1/7/2024 0 Comments Myst iii exile![]() ![]() The "anniversary" edition of the Myst trilogy is on a DVD-ROM (at about what I paid for Exile alone). Any harder though, and I would probably have gotten tired of seeing the same level for too long. I always have trouble with them, though I can usually solve one or two in an evening. The transitions between the raytraced images and the animations are almost imperceptible. But they also permit animation of gadgets, machines, or even an alien squirrel. Quicktime movies allow playing back video recordings left by characters in the game. ![]() Exile adds the ability to "turn around" at each location - the render is for an entire sphere, rather than just the rectangle of the monitor screen. ![]() The large storage capacity of CD media allows the Myst games to avoid the downside of raytracing: rendering speed. While 3d graphic cards keep improving, raytracing still looks better. Myst depends heavily on realistic graphics to increase immersion. If you really like the music, there is a Jack Wall soundtrack CD, though it is currently out of print. Music themes are often heavily panned - I suppose to make you feel that the theme is all around, or following you around. Occasional choral accompaniment adds even more emotion. When not playing the game, load the M3Data subdirectory into your MP3 player, to hear all the pretty themes again (1.5 hours of mp3's!). The Options menu has a "Music frequency" control, so you can control how often music is played. Segments are played at random intervals, to add ambiance, without getting tedious. Each level/section has its own theme music. I sometimes leave the windchimes running while I'm reading or doing paperwork the quality is that good. They get muffled when you enter a tunnel. Wind chimes, wind, ocean water, river water, creaking bridges, clanking machines. Not only are sound effects panned correctly when you turn around, they were recorded well in stereo, so sound great. For me, it held up very well, even though it was released three years ago. This game has all that (as did the original Myst), wonderful raytraced graphics, and seamless Quicktime overlays. Good music can also add emotion to a game. I wear headphones, so if a game has good stereo sound, I almost feel as if I am there. ![]()
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