An alternate URU vision

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The stranger
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An alternate URU vision

Post by The stranger »

Mod note: Split from "Where to Begin (the Game)"

EDIT: The idea below is taken from my HUGE thread of ideas over at mystonline.com forums. It should be updated: http://mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic. ... 030#293030 .

Well, here's my new idea for beggining, from my colossi thread of ideas over at mystonline.com forums, with several changes:

You get a short flyby toward your player, at it's end you gain control over your avatar. When you begin you have only a few inventory options: Chat (open chat window), Journal (where you can write, and also draw. In Relto, you can put it down on the bookshelf, so any visitor can read it. You may later have several journals), and Items (when you press on this, you see what items you have. That's not important now). As you progress, you get KI, and Relto book.

You stand on a wide dirt road, in the middle of the New Mexico desert. The desert is full of bushes, with a small dust storm here and there. It may be any time of the day. Every age in the game has day and night cycle, accept for mini ages (bahro caves, small rooms), ages where their function/puzzles function/story depends on a non changing weather.

The road is partly boarded by a short, broken, wooden gate, which ends in the building in front of you: a building with a sign above, saying: "The Journeyman Inn". To your left, far in the distance, the volcano, to your right- a town, the "real" Tadjinar. An improvised sign directs you to the volcano, or to town. There is a young man standing in front of the front door of the inn, carving a piece of wood with a small knife. Once you walk up to him, he starts talking.


[Speech option 1]

"Hello! welcome to The Journeyman Inn! we have everything you need!

No, not really. The place is a dump. I'm not even running this place- that's Stan. You know, Stan "the gas station man". He closed the gas station and opened this place. No idea why... you have nothing here, anyway.

Oh, right, you're going to D'ni, right?

Well, let's see...

[points toward the volcano in the ditance, to the left]

You start there. The volcano. Enter it, from the cladera. Find the hole in the ground. The path to D'ni is long, really. If you tend to get lonely

[points toward to town to the right]

go to the town, you will find people there for sure. Take a friend or two with you. You could also reach D'ni with the other way, nexus.

Other than that, have fun."

[sits down and continues to carve the wood. From now on, he will always be there, day and night. He will never talk to you again, and he will disappear after a few days]

[Speech option 2]

"Hello! welcome to The Journeyman Inn, all the way back from Europe! we got...

Well, we actually got nothing for you. This is just hole on the desert. Boring... I have no idea why Stan opened this place, but I don't care to help, if I can. Yeah, that's Stan "the gas station man". No longer "the gas station man", I guess.

Stan told me about you guys, coming and going. To D'ni, right?

Well, let's see...

[points toward the volcano in the ditance, to the left]

See the volcano there? go there, and enter the caldera. Find the hole in the ground, go in, and you are on your way to D'ni. But I have to warn you, it may be quite some time until you reach D'ni. If you want to do the whole thing with someone

[points toward to town to the right]

go to town. There are always people there. Ask someone to come with you, I suppose someone can give a hand. And there are the other ways to reach D'ni, just look at the note.

Other than that, have fun."

Every NPC in the game, who has a non-recored speech, is going to have 2 speech options for a more interesting adventure between explorers.

There will be a tutorial video that explains the baisics of the game- instancing, sharing, movment, character, inventory, all these stuff. A player can choose the different portions of the tutorial video. If you are a myst fan who likes to figure out things on his own, you won't use it, and if you are new and just want to know how to do stuff, this is for you. You choose to view it or not.

[now you can go to the town or to the volcano. We'll do each, but it's your choice]

To town:

[You get a scene where you run through the desert towards the town. After a few seconds you arrive. At the main street]

The main street is a big dusty road, with lot's of major buildings around. At the end of the main street is a very big building- the house of the "lord"- which is lord amanjira in MTBOT. The other end is open to the desert, walk through it and you get a scene of you running to the inn place, and you will end up there.

There are many Old West style houses around, all closed, of course. A few old Old West carts, and you know, just the typical Old West town. There are few lizards climbing the walls, and they will run as you get close.

And this place, of course, is fully public.

To volcano area:

[same running scene as the one to town, but now to the volcano, past the wooden gate, which is now open, and into Zandi's property]

You arrive at the closed down volcano area. A small sand storm will blow here and there, and a roadrunner is running around the place.

Zandi is not around, but his trailer is. The bridge and birds relto pages are here too, in the regular places, but they will not be active as you don't have a book yet. There are no journey cloths around.

In The Cleft, there are lizards climbing the walls. As always, they run away as you get near. There are many interactive things inside- the few machines at Anna's workshop (hologram room) are active, several readable books and maps back from Atrus' time. The hologram machine will have D'ni numbers instead of bahro symbols. There will be a few notes with hologram messages, and when putting them on the hologram machine and activating it (while power is on, of course), you get to see several messages from Anna or young Atrus. There is no wall message yet.

The door in front of the tree is now a regular, small door, with many bahro glyphs on it. It is locked.

The fence around the volcano is now gone, and the only thing "stopping" (not really) you are just signes around the volcano saying "Don't enter" and so on. They are there even today, but now they will not be attached to a fence.

As you go up the volcano, you will get a scene of you climbing up the volcano, and going down into the caldera through a ladder inside it. It will be just the opposite while going out of the cladera to the desert.

The caldera is the same as in Myst V, however there are no bahro glyphs on the rocks. There is a small trial of burned ground leading to the hole in the ground.

In the place where there is the second pickable camera in Myst V, there is now a hologram machine, like the one in The Cleft, but there is no code to put on- just a blue button. (on the crates). In front of it a Relto book. As you go near, you will automatically take the Relto book. Now you can pick up the Relto pages at the desert. The hologram message says:

[Victor Laxman appears]

Hello and welcome to the path leading to the city of D'ni!

This path was fou---

[Yeesha appears]

Hello, traveler...

[Victor appears]

---and so we would like you to be careful.

Before you begin, please take your time and take a D'ni Communication Device from the near by room to your right. We call it a KI. Put your hand in the slot of the glowing machine and you wi---

[Yeesha appears]

I remember when I was here. So long ago... such a lonely place. So alone. The path to D'ni, although not as long as the time I spent in the desert, was the most sad path of all. Alone... learn from me. If it is in your nature, go alone. If it is in your nature, go with others. But decide. You wi---

[Victor appears]

---The Nexus will work only once you take a KI. Otherwise, you won't be able to link there, or even activate the machine in there if you did, somehow. And it may come usefull, if you don't have the time to walk all the way to D'n---

[Yeesha appears]

---ibrary in Relto will be the gate to other places. First to D'ni, than to many others. You will chose where to go, and when. The---

[Victor appears]

So, enjoy and please remember to be safe. The DRC encourage you to take a Relto book for safety, so please don't take a risk, otherwi---

[Yeesha appears]

The path downwards is what you must do. This is where things start. You will see more, so don't underestimate the way of---
[Victor appears]

So enjoy your exploration!

[Victor shuts down the imager. Message ends]

From now it's the same as in Myst V. Just without Yeesha's journals/bahro linking around, and also there is no activating the fans- they are already activated. All you need to do is raise the floor. There are bats here, like in Myst V. Actually, there are bats everywhere in the caverns- also in Ae'gura, and everything else.

The lever at the end is of course unbroken. And from there- it's all up to Cyan Worlds. The tunnles are one of their greatest creations and I don't want to decide what's in there for them- however they will consist several thing: more Resting Rooms along the way, several clothing/Relto pages/journals from different characters/a few puzzles on the way. Also, there will be a NPC there, which talk to the player as he gets near- an Explorer (disappears once you reached the 'hood through the caves, talks about general exploration, giving hints the same way as Zandi, which can help you find your way to the 'hood).

In each Resting Room there is a KI machine. There is also the one in the Gahreesen, which you can use after you reached the 'hood.

The KI is different. It has the same style as the old KI, the D'ni look. As for more specific, it has the same features of the regular KI. The look is different. There is a small DRC-made thing attached to it, and it also covers part of your hand with wierd metalic things.

The Nexus has a new method- it will be closed on the pedestal, and opened when you put your hand in the slot, allowing you to link in. The machine still works only with KI. It will consist 3 tabs: Public Links (with all public places and public 'hoods), Descent Links (with all Resting Rooms in the descent), and Personal Links (any other place- no mini ages like bahro caves, but major places like the Eders and Teledahn).

In Nexus, there is a linking book to Gahreesen, a book to the first Eder Tomahn and also a book to the entrence of D'ni.

As part of the new story, Relto is no longer magical. Once the book is being used, it burns (this is an old hidden D'ni method- burning book, which is something Yeesha learned from the bahro). In Relto, there is a pile of Relto books (unfunctional in Relto, of course), everytime you link in, you automatically take a book. In order to spare a harsh death, Relto will be boarded with invisible walls. Sorry.

The Relto library has a book to the volcano area (disappears when The Journey starts), and to the Nexus.

There is a trapdoor near the closet of Relto, taking you down to a small room, where there is a small bed, and a table, with Yeesha's picture with her parents in Releeshan, just before she left Tomahna.

The Relto pillers don't open, and they don't have a journey symbol on them.

You have no regular books at Relto, when you begin. Books will be added as you start quests.
Last edited by The stranger on Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
realXCV
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by realXCV »

The stranger wrote:You get a short flyby toward your player, at it's end you gain control over your avatar. When you begin you have only a few inventory options: Chat (open chat window), Journal (where you can write, and also draw. In Relto, you can put it down on the bookshelf, so any visitor can read it. You may later have several journals), and Items (when you press on this, you see what items you have. That's not important now). As you progress, you get KI, and Relto book.
How do you transport all of your inventory?
You stand on a wide dirt road, in the middle of the New Mexico desert. The desert is full of bushes, with a small dust storm here and there. It may be any time of the day. Every age in the game has day and night cycle, accept for mini ages (bahro caves, small rooms), ages where their function/puzzles function/story depends on a non changing weather.
So, Teledahn, Eder Kemo, Ahnonay and Minkata are automatically out. On the pods it's part of the puzzle and Eder Gira already has it. That lefts: Delin and Tsogal, Jalak, Er'cana, the cleft (assuming the dry/rain states won't pose problem).

The road is partly boarded by a short, broken, wooden gate, which ends in the building in front of you: a building with a sign above, saying: "The Journeyman Inn". To your left, far in the distance, the volcano, to your right- a town, the "real" Tadjinar. An improvised sign directs you to the volcano, or to town. There is a young man standing in front of the front door of the inn, carving a piece of wood with a small knife. Once you walk up to him, he starts talking.
[Speech option 1]

"Hello! welcome to The Journeyman Inn! we have everything you need!

No, not really. The place is a dump. I'm not even running this place- that's Stan. You know, Stan "the gas station man". He closed the gas station and opened this place. No idea why... you have nothing here, anyway.

Oh, right, you're going to D'ni, right?

Well, let's see...

[points toward the volcano in the ditance, to the left]

You start there. The volcano. Enter it, from the cladera. Find the hole in the ground. The path to D'ni is long, really. If you tend to get lonely

[points toward to town to the right]

go to the town, you will find people there for sure. Take a friend or two with you. You could also reach D'ni with the other way, nexus.

Other than that, have fun."

[sits down and continues to carve the wood. From now on, he will always be there, day and night. He will never talk to you again, and he will disappear after a few days]
[Speech option 2]

"Hello! welcome to The Journeyman Inn, all the way back from Europe! we got...

Well, we actually got nothing for you. This is just hole on the desert. Boring... I have no idea why Stan opened this place, but I don't care to help, if I can. Yeah, that's Stan "the gas station man". No longer "the gas station man", I guess.

Stan told me about you guys, coming and going. To D'ni, right?

Well, let's see...

[points toward the volcano in the ditance, to the left]

See the volcano there? go there, and enter the caldera. Find the hole in the ground, go in, and you are on your way to D'ni. But I have to warn you, it may be quite some time until you reach D'ni. If you want to do the whole thing with someone

[points toward to town to the right]

go to town. There are always people there. Ask someone to come with you, I suppose someone can give a hand. And there are the other ways to reach D'ni, just look at the note.

Other than that, have fun."
Dead because of not sleeping? Do you keep any part of the actual cleft or the only way is through volcano and nexus?
There will be a tutorial video that explains the baisics of the game- instancing, sharing, movment, character, inventory, all these stuff. A player can choose the different portions of the tutorial video. If you are a myst fan who likes to figure out things on his own, you won't use it, and if you are new and just want to know how to do stuff, this is for you. You choose to view it or not.
Is it really necessary?

A large part of your idea assume that we'll be free to do anything in the entire myst franchise. While they could let us modify some of the existing Uru locations, I doubt they will let us play with Atrus' life. The Victor/Yeesha message looks confusing for a new player.
The Nexus has a new method- it will be closed on the pedestal, and opened when you put your hand in the slot, allowing you to link in. The machine still works only with KI. It will consist 3 tabs: Public Links (with all public places and public 'hoods), Descent Links (with all Resting Rooms in the descent), and Personal Links (any other place- no mini ages like bahro caves, but major places like the Eders and Teledahn).
Putting public places and hoods in the same tab is not a good idea.
As part of the new story, Relto is no longer magical. Once the book is being used, it burns (this is an old hidden D'ni method- burning book, which is something Yeesha learned from the bahro). In Relto, there is a pile of Relto books (unfunctional in Relto, of course), everytime you link in, you automatically take a book. In order to spare a harsh death, Relto will be boarded with invisible walls. Sorry.
Does it mean that to enable/disable a relto page, one has to link to another age then link back to Relto to see the effect?
There is a trapdoor near the closet of Relto, taking you down to a small room, where there is a small bed, and a table, with Yeesha's picture with her parents in Releeshan, just before she left Tomahna.
You mean AFTER, no?

What was your previous idea?
The stranger
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Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:54 am

Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by The stranger »

How do you transport all of your inventory?
You pockets? it's an inventory. What's not to get?
Do you keep any part of the actual cleft or the only way is through volcano and nexus?
The only way to reach D'ni is tunnle/nexus. The cleft is only for the journey.
Is it really necessary?
Yes. Yes it is. We need a tutorial for the unpatient players, and there will be.
A large part of your idea assume that we'll be free to do anything in the entire myst franchise. While they could let us modify some of the existing Uru locations, I doubt they will let us play with Atrus' life. The Victor/Yeesha message looks confusing for a new player.
My idea doesn't really touch the "realistic" realm, here's a warning. Maybe they will let us, maybe they will not.

As for the message, it's supposed to be confusing. A confusing tutorial, of some sort. It isn't supposed to direct to players to D'ni in a very clear way, but in a more "what's now?" way. New players want it clear? there's the video.
Putting public places and hoods in the same tab is not a good idea.
It may very well be. Just make a big gap between them. There are only 4 online not-'hood places in my idea, one of them isn't in the nexus anyway.
Does it mean that to enable/disable a relto page, one has to link to another age then link back to Relto to see the effect?
Yes, unless we could do something that enable the relto page effect without linking out and back in.
You mean AFTER, no?
No. That's young yeesha, with BOTH her parents. Not the post-Myst V yeesha.
realXCV
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by realXCV »

The stranger wrote:
Is it really necessary?
Yes. Yes it is. We need a tutorial for the unpatient players, and there will be.
Impatient players will have to be patient to watch all the video.
My idea doesn't really touch the "realistic" realm,
It should.
There are only 4 online not-'hood places in my idea, one of them isn't in the nexus anyway.
Which ones of theses will you remove? Ae'gura (x5), Guild pubs, Watcher's pub, Kirel, K'veer.
You mean AFTER, no?
No. That's young yeesha, with BOTH her parents. Not the post-Myst V yeesha.
Before she left Tomahna, she was in Tomahna. Not in Releeshahn.
The stranger
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by The stranger »

Impatient players will have to be patient to watch all the video.
And that's why they can choose different portions of the videos, they can choose to watch the "sharing" part, or "KI" part, or whatever. It will be esier than reading something or getting some messages.
It should.
Please point me to the rule saying that.

Anyway, my idea doesn't mess too much with the canon- beside the cleft messages, I guess. Tweak it as you wish.
Which ones of theses will you remove? Ae'gura (x5), Guild pubs, Watcher's pub, Kirel, K'veer.
Ae'gura is public, but x5? only the lower city is. Guild pubs are deleted for the better of the guilds hall, but we wanna be realistic, than fine, guild pubs, watcher's pub isn't public, kirel is public, k'veer isn't public.

There's a bit from my ideas there. Remember the instancing one? if you wanna go with your ideas, than do a different tab for 'hoods, okay.
Before she left Tomahna, she was in Tomahna. Not in Releeshahn.
And went to Releeshan sometimes. And yes, we *know* she did.
realXCV
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by realXCV »

The stranger wrote:Please point me to the rule saying that.
Official rules are not yet available. But they will probably be similar to the Guidelines for Official Story/Age Creation.
Your idea currently breaks rule #3. Many ideas here also break it but not as much as yours.
Anyway, my idea doesn't mess too much with the canon- beside the cleft messages, I guess. Tweak it as you wish.
Just to be sure... do trap books exist in your canon?
Which ones of theses will you remove? Ae'gura (x5), Guild pubs, Watcher's pub, Kirel, K'veer.
Ae'gura is public, but x5? only the lower city is.
x5 because of the five nexus stations.
The stranger
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by The stranger »

Official rules are not yet available. But they will probably be similar to the Guidelines for Official Story/Age Creation.
Your idea currently breaks rule #3. Many ideas here also break it but not as much as yours.
Than don't consider my idea executable. Still, until we get a "never come up with an idea which brakes the realistic rules" I gonna post it, you may ignore them if you feel like.
Just to be sure... do trap books exist in your canon?
No. And you should really stop with the mocky-style posts.
x5 because of the five nexus stations.
Yes, you are right.
realXCV
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by realXCV »

Than don't consider my idea executable. Still, until we get a "never come up with an idea which brakes the realistic rules" I gonna post it, you may ignore them if you feel like.
I would call them continuity rules.
No. And you should really stop with the mocky-style posts.
I just wanted to know if you consider your idea as "official" or "fictional". If you consider it "fictional" then feel free to invent anything you want. You can then blame artistic license like Cyan does with every myst game.
The stranger
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by The stranger »

I would call them continuity rules.
And I would brake them :P .
I just wanted to know if you consider your idea as "official" or "fictional". If you consider it "fictional" then feel free to invent anything you want. You can then blame artistic license like Cyan does with every myst game.
I would consider them part official and part fictional. Just take out the fictional part.

Myst fans always confuse me. From one side, a lot of Uru was lame. Yes, lame. And could be a lot better. From the other side, people want everything to be explained. Can't we just say "because" and ignore the IC stuff?
realXCV
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Re: Where to Begin (The Game)

Post by realXCV »

No unless you don't care about other seeing it as a poorly designed story.
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