# myst **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812 "2003-04-15T04:21:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![captainQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@captainQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/captainQwark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/1 "2003-04-15T04:21:02Z")
I’ve never played myst or it’s sequels. What is the story in the games? what kind of game play do they have? I would appreciate y’alls replies. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/2 "2003-04-15T07:32:01Z")
From: [http://www.adventurecollective.com/reviews/myst.htm](http://www.adventurecollective.com/reviews/myst.htm) > [@](#): > > You have stumbled across an old battered book. You pick it up and touch it. Suddenly, you find yourself transported to the beautiful islands of Myst. Myst is one but many alternate realms constructed by an ancient civilization named the D’ni. When Atrus discovers Myst, he notices that something has gone terribly wrong. His creations are being destroyed by someone else’s greed. Furthermore, both of Atrus’ two sons, Sirrus and Achenar, have been captured and imprisoned inside two magical linking books. > > With no further clues to help you on your quest, you decide to go on a search for the missing pages of these linking books. By recovering these pages, you hope to help free Atrus’ two sons. Yet, when you discover a note from Atrus stating that he now suspects one of his sons to be the root of his betrayal, you are again completely puzzled as to the true nature of your quest in Myst. Not knowing which one to trust, who should you save? Both of them? None of them? Pieces of this mystery are slowly revealed to you as you wander around this mysterious world and decipher the many mechanical contraptions left behind by the former inhabitants of Myst and the four Ages. In the end, your final salvation will only come if you make the correct choice–a choice that will finally unlock the ancient betrayal of ages past. In _Riven_, you must find and rescue Catherine, Atrus’ wife. She has been captured by Gehn, Atrus’ father. This story takes place on several islands, instead of several worlds, and also features a ton of puzzles. In _Myst III: Exile_, a man whose world was destroyed by Atrus’ sons seeks revenge upon Atrus. You have to find the guy and stop him from harming Atrus, his family, and the peaceful people who inhabit their world. Beaucoup puzzles. I own all three, have finished two, and found Riven to be the best one. Gameplay is slower than most games and challenging. There’s not much by way of action, and you can count the number of people you encounter on one hand. The appeal of the game is in its scenic beauty and the challenge of the puzzles. The game has its fans and its critics. It’s not for everybody. If you want to give it a try, I got my copy of Myst for under $10 shipped off eBay. You might get it for even less if you check out a Goodwill or a discount book & software store. I recommend this, and not Riven, for the reason that Riven and Exile each run off 5 CDs (though you do have the option of installing the CDs to your hard drive with the latter). Myst is on one CD, and it’s enough for you to get a taste of the series. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/3 "2003-04-15T07:34:44Z")
[http://www.adventurecollective.com/reviews/myst.htm](http://www.adventurecollective.com/reviews/myst.htm) The Highs and Lows sections at the bottom condense it pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/4 "2003-04-15T10:50:40Z")
Began playing _Myst_ when it first came out, then hit a major stumbling block. In the area where you have to match musical notes I found it impossible. Why? I am apparently tone deaf as I can barely tell the difference between the notes, so can’t match them ☹ Therefore, it has not been played since. I did enjoy what little had been played though. If you choose to play, good luck and have fun 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/5 "2003-04-15T10:56:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Washte \* > **Began playing _Myst_ when it first came out, then hit a major stumbling block. In the area where you have to match musical notes I found it impossible. Why? I am apparently tone deaf as I can barely tell the difference between the notes, so can’t match them ☹** For me my disk in that exact area was bad. No sounds to match at all. I looked up the cheat and entered the tones that way. You see it told me how many clicks down to move each lever. Then I got to finish the rest of the game myself. I can’t tell you how long it took me before I figured out that there was supposed to be sound there. Days. I went everywhere on the island and did everything trying to figure out the broken puzzle. Anyway you can try that if you still want to play. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/6 "2003-04-15T11:04:34Z")
Even sadder story: my version of _Myst_ freezes up on one of the first puzzles. It’s been a long time, but I think you were supposed to align levers in such a way that they corresponded to a bunch of underwater sprockets so that a bridge would appear (not sure, but I think that’s what it was). Anyway, every time I did that my computer just gave up, and so did I after a while. Shame. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/7 "2003-04-15T11:15:28Z")
Achenar. I hate that guy. Anyway, about _Riven_, “you can count the number of people you encounter on one hand.” I haven’t finished this game, but I believe the designers said they were happier with the design of _Riven_ than _Myst_, because the puzzles weren’t straightforward _7th Guest_-esque obstacles, but rather they were part of the setting. Like you were in a maze but you don’t realize it’s a maze, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/8 "2003-04-15T11:29:09Z")
Thanks for the hint **Fern Forest**. Do you still have the info for that area? If you do, would you be so kind as to share it (via email or spoiler) so that I could play it again? I would be ever so appreciative. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/9 "2003-04-15T11:32:18Z")
IMO, the graphics in Myst were great…but it was just a pretty slideshow for me, and I didn’t like the puzzles. I felt that the obstacles in Myst (I never played any sequels) were not true puzzles. For example, in Beyond Zork, which came out at the same time, one could find hints if one looked around enough. Milking the cow took several steps, but they were all LOGICAL steps, or one was able to figure out how to do it from asking NPCs about various things. I had the same problem as **Washte** when it came to the musical area…but I have taken lessons in piano, viola, and guitar, so I KNOW that I’m not tone deaf! I learned to tune my own viola and guitar. I also used a cheat to get through that part of the game. I was VERY disappointed at the end of the game. That was not a conclusion, that was a sequel set-up! When I make it to the end of a game, I want to feel that I have earned my victory, and I want a feeling of accomplishment. My verdict: Myst is fine if you want to look at pretty pictures. There’s no real game there, though, and very little story. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/10 "2003-04-15T11:37:32Z")
**Washte** , go to [http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/11614.html](http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/11614.html) for some walkthroughs. Go to [www.gamefaqs.com](http://www.gamefaqs.com) for ALL your game info needs, in fact. **AudreyK** , thanks for the newest link in my bookmark folder! ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/11 "2003-04-15T11:57:30Z")
I got this about a year after it came out, I found it to be way to easy, I think I finished it in three days or something. I know I only cheated once and that was because there was something small that I knew was there but couldn’t find it. Re the music puzzle, I left the sound on but you could also have the option of having the words written on screen to and those told you the notes, made it real easy. I’m not tone deaf either but I can not tell you what note is what and I’ve played the trombone for 20 years. I think that a better game was Shivers that came out a bit later, had a lot more puzzles, some that were really hard but worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/12 "2003-04-15T22:02:35Z")
Only now I realize I posted the same link twice. Anyway, you’re welcome, **Lynn**. **Achernar** , I thought of you when I first tried to write out a description of the story. (In the end my memory got fuzzy and I got lazy.) I had to make sure I wasn’t calling you one of Atrus’ evil sons. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/13 "2003-04-15T22:41:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Achernar \* > \*\*Like you were in a maze but you don’t realize it’s a maze, I think. \*\* I knew I was in a maze. I hate mazes. I’m awful at mazes. I spent 3 days in that damn maze and then my CD drive broke (for other reasons) and I’ve not gone back, even now that I have a drive that works. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/14 "2003-04-15T23:16:20Z")
When it first came out, I roamed through a borrowed copy of Myst for three days and found diddle. I felt like I was brain dead and trapped in a really boring Club Med… ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2003, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/15 "2003-04-15T23:19:54Z")
Worst. Game. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myst/168812/16 "2003-04-16T17:08:07Z")
Thanks for all the info **Lynn Bodoni**. Can’t wait to play again 🙂