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The
Gods and Goddesses of Adventure Games
or My
Visit to Dreamcatcher
Once one winds his way through the moose droppings and ice floes that populate the North York section of Ontario, there is a wonderful, dreamy town to be discovered. This is a world of multinational eateries, supermarkets in malls, and streets that are infinitely cleaner than even the most spotless avenue in the United States. There is also a small, inconspicuous software company named Dreamcatcher that may someday be a driving force in the economy of Canada. For now, though, they are content to deliver high-quality adventure games to a public hungry for a product that doesn't insult their gaming intelligence.
In Ontario, as in Paris, one would get the impression (and maybe it is not so far from the truth) that the flow of traffic is nonstop mayhem. Or maybe it was just the type-A personalities of the women who served as my hostesses (or maybe they were driving faster so as to shorten the length of time they had to listen to my inane, nonstop chattering). In this case, it was Annette Bechamp, Manager of Business Development for Dreamcatcher. Annette is a Jackie-of-all-trades for Dreamcatcher, but her primary responsibility is to source new games. She then evaluates them--usually in alpha or beta form--by playing them through to completion before giving a thumbs up or down as to the possibility of Dreamcatcher publishing the title. She also makes note of bugs, bad localization, inappropriate language, violence, or anything else that may adversely affect sales. Annette possesses a unique and industry-valued talent of being able to weed out that one gem of a game among hundreds of submissions. The two of us fled down Toronto highways like Bonnie and Clyde in search of adventure games, she, laughing gleefully; me, a stranger in paradise. But I would be hard-pressed to think of anyone else in the world I would rather spend a few hours with (if my wife is reading this, I meant that strictly on a professional level) chatting about adventure games.
But nothing--neither rain, nor traffic, nor even shredded chicken sandwiches--could keep me from my desired goal, the offices of Dreamcatcher. Nondescript from the outside, its existence is revealed only by a small placard in the window (fig.1). Once through the doors, though, there exists another world. It is a bizarre universe where adults speak aloud of games they have played and no one laughs in scorn or pity. It is a place where I was made to feel at home.
(fig.
1)
Dreamcatcher is a vibrant corporation affectionately known to its supporters as "The Adventure Company." But like any successful company, they are undergoing growing pains as they are forced to add games other than adventure to their product line in order to stay competitive in the crowded gaming marketplace. Yet fear not, true believer, for according to Rich Wah Kan--the President, CEO, and brains of Dreamcatcher (fig.2)--the adventure genre is and will always be the focal point of Dreamcatcher's attentions.
(fig.
2)
Before we delve further into any discussions with Rich, let's take a quick but informative tour of Dreamcatcher with the effervescent Renata Richardson (fig.3) as our delightful guide.
(fig.
3)
After passing the Valhalla-sized reception desk behind which sat at least one, and maybe even hundreds of receptionists (fig.4), I was led deep within the bowels of Dreamcatcher to the hard-working backbone of the company--customer support (fig.5). Here sat the people who make Dreamcatcher look good by answering any and all questions from their consumers. Having worked in technical support myself for two years, I am fully appreciative of the hard work and patience necessary to maintain a cheerful disposition while dealing with the public (which is exactly why I'm not doing it anymore).
(fig.
4)
(fig.
5)
Next was an awe-inspiring stroll through the warehouses that housed rack upon rack of cartons stacked to the ceiling of Dreamcatcher games waiting to be shipped to retailers eager to fill their coffers with the hard-earned money of adventure gamers. Just as impressive were the impressive rack of shelves full of every Dreamcatcher product ever released (fig.6). Surrounded by so many games, it is easy to forget that you are in a business atmosphere, and more than once I felt Renata wiping the drool from my chin.
(fig.
6)
After a quick visit to Renata's office--by the way, Renata, besides being the heart and soul of Dreamcatcher, is also the Product Manager and responsible for seeing PC titles from the initial stages through to release, including testing, localization, packaging, marketing materials, and sales support information--we waylaid a busy Marshall Zwicker (fig.7) in his office. Marshall is the roguish Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Dreamcatcher and as such oversees all marketing and sales activities as well as being creative director for all advertising, merchandising, and packaging. In a nutshell, he is responsible for all of the wonderful eye-catching cover art featured on the boxes of Dreamcatcher gamers. At the time of our visit, he was pondering over a new box cover for Dreamcatcher's North American release of Amerzone. As usual, I felt uncomfortable offering my unsolicited opinion, but that has never stopped me before.
(fig.
7)
Next was a quick visit to the staff members responsible for marketing and advertising the Dreamcatcher products. Many of this hard-working crew were too busy to do more than wave or shake a hand (as if they could do otherwise, chained to their desks as they were), but I did manage to spot a most impressive smaller box for Nancy Drew's Mystery in a Haunted Mansion (fig.8). These more compact boxes are created specifically for placement on Wal-Mart shelves and are must-haves for collectors like myself. The larger box for Arthur's Knights (fig.9) is sold only in countries where the average gamer's height is at least twenty feet or taller.
(fig.
8)
(fig.
9)
Finally, the time had come to climb Mount Olympus (it did though look as if the Harpie cleaning crew have been remiss in their duties) and meet face-to-face with the god of adventure games himself--Rich Wah Kan. A nicer and more unassuming man does not exist on the face of this earth, and it is hard to imagine that two such diverse personalities share such a passion for a common interest--the rejuvenation of the adventure genre. Rich is quiet and humble and I am anything but, yet as Just Adventure has proved over the years, adventure gamers are easily the most eclectic and easygoing group of people in the world.
Rich promised that Dreamcatcher would always support the adventure genre and adventure gamers with the best available products. Dreamcatcher has built a stellar reputation for providing wholesome entertainment at an affordable price, and every week they receive dozens of submissions from developers around the world seeking to impress the discerning eyes of Rich or Annette with their wares. They do not yet develop their own games, but you get the feeling that it is only a matter of time. Personally, I cannot think of anything that would excite me more than for the "Adventure Game Company" to develop their own product line based on input from adventure gamers around the world. Rich's long-range vision and marketing plans for the burgeoning Dreamcatcher product line are guaranteed to raise some eyebrows in the industry, as even nonadventure gamers will take heed.
Before we depart Dreamcatcher, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention some of the hard-working people I met only briefly and who were kind enough to allow me to intrude on their workday: the charming Lorraine Lue, Dreamcatcher's International Sales Director; John Crabtree, Dreamcatcher's National Sales Manager, and Byron Gaum, Dreamcatcher's Console Product Manager. They are all integral parts of a team dedicated to bringing only the best in adventure gaming to the public.
After spending a pleasant day with the staff of Dreamcatcher, I am almost able to forgive Canada for foisting the teat-sucking Tom Green upon society. Almost.