Dreamfall(en) in Oslo

For me it's not only one step but a two-hour flight to Oslo, a ten-minute taxi-drive and a five-floor-climb upstairs (due to my excitement I totally ignore the elevator) until I am there - in the sanctum, the cradle of my favourite adventure game - the Funcom headquarters.

Check: 16th September 2005, 11 a.m., the sun is burning from the sky, hair-do is perfect - and I am jazzed. ;-) I am kindly received in the foyer, asked to take a seat and offered a coffee, which - although it is very good - doesn’t take away any of my nervousness. A bucket load of Baldrian and a cigarette could work miracles now but then - luckily - my attention is drawn to three life-size posters of Zoë, April and Kian, the heroines and hero of the eagerly awaited sequel of The Longest Journey. That's why I am here! I will see Dreamfall and not just that, but also the offices in which it is being planned, designed and developed. The opposite wall is almost hidden behind magazine covers and articles about the current Funcom-titles Anarchy Online, Age of Conan und Dreamfall, some of them even framed, I am still musing when Craig Morrison, Community Relations Manager of Funcom, already greets me with a friendly smile. Showtime!

After a short, leisurely chat during which I manage to get my feet back on the ground we watch three Dreamfall trailers together; the first one - released on the occasion of this years E3 - most of you will know already. The other two trailers have only been shown to approximately 100 people until today, Craig informs me with a wink - I feel honoured. :-) I do, seriously. These trailers mainly show the development of the character models and the locations - and no, they won't be presented to the public, sorry - but they do provide a very good insight and they make me want more. The "more", however, will have to wait for a few more minutes. First, I may have a look around the offices. Two floors are covered by working silence; and as Craig explains with a whispering voice who is doing what for which game I almost feel like visiting a cathedral. From the threshold I may also peek into Ragnar Tørnquist's office - unfortunately the man himself is not present this week - but then you can't always have everything, can you?! And Craig is a very attentive host. :-)