Tabula Rasa Preview

The guys at About.com had the chance to join the beta test of NCsoft’s Tabula Rasa and have cranked out a quick preview based on what they saw of the sci-fi MMORPG.

Tabula Rasa is trying to make their AI more dynamic than the norm by giving it some territorial control. NPCs on both sides of the war are constantly fighting all around you. There are bases on the map which players are able to take back from the Bane, giving them new spawn points and vendors, as well as opening up quests.

There’s still work being done on this, but it looks quite promising. It’s not hard to imagine groups and raids of players forming just to force the Bane out of certain outposts, which adds a lot to the sense that the world can be changed. I like the way player-controlled bases are frequently attacked by the Bane, giving you a fight even when you’re not looking for one. You’ll also notice enemies that are delivered by aircraft, or drop out of trees, rather than simply spawning out of nowhere.