The interactive story

Written and Illustrated by

Jessie, damian, callen, patina, will, tayla, miles, krissy, brendan, josh,

leilani, emily, claire, fletcher, nikita, zane, lleyton, jordan, gus and tom Clermont state school grade 5f

Images courtesy of cyan ltd

An introduction

(for those not familiar with the game or the work of grade 5f)

The storyClick here for

Click here for Click here for

Instructions

IntroductionTHE GAME

Myst is a computer game developed in 1994 by Robin and Rand Miller. The premise was very different to the norm of the time. There were no instructions, no guns, no deaths… no feasible enemies. Instead the player ‘woke up’ on a mysterious island – the only thing left was to explore.

Critics thought the game would be a failure but instead it became the highest-selling PC game of all time.

The beautifully rendered and imaginative landscapes, coupled with the intriguing storyline, which comes to light through gameplay, and of course – the intelligence of the puzzles – made the game a runaway success.

IN SCHOOLS

Tim Rylands, a teacher from England, started using one of the games in the Myst series (there are 5) in his English lessons. The idea was to immerse the students in this mysterious world and get them to develop their English skills by describing what they were seeing.

The idea was an amazing success – boosting his students achievements exponentially. Tim now travels the world giving lectures on his ideas. The basic premise has now developed so much so that many teachers are designing entire Literacy units based on the computer games.

AT CLERMONT

I designed a 6-week literacy program based on the remake of the original Myst game; RealMyst. This story is the whole-class culminating activity.

Instructions

This is an interactive adventure story, meaning you make the choices.

Read each part of the story carefully – if there is a choice for you to make – click on

the option you decide on.

If there is no choice for you to make then click on the arrow in the bottom-right

corner – this will take you to the next part of the story.

Links to other parts of the story can be words or pictures – if you move your mouse cursor over the screen it will change shape

when something can be selected.

Go Left Go right

But first things first – right click and select {arrow} – {visible} always use the cursor and the icons – if you just click on the screen or press the right arrow key – you won’t be directed to the correct slide

I slowly opened my heavy eyes. I could not remember a thing. I looked around and was hypnotised by the calm azure waves lapping gently against the dock upon which I lay.

The smell of salt was strong in the air as I picked

myself up from the old wooden jetty

Stepping forward into the sun I could not help but feel afraid of the unknown. In the water beside the dock I could see the top of a sunken ship protruding through the waves and before me - a hill rising into the distance with some strange cog-like device at its summit.

Imposing gray buildings of stone stand tall and proud above the docks. Thank God; a sign of life other than the sound of my own breathing and the two butterflies that flutter care-free above me. I must find someone, anyone, perhaps they can tell me where I am and how I got here?

I walked forward hesitantly, I am after-all, a stranger here. I quickly realise that this island is small but my, there are some strange things to see. A tower looms over all like a king upon a throne; resting at the tip of what looks like a volcano. Is that a spaceship?! What a bizarre place! There are signs of life everywhere… a strange-looking temple, an unreachable clock tower, a furnace room, power poles, imposing walkways flanked by mysterious symbols but in the centre of it all, standing proud and imposing beneath the tower – a temple-like library. Perhaps this would be a good place to start my exploration?

It has lots of different books. There are some burnt books. Why is there a red

and a blue book on a shelf by itself? This place looks like an ancient library. There

is a strange symbol on the floor boards.

What is this place?

I walked over to the book shelf and slowly picked up the red book. Then I opened this unpredictable journal.There was a man crying out from the pages. In the book he whispered “my name is Sirrus” and “waiting for red pages”. I closed the book.

The Red Book

I nervously took one step at a time over to the opposite side of the room where the blue book was awaiting to be opened. I was really anxious to open the blue book but I was nervous at the same time. I apprehensively opened the dark blue cover. I heard a faint cry for help. He said “My name…Achenar” and “retrieve…blue pages”.

In the library was a map of the island. It had some places on it, like the library and a strange tower. On the top of the map it read Tower Rotation. There was a turning device on the map I turned it to some cogs it started to make an ear-splitting beeping noise.

I knew from the journals on the shelves that this was how I could find my way to the different Ages, perhaps if I got the pages for the men in the red and blue books they would be able to help me?

The Stoneship Age?

The Spaceship Age?

The Mechanical Age?

The Channelwood Age?

Which age should I explore first?

And then…

I walked in to a dark room, in front of me I saw a blood-red dentist chair. Should I sit in the spooky chair?

I decided to risk it.

A screen popped out in front of me. I started to shiver. Then I typed in the dates from the tower in the library

I followed the instructions and the model ship rose majestically from the pool was this a clue?

I went to the docks and there before me was the real ship. I went into the

ship and there was a little hideout. There in front of me lay a book. I opened it. It lead to Stoneship Age.

It zapped me into the book.As soon as I got there the rain was trickling down. I felt a funny tingle. I appeared on an old ship. The sky was stormy. The tip of the wind touched me, I got cold.

The deafening thunder made me scared. The lighting danced across the black laden sky. There were rocks like snake fangs coming out of the water.

There was a big light house. I walked back on to the ship. There were tunnels leading away. I walked down one of them. There was an old door with a green light on it. I pressed it. It opened and I walk in.It was a room. I found a red page in a draw. I picked it up. I walked out of the tunnel.

I went down the other tunnel. There I found another door I pressed the light. There I found a blue page. I picked it up and walked out. I walked into the lighthouse. Then I pumped power to the generator and the lights came on in the spooky hall way.I found the myst book

I lit the old, rusty boiler twisted the handle. Found the tree had been lifted. Before my eyes I saw the linking book.

On Myst island stands a tree that is higher than every other tree. It has a retainer wall around it with a little hole to walk inside. I found a hut beside the tree. I walk inside. It looked as though there was a boiler I tried turning it on but it would not light. I turned around to find a safe. I think that’s what the numbers from the library were for (7.2.4) we pressed the blood red button. I saw before my eyes a black and gold box of matches.

I carefully opened the book and saw a

little picture. I hesitantly put my hand on the page.

Suddenly I was going so fast I

groaned. I felt odd to find my self in the Channelwood age. I slowly opened my

eyes to feel a splinter stuck in my

finger from the wooden path I was

laying on. I was stared right in the face by booming towers of bark.

I could see never-ending paths with pipes running right along each path. There were spiral staircases. I saw a little island with a

windmill on the top.

I started to explore this odd island I saw in the top of my vision a multitude of bridges with huts on each tree. I walked to the island and saw a generator. I switched the generator on and the pipes were gushing with water. I followed the pipes to a corner and turned the handle and followed the rushing water again to an elevator. The elevator took me to Achenars room and as soon as I stepped in the door. The first thing I saw was a death bed.

I saw the blue page near the death bed. I got out the door to the elevator with the red and blue pages to find the Myst linking book over the other side of the broken bridge. I fixed the bridge and walked to the pipe and made it cross to the other pipe. The water was going to the elevator I hoped in the elevator to the empty box right in front of me was the Myst linking book.

I discovered I needed 59 volts to power the spaceship. I was at the power source when I realised that typing the volts in was harder but I managed it.

Walking to the spaceship I knew that it couldn’t be that easy. When the door

formed an entrance I saw the piano. I knew exactly what to play from the spaceship

book so I did what I needed to accomplish

Then I turn to see 5 switches. I changed them and realised that I need to make it the same rhythm as the piano. Doing so, I glanced at the linking book I open it and there I touch the picture with a zap. This links me to the Spaceship Age.

I walk outside then the door closed behind with an ominous slam me trapping me here. A shudder ran through me. The only thing I could see was an odd walkway and heard the sound of the ocean waves. I was forced to explore more and more. All the mountains and stair cases led to levers and pictures that I’d never noticed. I walk around the island finding a huge furnace.

On the other side of the island I saw crystals. When light hit the them they immediately glistened, hidden in them was the red page. Next I caught sight of a waterfall. It gently flowed over the rocks, with a lovely trickle and there lay the blue page. Walking back towards the spaceship I noticed a door, there were small levers that made different sounds I matched them with the pictures I’d seen and the door opened leading down to a type of rollercoaster that took me too another stop, I got out and saw a door - inside was the Myst book.

I looked up and saw a clock that said Myst. I could not reach it. I went to the library and touched the map of the island and turned the tower to the cog. I touched the picture and a secret passage opened. I walked down the ragged

stairs and saw an elevator. I walked into it and pressed the up button. I walked out of the old elevator when it stopped. I climbed up the ladder. On the key there was a time that said 2:40. Then I climbed down the ladder and walked back into the elevator. I touched the down button and it went down. I

walked up the stairs. I quickly ran to the clock and put the time 2:40 using the red wheels on the doc. A mysterious clanking noise was swiftly followed be a bridge rising through the water. A pathway to the clock tower. I crossed and opened the door at the base of the tower. I was at the base of the tower and was confronted by another puzzle. After completing that I realised that

the entrance to the Mechanical Age was now open. I crossed back to the

island and wandered up the paths to the hill with the giant cog, it was open!

It was called the Mechanical Age. No wonder it was called the Mechanical Age, It had, nuts, bolts and cogs every where. Then I looked left and I could see the horizon reflecting off the water. The sky was a gloomy blue .I walked off the sand and I took my first steps in this new world. I walked into a temple looking building. It had a floor like a chess board. There were two hallways.

I walked up the stairs to the cog. There was a book I opened it and it was a linking book. I zapped into the book. I ended up on a indescribable Age.

I chose to go left.. The room looked as though it was a museum – very clean and tidy. It was so cool. There were models of everything on the Myst island.

In the right hallway there was a room with a lot of weapons and poison. It was like

a torture chamber.

I was getting scared.

I searched both of the rooms and I found a blue page and a red page.

I solved the remaining puzzle to get off the island.

I found a linking book to go to the island

of Myst.

Back on Myst Island I hold all 8 pages in my hand; four for Sirrus and four for Achenar. I stumbled around slowly thinking about Achenars rooms. They were terrifying - he had weapons of torture.

There is a book on the There is a book on the shelves in this library which shelves in this library which

is mostly burnt but has a is mostly burnt but has a few pages still intact. It is few pages still intact. It is

the last book on the middle the last book on the middle shelf. Find it. shelf. Find it.

This book is filled with a This book is filled with a variety of patterns. Find variety of patterns. Find

pattern 158, and recreate it pattern 158, and recreate it on the door of the fireplace. on the door of the fireplace.

This will bring you to the This will bring you to the last red page. Bring that last red page. Bring that

page to me and I will finally page to me and I will finally be released, and able to be released, and able to reward you, of course.reward you, of course.

But what about achenar?

I put all the pages in Sirrus’s book, the screen cleared and he said,I put all the pages in Sirrus’s book, the screen cleared and he said,

Remember, don't take the red page. Take only the blue page and return it quickly to

me. And do not touch the green book! It is a clever trap to

imprison those who have not been warned. Do not be

tempted: for you will rot and die, imprisoned as I am.

I tell you, if you follow my instructions it will be well

worth your while. I promise you that. Go. Go.

I crossed the library and placed the blue pages into achenars book, the screen cleared and from the pages achenar said,

so I walked to the book shelf and looked for the half burnt book on the right hand side on the middle shelf and found page 158.

I put the code into the fire place and hit the button, the whole room turned round with a creak.

What a horrible decision…

Achenar? Sirrus?

Or the mysterious green book?

The final red and blue page were right in front of me. I thought again about what Sirrus and Achenar said in the last pages and what their rooms look like. Reaching my shaking hand forward I grabbed Sirrius's page.

I slowly walked to the Myst library and stood in front of the red book. It was like a nightmare deciding if I should put Sirrus’s page

in. I went forward and the book suddenly flashed golden

as I put the page in something felt like it was sucking me forward. I saw a strange sight… it was the library.

I was trapped in the book Sirrus was there on Myst! He was tearing the pages out one by one and laughing with joy. In no time there were no page left and it was pitch black.

I decided that I would trust Achenar, because I think he’s more trustworthy than Sirrus.

I had the final blue page in my hand and walked slowly

towards the book.

I put the blue page in, feeling extremely nervous but still sure that this was the correct choice.

I place the blue page in the dark blue book.

Suddenly I was trapped in the horrible blue book, and now Achenar was in the library and he chuckled at me , at the

same time he was ripping the pages out

Rip...

Soon it was pitch black and Achenar was giggling his sakes off.

Rip...

It’s dark in here

Rip...

Slowly I opened the green book I felt nervous, scared but excited to go though.

It was cold and dark with very dim lights. This place

is extremely strange

I felt scared to meet Atrus. When I saw him he was writing at his desk. He asked me for

the green page I handed him the green page. Atrus put the page in the middle of the book and it allowed him to travel.

Then he opened to the first page and flat strap vanished!!!!!!!!! While he was gone I stared at the old, wooden desk that Atrus was writing at.

Atrus told me that his sons would no longer bother me but better than that… myst island was mine! Incredible! I’ve never been so excited to use a linking book

So the mysteries of the island are mine to explore at my leisure. What a fantastic reward for all my hard work!

I shall go to the library and relax, knowing

That I helped save a good man…

What a fantastic end…

…or is it?

Following Atruses Specific instructions I walked

down to the dock and ambled inside the tunnel.

When I got inside all that was to be seen was

walls infused with a purple glow.

strolling down the passageway I kept on

going, until I came across the digital

imager. I pressed the red button and

waited for something to happen. I waited

for a minute and nothing happened.

I decided that it would be a great idea to go to the

front of the digital imager and press the golden

button. A snow shrouded mountain cliff popped

up on the digital imager. As I walked around to

the back button again to see what would happen I

had a shiver down my back as my finger pressed

it again.

Then I heard in the distance a deep CLANG. I went over to the note that was nailed on to the wall to see that it had changed into an enclosed box.

c

I observed what was in the box. It had 2 digital dials.

Remembering from when I read in the book that was sitting in

the library that there was two numbers one was 40 and the

other was 2735. I put 40 in, and I heard a slight BANG. I

rushed out of the passageway and went over to the space

ship where the bang had come from. Suddenly noticing that

there was a little door that went under the space ship path.

I was walking along it when I saw in the corner of my eye that there was a door into a windy staircase. I went inside and came to a pedestal that had a black creepy button on it. Without a blink I pressed it.

It suddenly started to slowly creep up to the library floor. Rushing up to the library, not wasting a breath, and with no hassle at all I put one foot in and there I spotted a beautiful, varnished alter sitting right in front of my eyes. Seeing the alter I also saw a blue book sitting on top of the alter. I was curious to see what was inside the blue book, and it felt like it was calling out for me to open it.

So I was guessing that this was the RIME AGE and I was excited. In the distance I saw a hut that was as cold as the snow flakes landing on my blue skin. I was cold so I went inside.

I glared at a gas heater that had a tap on the outside to turn it on. I went back inside and tried to get warm. Suddenly my eyes turned to see a door, at

first I couldn’t find the door handle but eventually I found it.

I went inside and found a mist shrouded hallway and then there was an old elevator. I trembled inside and

went around nervously. I came to a stone window, and stared at the snow flakes coming down.

I pulled a leaver and Aurora Borealis with streams of colours of flashing lightning filled the sky. I turned to notice a button sitting on the wall. Again my hand stretched over to a red button and the elevator spun around and suddenly opened.

I was facing a desk with a brown book. I opened the book and it had a picture of four different shaped crystals. I then turned to go back into the elevator because there was nothing else.

I shut the door and went down I

came to a room. I walked into a

room that had a note from

Catharine. I saw on the note that

there were pictures of five crystals.

I then notic

ed an imager

that when I r

an my hand

over the to

p it would

change co

lours.

I changed all the metal plates to the ones that were on Catharine’s letter. I then saw an amazing place that was projected on to the

imager it was called the RIVEN AGE. This was my reward! This was a fitting end!

Or perhaps, a new beginning?

No, seriously… the end!