Myst (1993)

Myst Island

Start by clicking on the book, then on the picture of Myst Island to enter the game. Walk forward along the dock and you will see the first marker switch (on the right) - flip this and all subsequent switches so they are up. Climb the spiral stairs to the large gears and flip a second marker switch. Climb part way back down the stairs and turn right to find a path leading to a planetarium. Pick up the note from the ground and read it.

Continue along the path and take the right branch to flip another marker switch, then return to the main path and note the building on the right - the library. Don't enter here yet, but remember where it is for later.

Walk along a narrow path behind the library to a spaceship, and flip a marker switch here. Return to the library and head down the path towards a well. Just past the well is another switch to flip. Further along the path find a switch outside a brick building to the right, and a wooden building to the left. At the end of the path you will see the 8th and final marker switch outside a clock tower, but you cannot reach it yet so ignore it for now.

Return to the dock where you started and enter the underground passage. Turn off the dimensional imager using the large button at the bottom. Turn around and approach the note on the wall, then press the green button to reveal a hidden panel. Enter the number 08 on this (the number of marker switches on the island), then press the red button, and turn the projector back on to see a message from Atrus.

Go now to the library. First approach the bookcase directly opposite the entrance, and read the 4 legible books, noting any interesting diagrams you find. Next look at the blue and red books on the other walls - you will not see anything unless you put the single red page in the red book, and the single blue page in the blue book (and then you will only see very partial messages from the 2 brothers, who want you to bring them more pages).

Now look at the map hanging on the wall, which shows highlighted buildings corresponding to the marker switches you have flipped. There is also a flashing building - the tower. If you turn the tower, you will note that it pauses and shows a red beam as it passes over four of the buildings. These correspond to the 4 ages of Myst that you need to visit in any order.

Stoneship Age

Turn the tower on the map to face the ship/dock. Look at the painting nearest to the map and the bookcase will reveal a passage. Go through the passage and into the elevator, then press the button to go up. At the top, climb the ladder with the book symbol to see a view of the ship. Climb back down, then climb the ladder with the key symbol and you will see a plaque with 3 dates. Climb down and go back down in the elevator. Look at the other painting to close the secret passage and open the library door.

Head to the planetarium and turn off the lights (use the switch near the door) then sit down in the chair. Look at the control panel and set the date to Oct 11, 1984, 10:04 AM. Press the button and note the constellation that is displayed. Repeat this for Jan 17, 1207, 5:46 AM, and Nov 23, 9791 6:57 PM. Return to the library and look up these constellations to find they correspond to the leaf, snake and bug. Leave the library and go down the path with the well. The pillars lining this path each display a symbol in red. Click on the symbols for the 3 constellations you saw earlier and the model ship will rise in the well. The ship out near the dock will also rise to the surface of the water. Go to the dock and board the ship. Go down through the door and use the linking book to travel.

Walk across to the other half of the ship and climb the curved path up to a telescope. Use this to locate the direction of the top of the lighthouse (135 degrees, or south-east). Climb back down the path and enter the lighthouse. Look at the floor and try to use the key, but it won't reach a lock. Go back outside and approach the umbrella structure. Use the right button to start a water pump, and re-enter the lighthouse. Now climb down the stairs and you will find a chest at the bottom. Turn the tap on its side to empty it of water, then turn the tap again to close it. Return to the umbrella and press the right button again to fill the lighthouse with water. Go back to the lighthouse and use the key to unlock the floating chest. Take this new key and use it at the top of the ladder so you can enter the main part of the lighthouse. Turn the crank on the generator a full 6 times to charge the battery - if the lights turn out in the passages in the next section, return here and crank the generator again.

Exit the lighthouse and press the middle button at the umbrella to drain the rocky staircases in the section between the 2 boat halves. Climb down both of these passages into rooms belonging to the brothers. Search the drawers to find blue and red pages - you can only pick up one of these to take with you. You will also find the left half of a very important note, and should write down carefully what it says. Climb half way up the stairs and open a hidden side passage. Enter this area and look at the compass on the ground, then click on the south-east point (135 degrees) to light up the compass.

Return to the umbrella again and press the left button to drain the ship. Go down through the door in the ship and use the book to return to the library in normal time. Put the red or blue page in the appropriate book, then review the new message from that book.

If you want to view all possible endings later on, go back into the Stoneship Age and repeat the process to get the other page, inserting it into the other book.

Mechanical Age

Turn the tower on the map to face the gears. Look at the painting nearest to the map and the bookcase will reveal a passage. Go through the passage and into the elevator, then press the button to go up. At the top, climb the ladder with the book symbol to see a view of the gears. Climb back down, then climb the ladder with the key symbol and you will see a plaque with a time and 3 numbers. Climb down and go back down in the elevator. Look at the other painting to close the secret passage and open the library door.

Go along the path towards the clock tower. Use the gears to set the time to 2:40, then press the red button to raise a walkway. Walk across and flip the final marker switch, then enter the clock tower. There are three levers here, and the goal is to set the display to 2, 2, 1 (from top to bottom). First hold the left front lever down to set the numbers to 1, 1, 1, then hold the right front lever down to set the correct combination. If you make a mistake, the third lever will reset the puzzle. Once the display is correct, the front gear will turn. Now go to the large gear near the dock and use the linking book to travel.

Step outside and look at the control panel with 4 symbols. You can cycle through the available symbols pressing the buttons. Continue into the main structure ahead, which appears to be able to rotate on a large wheel. Follow either one of the passages to reach the brothers' rooms. Both have a secret passage near their throne that allows access to a room containing a red or blue page - take one of these. The right room also contains a Rotation Simulator. To use this, move the left lever to activate the turning mechanism. Move and hold the right lever and you will see the structure turning - let go of the lever near one of the cardinal points, then return the left lever to the lower position and you will hear a noise according to the resting position:

North - Chime
South - Cow Bell
East - Whistle
West - Ratchet

There is a third corridor connecting the two brothers' rooms - enter this and you will see a red button on the wall. Press the button to lower the floor into a staircase, then go down. Approach the control panel and hold down the lever. Note the rotating inner circle on the display to the left. When it aligns with the outer circle it will turn red, and this is the position you need to leave it. When you have done this successfully, climb back up the stairs. Press the red button again, then walk forward into an elevator. Press the up button to take the elevator to the top. Now press the middle button and quickly exit the elevator before it goes down. This allows access to the main rotation controls on top of the elevator.

Use these controls the same way as you used the Rotation Simulator (although this time you must rely on the sounds to identify the resting position). Turn the island to the North first, and go all the way outside to the new island. On this island you will find 2 symbols - write them down. Return to the controls and turn the island to the East, then find the other 2 symbols. Turn the island to the South (original position) and return to the control panel near where you started this Age. Enter the 4 symbols you have seen: incomplete circle, triangle square triangle, circle and three triangles, and semicircle. Now press the button and go down the stairs, using the book to return to the library in normal time. Put the red or blue page in the appropriate book, then review the new message from that book.

If you want to view all possible endings later on, go back into the Mechanical Age and repeat the process to get the other page, inserting it into the other book.

Channelwood Age

Turn the tower on the map to face the tree. Look at the painting nearest to the map and the bookcase will reveal a passage. Go through the passage and into the elevator, then press the button to go up. At the top, climb the ladder with the book symbol to see a view of the tree. Climb back down, then climb the ladder with the key symbol and you will see a plaque with 3 numbers. Climb down and go back down in the elevator. Look at the other painting to close the secret passage and open the library door.

Walk down the forest path and turn left to find a wooden hut. Walk behind it and you will see a large featureless tree. Enter the hut, then turn around and open the safe using the combination 7, 2, 4. Get a match and light it, then turn back to the rest of the room, and use the match to light the furnace. Turn the large wheel to the right until the water pressure rises to maximum and you hear loud noises from outside. Return to the tree and you will see an opening in the tree rising up into the distance. Go back into the hut and turn the wheel to the left, then back outside jump in that opening as it comes past. Wait here and you will reach an underground area containing the linking book; use this to reach the Channelwood Age.

Turn left from the start and you will see a windmill in the distance. Walk towards this, and inside turn the tap on the ground; this will start water flowing through the pipes in this Age. Outside the windmill, follow the pipes and turn the switches to allow water to flow to the first elevator. Get inside and pull the lever to reach the first village level.

On this level, you will find a lever to open a closed door leading to a spiral staircase. Pull this lever, then make your way to the staircase and go down. Open the door at the bottom, then change the water flow to come to this area. Climb back up the staircase, then get in the elevator here and pull the lever to reach the second level.

This level contains rooms for each of the brothers. In Sirrus' room, you will find both his red page and the second half of the important message you received in the Stoneship Age - make sure you write this down. Take either the red page or the blue page in the other room, then go back to the ground level.

Make the water flow to a small generator near where you started this Age. Pull the lever to extend the walkway so you can continue. At the end of this path is another elevator, and a small control to extend a pipe. Use this control, then go back and direct the flow of water into it. Return to this elevator and go up to find the book to return to the library in normal time. Put the red or blue page in the appropriate book, then review the new message from that book.

If you want to view all possible endings later on, go back into the Channelwood Age and repeat the process to get the other page, inserting it into the other book.

Selenitic Age

Turn the tower on the map to face the spaceship. Look at the painting nearest to the map and the bookcase will reveal a passage. Go through the passage and into the elevator, then press the button to go up. At the top, climb the ladder with the book symbol to see a view of the spaceship. Climb back down, then climb the ladder with the key symbol and you will see a plaque with "59 volts" inscribed. Climb down and go back down in the elevator. Look at the other painting to close the secret passage and open the library door.

Walk down the path to the brick building on the right and climb down the stairs. Press the button to enter the generator room. Turn around and look at the numbers for each of the buttons on the panel, then press buttons 4, 7, 8 and 9 to make the displays show 59. If you increase the number too high, you will blow the fuses (in this case, go outside and find 2 towers to climb; on each of them is a lever to pull to reset the fuses). Once you have 59 volts flowing through the wires, go to the spaceship and open the door. Remembering the tune from the book in the library, find the correct notes on the organ (they are 8, 20, 23, 13 and 6 from the bottom in that order). After playing each note, go to the front of the ship and move a slider to the position where the same note is played. Once you have all five correct notes, pull the main lever and the linking book will appear. Use the book to reach the Selenitic Age.

Exit the spaceship, and the door will lock behind you. In this Age you will find 5 microphones scattered on various small islands, each producing a different sound (water, fire, clock, crystal, wind). Press the buttons at each of these to activate them, and also collect either the red page from the crystal microphone, or the blue page from the water microphone.

Once this is done, go down the ladder near the wind microphone, through the tunnel, and up the other ladder to reach a sound receiver. Press each of the square buttons indicating a sound type, then rotate the tower to lock in to that sound. The correct coordinates are water 153.4, fire 130.3, clock 55.6, crystal 15.0 and wind 212.2. Push the larger button at the bottom and you will hear a sequence of these sounds, which you should remember: crystal, water, wind, fire, clock.

Go back to the building nearest the spaceship and look at the controls near the door. Move the sliders up and down to recreate the order you have just heard, then press the button to open the door, and head inside. Enter the small underground ship and press the forward button to get started on your journey. Listen for the sounds generated each time you stop, and recall their meaning from the Mechanical Age:

North - Chime
South - Cow Bell
East - Whistle
West - Ratchet

The sequence of directions you need to travel is N, W, N, E, E, S, S, W, SW, W, NW, NE, N, SE. Exit the ship and use the book to return to the library in normal time. Put the red or blue page in the appropriate book, then review the new message from that book.

If you want to view all possible endings later on, go back into the Selenitic Age and repeat the process to get the other page, inserting it into the other book.

Endgame

The two halves of the important message you found earlier in the game have instructed you to turn each of the marker switches on the island to the "on" position, then go to the dock and turn this one "off". Do this, and you can collect the white page from the pedestal, then return to the library.

Both brothers will have told you to find page 158 in the right book on the middle shelf in the library, so find this and you will see this pattern:

XXOOOOXX
OXXOXOXX
XOXOOOXX
XOOXOOXX
XXOOXXOO
XXXXXOXO

Look at the fireplace, and click where the X's are displayed, then press the red switch to reveal a secret area. There are four possible endings to this game:

• take the red page, return to the library and give it to Sirrus
• take the blue page, return to the library and give it to Achenar
• open the green book and travel to D'Ni without the white page
• open the green book and travel to D'Ni with the white page (good ending)