ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Has anybody played Myst IV: Revelation? I just got it on Friday as a gift, and I'm just kicking mad because it won't run on this machine (Runs off of DVD discs, and I've no DVD drive). I was all prepared mentally for playing, too. I spent a week or so in November replaying Myst, Riven, and Exile (I never bothered with Uru... heard it was not good, and went down a different story path). Anywho, just venting frustration. I love this series and computer software can't be returned after it's been opened, so I'm just gonna have to hang onto it until I can get around to purchasing a DVD-drive.

DiMono
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1181
Registered: 09-13-2003
IP: Logged

Myst IV can't have been released already, I haven't started Exile yet! Stupid higher education taking up all my valuable game-playing time...

____________________________
Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

bradwall
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 423
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

I love all the myst series... however, my computer will not run the demo of Myst IV. I will have to upgrade my computer before I can play it :-(

bradwall
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 423
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

Also... just for a small topic starter. I would have to say that Riven was my favorite Myst game. Very well done and very difficult. I found that Exile was not challenging enough. Riven was perfect.

ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Agreed. During my re-playthrough, Riven gave me the hardest time... stupid rotating tower and bridges and marble puzzle

bradwall
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 423
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

I like that they mix the game up a bit in Riven. So, the code at the end is different. You can't just start the game and beat it right away (like the first myst game). I wish that I owned the revised version of the first Myst. I just have the old school one.

Feel free, anyone, to donate it to my cause ;-)

Brad

ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I've got Myst: Masterpiece Edition, and didn't find it much different from how I remembered my first copy of the game (way back when). I guess the biggest draw of it was the included hint system, but because I remembered a lot from playing through the first time, I didn't need it. I'd like to get my hands on Real Myst, but I'm not sure if the cost of the game versus the newness of the game is worth consideration.

And uh, I currently own three copies of Myst III: Exile.

-One is the limited collectors edition that I bought when it was released, came with the Soundtrack and a pewter Squee figurine, and I can't remember what else was in that box.
-The second I bought as part of a box set because I no longer owned Myst and Riven, and wanted to play them again. It was $12 for all three games, so I considered it a worthwhile purchase (this is where I got Myst Masterpiece Edition).
-And the third copy came with Revelation, but it too is on a DVD-rom, and thus unplayable to me. Which would be kinda neat to play because I wouldn't have to change the four discs. Which brings up something else:

Was it really necessary to have Riven on 5 CDs? I remember getting annoyed because I was constantly traveling between the islands, and I don't remember the option of a "full install." I realize that 5 is an important number in the game, but it seemed like a waste to split the game up like that.

bradwall
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 423
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

ClaytonW wrote:
Was it really necessary to have Riven on 5 CDs? I remember getting annoyed because I was constantly traveling between the islands, and I don't remember the option of a "full install." I realize that 5 is an important number in the game, but it seemed like a waste to split the game up like that.

I acually copied all of the data files to my hard drive and changed a data file to point to the specific folder (instead of the CD-ROM drive) to play the game without a CD. This was nice to not have to change CD's between islands. I would have to dig it up, but I can probably figure out what I did to do that.

bradwall
Level: Smiter

Rank Points: 423
Registered: 02-12-2003
IP: Logged

Ah... found the instructions for playing Riven without all the CDs.
Here are the instructions (I hope it is clear):

1)
Each CD has MHK data folders (for example,
disk 2 has "t_data.MHK;
some disks have more than one MHK file)
Copy the x_DATA.MHK (where X = any letter)
from the DATA folder on each CD
into the C:\\Program Files\\Riven\\Data\\
folder in your computer.

2)
Replace some disk numbers with 0
in the "riven.cfg" file.
(in C:\\Program Files\\Riven\\).
- -

I suggest that you open windows explorer,
go to your program files folder,
and open the Riven folder.
Then double click on the Riven.cfg file,
and when it asks for the program to
open the file with choose Notepad

***Be sure to uncheck "always use this program to open this file"
*** make the changes I have indicated
*** do not include the comments that are in parenthesis.

Here is a riven.cfg file with comments added
(Use your own CD Drive and Hard Drive Letters)

(start here)
Riven.cfg starts below
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Volume name to disc number mapping
[Disc1]
Name=Riven1

[Disc2]
Name=Riven2

[Disc3]
Name=Riven3

[Disc4]
Name=Riven4

[Disc5]
Name=Riven5

; Volume name to disc number mapping
[Riven1]
Disc=1

[Riven2]
Disc=2

[Riven3]
Disc=3

[Riven4]
Disc=4

[Riven5]
Disc=5
(no need to change anything up to this point)

; Data file sets
[aspit]
Disc=0 (change the disk number here to zero)
File_0="data/a_data.mhk"
File_1="data/a_sounds.mhk"

[ospit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/o_data.mhk"
File_1="data/o_sounds.mhk"

[pspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/p_data.mhk"
File_1="data/p_sounds.mhk"

[gspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/g_data.mhk"
File_1="data/g_sounds.mhk"

[rspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/r_data.mhk"
File_1="data/r_sounds.mhk"

[tspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/t_data.mhk"
File_1="data/t_sounds.mhk"

[jspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/j_data1.mhk"
File_1="data/j_data2.mhk"
File_2="data/j_sounds.mhk"

[bspit]
Disc=0 (same here)
File_0="data/b_data.mhk"
File_1="data/b_sounds.mhk"

(no need to change anything from here down)

[directories]
InstallFromRoot=F: (this may have some other drive letter)
InstallToDir=D:\\program files\\riven (same for the drive letter here)
InstallFromDir=F:\\SETUP (same as above)

[install]
InstallFromRoot=F:\\ (same as above)
InstallToDir=D:\\program files\\riven\\ (same as above)
InstallFromDir=F:\\SETUP\\ (again same as above)
InstallToDrive=D (once again, same as above)
InstallFromDrive=F (and one more time,,,,)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
end of Riven.cfg

I repeat these instructions:
I suggest that you open windows explorer,
go to your program files folder,
and open the Riven folder.
Then double click on the Riven.cfg file,
and when it asks for the program to
open the file with choose Notepad

***Be sure to uncheck "always use this program to open this file"
*** make the changes I have indicate above
*** do not include the comments that are in parenthesis.

ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

I sincerely apologize for reviving a VERY dead thread, but...
More than two years after I got the game and started this thread, I've finally bought that DVD drive and played, and beaten Myst IV.

Yeesha's acting makes me cringe.

Still ran a bit chuggy though, It's kind of sad that my computer isn't "good" enough to play a game thats been sitting on my bookshelf for two years. I'm definitely going to be needing a new video card and some RAM before I tackle End of Ages.

And now I hear that Myst Online: URU Live will be re-launching in about 8 days. By the time I get around to playing it, there won't be anybody left to play with.

Ezlo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1214
Registered: 01-08-2006
IP: Logged

Congradulations! I'd have to say Revelations was my favoirte out of all the Mysts, even beating out the ver popular Riven! Good luck with End of Ages though, I had to stop after half an hour it was so bad.

ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

See, I liked Exile the best for story and immersion factor. Revelation had some really brutal puzzles, harder than Riven, I felt.

How do you mean Myst V is bad? The quality? or performance on your computer?

I'm gonna play it regardless because I'm enthralled by these stories... I've read the three background novels twice now.

Ezlo
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1214
Registered: 01-08-2006
IP: Logged

Quality of the acting, the quality of the graphics, the quality of the puzzles. All of them are bad.

For the graphics route, they changed it from pictures, too rendered as you go 3D environments that you walk around in. This makes the quality of the pictures go down the drain immensely. There is an option to go back to click based movement, but it doesn't help the graphics. In fact it kinda makes it worse.

Acting and story is horrible. Atrus doesn't even seem to make an appearance, it's only a grown-up Yeesha, and a D'ni guy who's never been mentioned before at all. Both of them are horrible actors, and neither of them were filmed, they were both added by computer. The story involves these creatures called "The Least" that will do whatever you say if manage to scratch something into a rock and drop it.

Speaking of which, every single puzzle in the game seems to be either timer-based, or based around the "Figure out what symbol to scratch on your rock and then spend ages upon ages trying to replicate the symbol" variety. Neither of which is fun.


But wait, background novels? Where?!

---

[Last edited by Ezlo at 02-08-2007 02:30 PM]

ClaytonW
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 961
Registered: 02-04-2003
IP: Logged

Ezlo wrote:But wait, background novels? Where?!

Link to Myst Reader on Amazon.com. Not a bad price there. This is the copy I have. They were originally released as three separate books, but (I think) they're out of print, so the prices may be higher. The first hardcover novel: The Book of Atrus is on Amazon for over $150.

They're a fantastic read, and reference many many characters, locations, and experiences from at least the first two games. Also, I've seen references to the books in both Myst III and Myst IV, so everything is intertwined.

Many things are explained, like the existence of the star fissure, how Atrus and Catherine met, how-when-and-why Myst island was written. And they go into great depth about the D'ni civilization. Another thing about these novels that I loved was that, just like the ages Atrus writes, everything is described in amazing, intense detail... adjectives galore!

They're written by the original authors of the games, Rand and Robyn Miller, and if you're a fan, I whole-heartedly recommend them.

Mattcrampy
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 2388
Registered: 05-29-2003
IP: Logged

I really liked the demo of Myst V. I think the 3D first-person adventure game is a format that has a lot of potential.

____________________________
What do you call an elephant at the North Pole?

malkav11
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 59
Registered: 01-05-2007
IP: Logged

See, I rather liked Uru. I played it around the point in time when they'd scrapped the original Uru Live and turned the content they'd worked up for it so far into expansions. None of the puzzles in the entire series click with my brain, so I've mostly been playing them for the exploration and storyline. And Uru was particularly shiny explorationwise.

Actually, come to think of it, it was the only Myst game other than the original (which I played back when CD-ROM drives were a deluxe option on computers) that I've gotten much of anywhere with. With heavy hintage I beat the first Myst, except I never could do the puzzle to get to the Selenitic Age...I'm terrible at music-based puzzles, and the hints can't help you on that one. And I'd beaten the content from Uru and the mini-expansion but wasn't very far into Path of the Shell when I lost my save data.

Sooner or later I really ought to go further in Riven than the rotating room near the very beginning. And then play Exile. And then scrounge a copy of IV and V...

AnneAardvark
Level: Goblin
Rank Points: 21
Registered: 09-21-2006
IP: Logged

All the time I've been a member this is the 1st time I've posted.
I never actually felt the urge to post before now.

I just completed all 8 Myst games (5 in the series, Uru and its 2 addons)and I really enjoyed it - I played them all one after the other starting a couple of months ago. The whole lot had to be played in the chronological order they were made to fully follow the story (in the correct order, myst 1, 2, 3, 4, Uru, to D'ni, path of the shell and finally myst 5).
You can't just not play the fifth one, thats the one that ties all the story together and finalizes it all.

I never thought to read the books, maybe that will quench this thirst I have for more myst action, so thanks for the tip.

Syntax
Level: Smitemaster
Rank Points: 1218
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged

Posting should be fun... it is a good community.

And with a +1 with only 1 post, well... 2500 posts and you'll officially be the most modded person on the forums

BTW, you play DROD? Lot better than Myst

Tombot
Level: Delver
Rank Points: 58
Registered: 11-24-2006
IP: Logged

For different reasons of course.

____________________________
How dare you call me a paranoid schizophrenic, I'll kill you. ALL OF YOU!!!