Visual effects: linking avatars and Linking Books

[Alahmnat]

It does. All Myst Linking Books we've ever seen were activated AFTER construction on Myst was finished.

I'm not sure what you mean by "activated". As far as we know, the Myst book presented at the beginning of Myst had last been used when Atrus fell through the fissure on Riven, at which point there were many fewer structures on the island.

^ Yeah, that.

[75th Trombone]

Hmm. The view opposing mine appears to be widerspread than I thought. I could be wrong.

In either case, though, realtime is just simply not feasible, with the possible exception of tiny Ages like Relto that could possibly feasibly be loaded in memory at all times. We at least need to FIRST get prerendered movies in there, then tackle realtime as a long, long, long-term project later.

[zib_redlektab]

Well, I would definitely agree that pre-rendered animated linking panels (like in Myst V and Drizzle) would be an awesome improvement, that was one of the biggest disappointments of Uru for me, the static panels...

And for the linking particles, i see them all moving along an arc towards the panel. So for the relto book they would all move around to the right side of the book in a sort of amorphous blob, then sort of suck into the book. The problem is then what happens to the book itself? Perhaps the book itself would become particles too, leaving just the panel behind floating in air, which then quickly fades away after the particles are gone? Linking books aren't supposed to link into themselves, we don't really have any points of reference for how it would look....

[Mac_Fife]

The problem is then what happens to the book itself? Perhaps the book itself would become particles too, leaving just the panel behind floating in air, which then quickly fades away after the particles are gone? Linking books aren't supposed to link into themselves, we don't really have any points of reference for how it would look....

I seem to recall Myst IV has a linking book falling to the floor after the linkee (is that word?) passes through, but I could be wrong. But in MO:UL most linking panels are in books on lecterns or on bahro stones propped in fixed places so nothing needs to happen to them. It's the Relto bookshelf that's the big anomoly. It always amused me that whenever I returned to Relto, some unseen housekeeper had swept by and neatly replaced the book I'd last used back in the correct place on the shelf.

I guess if the book closed and fell to floor as the avatar link out effect completed, and was still lying there when you returned to relto, that would seem plausible, then when you next approach the book shelf your avatar would pick up the book and return it. But then:

• The vault would need to retain a record of which (if any) book should be on the floor
• If you share your Relto so others can visit one of your ages, you'd get the unnatural sight of avvies picking up a book to put it on the shelf just to take it back out again. And there might have to be some kind of mutex to stop someone taking the book while another avvie is manipulating it. Could get messy

[realXCV]

I seem to recall Myst IV has a linking book falling to the floor after the linkee (is that word?) passes through, but I could be wrong.

The book was in Achenar's hands so once he linked, the book couldn't stay in mid-air.

[T_S_Kimball]

As I recall (from my own fun with Relto sharing), the books on the shelf only pull out, and then pull themselves back in. This was probably to signal someone was using the book (both to others watching and within the engine).

Assuming that the 'reality' was only partly shown (due to limitations), my guess as to what's going on is:

1) book pulls out on the slide
2) book opens from one end. other end is anchored to the slide
3) upon linking, book is setup to auto-close (i.e. spring-loaded)

Probably over-complicating this, but its a rational explanation at least. It even partly explains the noise that the slide makes.

As to the 'falling book' thing, that was observed in Exile. Savvedro, after capturing Releeshan, pulled out a book to J'nanin and linked; That book promptly fell to the floor, and the player uses it to chase after him...

--TSK

[PS - apologies beforehand if I've mangled the Age names above]

[Mac_Fife]

Assuming that the 'reality' was only partly shown (due to limitations), my guess as to what's going on is:

1) book pulls out on the slide
2) book opens from one end. other end is anchored to the slide
3) upon linking, book is setup to auto-close (i.e. spring-loaded)

Yeah, that sounds plausible, if somewhat mechanically awkward to physically arrange

[Tweek]

I guess you could always have like a book pedestal next to the shelf, when you select the book you want to use an animation takes the book from the shelf, puts it on the pedestal then you link.

[Mac_Fife]

I guess you could always have like a book pedestal next to the shelf, when you select the book you want to use an animation takes the book from the shelf, puts it on the pedestal then you link.

I had a thought along those lines, too; maybe having a desk in the Relto hut, but it changes what we've already accepted as the layout of the hut (but I guess that's still a valid option). You still have the problem of what happens to the book after you link out though - does it stay on the pedestal? T_S_Kimball's explanation best fits the current observations, I think.

[Tweek]

Yeah, but Relto constantly changes anyway with Relto pages, not to mention it is our homes, so we'd be bringing our own things into it.

Heck if I actually had Relto, I'd have extended the hut, carved out rooms in the rock below and set up a proper house in there

But I get what you mean.