Interview - Just Adventure +

AN INTERVIEW WITH KNUT MÜLLER

Conducted by: Jerome

24 June 2003

Knut Müller is an independent developer of first person point and click adventure games. His first game, called RHEM, has “unbelievable exploration opportunities”. Quoting Bob Freese in his review at JA+, “The game is truly gigantic”. More information is available at the RHEM site.

With a sequel in preparation, it was time to ask Herr Müller some questions. Accompanying this interview are rare, behind-the-scenes pictures from the development process of RHEM. And don’t forget to follow the link at the end of the interview for some exclusive screenshots from the upcoming RHEM 2!

Hi Knut, thanks for having this interview at JA+

Hi Jerome, thanks for having this interview likewise.

Can you provide some background information about yourself?

I was born 1963 in Reichenbach, Germany (at that time still DDR). I was raised in a little village and wanted to become an art painter. After school I worked at a theatre as a decoration painter. In 1984 I started to the study painting and graphics in Leipzig. During this study I got interested in music as well and began to compose, taught by the composer and pianist Steffen Schleiermacher. Starting from 1997, I studied electronic music at the college of music in Dresden. In the studio for electronic music in Dresden I also learned handling the computer. In the same year I played my first computer game, Myst. With this game the way to RHEM began.

Do you create adventure games for your living?

I work as a free-lance artist in three areas: as a painter, as a composer and as a computer artist. I make and invest money in all mentioned areas.

If so what are your hobbies outside of your work?

I do not have special hobbies besides my work, but I like music of Björk and Peter Gabriel, new American literature (Thomas Pynchen, Don Delillo, David Foster Wallace...), also other literature (Jorge Louis Borges, Lars Gustafsson (from Lars Gustafssons narration 'En ø i nærheden af Magora' (red: 'An island in the area of Magora') I have adopted the title RHEM)) and of course I enjoy a good meal with a Brunello di Montalcino.

Do you play adventure games yourselves? What genre do you like most?

Of course I play Adventure Games myself. I play the games, which interest me most, repeatedly. That way I can learn much for my own Game Design.

What is the key element for a good adventure game?

For me it is important that a game has a characteristic unique atmosphere and unknown world forms. The mysteries must to be integrated into this world or the atmosphere of the world has to form the mystery. The game may not have the feeling of a movie with interactive elements, like as it was in Exile unfortunately too often. In my opinion there were too many camera-swivels, without being first person perspective. In such scenes the player is moved not by himself and the game loses its interactivity.

I think also that the classical ' Point and click ' Adventure has a future. The Story and the music are not so important for me. Music in a game contributes to the cinema effect too often. For example, if one enters a room in an Adventure Game and background music immediately begins; that is cinema. I think however, an Adventure Game such as RHEM has other laws than a motion picture film. I found the idea in Riven a good example, where you could hear music of Gehns world from a record player. The music was integrated logically in the game.

As well, I find it important that the things you see and the things you can do must fit with each other in the game. For example on the Myst Island you can follow the pathways, but you cannot a step on the grass, although nothing is to be seen, what prevents you from going there. A railing, ditch or other kind of the separation would be logical there, paradoxical; then you don’t feel restricted.

Have you worked on other games before developing RHEM?

No, RHEM was my first step in this range.

Most reviewers compare RHEM to Myst and Riven. Do you think this is fair?

It is an honor for me that people compare RHEM with Myst and Riven. I found Myst and Riven are the best games ever and I thank the Miller brothers that they up-pushed the gate to this world of computer games. I learned much of them. RHEM is however no clone of Myst or Riven.

RHEM is a complicated game. How long did it take you to finish the game?

I have approximately spent 4 years developing RHEM. In addition, it was a way with many mistakes and detours. (Red: Check out the behind-the-scene pictures!)

When you were developing RHEM, did you already have plans on creating a sequel?

At the beginning of the development at RHEM I had still no intention of making a Sequel. Only later, when the work on RHEM was progressing, I took the possibility into account for RHEM2. Then, when RHEM was finished, I knew I could create RHEM2 if I still wanted to. But the main reason I decided to work on RHEM2 were the many friendly e-mails of the players. A beautiful experience something was developed, which gave other people joy.

Can you already give the name of sequel or will it simply being called RHEM2?

The name of the sequel is RHEM2 but it will have a subtitle.

Should a gamer play RHEM first in order to understand RHEM2?

RHEM2 will be a sequel to RHEM however it becomes a game of its own. The player does not have to play RHEM, in order to be able to play RHEM2.

Do you plan any improvements in the development of RHEM2, like animations?

There will be some improvements in RHEM2. Some animations, a higher screen resolution (800x600), better color quality (32 bits colors), clay/tone quality and naturally still some surprise improvements ; -)

Will the adventure end with RHEM2 or can we look forward to another sequel?

I wish myself that I can make RHEM3 as well. However still quite some work has to be done for RHEM2.

Thanks for your time. Any final thoughts that you like to share with our
readers?

I would like to thank all, who played the game and filled the world of RHEM with life.

Please click here to view exclusive screenshots from RHEM 2.