attack and how much damage you deal. But in Tabula Rasa, you have to strategize your next move and timing plays a big role in determining the outcome of your actions. And you have to be perfectly aware of what's going on around you. Sometimes you might not distinguish the enemies from the allies (and yes, other ASF members will be fighting alongside you). While you might think that you're the only one who can take advantage of the combat system, think again. The Bane has an AI that's programmed to kill you and can strategize as much as you do.

At that point in the game, I knew that there will be more surprises in store. I also noticed that some ASF soldiers (Sargeants and Lieutenants) are out there to give me tips and guidance - from making use of sandbags to leveling up. All I needed to do was to interact with them. As I keep exploring the area, I met up again with Commander Elvers along the trenches. He commended me for a job well done and rewarded me with Standard Grade Grenade and Accumax Rifle. He then gave me details of my next mission. The Bane took control of the outpost at Denzil's Caldera. My mission is to regain control of the said outpost by activating the control tower, which then initiates the automated defenses. I was given a stack of detonators to get the job done. They will be primarily used to blow up the mortars outside the base. Then when they are blown into smithereens, the detonators will be used to blow up the forcefield. I was warned that if I ran out of detonators, I will have to shoot my way into the base, which will make the mission a little more difficult (not to mention, will take longer to complete).

It was quite daunting, but my fears soon subsided when the Commander gave me 5 AFS soldiers to fight alongside me. These are NPCs that followed me around and gave support as needed. They are my own private army. As we headed north east, we encountered a couple more Thrax Infantry Initiate. They came down fast and I get to loot some of their gears. As we near the outpost, it was all total chaos. We've had an encounter with several Thrax Initiates and it got pretty intense as they fought back with a combination of attacks, one of which will send you flying a few meters back.

Before we reach the outpost an AFS aircraft dropped off several gunners as reinforcements. To the right is the AFS Light Mortar that fires non-stop. I quickly set it up while my men protected me from unfriendly fires coming from all over. We made our way past the first mortar and immediately saw the force field at the center and another Light Mortar on the left. A Bane by the name of Tizzik Gi guards the force field. Tizzik is one tough Bane and it didn't look like he was coming down fast, so I went to blow the mortar and the force field while other AFS soldiers take care of Tizzik. I soon joined in the fray and killed him.

We then moved into the outpost to fight hordes of Thrax Initiates. After killing them all, I went to Control Point to regain the outpost. Only then we were able to relax a bit. The sound of gunfire subsided and I realized that I was in safe territory. I reported back to Commander Elvers who gave me a Shinobi Shotgun as a reward. I decided to interact with other NPCs which include Specialist Vance, Medic Caballero, Quartermaster Adams, and Specialist Trainer Murray, among other NPCs. I went to visit the outpost Hospital and checked out the facilities. And just across the hospital is the supplies shop for that much needed gear update.

This is barely scratching the Tabula Rasa surface, a first impression at most. Graphics-wise, Tabula Rasa will not leave you breathless. In my opinion, it has none of the next-generation feel to it. There's little room to customize characters so you will probably meet characters that look exactly like you. If you can look past the average-looking visuals and environments, you will appreciate the real-time combat system as it gives a sense of urgency in the way you decide on which action to take. On that aspect, the game is as immersive as it can get. If you're used to the turn-based combat system, you will soon realize that using the controls will take a lot of getting used to. A good thing that comes out of it is that it makes the game more engaging.

Tabula Rasa also introduces "Logos", a pictographic language that was left behind by Eloh, in the hope that other races will come to understand the language. You will find these Logos thoughout the game. Collecting them will reveal the backstory of the game. But more than that, it's your ticket to getting special powers. My first Logos is that of the symbol that gave me power to use telekinetic lightning bolts. With additional special power added into your arsenal, you will definitely come hunting for more Logos. It might look like it's just optional, but when you learn to harness the powers of these Logos, you will realize it's pretty much a big part of the game and you will soon learn the dynamics by acquiring more Logos. And as you reach the next few levels, you will then get to decide on your specialization. Early in the game, you can choose to be a frontliner or be someone who's on the sidelines taking on a supporting roles. As you reach higher levels, you further specialize. (Logos and Specilizations will be further discussed in the coming days).

At this point, the main driving force of the game is the synergy of RPG and FPS. Only when you get to next missions will you realize that there's something else that the game wants you to discover. Now, the question is, is the game too engaging that you would want to discover the secrets? The answer still depends on how you play the game and what you look for in an MMORPG, but Tabula Rasa has some pretty intriguing game dynamics that you will want to check it out. If you enjoy story-driven games and gameplay that puts you into dilemmas, then you will find Tabula Rasa worth playing.

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