Richard Garriott live on stage, one night only!
by Shawn Schuster 
Jan 13th 2009 at 9:00AM
Filed under: Real life, Sci-fi, Culture, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Tabula Rasa
As a game developer, there's no denying that Richard Garriott is a legend. I think by now most people reading this realize his importance in creating Ultima Online, and his "come-back" attempt with Tabula Rasa. Since then, Garriott has expressed a desire to leave gaming to pursue his rediscovered love for space travel, and then gaming again, and now space travel again.If you find yourself compelled with the space flight of Richard Garriott, and you feel like paying $65 a ticket for the opportunity, he'll be telling his story live on the ZACH Theatre's Whisenhunt stage in Austin, TX for one night only. On Saturday, January 24th, at both 2:30pm and 8pm, you can listen to Richard Garriott talk about his experiences in space and his future plans with the space program. There will even be a Q&A session afterwards. I can think of a few questions I'd like to ask him. How about you?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ScytheNoire said on 9:10AM 1-13-2009
Who the hell would pay for this?
I'd pay $65 to never have to hear about Richard Garriott again.
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MrGutts said on 9:21AM 1-13-2009
I second that!
pufonthis said on 9:13AM 1-13-2009
"So anyway, I then realized that Tabula Rasa was going to be a flop, heck I wasn't even paying much attention to it anyway. So I decided to just pick up my stuff and walk away, but I left them a good-bye note... on a post-it, so it's all good right? I mean, I'm a legend so if I ever want to go back to game design I just need to show up and everyone loves me again, right?
So. I went in to space.. oh just wanted to give a quick shout-out to all those that purchased Tabula Rasa, you know, 30mil for has to come from somewhere.. hahah. Then I came back from space... So thanks for come all."
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phobic99 said on 10:10AM 1-13-2009
I laughed. :D
Brian! said on 10:11AM 1-13-2009
Give the guy a break.
On another topic. I will be on stage this Saturday telling my wondrous tale of my vacation to Hawaii. And I will also have a slideshow too! All this for only $64.95 a ticket.
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double9s said on 10:19AM 1-13-2009
I'll pay the admission price for anyone in Austin, TX willing to go and boo this loser. And when security drags you out, you have to repeatedly scream one of the following:
- Tabula Rasa forever!
- A! F! S!
- Attaca!
No joke, any takers?
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Shawn Schuster said on 10:24AM 1-13-2009
Seriously, I can see this getting ugly. I wonder if they'll screen attendees first to make sure they never played Tabula Rasa.
double9s said on 10:27AM 1-13-2009
You're right, I wouldn't be surprised if some agitators showed up for this. Does Massively have anyone near Austin that can cover the event?
Jack said on 10:25AM 1-13-2009
Really shot Richard Garriott in space and let him there. Better yet shot him in some black hole or something he may get to the other side and finally bring us some new ideas for some real mmo games!
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coppertopper said on 2:08PM 1-13-2009
I will drive to Austin for this is someone pays my way. Clean slate my ass. Its only 3hrs away. email me catastrophicfella@yahoo.com
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double9s said on 2:56PM 1-13-2009
Pay your way like gas and food and stuff or just the ticket? I was serious about the ticket but I'm not sure how much further I can stretch my Tabula Rasa revenge budget :) Maybe we could get a pool together from people willing to chip in for this, especially if you'd be willing to document the whole thing, like pictures and a writeup for Massively.
We need to come up with something memorable for you to do there too... Any ideas? Come on everybody, this our chance to make a mark on the final chapter of Tabula Rasa.
JP said on 11:08AM 1-13-2009
Tabula Rasa aside...
$65 to hear a civillian describe how he blew a fortune on training for space travel in a poverty stricken country that is so broke they're willing to take the risk if people will pay...
Sorry, RG, you're no Buzz Aldrin or Neil Armstrong. You know... people that EARNED their privledge to travel in space. Their story is probably better and doesn't start with "So, I was writting this mutli-million dollar check thinking 'this is going to be so fun!!"
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Mr Angry said on 8:04PM 1-13-2009
He sounds like the astronaut twat on Little Britain USA, you seen him, always going on about how he went to the moon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju5b1WPTeiE
Anonymous said on 11:05AM 1-13-2009
Personally, I think this man is great. He first started out working in a toy/computer store for relatives, and decided one day to make a game, it took him 2 weeks to make, and he sold lots of copies for a total of $150k or so. He then went on to make Ultima Online, the game that redefined the meaning of "RPG", after Ultima Online he didn't really do much, he tried out some new idea's in TR, but didn't do so well. This man deserves lots of credit for his work. People are just too ignorant to realise how great this man was. Do any people reading this website even do Computer Science, or Computer Science-related career?
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Temploiter said on 11:15AM 1-13-2009
Yes, I'm a software developer and I think you are mistaken to expect a site geared primarily towards gamers to be rife with Computer Scientists.
Besides, game-design is not primarily about having a BS in CompSci, is it?
Richard Garriot is a legend, and he introduced some important things to the market.
But his type of worldy game isn't en vogue today (though I wish it were) and probably won't be anytime in the future because the great minds that think along those lines are thinking small these days, and the big money is chasing WoW's success in the AAA tier.
I think the misgivings you are hearing about Garriot on this site, and doubtless others, is the way Tabula Rasa was designed, redesigned, shipped incomplete, poorly handled, and then abruptly left to rot by this "great man."
Jack said on 12:33PM 1-13-2009
So did Shigeru Miyamoto with Zelda, he also did milk out his ideas and also make up some new ones and go on releasing some of the best games today.... And he is still working and MR Miyamoto only did send his Mario in space :P
torak said on 1:38PM 1-13-2009
He's going to charge $65 to talk about what hundreds of real astronauts are willing to talk about for free...oh where do I sign? I can't wait to hear about space from the perspective of a wealthy washed up game designer who bought his way onto a rocket trip...
RG didn't "redefine" anything when it comes to RPG's, he was simply one of the first to do it on a PC. People who defined RPG's were people like Gary Gygax.
These last few years he is a walking design disaster not worth giving the time of day. He blew tens of millions of NCSofts money on total trash games and we paid the price in poorly made and shut down games.
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NeuroMan42 said on 4:28PM 1-13-2009
I lost all respect for him when he walked away from Tabula Rasa. He can lick my clean slate.
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Holgar said on 8:40PM 1-13-2009
Sigh I gots to say I hope he wears a tomato proof space suit then somone throws a fishing wieght at it.
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John said on 9:35AM 1-18-2009
Wow, you guys are freaking serious about that game aren't you? Haha. I played it and thought it was okay, but not for me. Apparently NCSoft didn't think it was making enough money and pulled the plug.
And believe me, that was planned before Garriott left. He was offered a graceful exit instead of a public firing and he took the best option. He didn't walk away lightly.
And no he didn't "redefine" the computer rpg... he f*cking DEfined the computer rpg. He's got my respect. Yeah, he's made a couple of flops... so has Stephen Spielberg - but he's still one of the best directors alive.
But I guess everything you people do is perfect, right? LOL.
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