From Myst to Riven: the Creations and Inspirations Book

When Myst--the bestselling CD-ROM game of all time--was released, it was a labor of love between two brothers and a small staff. The team used relatively simple tools and pure imagination to craft a game that was like no other and that appealed to millions of people worldwide. When the Miller brothers and their growing company, Cyan, began work on the sequel, Riven, they knew that topping themselves would be no easy task. Not just for Myst junkies, From Myst to Riven is a wonderful journey through the minds and imaginations of everyone who created this more-than-worthy sequel. Told alongside dozens of beautiful full-page photos, development sketches, maps, and diagrams, the book describes the ground-breaking process that was the creation of the most highly anticipated computer game of all time. Throughout each chapter, you can follow the entire development process, from the first seeds of a concept to fully rendered realization. There are plenty of behind-the-scenes stories, profiles of the creators, and insight into their inspirations to keep Myst junkies sated, but the true gold of this volume is the artwork. More than simple backgrounds for gameplay, the design and look of the original Myst was beautiful, haunting, and original. Riven far exceeds the standards set by the original, delivering even more breathtaking imagery and landscapes, combining the weird and fantastic with the familiarity of nature.Read More