The Next Level: Game creator plans space station journey

The creator of "Ultima Online” will become a second-generation space traveler when he goes on a mission to the International Space Station in October 2008.

Richard Garriott's spaceflight, through Space Adventures Ltd., will be the first in a series of missions that will accommodate commercial activity aboard the space station. Involvement from the private sector can include scientific and environmental research and educational outreach programming.

Garriott, 46, of Austin, Texas, is the son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott, a native of Enid.

"I am dedicating my spaceflight to science,” Garriott said in a news release. "It is my goal to devote a significant amount of my time aboard the space station to science, engineering and educational projects.”

"Because of my career, it was almost natural for Richard to be interested in space and exploration. I am so pleased that he is able to embrace this himself and that he is dedicating his flight to research. I am very proud of him,” Owen Garriott said in a news release.

Richard Garriott co-founded the North American arm of NCsoft, the world's largest online game developer and publisher. In October, his latest game, "Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa,” will ship.

Follow Richard Garriott's planned space flight at www.richardinspace.com.

For heavy gamers who find their Wii remote losing battery charge faster than they'd like, Duracell has introduced a new battery option. The company's pre-charged rechargeable batteries retain power longer while not in use and stay charged longer, according to a news release.

They will have a suggested retail price of $12.99 for four.