This Persistent Life: Tabula Rasa Giving players a story filled with choice

2. Battlefields are dynamic, so any wall can be climbed

In the past when I fought battles in an MMO, it never seemed to really matter which side was winning. All that mattered was who won at the end of the fight. Not only does the progression of battles matter in Tabula Rasa, but the walls between who I can fight and when, are no longer rigid.

If my side is wins a battle, the spawn points as well as waypoints, and shops will be lost and given to the enemy. For me this heightens the stakes, and gives my choices and actions in battle mean more than the loot I'll me walking away with. At the same time just because an enemy is 10 levels ahead of me it doesn't mean that all hope is lost. What it means is that I'll have to revamp my strategy and come at things a different way instead of just attacking head on.

Yes, I could confidently stroll out of this gas station bathroom, look the brute whose pounding on the door in the eye, lie and tell him that was my bowel movement that obstructed the toilet and that he can take is mean, pounding fist, and plug his hole with it instead of using the facilities. Instead I'm going with plan b. I place my sneaker on my fist, break the already shattered mirror on the wall, use a shard to cut on my chest, and smear some blood across my face. Now my plan is almost complete.

The brute force of a dynamic battle

The brute force of a dynamic battle

3. In the end it's all about a good story to tell

With every other MMO it never felt like there was a cohesive story that ran the length of my experience in the game. Yes, there has always been a basic premise, one that often drew me in to the initial experience. But before long the story became secondary, a point which never seemed that important to me, partially due to the many hours involved in level grinding, fetch-questing, and helping out members of my clan.

Tabula Rasa has a story that won't stop. This is partially done though the ethical decisions I have to make in the game. Another way this is accomplished is through individual missions that I must complete on my own. This makes the role-playing part of the MMO feel more organic and the story feel specific to me. At the end of the day I don't just want to tell my friends what mission I complete with my clan. I want to have a story to tell them about what happened while the mission was underway, and what me completing it meant. Yes, they'll laugh at me just the same for being an MMORPG playing dork, but I'll hold my head a little higher now that I can bring them along on the story.

Building a story you can share

Building a story you can share

All's well that ends well

Now that I'm buck naked and sufficiently bloodied up I put my plan in full effect. I take a deep breath, unlock the door, and throw it open with all of my strength. I knock over this man who can't be any taller than 5foot 3.

"That was my private spot, why'd you touch me there," I yell and knock the man over on his ass. The glasses he wore on his face have fallen to the ground and he looks even less built than me.

I take off in a full sprint screaming, "You violated me like no one has before." I don't look back. I'm running down the sidewalk, naked and bloodied, but at least no one will blame the broken toilet on me and I'll have a good story to tell.

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