games  anime  |  toys
This is a Dtoid readers's blog. For staff blogs click here. Confused? read this Create you own!  |   Members: Login now



Tabula Rasa: I just came to watch you die.
IroN1c | 5:48 PM on 02.28.2009 13 comments


Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa took it’s last breath today, beginning at 8 PM GMT, with an invasion by the Bane (the games enemies), resulting in a shutdown at midnight. We all know the story of the game and it’s terrible failure. Tabula Rasa was free to play and download since December 23rd, 2008, so I decided to take a look. Well, not a look to the game itself. I just came to watch it die.



I logged on today around 1 PM GMT for the first time, with the account of a friend who had gained some levels before, so I could explore and get into some higher level areas. On my first login I noticed something.



Seems like people didn’t even care for the ending. After walking around for about 20 minutes I finally got into an area where I met some people. It was the starting area and first map of the game, the only place where people seemed to be active. There were around 10-20 players at the first outpost fighting some NPCs. Speaking of NPCs, they were the only ones doing anything in the game. Walking around searching for other players, the only thing that moved were NPCs which shot at other NPCs. Interesting. I logged off.

Coming back at 8 PM GMT, people had gathered at “Foreas Base”, an outpost still controlled by humans. The event was about to begin and suddenly more people arrived. A lot more.



Eventually the invasion began and the Bane took over each planet, resulting in the evacuation of players to a hideout. The developers actually prepared some nice stuff there. We would have a last stand. On Earth.



Arriving in New York City, it turned into a lagfest and the servers lagged out several times. Eventually more instances were opened so players could enjoy their final battle.



Yeah right, they do! At least the standard server software is still intact! More and more enemies spawned until the humans couldn’t take it anymore. They got defeated.



All this happened 5 minutes ago.
Richard Gariott’s Tabula Rasa died at 12 AM GMT.




Anyone want to buy my boxed copy which I got back in 2007? Might be a collectors item some day!



Attached photos:

Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo

  related blogs:
 

Is this post awesome? Vote it up!

0


Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

13 comments | showing # 1 to 13

prev next

MrSadistic's Destructoid Blog
What an epic way to end an MMO... well in theory anyway.
Zombutler's Destructoid Blog
That was epic to read, it must have been so awesome being there. I can't imagine devoting so much time to an MMO like some people do, and then having one last showdown before it all went away. The way it ended, with the "You have been disconnected from the server" message, KNOWING that everything is just, gone, would have been a crazy moment.
Doomsday Forte's Destructoid Blog
Wow, that's still sad though. I see this game being sold in some places and I almost wish I could just tell people not to buy it since they'll be sorely disappointed in being unable to play anymore.

Makes me wonder how Blizzard will end WoW if they ever do.
Wexx's Destructoid Blog
Doomsday: Wow's servers wouldn't be able to handle everyone being in the same place at once, because too many people play it. They tried this with the second/third (ahn'qiraj) dungeon update. I'm pretty sure all of the servers crashed during the event.

Not to say this was a bad idea, just poorly implemented on Blizzard's lacking hardware. If MMOs could scale better during an event like this, I'd be all for it. Unfortunately, the MASSIVE part of the games is exactly what makes them so appealing. Hopefully CCP's World of Darkness game will have a ton of events like this one, only there hopefully won't only be one huge one before the game ends.
Solgrim's Destructoid Blog
That's crazy. Awesome event.
Clockwork's Destructoid Blog
Very cool that you were there. What exactly is the Bane anyways?
bluexy's Destructoid Blog
It could have been better. If Garriott hadn't quit a few months ago, he could at least fought bravely until the end as General British or whatever his character name was. Then announced something about launching the nukes, I dunno... at least they tried to end with something fancy.
Aziel13's Destructoid Blog
damn I actaully had high hopes for it too
Tubatic's Destructoid Blog
Kind of wish I had played so I could have been there and appreciated it. Maybe i really do need to switch PC for my next rig...
Shin Oni's Destructoid Blog
I remember constantly looking at Tabula Rasa for well..the chick on the cover and cause it actually looked pretty interesting. Never could my laptop or current desktop bother to run it decently but it looked very interesting and NOT WoW cool.

though i'm quite sure most other interesting MMOs wouldn't fail if people stopped riding WoW's nuts 24/7.
TheCleaningGuy's Destructoid Blog
I shed a tear for the fallen MMO.
Never played it, but it's said to see a developer's dream die.
TheCleaningGuy's Destructoid Blog
Or, sad, rather than said.
gains's Destructoid Blog
So in the end humanity is wiped out by the aliens. That's telling.


prev next


Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!

 about me




About:
- 19 years old
- from Germany...you know, the country that censors everything...and no one likes.

playing right now:
- Left 4 Dead (PC)
- rFactor
- Call Of Duty 4
- Street Fighter 4

waiting for:
- eh. nothin'.

 xbox 360 gamertag
 mii friend code:
PSN: IroN1c

 friends' updates
n nerd13's Profile n nerd13
My Awesome New Hat (NVGR)
Nick Chester's Profile Nick Chester
This happened: High Voltage trademarks Immortal Warriors
Vitamin Awesome's Profile Vitamin Awesome
Halo Wars Demo: Vitaminpressions, -or- I write about a vidya gaem on mah burfdai.


 

 
  get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
contribute a news tip
suggest a feature
be a guest editor
support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?
keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meetup+play online
seriously

about Destructoid
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap
our network

Tomopop
Japanator
Despingation?




Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006