Tabula Rasa, Richard Garriott’s MMO Opus, has been in development for quite some time, and has undergone several transformations along the way. As we found out in a private demonstration, the game is finally nearing completion and should be available this fall. Will it find its fan base? Can it succeed after being in development or so long? It clearly shows promise but it’s fighting an uphill battle in a saturated genre -- but it has two things in partuclar going for it: it's something (very) different...and it has Lord British's name attached to it.

For the uninitiated, Tabula Rasa describes a universe in which Earth has been destroyed, along with most of the human race. Survivors, of which there are few, struggle to exist with the aid of a benevolent alien race called the Eloh. Select survivors chosen by the Eloh join in their fight against the galactic menace known as Bane. Combating this evil demands wielding logos, rare and powerful forces that the Eloh’s anointed warriors are capable of using. You are to become one of these warriors, harnessing the latent power of logos to battle against Bane and allow humanity's hope to endure.

We tackled several short missions in the early parts of the game, whizzing through the open ended character development and creation system to take a look at mission structure, combat, and the intriguing logos system. Tabula Rasa is set on two planets, only one of which we were able to visit. You'll start on Foreas, a temperate planet covered in lush forest. Three continents each divided into three zones should provide more than enough area to prepare your character for the more advanced creatures and missions of the second planet. While we didn't get to see it this time, previous viewings of the game showcased the volcanic body and its combat-heavy missions.

Everyone starts out as a recruit, a blank slate of sorts that can be customized as you gain levels. At intervals of five levels, you'll have choices to make regarding your character's abilities. Much of how your character turns out depends on the logos you acquire. Both a fully functional language and abilities system, logos unquestionably tops the list of what makes Tabula Rasa unique. Logos are a series of pictographs representing specific concepts; as such, they hold meaning as language and the actual concept they represent. For instance, one could imply the concept of explosion which could be used in a passage lining a temple wall or literally be equipped as an explosive ability. As you work your way through the game, you'll find various logos and can piece them together for unique powers.

Using the power of logos will play a huge part of combat. In Tabula Rasa, combat gives the illusion of real-time but actually involves a die roll that is quickly tabulated by the computer every time you launch an attack against an enemy. The goal is to create an action-oriented combat system that retains traditional role-playing elements. You can take cover to avoid fire, use a variety of firearms, and even execute finishing moves on critically wounded foes; however, the game will retain a hardcore role-playing feel by varying attack damage and defense based on statistics and quick die rolls.

You can equip up to five abilities and weapons to the left and right mouse buttons, respectively. Cycling through these is done by tapping 'E' for abilities and 'Q' for weapons. Being able to hastily swap among weapons, for instance, proves useful when tackling an early mission entitled "Carpe Diem." In this mission you are required to recapture a control point, which not only completes the mission but opens up new quests, areas, and shops. An important part of the mission design, and a staple of Garriott’s games, is that they present you with moral dilemmas. You are presented with choices each of which having a specific consequence. Do you take out a dam, denying the Bane an access route but wiping out an innocent village as a result? Do you follow your orders and blow the dam? Or do you warn the villagers? It’s not about being right or wrong, but about presenting the player with various ways in which to tackle a problem.

Along with traditional player-versus-environment (PvE) quests, three forms of player-versus-player (PvP) combat will be supported: head-to-head, 6-on-6 squads, and clan battles. You can square off against another player anywhere in the game, although explicit permission is required to engage in PvP. The same goes for squads wishing to battle each other; however, you won't have to gain permission if you're a part of a PvP-specific clan. You'll have the option when searching for a clan to join one designated for PvP. As a member of a PvP clan, you're free to engage in members of other PvP clans without the need for permission.