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Video Gamers Immortalized in Space by NCsoft

 

Sending digital time capsule with human DNA on Richard Garriott’s journey to International Space Station

 

 

AUSTIN, July 30, 2008—Could you be the savior of humankind?  NCsoft®, the world’s leading publisher and developer of online computer games, has announced it will launch the “Immortality Drive” – a time capsule with the digitized DNA of select video game players and space aficionados – into orbit when famed game designer Richard Garriott travels to the International Space Station in October 2008.

As part of NCsoft’s “Operation Immortality,” Richard Garriott – the man who created Tabula Rasa, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) PC game that explores the destruction of Earth – is now venturing into space to save humanity.

During the campaign, Tabula Rasa players have a chance to have their DNA sequenced, digitized and sent into space on the Immortality Drive. In addition, all players with active accounts on September 2, 2008 will have their Tabula Rasa characters uploaded to the device, giving them the opportunity to go to space virtually.  In order to make this unique opportunity accessible to as many people as possible, free trials of the game are available at http://www.rgtr.com/trial.  Garriott will place the Immortality Drive on the International Space Station when he travels there this fall.

“I’ve been able to do some very exciting things in the games business, but nothing of this magnitude,” said Garriott, executive producer for Tabula Rasa at NCsoft. “I’m thrilled we can offer the once in a lifetime chance to millions of gamers to virtually go to space with me. A select few will have their DNA digitized and sent. And, theoretically, if anything happens to the human race, it could be their DNA that is used to resurrect humanity.”

Starting today and lasting through August 31, 2008, anyone with a PC and an Internet connection can go to http://www.OperationImmortality.com and participate in weekly polls on humanity’s greatest achievements which will be included on the Immortality Drive, such as “What is the greatest song of all time?” and “What is the greatest technological breakthrough of all time?” Current Tabula Rasa players, or those who download and play the free trial, will also be able to enter a personal message for inclusion on the Drive.

“This is your chance to leave your mark,” says Garriott. “While everyone can participate in the polls at OperationImmortality.com, Tabula Rasa players will be the only gamers in the universe who can say that a piece of them is in space, since we’re sending their in-game alter-egos, and for some, their DNA, to space with me.”

Tabula Rasa, which launched November 2007, is an intense, fast-paced, sci-fi MMO PC game that puts you in the middle of the never-ending intergalactic fight for freedom against a hostile alien race called the Bane.  Players use high-tech weaponry, alien powers, and the help of other Allied Free Sentients (AFS) soldiers to rid the universe of the Bane threat.

With frequent free updates to players, the game world of Tabula Rasa has grown significantly since launch. Upcoming features to the game include clan-owned Control Points, new missions, and Personal Armor Units.

 No purchase is necessary to participate in Operation Immortality, with free trials of Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa available at http://www.rgtr.com/trial.  The game is currently available at most major retailers and at the PlayNC® store. The retail box includes the first month of online game play. After the first month, players will be charged a monthly subscription fee of US$14.99. The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

For information about Operation Immortality, including full terms and conditions, go to http://www.OperationImmortality.com. For information on Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa go to http://www.rgtr.com.

Richard Garriott – the man who created Tabula Rasa, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) PC game that explores the destruction of Earth – is now venturing into space to save humanity.

if anything happens to the human race, it could be their DNA that is used to resurrect humanity.”

Only to become extinct in one generation because they were all male

How does Garriott still have a job?

What a genius.

It's such a fine, fine line between that and madness, eh?

He sure took this 'shooting your dna towards space' thing to a new level.

Assuming for a moment that, by some infinitessimal chance, another life form is not only able to travel the crazy distance to get here but also find us in the vastness of space... What the fuck is a DNA sequence going to mean to them anyway? 

"Oh look Bob, it's GGAGAGATCCTAGAGAGAGGAGGTTTCCAA."

People still think the universe revolves around the Earth.  It cracks me up. 

the morsel of your DNA that gets sent up will be absolutely meaningless, even before you consider what you said  :grin:

Assuming for a moment that, by some infinitessimal chance, another life form is not only able to travel the crazy distance to get here but also find us in the vastness of space... What the fuck is a DNA sequence going to mean to them anyway? 

"Oh look Bob, it's GGAGAGATCCTAGAGAGAGGAGGTTTCCAA."

People still think the universe revolves around the Earth.  It cracks me up. 

...


Fuck. They're going to be able to clone catasses.

Who the fuck wouldn't want to go to space? Garriott is crazy because he's managed to turn this desire into a stupid promotion too? Why? If someone comes up to me and says "Hey, do you want to go to space?" I'd respond will "hell yeah", even with the association with some insane promotion.

I don't know how he's organised things, but I assume that the costs are not cheap, so any attempt to squeeze more money out of Tabula Rasa at the same time makes sense.

... we should consider getting in on the Operation Immortality survey though. Best song evah? Why "Barbie Girl" by Aqua, of course!

All the DNA in the world will not a person make.  It's a blueprint.  Without intimate working knowledge of all the associated machinery, the sequence is worthless.

This message brought to you by the science nerds of america.

Richard fucking Dawkins has so much to answer for. Biological determinism is so firmly entrenched now that people actually believe that the Human Genome Project was a worthwhile way to spend billions of £$€.

Not so much, no.  Although the evolutionary and neurological psychologists have exploded the "Blank Slate" theory into a million tiny pieces and taken most of traditional psychology and sociology with them, that doesn't mean we've reverted back to biological determinism.  Genes are not destiny, they are pre-disposition.  And you can't blame Dawkins that the experimental data from neuro-psych and genetic screening has shown that the Blank Slate was so much ideological twaddle.

--Dave

Richard fucking Dawkins has so much to answer for. Biological determinism is so firmly entrenched now that people actually believe that the Human Genome Project was a worthwhile way to spend billions of £$€.

His dad probably helped him get this gig, no?  He was probably into space before he was into games.

I still not sure this could ever possibly "save humanity".

In 50,000 years the aliens can rebuild you from your DNA to tell you "Sorry, Tabula Rasa still sucks."