Top 1 gaming blog

Introduction to Myst Online for newbies

Feb 23, 2010 Articles Recommend|380views

Shorah! Many years have passed since Myst was released to game stores everywhere, conquering the sales charts and mystifying anyone with a CD-ROM drive. Since then, the game has pretty much been the defining jewel of the adventure/puzzle genre, releasing four more titles in the series and creating a spinoff that we here at Massively have always been interested in: Myst Online.

However, its been years since an adventure game has captivated audiences. Some of you have played Myst long ago but were stumped by the onslaught of difficult puzzles while others have never even touched the game. But, with the re-opening of Myst Online and Cyan’s servers getting slammed with people, you’re interested. You want to know what Myst offers, but there’s so much to learn, right? Today I want to guide you through what makes Myst so beautiful, and give you some tips on how to get your foot in the door with Myst Online (sans spoilers, of course.)

First of all, understand the Myst mindset

For those of you who may not know, Myst is a game without combat. Don’t expect to log in to find a fast-paced action game that rewards quick reflexes and accurate timing. That’s not the Myst mindset.

Myst is a game of exploration, understanding, and puzzle solving. It’s a world where being social, meeting others, and keeping your eye open are keys to success. Even the game’s UI is a puzzle in and of itself, as you don’t acquire it until you explore the world and find it.

My recommendation when you play Myst: slow down. Don’t feed the need to plow through the content. You’re not going to get much in the way of rewards from completing puzzles. If you rush, you’re going to miss what Myst has to offer. Instead, stop and smell the cavern. Look, touch, interact, and explore.

Follow the journey

Even Myst’s gameplay emphasizes what I’ve just told you. The “point” of the game, outside of exploring the many realms available to you, is to find the seven Journey tapestries in each “Age,” or area, of the game. A journey looks like a piece of cloth with a handprint on it. When you find one, touch it to mark your progress. Once you find all seven, you’ll be able to unlock the final door for that level and complete it. Completion will reward you with a Bahro Wedge for your Relto — a floating stone.

Journey tapestries are not always along the direct path through the age. Sometimes you will have to go and explore the other areas of the age to find them. Once again, take your time when you do this. Explore and observe the many ages while you try to figure out what went on in that age. Each world tells a different story.

A quick lore primer and common phrases

While many have certainly played Myst, sometimes the lore of the game goes over people’s heads. Myst does not go out of its way to shove lore down your throat, as it prefers to hide pieces of the story in the worlds you explore. However, an appreciation of the general concepts of Myst will certainly help with understanding how to play the game.

Myst is the story of the D’ni culture (pronounced da-NEE) and their ability to utilize a special form of writing called “The Art.” Books written in this format were more than just beautifully accurate descriptions of far off worlds — they are literally gateways to the worlds they describe.

Each world, known as an Age, was once used by the D’ni in their great empire. However, through a series of events, the culture violently collapsed during civil war. Now their home, the great cavern below the Earth’s crust, lies dormant. While the original Myst games explore the lives of the few surviving people with the ability to Write, Myst Online documents humanity finding the lost D’ni civilization and their reconstruction of the cavern through the D’ni Reclamation Council.

Some other players may approach you and say, “Shorah.” Shorah is D’ni for “peace” and is a common way of saying hello and goodbye in the game. D’ni actually has a fully formed language for those willing to learn it, so don’t be surprised if players speak or type in a wispy, elegant language that sounds unfamiliar.

Starting out in the game

Starting with Myst Online is actually, quite easy. Yet, to a newcomer, the options presented from the beginning of the game can be a little daunting.

Upon logging in, you will be in Relto, your home age. Think of Relto like your own personal house. You’ll store all of your linking books here in your library, you can track your progress in the game, and you can customize it by finding pages for your Relto book in all of the ages. So keep your eye out for small slips of paper!

Once in relto, you’ll have two options — either explore “The Cleft” and learn the general gist of the game through playing a simple age, or dive into the online world by accessing the Neighborhood (aka, Bevin) book in your library.

To acquire your in-game HUD, the KI, you’ll need to go to Bevin. The KI handles basic functions, like screenshots and your friends list, but it also has advanced features like creating markers and handling map coordinates from the Great Zero. Once in Bevin, go to your left and find the Bevin library — it will be up the steps and will have a balcony with stained glass windows. Inside of the library, find the book that sits under the stained glass window that has a giant fortress. (See the picture to the right for a screenshot.) The book will have an image of a tough, concrete structure inside of it — that’s what you want.

Once there, literally follow the signs and go through the open doors until you find a imposing machine. Click it to insert your hand into it, and the machine will wrap a KI around your palm. Congratulations! You have your HUD!

A few final words

The community of Myst is what makes the game great and keeps the game alive. They are a very active, very close, and very fun community that’s worth interacting with. While you can certainly “solo” the game, make sure to meet other people, visit the larger areas of the cavern like Ae’gura, and participate in the game. If you have questions, ask those around you. Many people will be more than happy to help without spoiling the experience.

If you have time, be sure to check out the many notebooks lying around the cavern. They contain notes from the D’ni Restoration Council, and you can sometimes find hints and clues about puzzles or learn more about the deep, deep lore behind the game.

If you’re confused as to where to go to get to somewhere else, check out the Guild of Greeters’s map of the ages.

And that’s it! While this isn’t a comprehensive guide to everything in Myst Online, it should be enough to get your feet wet and acclimated to exploring the many ages. If you need some more guidance, check out this great beginners guide from, once again, the Guild of Greeters. There isn’t a single right path to playing the game, so be sure to go wherever your feet take you. Safe travels. Shorah b’shehm.

Tags: Introduction, Myst Online, newbies