‘Myst’ developer heads to Kickstarter with ‘Obduction’

By Adam Rosenberg October 17, 2013

myst developer heads to kickstarter with obduction — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cyan, Inc., the studio behind Myst and Riven, just came clean with its next in-progress project, and hey, look at that: it’s on Kickstarter. Obduction is billed as a “real-time, first-person adventure that harkens back to the spirit of Cyan’s earlier games.” The game won’t be set within the Myst universe, but it will be built on the same philosophy of exploration and discovery. Cyan has big hopes for this one, with a funding goal of $1.1 million and a target release of “mid-to-late 2015” on Windows and Mac OS.

The story sees players whisked off from their home by an artifact of unknown origin that falls from the sky. The alien landscape that you end up in maintains familiar elements, such as a white house bordered by a picket fence. As you discover more of the world and solve the puzzles it sets before you – again, we see ties here to Myst – the hidden facts of the story reveal themselves.

With 29 days to go at the time of this writing, Obduction is at 1,210 backers and just shy of $67,000 raised. That’s a long way off from the million-plus being sought, but it’s also early in the campaign. That said, this is definitely one of the bigger video game projects that we’ve seen come to Kickstarter. The finished product is a long way off, and the funding goal is considerably higher than most. We definitely want to see a new game from Cyan, but there are no guarantees for this one. Best of luck to the team there on making Obduction a reality.

Editors' Recommendations

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Gaming

VR headset deals: Meta Quest 2 and VIVE XR

htc vive vs pro headphones

While VR may not be as big as was predicted back in the early 2000s when the original Oculus Go was released, there is still a considerable market these days, and some great VR games like Half-Life: Alyx that you can have fun with. Of course, VR headsets remain expensive, and while options like the Meta Quest don't necessarily require a high-end gaming PC, they can still be a bit pricey for those who just want to put a foot in the hobby. Luckily, there are some good deals you can take advantage of, even on some of the best VR headsets, so be sure to check out all your options below.
Meta Quest 2 -- $199, was $200

Even though the Meta Quest 3 came out quite recently, the Meta Quest 2 is still a pretty powerful contender, especially since it has a wider library and app support than the Quest 3 currently has. Even more so, the Quest 2 is a lot cheaper than the Quest 3, and with the latest permanent discount down to just $200, that's a whole $300 or so difference from the Quest 3. Of course, the Quest 3 does have more advanced AR and slightly better performance with software and Wi-Fi, but that may not be worth the extra cost for some. Either way, be sure to check out the breakdown between Quest 2 and Quest 3 to get a better sense of what you should pick up.

Gaming

BlizzCon 2024 is not happening despite Blizzard’s strong 2024 lineup

A still from World of Warcraft The Worldsoul Saga's reveal tralier.

World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch maker Blizzard Entertainment confirmed that BlizzCon 2024 will not be happening.

BlizzCon was a convention that Blizzard Entertainment held almost every year between 2005 and 2019 to celebrate its games and make new announcements. The pandemic and hostile workplace allegations against Blizzard meant that no shows were held in 2020 or 2022 (2021 was digital-only), but BlizzCon made its grand return in 2023. We attended it last November and had the opportunity to speak with developers and learn more about Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer's first visit to Blizzard, upcoming plans for franchises like Diablo and Warcraft, and more. Although Blizzard never outright confirmed that it would hold BlizzCon in 2024, the event was expected to continue after its return last year.

Gaming

How to unlock fast travel in Another Crab’s Treasure

Kril with a coconut shell

Another Crab's Treasure is a fantastical soulslike set deep under the ocean where danger lurks around every corner. And like other games in the genre, it's often brutally difficult to overcome the various challenges you'll encounter. As such, you may find yourself wanting to backtrack for level grinding, to uncover new secrets, or to buy additional items in the game's main hub. However, you may notice early in the game that you haven't yet unlocked the ability to fast travel between the multitude of Moon Snail Shells (aka "bonfires") you've found. Here's how and when you'll unlock fast travel.
How to unlock fast travel
In the opening hours of the game, you may notice that you can access your skill tree, which will show a skill called Shelleportation. But you may be discouraged to see that you aren't able to apply any points to it yet. That's because the game doesn't open up this feature until you've advanced a few hours into the story.

To unlock fast travel, you'll need to work your way through the first few main areas of the game until you reach a boss called the Polluted Platoon Pathfinder. After beating this baddie, you'll soon find yourself teleporting to the Moon Snail's Domain. Here, you'll learn about the power of Umami, as well as unlock access to your skill tree.