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Friday, August 29, 2008Screenwriters Sending DNA to Space

 
Script authors for popular sci-fi films, television shows and comedies plan to send digitized fingerprint to International Space Station as part of NCsoft's Operation Immortality


AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 29, 2008—Yet another group of prominent names has agreed to send their digitized DNA into space aboard the "Immortality Drive." Nine well-known television writers, screenwriters and comedy writers will have their DNA sequenced, digitized and sent into orbit on the Immortality Drive, a time capsule that will contain the digitized DNA of select video game players, space aficionados and celebrities. The drive will be carried to the International Space Station (ISS) by famed game developer Richard Garriott when he travels to space on October 12.

NCsoft's® Operation Immortality™ and the Immortality Drive is a project to collect and archive the very best of what humanity is and has accomplished and is giving players of Garriott's latest game, Tabula Rasa®, a chance to be immortalized in space.

Joining the parade of notable names sending their digitized footprint into space is:

  • Heather E. Ash - Television writer for the Stargate SG-1 television series.
  • Steven Melching - Screenwriter for Star Wars: The Clone Wars feature and upcoming television series. Other credits include Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles, Men in Black: The Series, X-Men: The Animated Series and Troops (the popular Star Wars parody Internet short).
  • Melvyn B. Sherer - Television and comedy writer with credits that include: Married with Children, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley and Small Wonder. He's also a longtime collaborator with the late Andy Kaufman on many of his most famous comedy routines.
  • Ian Abrams - Writer/Producer/College Professor. He's the creator of the television series Early Edition, writer of the feature film Undercover Blues, and writer and co-producer of the television movie, Rolling Thunder. He's also director of the screenwriting and playwriting program at Drexel University.
  • Doug Molitor - Television writer with credits that include Sliders, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men:Evolution and Sledge Hammer!
  • Daniel Fiorella - Animation writer for the television series Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, comedy writer for the popular radio show Prairie Home Companion and longtime contributor to both Mad Magazine and Cracked.
  • Christiana Miller - Television writer on General Hospital, General Hospital: Night Shift and a WGA writer trainee on Star Trek Voyager.
  • Clifford Green - A screenwriter on feature films Spacecamp, Three Wishes and Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, and The Seventh Sign.
  • Scott Murphy - A television writer and screenwriter on the Angel television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars feature and television series and the Flash Gordon television series.

In addition to DNA samples, people can visit the OperationImmortality.com website and provide other materials that will be included on the Immortality Drive. Visitors can participate in weekly polls on humanity's greatest achievements, which will be included on the drive. Current Tabula Rasa players, or those who download and play the free trial, will also be able to enter a personal message for inclusion on the Drive. All Tabula Rasa players will have their character information included. And there are weekly drawings on the site for a limited number of participants to have their own DNA included on the drive.

No purchase is necessary to participate in Operation Immortality, with free trials of Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa available at http://www.rgtr.com/trial. The game is currently available at most major retailers and at the PlayNC® store. The retail box includes the first month of online game play. After the first month, players will be charged a monthly subscription fee of US$14.99. The game is rated Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board.

About NCsoft Corporation
NCsoft North America is headquartered in Austin, Texas and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Korea-based NCsoft Corporation. NCsoft, with its own development and publishing offices in Texas and California, also works with other NCsoft subsidiaries and third party developers throughout North America to develop and publish innovative online entertainment software products. The company has successfully launched multiple online titles in the last three years and continues to support its franchises, which include Lineage®/Lineage II, City of Heroes®/City of Villains®, Guild Wars®/Guild Wars Factions®/Guild Wars Nightfall®/Guild Wars: Eye of the North™, Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa, Dungeon Runners™ and Exteel™. More information about NCsoft can be found at www.PlayNC.com.

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NCsoft, the interlocking NC logo, PlayNC, Lineage, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Guild Wars, Guild Wars Factions, Guild Wars Nightfall, Guild Wars: Eye of the North, Tabula Rasa, Dungeon Runners, Exteel and all associated logos and designs are trademarks or registered trademarks of NCsoft Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts:
David Swofford, 512 623-8002, dswofford@ncaustin.com
Janna Bureson, 512 623-8051, jbureson@ncaustin.com
Mike Crouch, 512 623-8615, mcrouch@ncaustin.com

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