How Myst Almost Couldn't Run on CD-ROM | War Stories | Ars Technica

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 มี.ค. 2024
  • Cyan Worlds co-founder Rand Miller goes behind the scenes of the development of one of the best selling PC games of all time, Myst. The HyperCard-developed title ran into some snags when trying to run on the CD-ROM format. "I had a really powerful Mac, with a lot of memory and a lot of hard drive space, and we were still working in mud," said Rand, discussing the game's performance early-on. Rand and his brother, Robyn, compressed the image and audio data as much as they could so the game could run smoothly on 1x CD-ROM drives.
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    How Myst Almost Couldn't Run on CD-ROM | War Stories | Ars Technica
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  • @MrBcuzbcuz
    @MrBcuzbcuz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7103

    I’m 74 years old now. I bought Myst when it first came out, the same year my wife died. I was devastated in my sorrow and barely able to function. But I got sucked into the world of Myst and became lost in exploring those fantasy levels. The game kept me sane, no, honestly, I think it kept me sane. Thank you, Miller brothers.

    • @xeldinn86
      @xeldinn86 4 ปีที่แล้ว +281

      Hope you are doing well brother

    • @MrBcuzbcuz
      @MrBcuzbcuz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +405

      Xeldinn Thank you. Yes, Life smiles again.

    • @elit2175
      @elit2175 4 ปีที่แล้ว +239

      This same game was able to allow me to keep my sorrow at bay after my father died in 03. I watched him play it when I was a boy and I played it to remember him. Love and consolation to you my friend.

    • @wholeearthlearningchannel3737
      @wholeearthlearningchannel3737 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Ric Cuzner godbless

    • @MrBcuzbcuz
      @MrBcuzbcuz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +47

      Eli T We seem to have found a similar respite in the webs wound within this marvelous, suspenseful world of MYST. Did you continue with the other worlds?

  • @tayzonday
    @tayzonday 4 ปีที่แล้ว +158

    Great episode! I remember these days!

    • @Mk-xi1vg
      @Mk-xi1vg 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      OMG ITS TAY. CHOCOLATE RAAIIIIIIN

    • @LargeCarTrucker
      @LargeCarTrucker 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Chocolate Raaaaaaiin.

  • @RogerDevine
    @RogerDevine 2 ปีที่แล้ว +228

    I was working in CD-ROM publishing at the time. It's not an understatement to say that everyone I worked with was BLOWN AWAY that this worked so well on a 1x drive.

  • @_GOD_HAND_
    @_GOD_HAND_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +45

    Myst's success owes everything to how talented an artist Robyn Miller is. He captured that Victorian/Neoclassical/Baroque aesthetic decades before it became super trendy.

  • @jacobsoper4708
    @jacobsoper4708 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3392

    Kudos to Ars Technica for seeking out developers to tell these amazing stories. This isn't the kind of material likely to go viral and get heaps of clicks, but it's the definition of quality journalism.

    • @NavinLuke
      @NavinLuke 4 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      I love watching these! Really happy they made this series

    • @safehavenonice6431
      @safehavenonice6431 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      And it's effective advertisement for Firmament. Because odds are if you like Cyan Entertainment you're likely to want to check out their other projects, or at the very least don't mind hearing about them at the end of something related. It's... conversational, in a way that banners and forced viewing just aren't.

    • @PersonManManManMan
      @PersonManManManMan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes

    • @Jack93885
      @Jack93885 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      It might not go viral but it definitely gets clicks. IDEK who Ars Technica is but I know Myst and this is the content I live on youtube for

    • @tzaeru
      @tzaeru 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Quality stuff finds an audience. 300,000 views in four days, not bad at all :)

  • @Nick114K
    @Nick114K 4 ปีที่แล้ว +646

    Playing Myst in '93 felt like opening a wardrobe to find the land of Narnia on the other side. What a magical and captivating experience.

    • @romeolajh1602
      @romeolajh1602 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      had very nice graphic at that time ...i was 8 years old and remember that was so frustrated that i could not solve any puzzle :)

    • @adamwatkins1150
      @adamwatkins1150 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      EXACTLY RIGHT

    • @Maddysublime
      @Maddysublime 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      That's exact,y right I was playing this when I was 4 a yeart I had no idea what I was doing and was clicking around with my dad's help but I was so amazed by the beautiful world for me to explore.

    • @Isoquant
      @Isoquant 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Beautifully put. That is *exactly* what playing Myst felt like in '93!

    • @WhyDidntIInventYT
      @WhyDidntIInventYT 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      having played Myst and read all 7 Narnia books, I can confirm the OP is correct. to those involved in the making of Myst: thanks for bringing dreams to reality!

  • @ECopas
    @ECopas 2 ปีที่แล้ว +72

    I consider Myst an absolute masterpiece of gaming. It still holds a certain magic in my heart today

    • @chillinoutmaxin4630
      @chillinoutmaxin4630 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Me too, and it really is - especially coming out in 1993!! Having played Myst myself so young (age 6-7, a couple years after Myst came out), the enhanting music, surreal animation/graphics, and the fantastical worlds will stay with me forever. Being immersed and all alone in such amazing realms with no one to help me was so unique, and in fact it made it easier for me to get myself through games like The Neverhood, Rayman, Phantasmagoria, Duke Nukem 3d, Shadow Warrior, and Diablo (yes I know, far too young for some of those but most of them had a censor option!), since I was so used to exploring bizarre and eerie locations with no one but myself to depend on.
      If museums exist for video games as art (I'm sure there are) then Myst should be in every single one.

    • @youarepredictable
      @youarepredictable 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Agreed. See my post above.

  • @allanchurm
    @allanchurm 2 ปีที่แล้ว +187

    73 years old.... still loved the way the books made noised when you turned the pages ..one hell of a game Rand Miller thank you for creating such a brilliant adventure game..

    • @MrBcuzbcuz
      @MrBcuzbcuz 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I just downloaded the game,once again , this time to my ipad. Going to see if I can remember some of the codes. (I’m 76 years old now)

    • @redatlas8484
      @redatlas8484 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@MrBcuzbcuz Holy smokes, the legend. 1 year ago to 1 day ago. Hope you are well my dude.

    • @casedistorted
      @casedistorted ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@MrBcuzbcuz it's crazy that there are so many people in their 70's who are commenting here on youtube about Myst. Myst was just one of those games that crossed all boundaries of age or background, everyone was interested in it at the time.

    • @MrBcuzbcuz
      @MrBcuzbcuz ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@casedistorted Thank you for giving a response. Myst made a huge impact on me, as I’ve already stated. It appealed to me on so many levels. I still don’t appreciate first shooter type of games.

  • @davidchristensen6908
    @davidchristensen6908 4 ปีที่แล้ว +700

    This game just took over our house. My wife played during the day and kept notes. I got home had dinner and I got to play. Over dinner we discussed what she has learned and I could read the notes. Our kids would stand next to us and point things out. Touch this touch that it was a tremendous help having our kids assist. My wife and I discussed how lucky we were to be alive at a time that all these parts come together computer, we were not rich but our household could afford one, cd rom drives we could barely afford who ever created this game. All came to this point in time that 100% of our family was working on this puzzle, that by no means is a simple game. Myst is a ball kicker game. Our kids 7, 8 and 11 did not want to watch tv. The way Myst is played the & year old could take a turn playing. Our whole family was working on this puzzle for well over 90 days before the kids started to get bored. Maybe the 11 year old did not last as long. But all of the kids to this day, because of this game when they sit down to play a game bring out pencil and a note book for notes. To this day our family talk about the game we all worked on at a family together.

    • @coffee7180
      @coffee7180 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      great story.

    • @UnitCodesChannel
      @UnitCodesChannel 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      What we want:-
      Myst: Connecting People..
      What we get:-
      Facebook: Connecting People..

    • @dinoschachten
      @dinoschachten 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      That's really beautiful! :)

    • @EskaOF
      @EskaOF 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Really beautiful story. Reminds me of how much my favourite games meant to me when I was a kid.;whole new worlds to inhabit.

    • @aneurysm234
      @aneurysm234 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      I have the same story and memories as you, except from the kids perspective! My parents played this game all the time when my sister and I was young, and they would keep notes between themselves and my sister and I would watch them play and help them out in the same ways you described. We had so much fun with it and eventually when we finally finished it, my sister and I would play the game for years to come using our parents old notes to help us out. Especially the maze! Thanks for your story, it really brought back some great memories for me.

  • @penzcrazier
    @penzcrazier 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1008

    I remember my grandfather playing Myst back in the early 90’s. He had a notebook full of notes and diagrams trying to get through the world. He was so meticulous with it. He eventually beat it and move on to Riven and Exile. I believe they were just about the only games he ever played.

    • @jordonburk284
      @jordonburk284 4 ปีที่แล้ว +115

      I remember Myst, and he might have been drawn to it the same way I was. For me it wasn't a puzzle game, it felt like an investigation, or like archeology almost. You found something and didn't just think where you need to use it, but also why you would use it as well. Some of the puzzles were more abstract then others, but at its absolute best it was a mystery in an unfamiliar world, and more importantly a world that did not exist FOR you. It always had the feeling that the it was already there, and that it would continue to be there after you left.
      Those buildings were built with a purpose, that mechanism makes sense. It has a mechanical and mystical weight too it so it never felt like puzzles, I never 'completed' a puzzle, instead I understood the world a tiny bit more, and that revelation would lead to another, and another. Everything that the story is about has happened already, and you aren't actually as part of it as unlike in other games YOU are the story, and instead you are learning how it and the world as a whole worked, and how to make your way through technology you didn't understand.
      At least that is how I always felt, and I get the feeling he may have had a similar draw too it. Many people have interpreted it in so many ways that there isn't really a right or wrong one. But the stranger in a strange land, just trying to make their way through and the slowly piece together how it all works, that is the emotion and mindset that it put me in, and as curiosity takes over and the human need to understand starts trying to push deeper and deeper and deeper.
      I wonder how other people felt playing Myst, it is almost like the story feels a little different for each person, and I kinda love that. Clearly so did your grandfather!
      Sorry for the small wall of text, but I hope other people, however they interpreted it loved it just as much as me!

    • @JonWayes
      @JonWayes 4 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Jordon Burk
      I relate. I was young and loved playing it because of just about everything your comment covers.
      The mystique of the barren land with many workable components alongside background noise/music captured my attention. Ironically, my failure as a kid to understand the purpose of everything made me enjoy it that much more. Good memories 🙂

    • @3DJapan
      @3DJapan 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Yep, I had several pages of hand written notes I took while playing.

    • @Jim26D
      @Jim26D 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Hardest part of the game was the train tracks for me

    • @herbhungry7565
      @herbhungry7565 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      My dad was the same way. Only games I ever remember him actually playing. He always supported my gaming though.

  • @sonniquickpianoimprov2231
    @sonniquickpianoimprov2231 2 ปีที่แล้ว +167

    I became addicted to Myst in my late 30's. I'm 67 now. It was such a wonderful place to"live". My husband and I played all the games. Our little squee still sits on the desktop computer tower. We recently played Myst again on Steam, but not having to click pictures to advance. We still have the CD's but it's too low tech for computers today. The series was a major part of our lives for years. Seeing moving water was fantastic. I enjoyed walking through the worlds not even playing, just living there and listening to the music and sounds.

    • @LesismoreFL
      @LesismoreFL 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Have you found a way to download it online and play again? I would love that...

    • @supersayre
      @supersayre 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Myst was formative for me. I was 7 when it came out. I remember playing it before school in the mornings and being completely stymied by Channelwood. It, and Riven, remain my favorite games (and I've played a lot.) Really love seeing folks from different walks talk about what these games were (and are) to them.

    • @jaycooper5338
      @jaycooper5338 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@LesismoreFL It's on Steam

    • @LesismoreFL
      @LesismoreFL 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@jaycooper5338 Thanks SO MUCH Jay. I appreciate the info!

    • @LesismoreFL
      @LesismoreFL 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@jaycooper5338 WTF?! I went to Steam, enteterd all the required things, installed everything, and MYST will still not load (click PLAY NOW). I'm SO frustrated that I've requested a refund.
      HELP?

  • @telengardforever7783
    @telengardforever7783 2 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    "Myst" and "The 7th Guest" basically ran constantly on my Packard Bell 486DX2-66. That was the only time in my life where I wore down a CD-ROM drive to the point where I had to manually spin up the disc with my own fingers.

  • @NeoRazor
    @NeoRazor 4 ปีที่แล้ว +539

    I remember when I was playing Myst as a kid, I could "cheat" because I could tell when something important or interactive was nearby because the CD-ROM would take an extra second to seek! I used that to find a lot of hidden buttons or whatever.

  • @richardholton9084
    @richardholton9084 4 ปีที่แล้ว +586

    My wife went away for the weekend. As soon as she was gone, I ran to the computer store to buy a cdrom player, for $300 and Myst and spent the entire weekend playing. What a great memory.

    • @Supercecco85
      @Supercecco85 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      Ahahahahahahah

    • @singatias
      @singatias 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      you can buy the digital version on gog dot com so you don't need to buy a cdrom player.

    • @Supercecco85
      @Supercecco85 4 ปีที่แล้ว +72

      @@singatias guess he s talking about 1994

    • @singatias
      @singatias 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

      @@Supercecco85 possibly but it still useful information for nowdays

    • @Agret
      @Agret 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@singatias I got realMyst on Steam sale it's a great 3D remaster of Myst

  • @Subxenox15
    @Subxenox15 2 ปีที่แล้ว +298

    He really nailed how at least I experienced Myst. I never got off the first island, I didn't even KNOW there were more islands lol..I still put DAYS into it just exploring, it was mind blowing.

    • @nlx78
      @nlx78 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I didn't play MYst that much. I did play Riven however (sequel) and while I knew there were more places to go, after a while I got stuck with some puzzle. I loved (had a new stereo back then) the sound of going into the tube to travel between some of the island I did unlock. So, the next time I was in a game store, I bought a booklet/walkthrough in a game shop (while I normally played PC, I had this on PlayStation 1, so must have been 1997 or so). But, that kind of ruined it for me in another way. This because after some attempts on other things that might have been solvable when I really wanted, I looked it up just to be able to continue.Self-control was never one of my best features. ;)
      Was cleaning out my closets this Sunday and while I didn't come across that walkthrough (probably at my parents house still) but did find Final Fantasy VII. Looking at it now, it says “Free 68-page guide with Powerstation”, I have no clue what Powerstation was, a magazine I guess. Will read it through again this weekend or so, lots of storyline in there, not so many pics. Also found SimCIty 2000 World Edition 164 pages, but I think that game in the CD Rom case. Oh, and found some old porn mags and dvd's :)

    • @TheSixStringGuy
      @TheSixStringGuy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@nlx78 you still want those porn mags? Lmao

    • @tphillips37
      @tphillips37 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      There were more islands?

    • @115spt2
      @115spt2 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      u suk

    • @fergusof
      @fergusof 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@nlx78 I threw my porn mags out. And by "I," I mean my wife! :(

  • @maren2651
    @maren2651 2 ปีที่แล้ว +37

    I remember watching my brother and cousins playing this game whenever we visited our grandparents. I was never allowed to play because I was only 5 or 6, but it was magical for me. Thank you for creating something so wonderful.

    • @SeranaKnight
      @SeranaKnight 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Same here, I have an insane love for libraries, books and cherry wood finished architecture because of this game.

    • @bahadortanzif8932
      @bahadortanzif8932 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yes

  • @AlekseyLoykuts
    @AlekseyLoykuts 4 ปีที่แล้ว +832

    Never played Myst, cause it costs a fortune in Russia for a kid to have it. All i could do was to reread pc magazine with 2 pages about over and over. Remember walking by CD shop starring at this box, wondering about worlds inside. Now making my own adventure game. Thanks for Myst and this video.

    • @sbstoner
      @sbstoner 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      its crazy to think of only knowing the box art. but its very telling from just that one image.

    • @defcodeOne
      @defcodeOne 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I was the same with computer gaming and video magazine (must look it up to see if it still exists) looking at all the Sega and Super Nintendo games, reading reviews and art work. Ah life :)

    • @amsan7710
      @amsan7710 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Shorah b'shemtee. Greetings from France. You can download Myst online from Cyan's website. It's free. And welcome in D'ni ages. Link to Ae'Gura you will discover a very nice community...

    • @maaariiia
      @maaariiia 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Maybe one day you'll make some money with the skills you learn by creating your own game... and then you can buy all of the Myst games :)

    • @TriggaP123
      @TriggaP123 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      No.... One day Aleksey Loykuts,people one day will watch a video about you being a great game creator inspired by Myst just like We all watched this one for Rand and Robyn and Myst.

  • @danielmesa2102
    @danielmesa2102 2 ปีที่แล้ว +393

    I love the humility of this guy. He has the spirit of a true artist. We need more passionate gaming creators experimenting and breaking artistic boundaries.

    • @DimitriosChannel
      @DimitriosChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yup first thing I noticed within secs.

    • @McVaio
      @McVaio 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Humility? His whole story is about how much of a success it was and how much of an amazing achievement they'd done.

    • @DimitriosChannel
      @DimitriosChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@McVaio You're reading it wrong.

    • @roderickcampbell2105
      @roderickcampbell2105 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@DimitriosChannel I agree Dimitrios. Richard was reading it wrong. Humility and pride are not exclusive to each other.

    • @tonywoodhouse6988
      @tonywoodhouse6988 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      That lunar lander game was the first computer game I ever saw too. It was open on an Open University terminal at Luton College in about 1974. I was so hooked I went home and plotted dozens of graphs in order to plan the perfect landing. My technique was to let the lander drop under gravity until the point I calculated and then apply maximum thrust in order to reach the surface at zero m/sec. I tried it the next week and it worked and it also spurred me into a change of career from chemistry into computers. Thanks lunar lander, I owe it all to you.

  • @S3TVproductions
    @S3TVproductions 2 ปีที่แล้ว +122

    also wasnt as easy to just google the solution when you got stuck, you really had to work it out

    • @koepketube
      @koepketube 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      The phone number for Hints and Tips was on the CD. It's a 1-900 number meaning your phone bill was going to be a thick envelope that month. Those are the calls where you try to set the pace of speaking preemptively. th-cam.com/video/EWX5B6cD4_4/w-d-xo.html

    • @The_Obvious_Solution
      @The_Obvious_Solution 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Or go to Babbages and pay $20 for the "Strategy Guide".

    • @CoreysChannel
      @CoreysChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@The_Obvious_Solution yes! I would buy the strategy guide if they had it a microcenter. My friend and I would call the 900 number if we absolutely had to. We'd pay for it out of our allowance and get permission first knowing how bad a 900 number would look on the phone bill!

  • @johnshaft5613
    @johnshaft5613 2 ปีที่แล้ว +66

    Boy this brings back memories. I was killing time on a computer at my in-law's house, and they had this game installed. I had never before played a computer game. Myst grabbed me immediately. I couldn't walk away. The mood of the game was completely immersive.

    • @KarlKatten
      @KarlKatten 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Ken.- Wow Ken, what a hot take

    • @crabspriteberry9572
      @crabspriteberry9572 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@KarlKatten What'd he say?

  • @McMeatBag
    @McMeatBag 4 ปีที่แล้ว +375

    Finally. TH-cam actually suggested something interesting.

    • @MD-xl1sq
      @MD-xl1sq 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Yeah, remember when TH-cam used to do that? I miss those days.

    • @owenwalker1774
      @owenwalker1774 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Right?

    • @SuperTime2Change
      @SuperTime2Change 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's no joke. Solid truth there.

    • @nomadautodidact
      @nomadautodidact 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I hate that about algorithms. They think they know what I want so I don't ever really get recommended new exciting ideas. It just pigeon holes me. Its almost offensive in a weird way.

  • @naur87
    @naur87 2 ปีที่แล้ว +405

    i didn't comprehend the puzzle solving as a kid... but those graphics stayed with me to this day.
    the atmosphere of myst, little big adventure, alone in the dark and ecstatica gave me big chills back then.

    • @colinlabriegagne7094
      @colinlabriegagne7094 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      same. as an 8 year old child i dug this up from my father's old dusty cd cases. he had been unimpressed with the game, but i booted it up anyway on his 2000's mac os and just wandered around the main island. couldn't get into one of the worlds, or solve any puzzle, but i kept coming back to the rocket, because i loved space. many years later i went back into this game with walkthroughs and just got absolutely lost in these universes. it sparked my imagination like crazy.

    • @Rhamirezz85
      @Rhamirezz85 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Little Big Adventure and Little Big Adventure 2 I loved to play... Soo long ago thou ;)

    • @thebookwasbetter3650
      @thebookwasbetter3650 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There was a parody game out after it called PYST.

    • @AenimaToolhead
      @AenimaToolhead 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I watched my Dad play this game when I was as young as I can remember and the visuals and atmosphere of the game may have been one of the biggest impacts on my imagination. I'm glad to hear about others who were affected in the same way.

    • @rparkerjr77
      @rparkerjr77 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I was too young to get it as well, and I remember being frustrated by how long certain things took to load. I’d love to give it a play now.
      The game The Witness reminds me of it a lot.

  • @rcourtney3
    @rcourtney3 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    37 years old right now and I remember when my cousin and I tried day after day to figure out Myst. What an exciting time!

  • @Erik_The_Viking
    @Erik_The_Viking 2 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    Myst was an amazing game for its day. Love the interview with Rand - what a down to Earth person. You can feel his passion for his work.

    • @rustykoenig3566
      @rustykoenig3566 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      For its day? If I plugged it in right NOW I would be sucked into it just like I was back then! Even though it was still images the graphics were still amazing and paired with the ambient sounds and music....

  • @OblivionsMemories
    @OblivionsMemories 4 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    Riven ignited my passion for gaming as a child, starting 30 years of diving further and further into the industry. I'm now working with a friend to start creating games of our own and I could not be more grateful to this man and his brother. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for sparking joy in millions.

    • @riaranta3150
      @riaranta3150 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Rachel S if Riven ignites the passion then I’m definitely excited to see what games you create 👍🏻

  • @TheXev
    @TheXev 4 ปีที่แล้ว +214

    I have played many violent video games in my life...
    ...Myst is the game where I learned how to swear.

    • @erikbrowne8341
      @erikbrowne8341 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      LOL

    • @gorgolyt
      @gorgolyt 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yeah, because it had such bad game design.

    • @JonWayes
      @JonWayes 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      TheXev
      Thank You for my first outward laugh of the day 😆
      While I’m unable to relate, I can understand your perspective.

    • @sophierobinson2738
      @sophierobinson2738 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      TheXev I cheated sometimes and used a walk through.

    • @riaranta3150
      @riaranta3150 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      TheXev lmao yup

  • @McStebb
    @McStebb 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    I've been struggling with confidence lately, whether or not I'm cut out to actually fulfill my dream of making video games for a living... but your message at the end really reassured me. The fact that I'm only 30, and you're literally twice my age and still making great games is deeply reassuring to me. I'm glad that this video was made.

  • @spevakdesigns
    @spevakdesigns 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I was literally just talking about Myst with my dad the other day! We had it on our family's computer growing up and my little brother and I would take turns playing for hours. It was a great exercise in problem solving and logic based puzzles. We loved it and I think it contributed to shaping both of us into who we are today. Cool getting to hear this backstory years later as a young adult!!

  • @jakelacour
    @jakelacour 4 ปีที่แล้ว +505

    Myst was a masterpiece. I remember playing it as a kid and the imagery is forever in my memory.

    • @Andyw1228
      @Andyw1228 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Funny enough that it even was no real game, only a click-book...

    • @nvrndingsmmr
      @nvrndingsmmr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @@Andyw1228 Dont be stupid. Anything can be a game.

    • @Andyw1228
      @Andyw1228 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@nvrndingsmmr sure it is a game, but beyond the surface it is what I wrote: a click book.

    • @dstanl
      @dstanl 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I found it so frustrating!

    • @noaimnoskillnokill3947
      @noaimnoskillnokill3947 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I was too late to the party. I played more interesting RPGs before so Myst wasn't my type of game. But the visuals were great tbf

  • @BryantMitchell
    @BryantMitchell 4 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    The Rand brothers are legends in my mind. You knew a game was serious when it included a book for note taking.

  • @frankpannacchione2568
    @frankpannacchione2568 2 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    I loved this game when I was a kid. I was so amazed when it came out. I used to play it until the sun came up the next day! Thank you for sharing. I talk to my kids about how wonderful the game was. I used to sleep to the sound effects by the beach. The crashing of the waves... It was beautifully done. Thank you for the gift you gave us.

    • @amandaburleson2035
      @amandaburleson2035 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      dude it wasnt that good, any game you can buy these days has much better graphics and sound design you can sleep to, you only liked this game cus you played it when you were young, no one these days will like to play this trash....

    • @beastslayer9153
      @beastslayer9153 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@amandaburleson2035 dude you are missing the point entirely this game was the first of its kind and very special not only to the people that used it but the gaming industry as a whole you should have more respect for how and why things are the way they are now it of course doesnt have the graphics and sound of todays games but it was freekin 30 years ago mostly likely 3 times older than you oh and guess what i dont have to use capitalization or punctuation either its so wonderful what you kids take for granted.

    • @amandaburleson2035
      @amandaburleson2035 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@beastslayer9153 at least we agree on somehting, punctuation and grammar are not needed, i didnt even notice you didnt use proper grammar, nor did i care, i still understood what you said, and all im saying is this game was all hype. it was for the normies of the time. much better games were already out.

    • @beastslayer9153
      @beastslayer9153 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@amandaburleson2035 It was much more realistic looking than Duke Nuke'm and everything else out there at the time.

  • @alistairmcelwee7467
    @alistairmcelwee7467 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I played this in ‘93/‘94. It was just so unlike any computer game I’d seen before, and it was completely engrossing. It was this lonely world that you traveled to then quite difficult puzzles were inflicted on you. I gave copies to friends because I was so enthusiastic about it. Those were the days of Spaceship Warlock and The 7th Guest. Gosh, I guess that’s almost three decades ago. How time flies.

    • @youarepredictable
      @youarepredictable 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      @alistairmcelwee7467 Hold smokes...the 7th Guest! I also played and loved that game!!!

  • @jeremystone36
    @jeremystone36 4 ปีที่แล้ว +393

    Such an outstanding interview! This game is a masterpiece.

    • @LukeVilent
      @LukeVilent 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Never seen a War Story that wasn't in a way outstanding.

    • @hycron1234
      @hycron1234 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Jeremy Stone - It really is.

    • @jmd1743
      @jmd1743 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Rand has so much passion.

    • @revinar5838
      @revinar5838 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @Austin Downing Was alive and you're wrong and wrong

    • @lilwyvern4
      @lilwyvern4 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Good thing there's a...masterpiece edition. :D

  • @sabinew239
    @sabinew239 4 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    18:24 I'm one of those!!! RAND and ROBYN, I hope you're seeing this!
    I remember my parents in the 90s playing Myst, me being maybe around 7 and way too young to get it but I LOVED it, the places were so beautiful, the music eery, the atmosphere was so stunning and captivating. When I was old enough, computers were too advanced to run the first part, but I did manage to play through the others. When I was 21 I got my hands on a PSP and a copy of the game and boy did I play it through! I spent every free minute on it. I recognized all the places from my childhood, all the impossible puzzles from back then suddenly clicked into place. A thousand light bulbs wrapped into nostalgia went off.
    A few years later I built a copy of Myst Island in Minecraft, including most of the puzzles (though crudely simplified).
    MYST has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I love the game and everything that came with, all the milestones it represents. Many of my generation don't appreciate it and most don't even know it, but that doesn't change how I feel about it.

    • @bodie12333
      @bodie12333 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      That's awesome if you ever get a chance you should upload the minecraft, myst

  • @HarryJVaughn3
    @HarryJVaughn3 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    My best friend and I stayed up almost all weekend playing Myst. A part of childhood I'll never forget. I remember getting so lost within that wonderful world. Thanks for the memories guys!

  • @Elliandr
    @Elliandr 2 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    When I was a child in the 90's I saw the comic, "Myst: Book of the Black Ships" and bought it immediately. It was then that I fell in love with the story. I then bought the 3 Novels in hard cover and read them repeatedly. If I stopped reading them it was only to try and forget a bit of it so I could read them again fresh. That set was eventually stolen so I bought two new sets to replace them, although their condition wasn't as good as my original set.
    I printed out every short story from the website of Atrus' journals and I still have them kept to this day.
    I read the books so much that I once had a dream of watching a Myst movie. In the dream I saw an opening cinematic of a camera panning to the left with rock in the background panning to a cave opening a contrast of dark rock and lighter dark background with a bluish tint and then I saw the Myst title and I got so excited I woke up.
    I then bought the games. Yes, with my own money I saved up for on my own computer that I saved up for. I must have spent a few years waiting. Honestly, I didn't like the Game play nearly as much as I liked the story, but I still enjoyed it. I liked the online game, but I think I would have liked it more if it was a local network game since it really didn't feel like it fit the MMO model.
    I was excited when I learned that a new book was being written, then disappointed when it never materialized. If they launched a Kickstarter to fund the novels continuation I'd buy at least a dozen up front no matter how many years I'd have to wait to read it.
    When I learned that Myst reached limited run games for the Nintendo Switch I bought a copy to play and a copy to remain sealed as a collectors edition. I will do the same with Riven and any other game in the series they port.
    Suffice to say I'm a fan.

    • @soentrueman7944
      @soentrueman7944 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I absolutely love the books as well, in fact, I'm probably more of a fan of the books than the games! I read the books after playing all of the Myst games, and they were so good I've read them all at least 3 times.

  • @KimberlyBorgeSD
    @KimberlyBorgeSD 4 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    Myst will forever be my favorite game series of all time. I'm still trying to finish Obduction, and I'm drooling over the world of Firmament! I even own the novels, and an art book. Everytime I pick up a book, a CD-ROM box, or hear those iconic Myst sounds, I can't help but be hypnotized.

    • @Rockovissi
      @Rockovissi 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Kimberly Borge I have Obduction but I feel so bad that I just could not get into it. I’m really looking forward to Firmament though, especially in VR!

    • @Krystalmyth
      @Krystalmyth 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I never understood it. It was always so unstimulating to me. But I suppose that was perhaps the thing people like about it? If I explored a world, I had to feel like there was something for me to learn, create, and change. Without failure the place has no expectation of me. Without danger there's no fear of being alone in an unknown world. All the dreariness and mood is pointless if there is no risk and loss. Eventually it just patronizes you. Your puzzles aren't meant to keep you from achieving your goals, they are the goals... Just odd for me, needing as soon many games give why Myst does, and richer. I suppose it came at the right time.

    • @Rockovissi
      @Rockovissi 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Krystal Myth The fact that there was no danger was revelation in a video game. You were free to explore and figure things out at your own pace, without worry or concern, you could just exist. It was a very new concept at the time and very freeing.

  • @sikliztailbunch
    @sikliztailbunch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +84

    I think the reason why this game sold so well even if most people never finished it was the look. It was a glimpse into the future of how games will look. 3D raytracing games nowadays are common and graphics allone are no longer a reason to buy a game. But back in the days, render graphics fueled my imagination of what else might be possible in the future. And now I am an adult and a 3D artist. Thank you Miller brothers for paving the way for so many others back in the days.

    • @thesoundsmith
      @thesoundsmith 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I bought Grand Theft Auto just in time for Covid because I wanted to drive their universe, which so resembles a photo-realistic Central California. I never got to the point of just driving around, but I still watch TH-cam replays for the scenery....

    • @sikliztailbunch
      @sikliztailbunch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@thesoundsmith I finished GTA a long time ago but every now and then, I just take a ride to enjoy the landscape as well :-D

    • @VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
      @VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      People for sure still buy games for graphics. It's even more important than ever, as we are getting so photo real in some games. It's drawing us into the world and aweing us like never before. Myst had atmosphere like no other. It was believable. You felt like you were there, you felt a part of the world, that was the huge selling point. Never before had games pulled you into the world like that. But yes the graphics too were quite something to look at and helped a lot with that. It did amaze people.

    • @sikliztailbunch
      @sikliztailbunch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM In a few years, graphics will not be able to evolve any further. When we reached a point where we can just show anything on the screen. It´s not far into the future. I hope then, devs will finally come up with good gameplay again. I am bored of photorealism nowadays. It doesn´t make the game better. I still play games from the 90s and they are more fun than modern day graphics showoffs with no gameplay depth

    • @DimitriosChannel
      @DimitriosChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      So true. Then we got Trespasser, Half-Life etc....

  • @tanamango320
    @tanamango320 2 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I have such a huge respect for Rand Miller. I played Myst and Riven when I had like 10 years old and it always has been such a big inspiration for me. Thank you for this episode !

  • @jennrossotti8920
    @jennrossotti8920 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    I was obsessed with this game in high school. I just played it on the Oculus for the first time in twenty years and it was so amazing. I had forgotten how to solve most of the puzzles so it was like playing it again for the first time only now I felt like I was literally on the island of Myst. If you loved this game you have to play it in VR.

  • @NameThatNobodyTakes
    @NameThatNobodyTakes 4 ปีที่แล้ว +88

    Myst is such a great experience just for the fact that I had to write down notes. I still have a self-drawn map of that one underground system where the game tells you that it would take "years" to explore which gave me enough motivation to explore it completely as I didn't want to miss anything because seeing a new image was always such a delight - I believe this aspect is something that many new games have lost nowadays namely that seeing a new section of a game should feel really special

    • @erikwestrheim804
      @erikwestrheim804 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yes, great feeling in myst, drawings and notes all over the desk of outmost importanse :0)

    • @AmirASD
      @AmirASD 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Yes. I think I still have those same notes and drawings. So awesome.

    • @kosterix123
      @kosterix123 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      All games I find worth playing have a notebook. It’s part of the fun!

  • @shaunmorgan2202
    @shaunmorgan2202 4 ปีที่แล้ว +251

    I bought Myst and Riven. To this day I think "I'll finish those games at some point"

    • @kirknelson156
      @kirknelson156 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      every now and then I dig out my Myst CD and give it a go for a few hours to a few days.

    • @ebridgewater
      @ebridgewater 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Riven.

    • @shaunmorgan2202
      @shaunmorgan2202 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ebridgewater fair play, I tried to edit it twice and spell checker altered it 😁

    • @simonf943
      @simonf943 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Played myst and loved it. Played Riven and loved it but was so bummed that you had to change CDs so often that I stopped playing it.

    • @kraeckelium
      @kraeckelium 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Myst is great, Riven is awesome but I recommend playing these games with someone together. It's much more fun to figure this out with someone you really like to hang around with and discus things.

  • @teeheeteeheeish
    @teeheeteeheeish 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    I have to say I’m really happy for these guys. It makes me happy that they had success and I wish the best for them

  • @ronaldnimon3526
    @ronaldnimon3526 2 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    I still remember playing Myst on my old XT -- It seemed so real that when remembering parts of it it seemed more like remembering something I saw in real world experience

  • @Camdavis11
    @Camdavis11 4 ปีที่แล้ว +223

    He's a gosh darn genius. Listen to his design theory. It blows my mind. Don't design levels or puzzles; design a "history" to your world that includes those puzzles. Don't just add story arbitrarily, tell the story of the world around you natrually through contextualization.
    It's absolutely brilliant.

    • @abraxasvoice440
      @abraxasvoice440 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Dude i ate all books in myst riven and exile so the entire story and worlds were in my head while exploring and solving puzzles!!

    • @pygmalioninvenus6057
      @pygmalioninvenus6057 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Dark Souls

    • @JohnDoe-vi1im
      @JohnDoe-vi1im 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Many modern game developers could learn something from that guy.

    • @nomore6167
      @nomore6167 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      He also did what most "developers" nowadays refuse to do -- care about your customers and program your game for them. Specifically, he knew or had a good idea of the computers people would have and he did everything he could to ensure a good-performing experience on that hardware. Nowadays, "developers" just say "upgrade your system". They don't care if their game requires a new $2000 computer or a $600 video card.
      The same can be said for "programmers" in general nowadays. Nobody optimizes anything and they all just assume that everyone will be willing (and financially able) to buy a new computer every year to be able to run new software. For some reason, nobody seems to question why software isn't blazing fast when new computers keep getting more powerful. They just accept that each new version of software keeps getting bigger, slower, and more bloated with "features" nobody wants.
      The industry has lost the "tinkerers" -- the people who wanted to find out how the hardware works and push it to its limits, the people who wanted to do things nobody had done before. Nowadays, everyone wants to do as little work as possible to get as rich as possible.

    • @Guy_W
      @Guy_W 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      The way you summed it up here is personally inspiring. Thanks.

  • @lobabobloblaw
    @lobabobloblaw 4 ปีที่แล้ว +32

    I met Rand and Robyn Miller when I was in the 8th grade. The Book of Atrus had just been released, and they were doing a tour-one of their stops was at the defunct Tower Books in Portland, OR. I told them I wanted to be a graphic designer, and Rand encouraged me to steer close to my passions. I did, kind of! But I’ll never forget that meeting. Such cool people, and I’ll always hope for a new MYST.

    • @Mewzard
      @Mewzard 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      While it's not a Myst title exactly, they are working on a new game right now called Firmament. If you want a Myst type of adventure game, that is coming down the line.

    • @the_hanged_clown
      @the_hanged_clown 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@Mewzard thank you

    • @amandaobrien2405
      @amandaobrien2405 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Mewzard ARE YOU SERIOUS!!’ OMG I TOTALLY WANNA TRY IT

    • @amandaobrien2405
      @amandaobrien2405 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Alex Voigt I LOVED that book! It made me want to retry the game but I couldn’t.

    • @Mewzard
      @Mewzard 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@amandaobrien2405 Yeah, it's still being worked on, though they did put out Obduction back in...2016 as well, if you want something to tide you over until then. You may see a familiar face or two in that game, lol.

  • @TheRedRaven_
    @TheRedRaven_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    This game is a timeless masterpiece. I remember sitting there as a young boy trying to figure out the puzzles, at the same time creeped out by the atmosphere of this game which at the time was incredible. Honestly, the game aged well and the remake (latest) is really well done.

    • @hyplerai
      @hyplerai 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Me too, I played this when I was 7 on a Mac emulator in amiga OS which was insane at the time

  • @andydawg2655
    @andydawg2655 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Remember actually getting the old pen and paper out to solve these puzzles. Was great times.

  • @Xceloverdose
    @Xceloverdose 2 ปีที่แล้ว +84

    Myst was my late mother's favorite (only!) Computer game. She would spend hours on it and would ask me to come over to help her resolve the hard puzzles. Myst was such an amazing and captivating world. It really set the standard for this style of game and fantasy art worlds. Truly iconic.

    • @suicidebylifestyle9267
      @suicidebylifestyle9267 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Read the books!

    • @Xceloverdose
      @Xceloverdose 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@suicidebylifestyle9267 I wasn't aware they existed. Just checked them out online. Will definitely get them! Thanks!

    • @suicidebylifestyle9267
      @suicidebylifestyle9267 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Xceloverdose You're in for a treat! if you remember this post, let me know how you like them when you're done.

    • @dreamworkisteamwork
      @dreamworkisteamwork 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Is Myst only available in PCs? I used to play this ages ago. I now have Nintendo switch just recently, would love to play this on switch

  • @harkejuice
    @harkejuice 2 ปีที่แล้ว +101

    I played Myst when I was maybe 12 years old at a party where the grown-ups leave you alone with the other kids. It was and still is the most haunting, magical game I've ever played. Since then I've played every sequel and nothing is more satisfying than getting a puzzle right and seeing everything come together. The music has always haunted me and especially in Riven, some of those vistas will stay with me forever.

    • @rustykoenig3566
      @rustykoenig3566 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      No.... it is not the most haunting and magical game..... RIVEN! the sequel to it was lol. The same format and movie animation embedded into the actual gameplay... and the world.... was.... Myst on sterroids.... But ya.... I still never actually ever "finished" Myst either.... lol.

    • @harkejuice
      @harkejuice 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      ​@@rustykoenig3566 I didn't ask you.

    • @PhylusIan
      @PhylusIan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@harkejuice Hahahaha

    • @rustykoenig3566
      @rustykoenig3566 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@harkejuice I guess you didn't have the chance to play Riven.... usually the sequel to anything usually sucks.. but Riven's story just literally expands upon the Myst story (not the same world but stories are connected.) They introduced actual "motion" and yet it was the same as Myst... only in some spots instead of a picture fading to the next picture it "takes" you to the next point with actual "motion" of traveling there. Everything Myst was they went over the top of everything that made Myst great and pulled Riven OUT of it. I absolutely LOVED both of the games.

    • @harkejuice
      @harkejuice 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@rustykoenig3566 Did you even read my post, I've played everything they've made. I love Riven, but we're talking about Myst here. I even played URU when it was online. Yes it was awful.

  • @melissam0ss
    @melissam0ss 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Omgoodness!! I love finding these videos! Love you Rand! Your videos changed and ENHANCED my life!! I’m 66 this year and I backed the 25 anniversary complete Myst set on Kickstarter! It’s the pride and focal point in my living room!! Thank you 🙏🏽

  • @stampscapes
    @stampscapes 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    The art direction on Riven sure was something. There's a book called "From Myst to Riven" that covers a lot of what went into the game that I found fascinating and always remembered and incorporated into my own designing strategies. One of them was going out into the field to take photographs of textures. I think there's a photo of their team taking a picture of rocks or something like that.

  • @walt4670
    @walt4670 4 ปีที่แล้ว +41

    It's like a parallel to how filmmakers in the early eras of cinema (Buster Keaton, e.g.) were so inventive in their art, because they had to come up with all kinds of clever ways to circumvent the technological limits in front of them to achieve the vision they had.

  • @pirsquar58
    @pirsquar58 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    I was 12 when Myst came out, I didn't even have a computer, but my friend did. I was hanging out at his house and he showed it to me.
    That opening narration blew my mind and still stays with me now.
    "I realized the moment I fell into the fissure that the book would not be destroyed as I had planned..."

  • @danacoleman4007
    @danacoleman4007 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    My best friend and I played this game together when it came out. we were about 20 years old and we would sit up late at night in his parents dining room just soaking it in! what a wonderful memory! thank you for that!

  • @chrisjfox8715
    @chrisjfox8715 2 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    Having loved Myst during my formative years as an early teen, it's really interesting to hear about the challenges that developers went through to make my gaming experience seamless and immersive. I think I had a 4X speed cd rom at the time.

  • @torq21
    @torq21 4 ปีที่แล้ว +74

    "Catherine my love, I have to leave quickly..." Just goose bumps all over.

    • @michaelserebreny454
      @michaelserebreny454 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      torq21 What do you see, Atrus?

    • @abraxasvoice440
      @abraxasvoice440 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ."I realized the moment i fell into the fissure....that the book will not be destroyed as i planned"

    • @michaelserebreny454
      @michaelserebreny454 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Abraxas Voice it continued falling into that starry expanse of which I had only a fleeting glimpse....

    • @abraxasvoice440
      @abraxasvoice440 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@michaelserebreny454 ..this was more than a game to me!!😪😪😪

    • @michaelserebreny454
      @michaelserebreny454 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Abraxas Voice Myst is a way of living and breathing; a way of seeing and understanding the great tree on which we live every day of this life and the next.

  • @cailreagh9398
    @cailreagh9398 4 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    "I may not get it right, and that's okay."
    SO inspiration. Love that mentality.
    Great video.

  • @jamieseed3851
    @jamieseed3851 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Myst was an absolutely game changing unforgettable experience at that time. Really cool to see the creators here and also him mentioning HyperCard and Seventh Guest. I thought Seventh Guest was incredible at the time as well but it hasn't held up and become as iconic as Myst.

  • @frisiidescendant2200
    @frisiidescendant2200 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    1988 - the year I was born.. 8 years later my father and I picked up Myst.. We spent months, maybe a year and a half to complete / finish Myst. We made drawings, wrote entire journals to get through the journey that Myst was. We managed to complete the game without using a single hint or walkthrough and it has been one of the most magical times to be able to play through that journey that Myst is. Thank you for the memories of a lifetime! Myst truly was and still is a Masterpiece.

  • @veerchasm1
    @veerchasm1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I kept expecting him to say “Bring me blue pages!”
    Loved the books and music CD that were tied to Myst

  • @Mackinstyle
    @Mackinstyle 4 ปีที่แล้ว +119

    An ingredient of success they completely miss is that in an era where "oh just get the developers to be the actors", most games were terrible and schlocky. But the Millers really kind of nailed the roles.

    • @iinRez
      @iinRez 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Rand is and always will be Atrus.

    • @bjfincher773
      @bjfincher773 4 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      Bring me the blue pages!

    • @lilwyvern4
      @lilwyvern4 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@iinRez He still looks like him! All he has to do is drop his voice a little and bam! My boy's writing linking books again.

    • @aeroripper
      @aeroripper 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Agreed. They probably saved a ton of cash too from not having to hire actors.

    • @joshuaweston7037
      @joshuaweston7037 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Agree completely. Atrus was a great character!

  • @mistressabysstress
    @mistressabysstress 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I remember getting Myst in high school. I played and played. My computer barely ran it, but man it was awesome. I watched my friend play Riven, ive read the books, and just...wow. Ill never forget the experience of figuring those puzzles out. It will stay with me forever.

  • @pingandkvam
    @pingandkvam 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    We loved this game. It was everything that I loved in one thing- no one dying, lots of exploration, science, travel, mystery, problem solving - totally an amazing game.

    • @ColoradoStreaming
      @ColoradoStreaming 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That spiky bed thing still haunts me though.

  • @Temporalmixproductions
    @Temporalmixproductions 4 ปีที่แล้ว +127

    I loved Myst and I'll buy anything Cyan makes forever.

    • @CreativeSteve69
      @CreativeSteve69 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      same here huge Cyan fan myself. Myst series was my introduction to videogames back when i was 9 going on 10.

    • @Dyundu
      @Dyundu 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Ditto on all counts! Really looking forward to Firmament.

    • @danielduncan6806
      @danielduncan6806 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Then your next Cyan game is going to be Firmament.

    • @robbietorkelsonn8509
      @robbietorkelsonn8509 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@danielduncan6806 But will I be able to play firmament if I haven't finished myst, riven, exile, revelation, end of ages, uru and obduction?
      I have all of these btw

    • @michellepoutre7913
      @michellepoutre7913 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Me too! - Mihshehl

  • @JeffNeet
    @JeffNeet 4 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    At 17:00 that's actually Riven in the game store, not Myst when he's talking about being in Albuquerque. However, the fact that I recognize the box art and haven't played Riven in 23 years, and even then it was only at a friend's house, is testament to just how memorable of an imprint those worlds left in your mind.

  • @hydraxisfrimon9785
    @hydraxisfrimon9785 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I am 61, played the first pong game on tv when it came out. Have played all sorts of games ever since, and LOVED the artwork and worlds of Riven and Myst, would love to play them again on my mac desktop or ipad, or maybe to be able to see them on a widescreen tv because they were so beautiful and really took some studying.

  • @adrianz.6333
    @adrianz.6333 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    So nice to see one of the creators of this fantastic game!
    Myst was the second game I ever played after the first Tomb Raider. I was 6 or 7 and way too young to solve a lot of the puzzles but I did not give up and I spent MONTHSS to finally finish the game. I scratched my head so much and so many times that I felt hate for the game, but at the same time, I could not prevent me from playing it after class on the following day. Retrospectively, I think Myst is at the origin of my love for puzzles and my tenacity. Thank you for this majestic / grandiose experience

  • @JncGwen
    @JncGwen 4 ปีที่แล้ว +91

    Played myst back when I was a kid. I still love this game. No game has ever stuck with me like myst.

    • @thomasnilsson5075
      @thomasnilsson5075 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I so agree, I was around 30 when I got it when it was new and Ive played most sequels to it. Still is the best game Ive played and a lost format.

    • @dirkhoekstra727
      @dirkhoekstra727 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You must also read the novels that was written based on the games. Book of Atrus, Book of Ti'ana and Book of D'ni. Fascinating storylines.

  • @MoietyVR
    @MoietyVR 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    Ars definitely knows their target demographic, these War Stories are amazing.

  • @TotallyRadical
    @TotallyRadical 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Dude this series is really well done. I follow your articles but honestly didn't know about this great series till recently! Keep up the great work!

  • @michaelgates238
    @michaelgates238 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Even today, the world of this game still sticks with me. Absolutely wonderful to hear this kind of deep-dive interview that really gets into the details and challenges of how this came to be.

  • @russellcannon9194
    @russellcannon9194 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I was part of that "older audience" in my thirties if that counts, and I *loved* MYST and RIVEN and all the others. Those still are my favorite games of all time. Cheers, Russ

  • @zildog
    @zildog 4 ปีที่แล้ว +48

    What I love almost as much as the incredible stories these legends tell us is the fact not a single question is heard. No annoying, pretentious, self absorbed, look-at-me social media posers ... just one guy talking us through gaming history with a camera rolling. It is SO refreshing.
    I too played this game at certain points but scoffed at friends who had a mac because there was a stigma you were a massive nerd if you had/used one. Umm... yeah literally everything I have, computer wise now is Apple.. and those same "nerds" rule the world!

  • @gryfandjane
    @gryfandjane 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Fascinating. I was introduced to Cyan through The Manhole, playing it with our then-young son. The journey was eventually to lead through all of Cyan’s subsequent titles, joining up with a team of great folks to create “The Cavern Today” podcast, and eventually interviewing and then meeting Rand in person. It’s been a fabulous trip! Seeing these images of the original Myst brought back some powerful memories. Having recently (and repeatedly) relived the Myst adventure in VR on my Oculus Quest has only proved the soundness of the original concept. Love ya, Cyan! Thanks for the worlds!

  • @suddendilemma5137
    @suddendilemma5137 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Wow this was a cool video. Thank you so much for this kind of content. I LOVED Myst when I was a kid. It’s beyond cool to see the legends who were behind it explain in their own words.

  • @sirprintalot
    @sirprintalot 4 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    I remember, as an 8-year old, playing on my Uncle's iMac and finally making it off the main Myst Island (and to the Mechanical Age, using the rotating tower). I played that game for ages until I ever made it off the main island. What a setting. It really did feel magical. Maybe a bit too difficult for a kid but really well designed.

    • @akillen77
      @akillen77 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      You're smarter than me I gave up after like 10 min when I was 10

  • @XenHat
    @XenHat 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    Riven was my introduction to the series, watching Mom play it, then eventually getting into it. I haven't finished any yet due to time constraints, but I own all the Myst games now. We are slowly completing them on our own free time. Such a wonderful game collection. Thank you for that interview.

  • @Charles3773
    @Charles3773 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    These are some of the best games I grew up with, I love all these games and, after seeing this interview, I respect what you did and thank you so much for bringing a lot of joy and entertainment to my life. From, continuous player and fan, Chaz!

  • @jamesjones2212
    @jamesjones2212 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I remember playing myst for hours eventually beating it after breaking down and buying a walk through book for some of the puzzles. It was an amazing experience that era of game making had such a 'garage' type mix-media feel to it that it was truly captivating. Some other greats were the 11th hour, jack the ripper, and doom

  • @o0oSM00THo0o
    @o0oSM00THo0o 4 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    "It left a great taste in peoples psyche" - Well said, exactly the case for me. Like many others probably, my dad showed it to me and it was magical!

  • @dennisw1365
    @dennisw1365 4 ปีที่แล้ว +42

    I still remember when i had to buy a new videocard to make my old pentium display " thousands of colors" for Riven. Good times

    • @gozinta82
      @gozinta82 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I remember when 128 megs of ram was over 300 bucks. LMAO. VOODOO II accelleration :D

    • @freggittlegamint2830
      @freggittlegamint2830 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@gozinta82
      I still have my Voodoo ii with that short vga cord and the CD-ROM containing the driver and some decent game demos.
      Some guy down my block sold me a Pentium system with the card in it for $50 some time around the late 90s.

  • @rickrutledge9363
    @rickrutledge9363 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I think I was about 24 years old with my first hand built PC and I had both 7th guest and Myst and I would come home from work and immediately start playing the games until well into late evening everyday for several weeks loving that magic.

  • @pleclerc1
    @pleclerc1 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I spent so much time on this great game, thanks for this great interview of the creator!

  • @joker28666
    @joker28666 4 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    its so fascinating to hear what developers go trough and how they solve their problems

  • @Rades99
    @Rades99 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    I remember doing exactly that (card stack thing) in Powerpoint when I was in Primary school. Used MS Paint to draw every single slide with all the different scenarios and outcomes, and then HYPERLINKED invisible buttons to certain slides based on what you clicked. What a time.

  • @Azreus
    @Azreus 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I loved Myst when it came out. It was probably around '95-96, so I was about 13 at the time and I played it, my brother did as well as our mom :) We all loved the worlds, the atmosphere, the characters, the story, the lore, the music, the visuals... It was an amazing game, and (of course) led to us all playing Riven, and the III and IV parts as well as Uru (never did start the fifth one, not sure why now...). This interview was great, and I just want Rand and Robyn to know that there's a lot of love towards them from my family, at the very least, but watching from the liked and comments section - just the tip of the iceberg.
    Thank you for inventive, creative and stunning games. You are amazing. Keep on keeping on ;)

  • @DGRussMB
    @DGRussMB 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    My Uncle introduced me to Myst in 1995 and I'll never forget that evening! Looking for clues, making notes, discovering clues, discovering the clues to find the clues. Figuring out not only where am I? but why am I where I am. Not long after, my parents bought the game. There was a competition to see who could beat the game first. It was really close!! I think we all arrived around the same time. Thankfully, my Uncle warned us to save the game before we commit to begin the final act. lol All of us beating Myst, is one of those achievements that we still talk about to this day! I've bought the revised version on my ipad, and it looks great! ...but my memories from 95 are even more vivid! Mapping out the entire Underground Subway thing was a giant task!! We had pages and pages of notes, scribbles and drawings! I love this game, and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing this interview! I even felt a little pride when he said that some players never even made it off the main island! Great game!! Great sequels!!

  • @sikliztailbunch
    @sikliztailbunch 2 ปีที่แล้ว +148

    I remember finishing Riven was a fricking accomplishment. It took me months. It looked insanely awesome at that time. I had a notebook where I took notes and little sketches because there was so much to connect and to figure out. The notebook had more content than the notebooks for some study subjects :-D

    • @sbalogh53
      @sbalogh53 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      I did the same with the "Zork: Grand Inquisitor" game. I ended up with more than 100 A4 pages of handwritten notes. I was so pleased with myself when I managed to finish the game without cheating (by looking at other people's hints) but only using my notes.

    • @thesoundsmith
      @thesoundsmith 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I did exactly that but got stumped someplace well into the game. I think if I had realized it was a Hypercard-based game, I could have figured it out but the grids and outcome tables were a great preparation for Foxpro and SQL...

    • @Chris-js6oz
      @Chris-js6oz 2 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      You frickin had to have a notebook and draw sketches. That's what was so fun about it. Brainstorming with your buds too.

    • @2ears1mouth786
      @2ears1mouth786 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I'd love to see those sketches - and notes to, perhaps!

    • @VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
      @VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I was a young guy at the time and remember being excited for Riven to come out. I played a ton of it and got really far, but there was so much walking back and forth, and also there were a few too many puzzles that didn't use logic but mostly just just luck and random clicking. That irritated me too much and eventually I didn't finish it. If I can think my way out of it that's great, but if I'm reduced to pure chance and I'm also wasting a ton of time going back and forth trying to figure out what they even want me to do then that didn't cut it. I need to know why that one pixel in the field of grass (or whatever) should have been clicked on. Seriously that was the breaking point after wandering around for hours and hours and then it was just some random chance clicking on some like blade of grass lol. Most of it was awesome though. Loved the worlds.
      I really want to buy one of their newest games but the reviews on steam say the same thing, too many random puzzles that have no logic, just chance.

  • @Abelhawk
    @Abelhawk 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Please never stop making these videos! These are the very most interesting and well-illustrated interviews with some of the most interesting people imaginable to me.

  • @linuslovholm
    @linuslovholm 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The Cyan logo animation still gives me chills for some reason. Nostalgia overload

  • @casedistorted
    @casedistorted ปีที่แล้ว +3

    This is so amazing. It is insane to look back and remember that Myst sold more than Warcraft 2 and Duke Nukem 3d in 1996! Those were some heavy hitting games. The full interview of Rand Miller is one of the best. This one and Lorne Manning are both incredible that I listen to every few months. Myst and Riven are the two games I bought first on GoG because of how influential they were to me as a kid.
    I would still love a version of Myst that had the ORIGINAL uncompressed images and sound as a game format. The new Myst is a 3d remake but I have always been curious what Myst would look like without compressed video or slideshows of the world. Would be so cool but they probably don't exist anymore considering how much space they took up on their hard drives at the time.

    • @casedistorted
      @casedistorted 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I still love watching this and the full interview years later. These were amazing interviews

  • @CallMeChato
    @CallMeChato 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Thank you so much for this. Myst was huge for many of us gamers. I had heard of some of the challenges but this was revealing. I was a big user of HyperCard and Myst inspired our company to build a similar game. 7th Guest was a big deal, but none of us were fans of it. The Journeyman Project was great. We went ahead and built a more pure puzzle game in 1993 called Jewels of the Oracle. There's always a compromise with technology so we opted for more of a 3D walk-through experience, rather than dissolving from still to still. That meant we had no room for story elements, but the Millers were better at it than us, anyway. We had one of two 1-speed CD ROM burners in Toronto. It cost us $7000. Blank CDs were about $40 each so when we ended up with coasters we cried. Macromedia Director was our platform but the workhorse tool was DeBabelizer that let us reduce the colour space down to 256 colours. Infini-D was our 3D program and when things came down to the crunch I would take a hard drive of all our files to a friend's company who had dozens of Macs and I would turn on the distributed rendering option. I would set it up at 10 pm and come in at 6am to collect the rendered .movs so as to not be in any of the employees' way. The game was a sizable hit but the publisher did not pay us our royalties. A bittersweet ending to an amazing project. A project we never would have attempted without the inspiration of Myst.

  • @twiggsherman3641
    @twiggsherman3641 2 ปีที่แล้ว +345

    The fact this was started on a Mac, that was hacked to make it color, shows why right to repair is so important. Tinkering with things like that, is exactly what modern Apple wants to stop you from doing. They want to force you to buy a new machine every few years and toss the old one in the trash.

    • @thesoundsmith
      @thesoundsmith 2 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Considering the Apple II was a hobbyist's DREAM and fueled the rise of stores like Fry's Electronics and Newegg it's a shame (Woz, we missed you. But I get it.)

    • @nomore6167
      @nomore6167 2 ปีที่แล้ว +32

      The ironic thing is that Apple wouldn't exist today if its longstanding mindset (closed and proprietary ecosystem) was the mindset of the industry when Apple came into existence. If computers were closed systems back in the 60s and 70s, then neither Apple nor Microsoft would exist today; neither would the computers and "smart" devices we all use on a daily basis. Apple also wouldn't exist in its current form if BSD wasn't Free, and yet Apple does everything in its power to limit or remove choice and options for its customers.

    • @DimitriosChannel
      @DimitriosChannel 2 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Blame greedy share holders as well.

    • @craigkovatch7564
      @craigkovatch7564 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Nah, they just want to own your purchase dollars as well as your repair dollars. Also bad, but different from making computers intentionally disposable.
      - Sent from my 2015 MacBook Pro, still chugging along 6.5 years later

    • @Elliandr
      @Elliandr 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@nomore6167 On the other hand, the very existence of these companies proves the basis for the rights of the end user. If IBM had the legal authority to control what people can and can't do on their hardware they'd have done so.

  • @strongbongus
    @strongbongus ปีที่แล้ว +2

    honestly i could hear him talk for another week just about riven. love this whole series

  • @dtimm612
    @dtimm612 2 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    My parents bought Myst and Riven and I played them never knowing what the heck I was doing, probably didn't solve any of the puzzles, eventually bought the walkthrough book but still never beat it. What I do remember is that Myst changed the point and click adventure game market from that point on, unfortunately for the worse. My favorites Sierra and Lucasarts, along with many lower budget companies. Producers all wanted that 1st person view, puzzles and FMV like Myst series.

  • @Stupoider
    @Stupoider 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Never stop this series please, love the editing

  • @Harry-qh5rt
    @Harry-qh5rt 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I was floored that Myst was done in HyperCard. These guys are true artist-storytellers. That game was awesome.

  • @wayneyadams
    @wayneyadams 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I just turned 74, and I remember going to CompUSA on my lunch break and spotting MYST on the shelf. The pictures on the cover and the description intrigued me. As soon as the first graphics and sound came on, I knew this was going to be a special game. I love exploration games where I have to solve puzzles and mysteries. Having done graphic renderings and animations on the old AMIGA computer (greatest computer for graphics ever made at the time) I tend to focus on those aspects of games.
    The game was amazing, but when Real Myst came out, I was blown away. I still play it every three to four months, even though I have a pretty good idea of how to solve the puzzles, the game is still engrossing. In fact, as soon as i finish this comment I will be entering the world of Myst.
    Beyond the amazing graphics and sound is the story. The puzzles make logical sense, unlike some of the new downloadable games for tablets where you search out items and use them someplace else which has no connection with the location where the item was found. For instance, a key at one end of the world is used somewhere else to unlock a chest to get an item that may be used at another end of the world. Myst does the opposite, the puzzles tie together logically. You have to solve this puzzle to gain access to one of the other worlds where there is a whole vista of new place to explore.
    Myst pulls you into the worlds. Even now, having played the game dozens of times, I still find new and exciting aspects that I missed earlier. There are about a dozen games or so, that i classify as classics or groundbreakers, and Myst is there near the top of the groundbreakers.
    Thank you, Miller brothers for giving us this masterpiece.

  • @sephraqsempai
    @sephraqsempai 2 ปีที่แล้ว +89

    I remember playing this as a kid... 10 years old sitting down with my older brother. Starting to play the game after dinner on Christmas Day and stayed up all night playing. We beat the game by 8 AM. That's one of my fondest memories of childhood.

    • @icecoldchilipreppers6496
      @icecoldchilipreppers6496 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I had hdhd, couldnt get past the first stage, went back to crash and tomb raider.

    • @laurelsporter4569
      @laurelsporter4569 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Damn. It took me weeks of off an on play to get it all figured out.

    • @Crazyoldman84
      @Crazyoldman84 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      You definitely used a walkthrough lol

    • @jamessiddle572
      @jamessiddle572 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Having a very hard time believing this