So much sadness and frustration expressed here.
My own personal take is, the sum of Rand's words simply states that the business situation is fluid, they are in survival mode, and doing whatever is necessary, and essential, to keep their business door open. His wording some may call a hemhaw perhaps, but if understood I think seems to simply convey, nothing is set in cement. A reasonable, and understandable position, I think. Sometimes you are on a starboard tack, sometimes a port tack, to move forward against a business breeze, or at times have to turn and run before a full force gale to survive. Cyan may have to comeabout occasionally or often, change the direction of tack depending on conditions many times, testing the wind and the waves, before they can move in the direction they truly want to go. That seems to be all that is being said that they are doing, business wise, to keep the company afloat and moving. Right now, they have to weather the financial storm. Then they can think about firming up the course.
For me, If Cyan does release Open Source, whenever that occurs. I will be pleased.
If Cyan runs the servers, whatever that means, filters content to ensure consistency and quality, with the intent to be able to add their own content. Well darn, that really pleases me also.
That Cyan has found a business opening to apply their talents and ability, and put coin into the coffers, hopefully fill the hold of their ship, and a means to stay afloat, that just plum tickles me.
As a point of reference, for the salt, you all remember that ship you first stepped upon in MYST, after you raised it from its watery grave, don't you?
If as Cyan plots a course ahead for their company, their ship arrives in port healthy with a full hold, and they pick up the full game development mantle again, return to URU, or release a new grand epic, well that will be, priceless. Okay, priceless may be a bit much, but it will certainly be more then the ordinary, for me, and others, I hope.
Keep heart. I still believe whatever comes out of Cyan, a true Open Source, a variant of URU with Cyan filter, and community development involvement, or perhaps even a new epic, it will be worth it. I have found every wait for the next Cyan release, or product they have had a hand in, worth it so far, since MYST. There has always been something in it I fully enjoyed, even though there were parts (puzzles of URU) I didn't. After all these years, I am not about to expect I will be disappointed now.
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