Tabula Rasa trailer and 1up interview

[Trippy]

Interview here:

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3150109


Trailer here:

http://www.1up.com/do/download?cId=2014235

Note that the QuickTime trailer is seriously borked on playback using QuickTime 7 on my Windows machine -- the movie plays back with no sound and is sped up. Nero 7 ShowTime, however, plays it back with no problem. The QuickTime version is also H.264 encoded so you'll need QuickTime 7 or something like Nero ShowTime to play it back. They also encoded the audio using the ancient IMA 4:1 codec for some inexplicable reason.

Encoded issues aside, the graphics look much improved over what they were showing a year ago. However, I still can't tell if you can dodge shots in this game. *Sigh* At least the combat looks better now, though some of the firing animations look a little wonky.

Edit: I forgot to mention that they've said the game will be playable on the floor at E3 so we'll know soon once and for all if this is actually a FPS-style twitch game or some sort of stupid hybrid.

Edit: fixed typos

[Viin]

Looks like AO with a graphics overhaul and a few more NPC scripts.

[Krakrok]

It looks like PvE Guild Wars with guns unless they added twitch since last E3.

[Falconeer]

oh wow... *unimpressed*
Planetside, PvE only and about 3 years later.

Now THIS is a new generation mmorpg.
(Note that TR was advertised for a long time as the first *truly* next generation mmorpg. I can't find those statements on the official website anymore. Odd.)


Let's get back to: http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=6717.msg180751#msg180751

--
the Falconeer

[Falconeer]

Darn, I am so mad!
I fail to remember the last time I was so unimpressed by the trailer of an upcoming mmorpg.
And we all saw that coming!

/cry

--
the Falconeer

[stray]

Hmmm.....

I'm an mmo hater if there ever was one, but that looks like one hell of a trailer. Definitely not "meh" worthy in my book. Granted, the world looks a bit sparse, but the action, the mobs, and weapons effects look great.

[schild]

The original art style was fruity, but at least it was different. This one seems a bit generic. As far as I'm concerned, the Covenent might as well be invading. But we'll see in a week.

[stray]

oh wow... *unimpressed*
Planetside, PvE only and about 3 years later.

It doesn't sound very compelling, but he says in the interview there will be optional pvp ("for advanced players"....whatever that means).

Just saying.

[Falconeer]

So am I the only one that sees the resemblance with Planetside and shivers at the idea of a Planetside-clone without PvP but full of artificially dumb enemies?

Talking about "hell of a trailer".. this is my idea of it: http://www.marcopolo.me.uk/PSMovies/PS_AD_LARGE.wmv


--
the Falconeer

[Merusk]

Watching the trailer made me think "stupid hybrid DIKU system" not "cool FPS MMO."

The avatars would run into range, and then stand there firing off specials at each other until one fell down.  Also, the dropships seemed to be running an animation to pickup those troop modules.  It didn't look like a player lining up, dropping and then flying off, beause as I remember from watching it this morning, it was the same animation both times we saw it.   So, yet another scripted special move only with a vehicle. (target pod, hit "pickup pod" key)

New, nifty setting, yes.  Genre advancement? No.

[Soln]

hmm disappointing.  Too bad.

/hype_ignore_on

[Signe]

I was thinking, "hmm... that doesn't look too bad" and then I realised I was watching a trailer for Hitman. 

[HaemishM]

My thoughts over here

To sum it up, UGGGGG. I haven't seen a game look so much like EQ with guns since Anarchy Online.

[Morfiend]

RG: In Tabula Rasa, we have a very unique take on character growth. In most MMPs you first decide on a life long class, and then to explore another class you start a new character from scratch. We think this is bad for the player and the company. Players who have to repeat the game from level 0, are going to repeat a lot of content, and thus it is a chance for them to start at level 0 in a whole new game. Thus most players do not explore the whole class tree of most games, and thus that content is wasted. In TR we have a branching class structure, combined with our "Character Cloning System"TM. With this system, players can explore the whole tree without restarting from scratch.

Huh?

Is he saying they are having Thug -> Fighter -> Warrior -> Battle Master type of class tree, and you can try all of them?

[Viin]

I think they mean it's like SWG, but in SPAAAACE. Oh wait, SWG was in space too. sorta.

[WindupAtheist]

combined with our "Character Cloning System"TM. With this system, players can explore the whole tree without restarting from scratch.

This is nice, at least.  It's anti-grindy.  There have been times in UO I would have loved to take an existing character and try it with a couple different skills, but I didn't feel like either gimping the existing character during the changeover or starting from zero on another.

[Yegolev]

I think they mean it's like SWG, but in SPAAAACE. Oh wait, SWG was in space too. sorta.

Haha, oh I hurt myself reading that.

[Stormwaltz]

I think they should have devoted some time to showing anything that wasn't shooting and explosions. The trailer could be mistaken for a Jerry Bruckheimer / Michael Bay movie.

[Krakrok]

So am I the only one that sees the resemblance with Planetside and shivers at the idea of a Planetside-clone without PvP but full of artificially dumb enemies?

Yes but no. There is no twitch as far as I know so it's a fake Planetside. I watched it a couple times and decided Guild Wars was a better description for it because the characters move the same way (run into range, stop, button mash, repeat). The drop ships seemed like mission begin/end points.

[Nija]

haha

Guys with guns KNEELING and standing around auto attacking monsters 2 ft away as the monsters repeat their autoattack animations over and over again.

If this isn't genre advancement then I don't know what is!

They really should rename it, the name doesn't fit anymore. Call it CyberShit or something. CS for short. Maybe they can sucker some 14 year olds into purchasing thinking it's a new version of Counterstrike.

[Falconeer]

From Action Trip's preview:

"The game itself isn't really a true shooter. Once you aim at the enemy, the game will lock on for you, allowing you to move around while mashing down the fire button, and each shot homing in on an enemy. I can't really make up my mind as to if this is a good thing or not, it certainly removes some of the skill that a first-person shooter requires, but at the same time, makes it a lot easier to fight, not having to worry about missing and wasting ammunition."

Wow, now that's an action MMORPG. Lock target and keep the finger on the shoot button. It's definitely a step forward from auto-attack.
...
Even Auto Assault gives more action. The turret weapon locks on targets but you still have to "aim" with the fron one.
Meh.

[Trippy]

But but it has collision detection!

[Simond]

So it's basically AO without the ultratech funkiness?

[shiznitz]

What kind of retard needs target lock to hit a 100' alien with a laser pistol?

I am an average FPS player and I can hit moving player targets in Planetside at up to 100 meters reasonably enough with single shot weaponry.

[Murgos]

What kind of retard needs target lock to hit a 100' alien with a laser pistol?

I am an average FPS player and I can hit moving player targets in Planetside at up to 100 meters reasonably enough with single shot weaponry.

I had no problem hiting 20 of 20 moving targets with iron sights at 200 meters using a modern rifle.  It's not that hard to lead a target.  A instant fire instant hit laser weapon?  Psha, a reasonably coordinated person should be able to plink off targets at 300+ meters all day.

[Der Helm]

I had no problem hiting 20 of 20 moving targets with iron sights at 200 meters using a modern rifle.  It's not that hard to lead a target.  A instant fire instant hit laser weapon?  Psha, a reasonably coordinated person should be able to plink off targets at 300+ meters all day.

Ahhh, the good old days, I miss this baby ...

[WayAbvPar]

Is it bad when I recognize assault rifles instantly? I may play a few too many real world inspired FPSs.

[Furiously]

It's funny - I just thought to myself, hmmm - that looks like a G3....

[Venkman]

The video was unimpressive, so I'm glad I didn't bother watching it until after I played it at E3. I won't bore anyway with copy/pasting all of my thoughts on the game, but basically, I think the total experience is pretty good. I played PS a lot more than I have TR of course, but I think the latter has a better chance because integrates the mass-marketable system of character growth and PvE. TR is not an MMOFPS, but it plays like one just enough (to a non-FPS expert) to feel completely different from the auto-lock-dice-to-miss some are bored of.

Rather than AO, I'd say it functions a bit closely to Neocron. The experience in total is completely different, but the rudiements of how a character is moved around and fought with feel similar.

The graphics are self-consistent. Theme wise it feels like Starship Troopers the book (I hated the movie... a lot). Some will like it. Some won't. It'd be unpatriotic if it were otherwise.

[Der Helm]

Is it bad when I recognize assault rifles instantly? I may play a few too many real world inspired FPSs.

I used to "play" with it for almost 4 years, so this is what comes first to my mind when I think about rifle and accuracy.

[Llava]

I think it's ironic that so many people complain that it's not actiony enough when you can lock on a target by holding the shift key.

Meanwhile, Diablo II had the exact opposite mechanic.  Click on an enemy and hold down the fire button and you stay locked on them, hold down the shift key and you just attack the area at which your mouse is pointing.  I could be wrong, but I think a lot of people liked Diablo II.

I'm still looking forward to Tabula Rasa.  Playing it at E3 for a few minutes piqued my interest and I'll probably pick it up at retail.

[schild]

I'll say this: Whoever is making the trailers and videos for Tabula Rasa are hurting it. Not a single one of the videos make the game look fun. The game IS fun and the PR monkey with premiere needs to step away from the TR footage.

[Yoru]

I think this is the only game the entire f13 E3 crew agreed on as 'fun'.

And yes, the trailers look way dumber than the game plays. I'll reserve a 'buy/no buy' judgement for end-of-beta, but it's certainly got a rating of 'play the beta' right now.

I'm also wearing a Tabula Rasa t-shirt right now, so my judgement may be affected.  :-D

[WayAbvPar]

Whore!

[Nebu]

I'm filing this game in the same bin I filed CoH/CoV: Great fun for like a month.