Richard Garriott’s failed project will be shutting down for good tomorrow, but unlike other MMOs, Tabula Rasa won’t go down without a fight. With the end near, a news post on the game’s website details a powerful alien race called the Neph, which along with the evil Bane have discovered wormhole technology, ensuring “wave after wave of Bane troops without rest or respite.”

What this means is that there will be an epic battle for those who have stayed with the game till its demise later today. Below is the post, and if you have an account with the game – have fun while it lasts.

We request that all military personnel begin fortifying defenses at every AFS base in preparation for a massive Bane assault. If enemy troop movements are as large as we fear, and the Neph are truly prepared to lead all out war against us, this may be our last stand. Penumbra has been informed of the situation and is standing by on the use of their last resort weapon. We cannot afford to be complacent or uncertain, but if it is truly our destiny to be destroyed, we are taking them all with us.

That’s right gaming fans, we’ve got yet another patent infringement lawsuit on our hands. Worlds.com, a company that focuses on creating ’3D communities’ has filed a lawsuit against NCsoft, the company behind Tabula Rasa, Guild Wars, Lineage and City of Heroes. They’re claiming that the company violated a patent awarded to Worlds.com in February of 2007. If they win the case it’s going to be a big deal; the patent applies to what can only be described as the most basic underlying concept of every MMOs.

The patent is for technology that allows users to “interact with other users in a virtual space” through a server, with an avatar representing each user. As you can imagine, that concept applies to pretty much every MMO in existence. Worlds.com is seeking ‘damages’ and a ‘permanent injunction’ against violations of the patent, although any company they won a lawsuit against would likely find that Worlds.com is willing to negotiate, especially if they managed to win against powerhouses like Blizzard. NCsoft is likely their first target as they are not a US based company and likely have less lawyers on their payroll familiar with patent law and less money than Blizzard and Sony.

With Tabula Rasa shutting down soon, legendary game developer – and Ultima series creator – Richard Garriott looks to be intent on returning to the fantasy genre that cemented his status in the gaming industry.

The designer told BBC News that his next project is “probably medieval fantasy and probably online,” adding that he is now “keen to get back into the fray and work on a new game.”

Garriott left his position at NCSoft earlier this year after returning from his space trip. It is not known where exactly he will pursue development on his fantasy project.

Designed by industry pioneer and space tourist Richard Garriott, Tabula Rasa will shut down on February 28, 2009. This was announced on the game’s website, which noted that the title “hasn’t performed as expected.”

“The development team has worked hard to improve the game since launch, but the game never achieved the player population we hoped for,” reads a post on the website.

It was added that the game will become free to play starting January 10, 2009 before its closure the following month.

Additionally, NCSoft will lay off an undisclosed number of employees following the closure. The company plans on rewarding loyal gamers, though, by giving them free game time to its other MMOs including City of Heroes, Lineage II and the forthcoming Aion.

Being the first game developer in space isn’t the only thing for Richard Garriott. He is also the first to initiate an “intergalactic mini-ARG” as he carried with himself not only the DNA of gamers (and Stephen Colbert), but also a card with a coded message using the hieroglyphics of Tabula Rasa.

A video of Garriott holding the card was broadcast back to earth where a more legible version was posted. It didn’t take long for fans to decode the message, which was a translation of Soviet rocket scientist Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky: "Earth is the cradle of humanity but mankind will not be in the cradle forever."

Garriott is currently on board the International Space Station and will return to earth on October 24.

If humanity is somehow wiped out, who do you think the aliens will turn to for DNA? Game designer Richard Garriott believes it’ll be Stephen Colbert’s DNA they want, as his DNA, alongside that of Tabula Rasa players and others, will be entombed within a time capsule aboard the International Space Station as part of Operation Immortality.

“I am thrilled to have my DNA shot into space, as this brings me one step closer to my lifelong dream of being the baby at the end of 2001,” said Colbert.

“In the unlikely event that Earth and humanity are destroyed, mankind can be resurrected with Stephen Colbert’s DNA,” added Garriott. “Is there a better person for us to turn to for this high-level responsibility?”

I, for one, welcome the next-generation of humanity based on Stephen Colbert!