Comments on: Puzzle Design in the Myst Series http://ludusnovus.net/2009/02/20/puzzle-design-in-the-myst-series/ The Art of Interaction Sun, 13 May 2012 01:35:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Gregory Weir http://ludusnovus.net/2009/02/20/puzzle-design-in-the-myst-series/comment-page-1/#comment-37622 Gregory Weir Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:38:16 +0000 http://ludusnovus.net/?p=342#comment-37622 Okay, yes, the chest puzzle was definitely contrived. But it was still cool! And, you know, if someone <em>did</em> permanently tie a key to the floor, that'd be how you'd solve the problem. Oh! Maybe they really didn't want to lose the key. With many of the <i>Myst</i> puzzles, you definitely need to suspend disbelief a bit and accept that Atrus and his associates are eccentric, absent-minded, and rather perverse in their practical thinking skills. The puzzles are more believable when you realize that Atrus is the sort of person who will construct an enormous, revolving, mountain tower because he sometimes forgets the password to his enormous gear-shaped book vault. And yeah, Plotkin's written some of the best stuff on the series. Okay, yes, the chest puzzle was definitely contrived. But it was still cool! And, you know, if someone did permanently tie a key to the floor, that’d be how you’d solve the problem. Oh! Maybe they really didn’t want to lose the key.

With many of the Myst puzzles, you definitely need to suspend disbelief a bit and accept that Atrus and his associates are eccentric, absent-minded, and rather perverse in their practical thinking skills. The puzzles are more believable when you realize that Atrus is the sort of person who will construct an enormous, revolving, mountain tower because he sometimes forgets the password to his enormous gear-shaped book vault.

And yeah, Plotkin’s written some of the best stuff on the series.

]]> By: auntie http://ludusnovus.net/2009/02/20/puzzle-design-in-the-myst-series/comment-page-1/#comment-37621 auntie Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:17:35 +0000 http://ludusnovus.net/?p=342#comment-37621 i always found the chest to be really contrived. why would someone ever tie a key to the floor? myst's puzzles are always best when they make sense in the context of the world (to the point where they're not really puzzles as much as just interacting with the laws of the world). most of the puzzles in riven and some of the puzzles in uru are like this; most of the puzzles in the rest of the series aren't. i'm sure you've read what andrew plotkin's written on the series. actually, i'm not totally sure, so i end this sentence with a question mark? i always found the chest to be really contrived. why would someone ever tie a key to the floor?

myst’s puzzles are always best when they make sense in the context of the world (to the point where they’re not really puzzles as much as just interacting with the laws of the world). most of the puzzles in riven and some of the puzzles in uru are like this; most of the puzzles in the rest of the series aren’t.

i’m sure you’ve read what andrew plotkin’s written on the series. actually, i’m not totally sure, so i end this sentence with a question mark?

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