What is Cyan up to?

[Jojon]

If I might interject something, but perhaps someday a person may come forth to volunteer to host a location existing textures and objects can be stored for developers?
...

http://www.texturu.org/texturu/welcome.php :)

[Deledrius]

If I might interject something, but perhaps someday a person may come forth to volunteer to host a location existing textures and objects can be stored for developers?

I've noticed for instance, the kahlo pub tables/chairs have been recreated by no less than four Age developers that I know of, and the D'ni Hood imagers by three. Some sort of repository might go a long way to speeding Age development.

Sorry to poke my head into the discussion, but it is a thought that has been in the back of my mind for a while...
...If this has already be considered/approved/rejected in other times/places my apologies for the rehashing of already trod ground.

I was working on a major site for this back in 2006 with someone else on COBBS for precisely this sort of thing, that would host models, textures, ages, etc. and promote collaboration, community rating, and act as a central repository for all fan-Age-related info. Things kinda blew up around then and it never happened. It's been on my mind as something we still need (texturu is only part of that overall vision, useful as it could still be), but obviously the amount of time I have to personally spend on such a project now is even less than it was back then.

[belford]

I sense that this discussion (about Cyan's plans, etc) has been pretty well petrified for years and I'm not going to add anything to it. However:

When most people look at these RealMyst screenshots, they're going to like them. I like them. They are mostly better, point-for-point, than iOS RealMyst. (I concede that the Mechanical seawater is absurd, but everything else in that shot is identical to iOS RealMyst or an improvement.) Myst Island looks really nice.

More important: most gamers out there without iPads are going to be comparing this to the *old* RealMyst -- that's what they think of as "the latest version". When I google up the equivalent RealMyst Mechanical screenshot (from GOG), *that's* awful. A new desktop release of Myst is not a big win for Cyan, but it's the biggest *low-effort* win they can get.

I agree that if they spend the rest of their lives re-re-releasing games, they will sink into obscurity and vanish. That's why it's not worth doing RealRiven or a complete RealMyst rebuild. It probably *is* doing these incremental RealMyst upgrades. (Or at least, Cyan's accountant must think so.)

As to whether the notional kickstarter project will be worthwhile -- I have absolutely no basis on which to decide. (The teaser images have nothing for me.)

[belford]

Also, of course, you know my response to the high difficulty of creating good graphical Ages. :)

[Deledrius]

As to whether the notional kickstarter project will be worthwhile -- I have absolutely no basis on which to decide. (The teaser images have nothing for me.)

The latest image finally contains something almost worth speculation, as we can actually identify trees! I'm still waiting to know what this project is before I get excited though.

As for the notion of a Cyan Kickstarter, of all the things to be most wary of from the past decade is their difficulty in budgeting and delivering on schedule, and those are also very important to successfully using Kickstarter as a platform (particularly any projects after this one). There will always be those fans who will fund them regardless, but as it stands they have a lot to prove before this can be a viable strategy IMO. I sincerely hope that they don't treat it too eagerly, and instead keep moderate and humble stretch goals with wide budgetary and scheduling margins.

[Ainia]

Shorah all,

As to whether the notional kickstarter project will be worthwhile -- I have absolutely no basis on which to decide. (The teaser images have nothing for me.)

The latest image finally contains something almost worth speculation, as we can actually identify trees! I'm still waiting to know what this project is before I get excited though.

As for the notion of a Cyan Kickstarter, of all the things to be most wary of from the past decade is their difficulty in budgeting and delivering on schedule, and those are also very important to successfully using Kickstarter as a platform (particularly any projects after this one). There will always be those fans who will fund them regardless, but as it stands they have a lot to prove before this can be a viable strategy IMO. I sincerely hope that they don't treat it too eagerly, and instead keep moderate and humble stretch goals with wide budgetary and scheduling margins.

Deledrius and belford, if you are referring to the kickstarter project being discussed on the Cyan forums, it isn't a Cyan project at all but one involving a couple of former Cyantists, Eric Anderson (edoublea) and Ryan Warzecha (greydragon). We really don't have any information about what Cyan currently *is* working on in the way of a brand new/kickstarter effort. We simply know that they are working on *something* non-Myst (at least according to Rand's last interview, though he *was* pretty cagey about the question and how far they were with it).

My own suspicion regarding the realMyst Masterpiece Edition effort is that it's their nod to the importance of the original Myst release and its recent 20th anniversary. I rather doubt they see it as the "next big thing" or as more than a moderate moneymaker for them.

[Deledrius]

I'm talking about the Kickstarter which Cyan is working on that GreyDragon has prodded us about in CyanChat repeatedly. No, we don't know anything about the project yet, but I'm referring to Cyan and their history.

[Ainia]

Shorah Deledrius,

I'm talking about the Kickstarter which Cyan is working on that GreyDragon has prodded us about in CyanChat repeatedly. No, we don't know anything about the project yet, but I'm referring to Cyan and their history.

Thanks for the clarification! I gather then that you were talking about two separate things since you made a reference to the most recent image posted in the Cyan forum thread I linked earlier. That is, (1) the kickstarter project in the works by edouble and greydragon; and then (2) your concerns about Cyan's ability to manage their own kickstarter campaign successfully.

On a related note, I don't suppose there are Cyan Chat chatlogs kept anywhere? It would be a nice resource for those of us outside of that loop... (yes I know, I'm just dreamin' )

[belford]

Yeah, this is why I said "notional kickstarter". :) I've never been on Cyan chat -- well, not this decade -- and so I don't have a clear idea what's been said, much less what's going on behind the scenes.

[Deledrius]

realMyst Masterpiece Edition is cool (realMyst is still my fave Myst) but the screenshots posted don't quite wow me yet. The oddities mentioned by others stand out, so I look forward to seeing those fixed. It would be amazing if it could turn out to be the new standard ideal Myst to recommend for new players.

Thanks for the clarification! I gather then that you were talking about two separate things since you made a reference to the most recent image posted in the Cyan forum thread I linked earlier. That is, (1) the kickstarter project in the works by edouble and greydragon; and then (2) your concerns about Cyan's ability to manage their own kickstarter campaign successfully.

Did one of them specifically say these two things are unrelated? I'd been led to believe it's all connected.

I'm really glad to see Cyan do something again, and I'm especially happy that it's an original IP and not more Myst (I think a break from D'ni is good). I also want to see them be able to do more, and that means running a successful campaign and subsequent project.

On a related note, I don't suppose there are Cyan Chat chatlogs kept anywhere? It would be a nice resource for those of us outside of that loop... (yes I know, I'm just dreamin' )

There aren't any public logs that I'm aware of, but I just lurk in there through the IRC bridge. Others might know more about an archive.