Q: What is different about Aveara that makes it stand out from Myst, Riven, etc.

A: First and foremost, Aveara will be free for everyone to enjoy! Were a team of Myst fans and were doing this for pure fun. The strongest aspect, though, is that this is not a game, but an interactive novel, where there are multiple paths and endings. In other words, the group of main characters will come to face many choices throughout the story, and the reader gets to choose. I knew that if I made just a linear story that the reader would feel distanced, as he or she would only be a spectator. Attention spans tend to be short, especially with text on screen, so I wanted to come up with a way to involve the reader much more. I saw a video interview with Rand Miller and he explained about how the Myst series was always about exploration. So I wanted the reader to be able to explore the story of Aveara, and that would mean it would have to be non-linear. I wanted to push the envelope- take fan-fiction to a whole new level, just as Cyan pushed the envelope with CD-ROMs in 1993 with the original Myst. Rand said that he really enjoyed playing Exile, because it was the first Myst title that he could actually sit down and genuinely explore. So this ones for you, Rand!

Q: What kind of story can we expect?

A: The story is another element that will really make Aveara stand out. I did not want to make another Myst, or another Riven, or another Exile (some would argue that Exile is almost 'just another Myst 1'). So already, we, as fans, have been seeing some repeating elements in structure. I knew that Aveara had to be different from the already established Myst titles, including the books, because it would be the only way anyone would care. Riven is probably my favorite Myst game, because of its engaging story. If Aveara ended up being a carbon copy of Riven, for example, people would browse through it and forget it a day later. Aveara is setting out to explore new territory, but rest assured, it is a MYST project at heart.

While we get to keep the exploration theme going with the group of main characters being from the DRC (Dni Restoration Guild), as well as having multiple story paths, this story is going to show us exciting things that weve never seen before. The story takes us in the thick of a ruthless empire spread out over seven new Ages, dangerous and extremely oppressive to anyone except royalty. This is also the first Myst story to have a female villain, which I thought would really add more depth to Myst lore, even if it's unofficial Myst lore. The main viewpoint character, the character we follow the most, is also female. But the hero of the story is the villains son, who the DRC-characters free from a prison book. This character is a very important one, as his destiny plays a pivotal role on the future of the oppressed people and getting the DRC-characters back home. The last story element that I will hint at is the exploration in the mechanics of writing Ages and quantum physics, which I have spent several years researching out of my own interest.