Rand Miller – Obduction
[b]Ingmar[/b]: It was pretty big news for your longtime fans when you announced that Robyn and Ryan Miller had agreed to participate in Obduction. Please give us an idea of their involvement.
[b]Rand[/b]: It was fun bringing my brothers back in for various aspects of Obduction. Robyn is much more comfortable acting then I am, and did a great job. And his music sets the emotions for the environments in such an amazing way. And Ryan’s story input allowed us to make some important and dramatic changes to the storyline early on.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: As a huge fan of live action in games, I’m very happy to see it included in Obduction. What’s your take on FMV these days? In what ways do your games benefit from live performances?
[b]Rand[/b]: The live action is hard to beat, but it presents its own challenges. The nice part is not having to fight the “uncanny valley” battle – players will see real people in the game. The tricky parts are designing the game so that interacting with the live action characters feels natural and organic. And of course we also had to film the live action in 3D so that the characters had depth in VR. There’s no doubt that live action captures so much more of the subtleties of real human interaction.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: You witnessed the rise and fall of FMV back in the ’90s. What do you remember of that time, and how did you feel it about it while it was happening?
[b]Rand[/b]: Some parts were exciting – seeing CG characters get better and better was incredibly interesting. Getting 90% human is incredible – but that last 10% is huge. So it was both amazing and somewhat frustrating. But both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Speaking of acting, there was talk of a Myst movie some time ago, but nothing seems to have come of it. Do you have any update for fans eagerly awaiting the possibility?
[b]Rand[/b]: We’re still excited about the possibility, and we have some contracts in place that make it more likely than ever before. Keep your fingers crossed!
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Several first-person exploration projects have arrived with interesting ideas in recent years. Are there any that have particularly impressed you? And did any of them influence your own approach to designing this game?
[b]Rand[/b]: I love the recent surge in indie experiences. There’s a renewed surge in creative interactive innovation. And we’ve been inspired by all of it. From more artistic environments like Dear Esther, to rich stories like Gone Home, and pitch perfect puzzle worlds like The Witness, and cinematically stylized experiences like Firewatch – just to name a few. They all have pieces that inspire us and amaze us.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: How would you say you’ve evolved as a game maker over the years?
[b]Rand[/b]: I think the most important thing I’ve realized is that connection is king. Giving the player a positive experience in the kind of rich, full worlds that we love to build requires that the player pay attention to details and that the details are there to make the connection. Whether it’s connections that allow the story to form in their head, or connections that allow them to put together puzzles to move forward – building those connections is difficult, but mandatory for a great experience.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Myst lore has grown very complex over the years. Is your goal to make Obduction the introduction to a whole new universe, with its own rich history, that players will keep exploring in a new series of games? If so, how does that impact the potential future of the Myst franchise?
[b]Rand[/b]: I’ve described it this way… I love my house. I’ve been living in it for years. It’s comfortable and understood and close. But sometimes it’s necessary to get out of the house – to take a trip and experience something new. It doesn’t mean you don’t ever come home. It means that you come home refreshed – with new ideas, new friends, and new inspiration. You still have your house, but you also have a new place that has become part of your story.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Obduction was (at least partly) funded by fans through Kickstarter. What was the crowdfunding experience like for you, and what are some of the rewards and challenges in developing a game while interacting directly with the community?
[b]Rand[/b]: Crowdfunding was amazing. It was so rewarding. Even though we have many more people involved than with a traditional publishing deal, it felt like we were working with thousands of new friends as opposed to a half dozen new bosses. Our supporters have been just that – supportive and encouraging, even as we’ve slipped our schedule a couple times. We’ve got the best fans in the world. We couldn’t have done this without them.
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Can you imagine using Kickstarter again when it’s time to fund your next project?
[b]Rand[/b]: Sure. It was a great experience. With Obduction wrapping up, its success may open up other doors for future projects as well. But the future is certainly unpredictable, and definitely has not yet been written. [wink]
[b]Ingmar[/b]: Thanks so much for taking time for us, Rand. We wish you all the very best with Obduction, and are looking forward to many more years to come for Cyan Worlds!
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