Cyan and Myst - Series Memories with Rand Miller / MY LIFE IN GAMING
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2015
- Try had a chance to visit Cyan to get an early look at their Kickstarter-funded Obduction, as well as share memories of Myst, Riven, and the rest of the series, with co-founder Rand Miller.
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My Life in Gaming makes documentaries, deep dives into retro console hardware, and more.
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► Episode Chapters
00:00 - Intro - Hry
As much as Rand didn't like acting, I personally thing he did a GREAT job.
The Riven intro is one of my favorite video game cinematic intros. And Rand's acting is just sublime there. He kinda falls apart when he has to be exuberant, but when the acting's more subdued like in that scene it's exceptional! There are so many little quirks and expressions in that scene that hint at what's going through Atrus' mind if you look closely. Rand did a really good job conveying emotion in that scene.
Maybe the reason why Atrus comes off as such a troubled character is because, why Rand was acting, his mind was just like "I wanna get out. I wanna get out. I wanna get out" xD
Same
I think he has the perfect looks, voice and attitude for Atrus. Even when he's not in character, he comes across as a scholar, kind of old style with those little gold-rimmed round glasses.
Fantastic video on the topics of Cyan and the Myst Series. This was great!
+Lazy Game Reviews [Try4ce] Means a lot to hear that from you! We don't have enough history with PC gaming to encroach on your territory too often, but Myst is definitely a key PC series for me. :)
"It doesn't have to be a blockbuster to be a success." Really wish more studios would take those words to heart.
Atrus, Catherine, Sirrus and Achenar were such a huge part of my childhood! ...and the Star Fissure. The Star Fissure still haunts me to this day.
+Alli Flanagan [Try4ce] I totally forgot how much the star fissure was tied into Riven's plot until I replayed it for this video. The whole thing really makes Myst and Riven feel like a complete story, and kinda makes Riven the focal point of the plot, with the island of Myst as kind of an incidental side location... it just happens to be your entry point into the story because you found the Myst book.
+Alli Flanagan the BOOKS were actually really awesome too! and Riven was GORgeous, and puzzling of the best kind.
+Chris Pavona Agreed. The books and the games were excellent!
@David Lutz there are 3 connecting the plot of myst, riven and exile
The book of Ti'ana, The book of Atrus and The Book of D'ni
Revelation is very well connected with Exile, but Uru and End of Ages are more like their own thing
I always wanted to know where the traveller came from.
I returned to re-watch this video years later and as I sit here drinking my coffee, I'm reading over the comments section. It's quite remarkable that nearly every single response is both positive and on topic; each person chimes in to share their own memories, experiences and love of MYST. I think that's a testament to what Rand and Robyn truly achieved all those years ago.
I played this with my brother when I was living with him. We took turns finding and solving puzzles. One day I came home from work to find him eagerly ready to show me his work for the day. He had mapped out the whole rail system on his white board. The puzzles were inventive and challenging to solve. In the end we finished it on our own. One of the most satisfying games I've played.
*This is what happens when you lock a bunch of geniuses who love games in one room, Playing the original now is kind of like reading a book with pictures, in that your imagination can compensate for what the graphics will not do for you visually, I wonder if the developers veiled that intention, being a game about Books.*
I'm shocked to hear Rand didn't like his acting role - I always wished he had done voice acting for other games/animation.
For real, I can't imagine anybody else playing Atrus... he was the perfect fit for that kind of character.
@@DJDustKut I thought it was mostly because Rand felt that Atrus needed a professional actor for the gravitas of the character. It just occurred to me that he bears a strong resemblance to Jonathan Frakes. I could imagine him in the role.
@@zemxxi2765 Then again, having Rand in that role filled me with a kind of ensurance, if you will. This was HIS game, HE'S the creator, so he WANTS to deliver the best perfomance he possibly can, plus he KNOW what this character HE created is like. To any other professional actor, this would've been just another job. Fail or succeed, fuck it I get paid, onto the next job. But Rand being the creator here meant that he WANTED it to succeed.
Every time I see Rand Miller, I don't really see Rand Miller... I see Atrus.
It's interesting how he, along with his brother, really _were_ the ones to create the different Ages in Myst.
Over the past year I've been working my way through this series. I played Myst back in the day, but I was never able to even get off the first island. Even if Rand is not a big fan of playing Atrus, I have to say that as I started up Myst IV, there was something comforting about seeing him. The game starts with you just going to visit him as an old friend, and it feels like precisely that.
I’m 42 and I still play this game. I still can’t get enough of it. From behind the scenes to game play. I simply just love it. Changed my life. Lead me to pursue a career in ch and visual effects.
I am so excited for Obduction that I literally cried. MYST is my favourite game series ever, and to see that being continued both with current FPS controls and the traditional point-and-click controls...
I honestly don't think I've felt butterflies like this in at least a decade.
Marc this was excellent! Very well done my friend. I'm kind of jealous! :) It's funny that Manhole was mentioned because that's what I always thought of when I saw Myst. However the only time I played The Manhole was when I rented it on the PC Engine CD and it was weeeeiiirrd. And quite slow.
+Game Sack [Try4ce] Thanks very much! I regret that I never bought the "Cyan Complete Pack" on Steam while it was on sale before... I was determined to finally play Myst V before doing this video, but then I saw that the Complete Pack had other games that might be good research/clips for the video, so I bit the bullet and just got the whole thing. Loading up Manhole, I was really surprised to see a lot of Myst-like computer-rendered objects in a Cyan game before Myst, though it blends it with other art... Spelunx seems to have a bit more of its own style, though I haven't played either game much.
This is easily the definitive video of the MYST series! Incredibly well done!
MYST made my mum a gamer. I have so many happy memories of sitting down with her and my little sister to play the Myst games together. I also remember when my Nanna was battling cancer and we stayed over in her living room, she'd sometimes come and join us.
Thinking about it, it was my mum that got our first console, an NES. She actually got it for herself, but my sister and I were instantly hooked. Now my mum will sit and watch us playing our games. I feel really lucky to have a parent that's not only supportive of gaming, but appreciates them as an art form and can enjoy games with us, even if she isn't playing.
I always loved the way the Myst series used the graphics, music, characters and storyline to completely immerse you in another reality. I especially like the way the music is used to do this. I always remember the first time I saw the Channelwood linking book image after reading the journal in the library, it was as if the music was telling the emotional story of the age to go with what you had just read.
Dudes....the MYST books are even better!! The book of Atrus and the Book of Ti'ana are amazing!
14:09 he's so humble. but he made me Believe!
The thing, which I loved most about the Myst series, was the universe itself...
The thought of being able to create links to worlds with neverending possibilities by writing of pure words was just astouding.
Already read all of the novels and would love to see another one emerge.
Also loved to figure out more about the D'ni while playing URU.
The second thing, which makes this series a masterpiece (IMO) was the soundtrack.
Honestly, there are many Games whose soundtracks are pretty, however those from riven and exile and partly URU is... diffrent.
Tracks like Gehn's Theme, Fissure and the Well are seemingly not of this world...
Myst IV's music still was mysterious but it seemed to me less magical...
That was my tribute to these Games
Greetings
The Millers and their team are heroes to me! Riven was an absolute game changer and I have never experienced anything like it. My first PC game was "Zork Nemesis", also loved that one to pieces. But then Riven came along. It wasn't an easy game to solve, so I played it for months and loved every minute of it, sometimes just enjoying looking at the beautiful places they've created. The atmosphere, the story telling, the soundtrack, the live action, the puzzles and level of detail, just wow. I wish the renderings were available in today's HD or 4k quality. I swear I'd be playing it again right away. If these guys nail anything like Riven again, I'll buy it within a second.
myst is the only game that make me travel to these worlds just like i was there...thanks for that cyan i never forget that experience...
fantastic video - this series deserves so much more attention than it gets nowadays. timeless and fantastic games. really looking forward to obduction!
I have just recently played and finished Riven (aside from some really hard and frustrating puzzles) it is one of the best game settings I have ever witnessed! So in love with its world!
I think "D'ni" is pronounced "Dunny." At least, that's how I've always heard characters pronounce it in the series.
My hat off to Robyn & Rand Miller for creating the Myst series. There's no question that their names deserve a slot in the top 10 most influential game creators of all time. As for Rand's bashfulness, he's being far too modest; his portrayal of Atrus throughout the series was worthy of the silver screen.
Anyone heard any recent news on Obduction?
It was spelled 'Dunny' because in Australia it was found that the word 'dunny' is slang for toilet. 😂
Correct on the pronounciation, although Esher from Myst 5 pronounces it more like "Duh- chnee."
No one else in the series does this, which is very strange. It's tempting to default to Esher's way because he identifies himself as a D'ni remnant, but Atrus pronounces it as "dunny" and I have a hard time believing Ghen got that wrong when he taught Atrus. Possibly Esher's version is an uncommon dialect, or he is less related to the D'ni civilization than he indicates.
I’m pretty sure yeesha pronounced it they way he did. duh-_knee_
Obduction is a new masterpiece from them. My previous Cyan game was URU, adored that as well as the soundtrack and worlds, obduction is a similar feel
This game brings back such good memories.
great video. Rand's acting as Atrus was great, he didn't over-act, he was properly subtle and it very much felt real IMO. This game and Mechwarrior 2 were amazing back in the mid 90s
I played Riven for the first time in like 1999 as a kid and I recently bought it and I cannot tell you how much i am enjoying this strange 90's creation.
Riven and Myst 3 I replay to this day. Nostalgic and atmospheric. Riven had a collector edition on CD's that I got, and there was a smaller box with a DVD version, that required no disc swapping. Regret not buying that one instead.
Having live actors in a game helps to immerse you in the fictional world, which is one of the reasons Myst and its sequelae were so great. Also, the idea of using books to create worlds...well, isn't that what books do IRL? If you're an avid reader, you do get pulled into the book, and your imagination does the rest. I've been a gamer since Zork, and Myst still tops my all-time favorite list.
What a wonderful retrospective and interview, it really took me back to the 90's.
Oh gosh. That cut to Esher talking about the "perverted tools of the creatures" right after you mentioned the departure from pre-rendered backgrounds well describes a lot of fan reactions and it made me laugh out loud.
Indeed. The 3D graphics in Myst V were ugly as sin, compared to the beautiful pre-rendered ones of Myst IV.
The Myst games are a great concept. The animations like riding the Tram in Riven were amazing!
Never grew up with this series, but remember seeing the cover with the island and the various out-of-place structures on the Nintendo DS. Didn't buy it, but it definitely stuck out to me. Then years later when I got in a funny PS1 mood I discovered Riven: The Sequel to Myst, and three things stood out here. 1. I recognized the name "Myst", 2. the game had a peculiarly long name, and 3. not only did I love the name "Riven" but as a big fan of pre-rendered graphics from other games of my youth the tree on the cover spoke to me. It would STILL however be long before I actually played the games myself, in fact I believe I discovered and watched Sven Groot (Dilandau3000)'s let's plays before I even as much as attempted.
As a kid playing Zelda, my classmates always made a phenomenal job at making me believe I was an unintelligent idiot, though that might've stemed from me taking up the role as the "classroom clown" for the sake of attention, which in itself was a result of me being lonely, kinda like Naruto from the manga of the same name. So I never dared to even attempt games that just gave the impression that they were difficult.
Even now, I am playing the Myst games with guides, but I still love every minute of the soul and atmosphere that has been breathed into these world. I only wish, I had actually grown up with the games, so that I would've had the nostalgia factor too.
This was great. Thanks for all the effort.
Lotta fond memories of this and the sequels. I still listen to the soundtracks.
Loved this short doc! Inspired me to start a few old projects and to get creative, and to play some Myst :)
Wow! That really brought me back and I'm looking forward to Obduction! Thx for doing this vid!
Wow, what a terrific episode! Great work, Rand Miller is truly one of gaming's legends!
Obduction was the perfect spiritual follow-up to Myst.
Great video, I've been a Myst fan since the beginning and I couldn't wait to pledge for Obduction when I heard about Kickstarter, as Rand says 'a game doesn't have to be a blockbuster to be a success' but I really hope Obduction is a success for Cyan and they can once again be a leader in adventure gaming because VR can bring adventure games to life in the way that fans have dreamed of.
I'm sure Cyan have already thought about it but a new VR version of Myst would be amazing, Cyan have made a few Myst makeovers and although a VR Myst would probably require a whole new game rather than a makeover I hope they think it would be worth it and it would of course give them the opportunity to maybe extend the Myst story line or add somethings they might have had to leave out of the original game, hopefully, Obduction is successful enough to encourage Cyan to keep making brilliant games and if they launch another Kickstarter project I'll be the first to pledge.
Already wearing my new Obduction T-shirt that arrived a while ago as part of my pledge deal...just saying like ;)
Myst was a breakthrough IMO. Lush worlds tied with immense story and head scratching puzzles.
The bits of info gained along the way compelled the player onward. The use of embedded live capture was still new and added to the futuristic yet very ancient feel of the game. I was about 10 when I received a copy, and would always play after ST:TNG was over. I'm happy it's still so relevant and I sincerely hope they crank out one more in the original style and diffculty.
really great work and interviewing. =) myst games are something thats timeless
Recently discovered your channel and it has honestly been a goldmine of content. It has really given me more of a spark to get back into improving my retro game collecting and video setup.
It gave me a very bizarre feeling seeing Rand Miller. In my mind, he is Atrus...
It felt like I had never seen him before, even though when I saw him, I though 'I know that man.'
Myst and Riven will always have a special place in my heart. It was one of the very first game on cd my family owned.
Even today, I consider that playing these games was amongst the greatest experiences I have had in my life.
And the music is still haunting me...
I wanted to save Riven and Catherine, because Atrus was so convincing.
Thanks a lot to the Millers, and thanks a lot My Life in Gaming, for the nostalgia, as well as for maintaining a very important part of history.
Really great video! I laughed out loud when you recounted your first experience of playing MYST on your aunt and uncle’s computer, because that was exactly my same experience as a kid 😂 I was 9 when MYST came out, and I will never forget those first feelings of mystery, intrigue, and being transported to another world. This game is one of the all-time classics. For anyone that reads this, and hasn’t played MYST yet, play MYST on the Oculus Quest 2. The VR gameplay is phenomenal. It’s well worth your money and time.
What a great video guys. Thanks!!
This was one of the best I've watched on CZcams, appreciated.
Awesome! Nice video. :) Love the mystery of their surreal worlds, and the lovely surrounds of their Spokane location! :)
Rand and his team are legends. Great video
Great piece dude. I like the vibe of your show and man, did this make me nostalgic. I'm a complete Myst fanboy and I think those worlds and even the storyline is some of the most detailed art I've ever experienced.
I think him not likening the lime light makes him perfect for Atrius, it shows though and gives the character an innate seance of humility.
Excellent piece! Fabulous retrospective and interview. Very well done. I'm so nerdy for Myst. Obduction is gonna be fantastic!
My childhood. Grew up watching my mom play this.
The first Myst game I ever tried was Myst 3 Exile and I totally fall in love. I was so young and I can barely understand what was going on, but I remember I asked my parents to buy me a diary like the in-game ones. I still have that diary with all my notes about the puzzle and lots of words written in D'ni alphabet (i LOVE that language!!). It took me years to discover the story behind Myst... It's probably my favourite saga!
from a pure technical standpoint i'm amazed what they acomplished back then
Watching this in 2023 while holding my MYST "linking" book from the Kickstarter to upgrade the series to work on Windows 10. ☺❣
Wow! Really great video! Very interesting and well made! Thanks a lot!
A beautiful tribute to a legendary series, great job guys. I hope you gave a link of this video to Rand, I'm sure he'll love it.
+theimporter [Try4ce] Yup, it's been sent along to Rand via the PR contact that I'd been coordinating with. Dealing with the people at Cyan was a pleasure!
Brilliant video, My Life in Gaming!
This video was a nice treat after beating the Remake of Riven. I need to go back and try Obduction again. I briefly gave it a try in VR and got stuck early on (doesn't that sound familiar) but I do wanna go back to it. The FMV actors are actually shot in stereoscopic 3D which is used in the game's VR mode. And I don't remember it looking that great but that might have been down to my VR resolution.
Man, this felt like you guys really stepped up your production quality here. Not that there was issues before, this was just a really high quality mini documentary. Very well done.
Have a reward.
> Give MLiG sandwich.
+Mellow Gaming [Try4ce] We've always wanted to do stuff like this with MLiG since before we released our first videos. Thankfully, I picked a really friendly company to highlight, and it just worked out!
There's probably quite a few devs you could get to talk to. You've gained quite enough of a reputation that they'd probably be up for an interview.
Really great and informative video! Makes me want to play Myst and Obduction.
Thank you for your love of Myst. It shows!
This was a fantastic episode. Graphic adventures were my introduction to gaming... With games like Myst, Riven, Gabriel Knight, Grim Fandango, Last Express, Broken Sword, Longest Journey, I realize games could aspire to be new forms of telling stories, new forms of Art... Not so much this days, but still from time to time we get something... Anyway Thanks!
+Pelida Duli [Try4ce] While I've played lots of Myst and King's Quest, I still have a lot of catching up to do with more Sierra series, and pretty much everything Lucas Arts, though I've played Monkey Island 1 and 2 already. Myst, Riven, King's Quest V, and Shadowgate were my earliest introduction to games like these... most other games in the genre, I've played in more recent years.
Just saw this posted on Reddit's r/adventuregames subreddit. Just want to give a shoutout to you fine folks for producing an awesome video with a fantastic interview with Mr.Miller. Definitely going to be subscribing and going through your other videos. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for this video as other commenters have said Rand was amazing as a character in the games, he was a huge part of what made especially Riven great. Also Obduction was awesome too.
This is so weird for me to see behind the curtain, but I love it. I'm in disbelief that humans are capable of creating such a story, much less an interactive world.
Also, hats off to Rand for Atrus. That intro scene and the music that plays as you get closer to the book makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck to this day.
Me too, man. If I could live there, I would not hesitate.
Great video man!!
Great interview ! I love the myst saga
This was great! How did I miss this video? I need to revisit your
entire video list.
I first played Myst on the 3D0 back in 95 or 96. My friend was stationed in Japan and brought the 3d0 system over to the US. We also had a 1inch thick "how to play myst" strategy guide. haha I miss the 90's
This video is just like Myst.. Out Of This World! Ok, sure that was cheesy, but seriously, this was uber fantastic. Nothing less than i would expect to see on a professional big budget special on cable... but with the added bonus of being done by someone who was a true fan. Knocked it out of the park
Love your video! Thanks👍
Excellent episode!
I'm so glad I found your CZcams video, I live in Spokane and have been a huge fan of Cyan since Myst! I love those guys, and am so eager to get my hands on Obduction. Thanks for putting the interview with Rand on your channel. I think we ladies all have a slight crush on him :) I've toured the Cyan studios and anything that Rand and Robin put out there is always fabulous!
+Linda Mckennett [Try4ce] Your town is pretty cool! Lots of antique stores, which my family was pretty into, and there was a huge retro game store too... didn't buy anything, though! And your downtown Chipotle saved me from a horrible hunger.
Great video! Loved it!
Yes. The best work.
Incredible video! You guys already do great stuff, but this video is a step above.
+Generation 16 [Try4ce] Thanks! So much of this video was edited while supremely sleep-deprived, so I still can't be too sure how I feel about it!
God bless Rand Miller and the Cyan team.
This was a great episode, learned so much about Myst considering I only played MystIII.
+Ivan Nadaski [Try4ce] I feel that Myst III is the most accessible game in the series... if memory serves, I looked up the least help for Myst III, though to be fair I was much younger when I played through Myst and Riven for the first time. I think that a lot of people may not know that there are games after Riven... I didn't, until I saw a III+IV pack in the store one day (which was around when Myst V released).
Myst and Riven are ,by far, the best games i have ever played !! Looking forward for the ''Obduction''.
My greatest BRAVO to the creators !
I love this channel, it's just awesome.
Think of how few people had computers back then too. Probably the best selling game ever.
Hey this is a really well done vid. Great interview, personal impressions and overview of the games. Subbed.
Wonderful workplace!
I had myst as a kid and was too young to get it. Now as a game collector I happen to own a copy of riven on ps1 but have yet to play it. This video has absolutely piqued my interest into revisiting the myst world with an adult mind. Great video! Keep it up mlig!
Update please.
Dude! Good work! This was really well done! I'm also super jealous that you got to meet one of my gaming heroes, Mr. Rand Miller. And I had no idea that Obduction was using REAL actors! That game looks incredible. Thanks for this!
Excellent review and great pacing.
God I love myst series. Great to get some background on the development and reception. To this day, Riven is still the hardest game I have ever played, and I am a pretty hardcore gamer, having beaten a plethora of adventure type games. I have only completed Riven once, with a LOT of help from walkthroughs, and was somehow able to beat the first Myst without cheating at all
I still love these games.
MYST is the best game ever. I used to play it on my grandparent's Packard Bell Win 95 Pentium MMX machine when I was like.... 9 or ten. I remember my grandfather telling me he bought a new computer and bragging about how it had a CD-ROM drive.
Rand Miller, I thank you.
About 15 years ago when I was 6 or 7, I wrote those exact directions in that MYST book as a gift for my teacher after my sister and I beat the game. Now its popped in this video, how cool.
6:52 "Boat Land" lol
+MattRevs I lost it at "Tree Land".
Indeed brings back memories. A form of escapism.
And the finished game is brilliant! Which is nice!
Excellent work, sir! One note to recall - The whole URU thing was not meant to be pronounced Oo-roo so much as YOU ARE YOU
great video, took me back to Cyan's best [ Myst, Riven, Exile ] ..........really looking for to Obduction!
Dang, this video was awesome!
Well done! :)