Jane Jensen

By Katie Scarlett
May 1999

One of the highlights of this year's E3 for me was the opportunity to meet and talk with Jane Jensen. Jane is easily recognized as one of the most talented game designers in the industry today. Her GK games are known for the incredible story lines and wonderful characters. As anticipation runs high for the eminent release of GK3, Jane was nice enough to take the time out to talk with JA+.

The question everyone wants to know is can we ever expect Gabriel and Grace to become an item?

No comment! You'll just have to play and see.

I heard you were quite excited to meet Tim Curry; tell us about that experience.

I first met him in '93 when we were working on GK1, and it was great to be able to work with him again on GK3. Naturally, I was very nervous to meet him. He's done such great work and that kind of talent is intimidating. But he's always been extremely gracious and polite to all of us and to the staff at the studio. And he's so quick and professional at voice-over. He's really a sweet person.

When should we expect to see the game in stores?

We're going gold around August first, so mid-August to early September.

What sparked your interest in the mystery surrounding the church at Rennes-le-Chateau?

I read the book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" some years ago and got interested in the subject. But it wasn't until I saw a book which dealt more with the ciphers and the laying out of geometry on a map to solve the location of the treasure that I really thought it would make a great game.

How did traveling to the south of France and seeing the church firsthand make you feel?

It was great to go and soak in the atmosphere. It felt to me very desolate, hauntingly beautiful, even cursed. We tried to get some of that emotion into the game.

What do you feel is the answer to the mystery?

The nice thing about writing fiction is that you don't have to risk your reputation on putting forth a theory. The "solution" in GK3 fits the facts that I could find and also makes a great story. But I will say that, more than the actual physical treasure which may or may not be there, I think RLC will have an impact politically in the next 10 years.

What are your feelings on going to a 3D game engine? Do you think all adventure games are headed in that direction?

Not necessarily. I think increased interactivity is a must--and that seems to imply real time rendered 3D at the moment, but who knows what kind of new technology we'll see in the future? For me, I think virtual reality is where it's eventually headed.

How do you feel about the current state of adventure games? Do you feel the genre is dying, or is it simply a lull in the industry?

I do think that it's a cycle. RPGs were very unpopular for a while. However, I do think some amount of new thought and new direction is necessary before there's a major reversal.

Before writing GK1, did you have a strong interest in the supernatural?

Yes. I've always been a fan of horror fiction and occult nonfiction.

Now that you have written a novel, how do you feel about the two different mediums? Which do you prefer? Why?

Well, the novels are certainly less stressful and take less time. But it is great to see a story come alive visually. My ideal would be to continue to do both. They're both rewarding and they really are different audiences and even require different skills from me as a writer, which is a nice challenge.

How do you feel about the reorganization of Sierra?

I think it is sad in a way. Everyone I knew personally in management is gone except for Mark Hood, the head of our development, whom I've worked with for many years. If he were gone, there's not one person who would even really know or care much about Gabriel Knight. That's rather scary. On the other hand, I guess people move on.

What are your feelings on the departure of Roberta Williams and Al Lowe?

As I've said, it feels like the end of an era. I feel like the last dinosaur on the block! They were great, classic designers and always will be. I hope we continue to hear from them in the future. As for myself, it's definitely uncertain what the future holds.

Do you think with the new direction Sierra is taking, this will be the last GK, or will we be able to look forward to more in the future?

I would hope they will continue with the series, but that depends on many things. Most importantly, how GK3 sells, but also how the industry overall regards adventure games and whether or not people get tired of the shooters and are looking for something new. Technological advances also often point the way towards one kind of game or another, so I think with the increasing availability of AI and VR types of technologies, story will once again become more of a necessary or desirable element in games.