Hi. I think I see the problem here. It seems many of you find a game boring if it doesn't provide instant, quick-reflex, trigger-pulling, see-how-many-ways-you-can-kill-somebody action. While quick-reflex games are good sometimes for fun, constantly playing them can lead to some harmful side effects - one of them being a lack of patience, and lack of appreciation for the "slower things in life." They are also the games most likely to lead to addiction.
I find Myst appealing because it gives you relaxation from all the stress caused by a hectic lifestyle. It also instills an appreciation for these slower things - for example, nature. In realMyst, I love to just stand on the dock and watch the sunset, or chase the butterflies. In Riven I enjoy just walking around taking it all in. The puzzles in the games teach you to use logic and put everything you have learned together (an essential life-skill I might add ;). Yes, they can be frustrating at times, but the "Aha!" experience when it is solved always makes it worth it. It is a sense of accomplishment you can't get from blowing people up. I hope you all get to experience it sometime :)
As for the game, there seems to be a misconception going around that Myst Online is going to be almost exactly like the original Myst game. This is not true at all. Myst Online (or as I like to refer to it, MUDPIE (its original working title)) will be in real-time 3D format, and from the screenshots that have been released at mystonline.com, and the other ones you can view at cyanworlds.com, the graphics will be absolutely AMAZING. This game has nothing to do with Atrus or his family, instead, it is about the intricate and engrossing backstory hinted at in the games and detailed in the 3 Myst novels. It is the story of a great civilization - the D'ni - linked to a cave deep in the Earth thousands of years ago from their former world, which was collapsing. In that cave they rebuilt their culture and a great city. What made this civilization most unique was their knowledge of The Art - the ability to link to other worlds by Writing about them in special books. They existed on Earth for 10,000 years until a biological attack by some rebels wiped out many of them. The survivors fled through the Books, but the rebels made sure many of these escape routes were infected as well. Thus, the city was abandoned for years. Now in the game Myst Online, we will have the chance to inhabit D'ni. We will travel down the tunnels leading to the great city, and learn much more about their history and culture. We will discover Ages and travel to them. There will be puzzles along the way, but a main focus will be exploration and discovery :) (The game is geered not at the testosterone-driven, heavy-gamer, but athe the general public, who tend to enjoy this type of thing more than blowing up people. It is also a lot better for families, a good marketing strategy in my opinion ;) Information indicates you will probably be able to choose who you will travel with, traveling with a group of friends, not seeing the thousands of others playing as well. The world will be growing constantly, according to an article "Every day new content will be added to the game. Every week a "substantial" addition will be made. Every month an entirely new Age will be added." Someday we might even be able to write our own worlds. Doesn't this sound wonderful?
For more information on Myst Online, check out MUDPIE Obsession :)
