Real Myst: Channelwood Age

[Powershifter]

Real Myst: Channelwood Age by Powershifter
You arrive on the island of Myst. Your objective is to help a man named Atrus who is trapped in a place called D'ni. To help him, find the linking book to the Channelwood Age, get the windmill picture, return to Myst and hang the picture in the library. Be sure to explore everything, turn up the volume, and let Myst become your world. This level is loosely based on the 1993 PC classic, MYST (see image to the left). Thanks for playing!


Scroll Down for Screen Shots!!

Why Play This Level?

Because it was my intent to give the player an experience where they can get immersed in a different world. The level itself has a 'free roaming' style (a style that I haven't seen much in LBP), where everything is meant to be explored.

Note from the creator:

I started a LBP Real Myst series a few months ago. In the first installment, you needed to travel to the Stoneship Age. In my newest level, you will be traveling to my interpretation of the Channelwood Age. You will notice that Myst Island in both levels is basically the same (with some minor changes). Both levels combined took me about two and a half months to complete.

Some things worth noting in the Channelwood Age are the sounds, the visuals, and the simple (yet complex) puzzles that need to be solved. I purposely spent a lot of time on the sounds and visuals so you would feel immersed in a strange land (as you did if you played the original game!). You will notice many different types of birds calling in the forest - some to your left, others to your right. You'll also hear insects, winds, and other sounds that seem to make the level come alive. Each sound you hear, even the music, was purposefully planned. Likewise, I spent a lot of time on the visuals, as I hope you've noticed. Once you arrive in Channelwood, you'll see that it's a very foggy place. But the higher up you go, the less fog you encounter. I've also included some things that original Myst fans will notice - like the butterfly on Myst Island, the big tree that descends in intervals, the "Fast Travel" system, the faces in Achenar's twisted chamber, and the random hanging jugs in the tree huts. I wish I could have made the level more detailed than it already is, but the thermometer would not allow that.

I've been primarily making Myst tribute levels since LBP hit the shelves in October of 08'. My next task is to create an entirely new Age, one that Myst fans have never seen, LBP style of course.

Strategy Guide - for those of you who need some extra help:

[SPOILER]

WALK-THROUGH

Myst Island:

**Note: All yellow panels are hints - use these only if you need them**

1. Read the note from Atrus leaning up against the big tree
2. Pull the lever on the left of the cabin - the wall then disappears
3. You learn that you need to go to the tower (that big mountain that you passed when you began the level) and turn the power on.
4. Along the way you read a note that has important information - "Channelwood Age = 3"
5. Go through the library, pull the level that opens up the mountain, and head up the elevator.
6. Grab the right control panel and line it up with the number 3 - Grab the left control panel and make the two shapes connect until you see the light and hear the mechanism engage sound
7. Go back through the library - here you can "Fast Travel", which I highly recommend.
8. After fast travel, you land back at the tree - go to the cabin and pull the level, and the tree begins to descend
9. Go over to the tree and jump in when it gets close - ride it down to the lower level and hop out
10. Grab and hold the linking book to travel to the Channelwood Age

Channelwood Age

1. Start by heading to the right and go up the hill
2. Go in the cabin and pull the lever - this turns on the water that flows through the pipes - go to the right to see a cool view of the windmill and hop down the side of the mountain
3. You should see a lever that sounds like a pump with a blue light - pull it to make the red light come on
4. Go to the elevator to the far left, pull the lever and ride it up to the top
5. Go left to the first hut - pull the lever - this opens the gate to the linking book back to Myst that was previously locked
6. Keep going left until you see a box with a lever in it. Pull this lever down - you should see a yellow light.
7. The elevator then comes down and the door opens. Get in and pull the lever - this will turn the purple light on (which can also be seen behind the elevator on the back plain).
8. Now go back to the other lever and put it back up, which turns the yellow light off - now the purple light is the only light on
9. Get in the elevator and pull the switch - the purple light goes off, and the elevator goes back to its original position.
10. Get out of the elevator and go to the left - pull the lever - this opens both doors to the next two huts.
11. Be careful in the first hut because the knife can kill your sack person!
12. Move on to the last hut, which is actually a nice looking room! In this room you will find the picture of the Channelwood Age that you need to hang in the library back on Myst Island. You will also find a device with a switch. This switch flips between a representation of Achenar and Sirrus (Atrus' twisted sons), which can be seen in the room with the knife.
13. Go back to the elevator - take it down and head to the right, back to the first elevator that took you up (prize bubbles next to it)
14. Go down that elevator, switch the pump lever to the blue setting, and ride the other elevator up
15. Go in the room - Grab and hold the linking book that takes you back to Myst

Myst Island (Return Trip)

1. Go directly to the library and post the picture you received on the frame with the number 3 (Channelwood = 3, remember?) - you are now instructed to go to the beach near the cabin to finish the level
2. However, there are a couple things you can do on Myst Island - try connecting the tower to #2, then pull the lever next to the big gears to see what happens - also, try opening up the door in the stone shed that is to the left of the ship. You find a prize bubble, and you can connect the power - also, if you hit any of the switches with the animal pictures, you will sink the ship (just for fun)
3. At the beach you will see the level score board - You're finished!

Thanks for reading! Message me if you need any further help.

[/SPOILER]

[Powershifter]

Please leave your honest feedback. Let me know what you thought, and maybe what I could improve. Thanks!

[ladylyn1]

Yeah nicely done... I've played through twice now. I like the MYST style puzzles and the great feel it has to the level (i might even change my tree to move in the same way urs does!). The improvements u made are good too- the switch is much easier to move now. Also i like the way u left the puzzles to other ages still available. Overall 4 stars, and im looking forward to the final few ages.

BTW great walk through

[Powershifter]

Awesome! Thanks for the feed back (and great suggestions on my LBP comment wall).

[Lotus_Flow3r]

I definitely needed this walkthrough for this because i had no idea what to do, especially as i don't play Myst.

However, you managed to capture a good and very mysterious feel, i don't know if its close to the game though.

I think that if you designed the level with even more detail, it would help a great deal! add tiny details to designs like houses, trees etc, make them bend a bit instead of block straight.

I didn't know what was going off but, i sensed that if i had played the game, it would make sense a lot more?

Treating it as a level on its own though, i liked the concept. Its very mysterious and i felt isolated which was great.

Upon going to the channelwood age though, it was Pitch black and i had no idea what i was doing, was that meant to happen?

I will wait till its entirely done and then i will fully review but, your work is onto something great, i would urge you to continue. You like the immersion and atmosphere side of things and you can tell, this is a great thing so keep at it.

Maybe you can create something original using those qualities?

[Powershifter]

@ Lotus - It seems I have a bug to fix. One of two things happened.. either you didn't hold the linking book, or maybe you were on top of the linking book while you held it? Here's a tip, stand next to the linking book and hold it until you disappear. I'll review that part tonight and see if it needs fixed.

Yeah it's probably a bit difficult for someone who is not familiar with Myst. I tried to make the clues straight forward enough, and it seems like you at least got the tree moving! Also, you're right - if you play the original game you'll see that the trees are straight up, not bendy. I was trying to make the looks and feel of the level as authentic to the original game as I could. Plus the thermometer is out of room... which is always a problem!

Give it another try and let me know what you think.. thanks!

[springs86]

This is awesome

Great aesthetics, and great platforming. I got to the end without the walkthrough, although, thinking that i have left loads of the level unchecked, i'm playing it again.

This is great, i gave 5 and hearted

PS sorry i took so long to reply

[Lotus_Flow3r]

ok great, i hope its just a little bug.

I see, then yes, it seems this is for fans of Myst more than a casual goer.

The thermometer is a pain, so i understand there.

i wont make a final saying until you have finished everything and have made those tweaks everyone makes over time.

[Powershifter]

@ Lotus - At this point all the bugs have now been fixed. Feel free to give it another try! thanks

Edit - or so I thought *sigh*

[Powershifter]

Myst Island



Linking Book to Channelwood


Channelwood Age


Tree Huts


Mysterious Room

[swanbrown]

some of the switches are a little awkward and cramped. Since this is a MYST based level, I can almost put it down to the finesse of the gameplay..almost.

I think your custom sticker for the #4 switch trigger may be corrupted, or set to not be shared. It cannot be selected and placed. while you are at it, you might give it a more descriptive name than "A photo"

I like the photos of the "guts" of the level hidden around.

the mossy material looks really good here, and I really like the way you handled the seams. not many obvious 90 degree seams that I noticed.

The sounds were well placed and never broke the mood.

I enjoyed the fact, that you didn't feel that there had to be music all through the level.

Having not been able to place the picture in the library, I explored a little, but ultimately had to give up.

At this point, the cramped feel of the level would be a nightmare to fix, but it's worth keeping in mind for future levels.

hope this helps.

I gave it 5 stars because once fixed it will be a great level.

BTW, I never played the original MYST, So as a new comer, I didn't find it too difficult to understand what was going on. Good job!

[Powershifter]

I think your custom sticker for the #4 switch trigger may be corrupted, or set to not be shared. It cannot be selected and placed. while you are at it, you might give it a more descriptive name than "A photo"

WOW! Thank you Swanbrown for catching that glitch! That literally rendered my level unfinishable, and it took me about 20 minutes to finally fix. I just had to create another picture. I have no idea why the original pic corrupted like that, but thank you so much for letting me know about this. Oh, and you'll be glad to know that I named my new photo, "Channelwood Age."

Thanks for all the positive feedback! It's really encouraging to hear from someone who is not familiar with Myst, and yet got as far as you did in my level (you just about completed it!).

Edit - the glitch has reared its ugly head again...

[Syroc]

Thanks for giving feedback on "A Journey"

Right I haven't played the real Myst but seen some pretty pictures of it and now what it is about. Probably not enough to compare your level to the game though. Anyway...

Intro:
Was pleasntly suprised by this intro. Nice to fly over the "whole" map before starting the level. The one thing you could improve about is is to add stick flower or other decoration on the green wood so it doesn't look quite so bleak. (But maybe that's intended)
That you turn up the volume of the music once you touch down is a very nice touch.

Visuals:
Simple but nice. Especially liked the design of the Channelwood Island. Some really nice use of lighting and materials. I uploaded a picture of my favourite section.

Sound:
Not much to say here. All good.

Gameplay:
Well it's supposed to be Myst and as far as I can tell it played very much like other games in that genre. So I suppose you managed to achieve what you wanted.

Nitpicks:
Nope, nothing say here.

Small things:
Loved the look of the room in which you find the book to Channelwood Island. Really nice.

Well, this feedback is quite a bit shorter than the you would expect for a level that took me so long to play, but on the bright side feedback this short can only mean that everything was good. :-)

[Deftmute]

well as a fan of the myst series, i have to say i like the little details that were added.
like the lightning bolt fast travel system.
i have to agree with swan, some of the switches are a little touchy because of the cramped conditions.
seemed too short, but i understand thermo issues.

[javi haguse]

I tried playing it without reading the walkthrough.. it was pretty confusing. At first, I was just running around pulling switches and minding my own business. But the I had to actually read nd think for a little
The level looks great, it almost seems like a different game. I liked the overall design with the huge trees. Awesome atmosphere. The only thing I didn't like about it was the icon!! If you're gonna put that much work on a level, make your own icon.. plz

Other that that, great job.

When you get a chance please try my f4f level: The Descent 2