1/28/2024 0 Comments Moebius empire rising gameplayI had hopes that market would grow into full-budget adventure games, but that never happened, in part because of the lock Big Fish had on the market. I suppose the biggest issue was the low budgets and that the games could never be very big, so there were limited locations and a much simpler story. I’ve always loved puzzles, so it wasn’t difficult to shift to casual games. It was always tempting to work in more adventure game elements like inventory, which we did use somewhat. And I did a few of those games which were my own creation. I did a few Agatha Christie adaptations, James Patterson, and Charlotte Harris. I still wanted to, and was able to, tell stories. Was it a big adjustment for you to tailor your stories to more casual gameplay? Post-Sierra, as the co-founder of Oberon Media, you played a significant role in popularizing the hidden object puzzle adventure (commonly known as HOPA). I know a lot of fans think of the music when they think of GK. I think they have a cinematic quality that helps elevate the Gabriel Knight games. They’re sweeping and often dark and haunting. Robert’s melodies are the kind that stick in your head. When you think about the role of Robert’s music in your games, what comes to mind? Why do you feel the music has been such a beloved part of your games? But when I decided I wanted to do a Voodoo story set in New Orleans, and thought of tying in the backstory of a witch hunter, that’s when Gabriel’s character and the whole ancestry angle solidified. He originally was going to be a professor, a sort of paranormal research Indiana Jones. The idea for Gabriel Knight was something I worked up when I had a chance to submit proposals for a new game series after working on KQVI. I’ve been a fan of horror since my teens when I read all the horror books that were so hot in the 80s. But I also wanted to do something dealing with the paranormal and occult. I wanted to do a detective/investigative series because I thought it suited adventure gameplay very well. Jane Jensen at Sierra during the creation of her first Gabriel Knight adventure When did you first conceive the idea of a slacker/budding novelist/ supernatural Schattenjäger as the hero of your own game? King’s Quest VI was formative because I got to work with Roberta Williams, and she really was a role model of how to be a designer at Sierra and, specifically, how to stay true to your vision for a game. Police Quest III and EcoQuest were my first projects at Sierra, so I learned a great deal about the tools the company had at that time and how the games were made. What did you learn working with the likes of Mark Crowe and Jim Walls ( Police Quest III: The Kindred), Gano Haine ( EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus) and of course Roberta Williams ( King’s Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow ) that helped prepare you for your own series? You’re most famous (at least in these circles) for your Gabriel Knight series, but those weren’t actually your first games. But first, a little about the past, since I’d be eaten alive by rabid fans if I didn’t ask at least some questions about your time at Sierra. We’ll talk about what’s going on with you and Roberts currently, as well as what lies ahead a bit later. I spoke with Robert earlier about his latest musical project, but it’s rare to have two such esteemed artists in the same family! (Well, three, really – is Raleigh available next?) It’s a pleasure to welcome you to the Adventure Game Hotspot. I chatted at length with Robert about his latest project, Son of Sequel, and his fascinating life in the music biz in an earlier interview, but with a family this talented, why stop there? Never one to draw attention to herself, Jane has been out of the limelight far too long, so this seemed like a perfect time to touch base and get her perspective on things and discuss their plans for the future – plans that they’ve made no secrets about hoping could ultimately lead to that long-awaited new Gabriel Knight sequel. The prolific author of dozens of novels, Jane has also worked on numerous games over the years, including Gray Matter, Moebius: Empire Rising, and the 20th anniversary remake of Sins of the Fathers, while Robert has kept the spirit of GK alive with a pair of music albums filled with original new game themes in a similar style, the second of which is currently on Kickstarter. Not that Jane Jensen, the legendary creator of everyone’s favourite bookstore-owner-slash-monster-hunter, has been resting on her laurels all this time, nor her equally accomplished musician/composer husband Robert Holmes. The Gabriel Knight series is one of the most beloved franchises in the adventure game genre – sadly, one whose next installment has been left lying dormant for over twenty years.
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