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Calculus Man posted:Why were they learning the Art if they were (supposedly) unable to perform it? Its certainly an inconsistency, but its born out of a couple things: 1) The D'ni would say non-D'ni couldn't learn it whether it was true or not. They jealously guarded their power, and doubtless made this 'fact' a major facet of their teachings. When Gehn found that this wasn't quite true, he adapted. 2) Gehn is a man who will twist the old D'ni teachings to fit his needs in the moment. He told Atrus the Art was exclusive to them as the last living D'ni, perhaps to convince Atrus of his right to rule. He neglects to mention this to the Rivenese as he tries to teach them in the hope that one of them are his ticket off of Riven. But he remains a power hungry monster, so those who show talent are carefully micromanaged so they don't get too much power themselves.
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Dec 11, 2016 13:03
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Calculus Man posted:Why were they learning the Art if they were (supposedly) unable to perform it? M.c.P posted:Its certainly an inconsistency, but its born out of a couple things: Consistency is not a defining trait of megalomaniacs and dictators, sadly. Though it makes for an interesting character in Gehn's case.
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Dec 11, 2016 15:47
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Oh, I'm glad I caught up to reading this before you got to the end. Like so many others, I missed nearly all the details when I first played through it back when I was 16. I love that you're pointing them out and the way your giving voice to the player/narrator.
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Dec 13, 2016 02:18
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For that matter, since he was trying to remake the D'ni, it might be that he was saying "You guys are totally the D'ni though so don't worry about it, you can totals create Ages."
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Dec 13, 2016 03:03
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Dr. Buttass posted:For that matter, since he was trying to remake the D'ni, it might be that he was saying "You guys are totally the D'ni though so don't worry about it, you can totals create Ages." This is what I figured. D'ni is a culture, not a species or something, and Gehn's plan is to slowly replace the Rivenese culture by raising their kids in Proper D'ni Fashion. He's basically 1930s Great Britain trying to get Indians to act British, only to have them stay Indian and nevertheless kick his rear end at cricket.
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Dec 13, 2016 07:07
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Entry 13 Ambient: Dripping water  I spent a long time wandering around the caldera lake, the frog cave, and the balcony. The fact that there was a two story ladder climb didn’t make it any easier. It got to the point where I decided to take a quick rest inside the cool, damp cave instead of walking around under the beating sun. I took a step inside and shut the doors so I could think some more.  God Damnit. Two side passages, hidden by the open doors, sat there in plain sight. After knocking my head on the railing a couple times, I moved to explore the island further.   I went left first, moving through a short rock passage to a door. Opening the door revealed another spinning dome.  I didn’t see the opening device anywhere, but my attention was drawn to a hole in the wall. It looks like it was in a different room.  The air felt fresher here, so I looked up. This dome was connected to something by a pipe that exited through a large hole in the ceiling. Thinking back, I think the other domes had similar pipes as well.  But my thoughts went to the opening device. I turned around and looked at the door I entered in. Would Gehn use the same trick twice?  As it turns out, he did.  This passage led to the opening device, The third one I’d encountered so far. And this one wasn’t broken, thankfully.  The same process worked here. The symbol was a circle with a vertical line.   The dome opened up, and I headed back to the room to see my handiwork. Another book inside on this island. There was one of these domes on every island, by all appearances.  But I couldn’t do anything else with it without the combination. I turned around to check out the other path.   Moving right took me to a metal walkway on the edge of the caldera. Ahead I could see the building that thwarted me when I first got to the island.  I walked up to the familiar looking door and gave it a try. It clunked solidly. Turns out Gehn actually locked both doors. I threw a rock at the window but it bounced off with a dull thunk. I was still stymied here.  But the path went onwards, and I took a look, hoping this would reveal a way in.  Ambient: Wind Instead I found the footbridge I’d been seeing ever since I got to Riven. The great golden dome loomed in the distance ahead of me.   It was a long walk, and every so often the bridge shook in the wind beneath me. It occurred to me I never really figured out what this giant construction was for. Gehn was extravagant, certainly, but I got the impression nothing he built was without its function.   I got to the end and saw the bridge was raised. Pulling the lever at the side here lowered it without issue.  But I thought I recognized this place, and took a look at the pipe running to the bridge mechanism. Far below was the steam pipe that I activated when I first got to the island. If I hadn’t idly flipped that switch, I would need to turn around, take the lumber cart to Village Island, take the tram to Temple Island, walk back through the temple and dome, turn the steam on, and then make the same trip in reverse to get back here, just to lower the bridge. I mentally affirmed in my head that I would never leave a switch un-flipped as long as I lived.  Ambient: Humming machinery But with the bridge lowered, I could make my way back into the Golden Dome, but on a different part this time.  Following the walkway led me to a wheel, and a gap to where I first entered the dome.  Turning the wheel extended a walkway to the other side. I’d officially made a full circuit around the islands.  But I’d skipped an exit on the way here. I turned back around to check.   It led outside, but there was an immediate gap in the walkway. I looked down and thought I recognized that inoperable elevator below me.  I glanced behind me and saw a button on the wall of the dome.  Pressing it raised the platform from below, allowing me to cross.   The walkway led to a door and switch that looked familiar to me.  Pulling the switch revealed a familiar wall and peephole. This was the mysterious locked door of the rotating Gateroom! I’d made my way back here, finally! But with two entrances to the Gateroom open to me, a thought occurred to me.   I made my way back inside the dome to the first entrance, and gave the bridge lever a pull. It raised on this side, sure, but I had another path to the Gateroom.   I just had to take the newly connected path and rotate the room a few times…  And I could finally see what was on the top level of the dome.   I’d had this place closed off to me the first time I came here, after all. Surely I was on to something.  It was, unfortunately, rather empty of answers.  I turned around and left, more than a little intimidated.  It took some more Gateroom rotations to get back to where I was, but I thought of another possibility. The platform I raised to get here came from below. Does that mean the button below was operable now?  I looped around the inside of the Dome to get to the lower level.  But my curiosity was rewarded. The button here was operable. Apparently the elevator worked with two connected platforms.   Pressing the button took me downwards to a concrete tunnel.  Which in turn led to the fourth dome I’d seen in my journey.  The device was right here, and being thorough, I thought I’d use it.  The symbol here was a circle with a dot in the center.  With the right symbol selected, the dome opened up with a rumble, gleaming in the sun. I noticed another pipe here.  This one went straight back to the giant dome.  Perhaps the two domes were connected somehow? Catherine mentioned they were somehow important for Gehn’s linking books, but precisely what they’re for is beyond me.  Regardless, thinking of Catherine’s journal reminded me of something else.  There was a certain nostalgia about coming back to this island. It was the first place I explored after linking here, and its layout was nearly second nature to me now.  Though it was only now that the island was fully open to me. Another of Gehn’s security measures, ensuring his realms were only accessible from his side.   But he wasn’t the only writer at work here. A long time ago Catherine had made her mark on Riven as well.   It seemed impossible, but it was time to see what she was truly capable of.   I returned to the hatch on the viewer and flipped through Catherine’s journal. The numbers were in D’ni, but I knew enough to translate them. 1, 4, 5, 2, 2. I mentally numbered the buttons from left to right and tried the passcode.  The hatch opened up with a click, revealing a black expanse below.  II stood up and looked at the eyeglass. I wasn’t sure what I’d see next.  Looking through revealed stars, but the glare of light made it hard to see very well.  I lowered the telescope as low as it would go so I could get a better view.  Looking through the glass now let me see clearly. A massive expanse of stars, but there was a dark cloud floating in the center of it. It felt unreal, I had to remind myself that this was directly beneath my feet. I pulled away, surrounded by the rocks and sea air of Riven. I’d have to come back here one more time to signal Atrus. Whatever this place was, it would probably be my ticket to making those ‘fundamental changes’ he needs. All that remained was chasing down Gehn. And for that, I’d have to get into that damned building on the Bookmaking Island. Time to see if Gehn is as secure as he thinks he is.
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Dec 13, 2016 10:15
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Ladies and gentlemen; puzzle number two. I don't think we've covered in minute enough detail everything required to produce the actual solution, but if this were a certain species of mystery novel, this might be the point where the narrative would pause to say that now, dear reader, is the point at which you can figure out where the clues are, what they tell you, and how to link them together. I suppose there is one remaining absolutely vital piece of information we lack, but if you're sharp and on the ball you might be able to guess what we're going to learn (besides a ton of lore) in that building. At this point I will kind of sort of grudgingly concede that there may possibly arguably be one more puzzle remaining after this one.
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Dec 13, 2016 11:22
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M.c.P posted:
 These loving doors. One of two things I had to look up when I first played this, and the other is even more dumb. We'll get to that soon enough, though.
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Dec 13, 2016 15:50
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Entry 14 It was time to get into that building, come hell or high water.   Hidden and securely locked on an island full of Bookmaking materials. It had to be Gehn’s personal workshop, with clues to where he is and how I could trap him. But the door was solid metal, and the glass seemed reinforced somehow. Was there another option?  I started to examine the surrounding area. A wire running to the side caught my interest.  I looked around the side of the building and saw something interesting. A tube running inside. I thought back to my adventure up the drainage pipe. But the wire continued onward.   Following the wire backwards along the walkway led me to a switch that I’d somehow missed the first time through here. From here I could hear a whirring, rattling noise that felt familiar.  I flicked the switch, and the rattling sound stopped. Intriguing.   Another wire continued further down the path, but it soon diverged and looped over the rocks. I thought back to what else was this way, but there was nothing but that frog cave.   It was worth checking though, especially so nearby. The walkway continued into the cave proper, where I could hear the echoes of my footsteps and dripping water from the caves below.  It felt a lot more chilling this time though. Then I realized that something was missing. That rattling and whirring sound I’d heard at the switch... I’d heard it here first. The fact that it was so silent now meant-  The fan was off. The blades stood silent around the entrance of a familiar looking pipe.  It wasn’t the most graceful of break ins. It took me a little bit to haul myself up onto the frog catching device, then pull myself into the vent, legs waving awkwardly.  But I made it into the claustrophobic pipe, with a gentle breeze causing an echo inside.   It was dusty and chilly as I inched forwards on my stomach, but eventually I reached another fan and a grate.  The grate swung open easily. I wasn’t sure how I was going to turn around if this turned out to be a dead end.  Still, there was enough space to get my legs out and drop down to the table, and then to the floor.  Ambient: Dead silence I was inside. I could see the tram stop door ahead of me, but I was more interested in the desks around the space.    Gehn was evidently behind the frog catching device.  Then used them to distill into… something. Of course, precision glassware on an island that, by all appearances, didn’t have technology far past the Bronze Age before Gehn arrived is certainly a distinct accomplishment.  The drawer here was filled with natural samples as well, carefully arranged.  Another desk was filled with the bookmaking devices.   A magnifying glass for examining a sample of wood, blank books and unbound paper…   A set for lining up pages and a strong looking vice as well. I regretfully don’t know the first thing about book binding, but this looks like it’s related to making books.  And in the middle, a stove. Does it get cold in Riven? The heat of the sun and the trees here didn’t say anything but tropical to me.  I opened up the stove and saw it was a bit more destructive.  Inside was a book, blackened around the edges.  Opening it up showed much of the paper had survived the fire, but the linking panel itself was black and useless. I thought back to the crisped edges of the linking book to Tay. This was a brother of that rescued book.  One more desk to check, this one with a journal on it. I decided to leave it for last.  The starglobe was compelling, but I couldn’t figure out how it worked. The fruit looked a little browner than the ones at the temple, but they turned out to be fine.   The note though… This was a confirmation for eye number one, something that Gehn noticed from his spy scope in the lake, just like I did. The number on the eye was, indeed, a D’ni one. I shook it around a bit but it made no sounds. Presumably fish aren’t very noisy. Also of note, apparently the locals know how to swim in the magic water around here. Imagine that.  But that was enough poking around. Gehn may return, and the journal may just have the vital clues I need to get to his distant Age. I sat down in the chair and began to read. --- Editor’s Note: Gehn’s own handwriting is thankfully quite concise, but for your convenience a full transcript can be found Here    I wonder what kind of dating system Gehn is using. It looks familiar, but it might just be coincidental. But he’s as concerned about the Star Fissure as Catherine and Atrus are. His observations about the fissure don’t answer many questions though, a fact that likely frustrates him as much as it concerns me. Once again, a warning that if it gets opened, the consequences could be world ending. ‘Early experiments revealed the presence of breathable atmosphere’. If Catherine is right, he threw people in and used the telescope to watch them fall.  The man certainly loves to pat himself on the back.   As I read this I begin to wonder what Atrus and Catherine thought would happen during their escape and subsequent trapping of Gehn. Even Catherine is sure the Star Fissure is dangerous. But didn’t she and Atrus open it up in the first place? Maybe things wouldn’t have been so bad if it was kept open, but a sucking wound in the very ground leading to a starry expanse doesn’t sound like a good thing to leave alone. And, for all his delusions Gehn was right. Atrus did not want to kill his father, and Catherine certainly didn’t want to risk her people.  Who’s Keta?   I’d thought I’d seen enough but reading Gehn’s own words about the incredible mastery of the D’ni is a little stomach turning. And I know next to nothing about this Art, but I can see Gehn is delusional. I remember Atrus frantically writing in the Riven book, the glowing tears on Village Island. The fact the islands used to be a single whole, now split up over half a mile of ocean. If this is stable, I shudder to think how Gehn’s other Ages collapsed.   More of those eye symbols. Apparently they have something to do with colors? But the next entry really does settle it. Gehn has written another Age and has relocated there. Thankfully this all seems very recent, hopefully he hasn’t gone on to subjugating another inhabited Age while I putzed around Riven.   The domes scattered around the islands, and the giant golden dome on Temple Island, are important in making the Linking Books work. The Moiety didn’t give me a spare crystal frame, so I think I need to operate Gehn’s machinery if I want to get after him.  Gehn was even nice enough to write the code down for me. Your subjects may not read English, but I certainly can. It’s just… I can’t read D’ni. I don’t recognize these symbols. This could be a problem.  The Black Moiety at least were effective in vexing their oppressor. I wonder if this coincided with Catherine’s return.  Apparently Gehn has been smoking frogs. Well, it certainly confirms my suspicion that the frogs are brightly colored because they’re toxic. Fortunately for me, it’s only an intense soporific rather than a deadly neurotoxin. The vials on that desk with the preserved frogs might just be samples of that ‘particularly pleasant extract’. I think I’ll pass.  The extent to which Gehn is unaware of the power brewing underneath his nose is amusing.    But he knows his son quite well. Gehn didn’t understand why the water here does what it does either. It’s a good theory but he clearly doesn’t have the tools to prove it, only catalog its effects. Regardless the untreated water doesn’t sound very healthy to drink.   This, however, is distressing. Gehn captured one of Catherine’s crystal panels. Fortunately his delusions prevented him from realizing it was Catherine’s own creation, but if Gehn has Catherine captured…  It didn’t’ bear thinking about.   That was it. Gehn was on his newly written Age, with the Linking books locked into spinning domes powered by the giant dome on Temple Island. But that means two obstacles are in my way.  The domes are passcode locked. I’ve found the code, but it’s in D’ni numbers, and not just in the 1-10 form I’ve already figured out. I think the sliders here can go from 1 to 25, so that’s a start. But how do I figure it out from there?   But that’s not the worst part. This giant dome, with its pipes and contraptions, is apparently responsible for making Gehn’s linking books operate. I’ll be dead in the water if I can’t get it to work.   But what the hell is this thing supposed to be? This may take some thinking. Addendum:  It does not appear to be a picture maker, anyway. M.c.P fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Dec 16, 2016 |
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Dec 16, 2016 14:40
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So, for those of you new to Riven, the above is, in many ways, THE puzzle of Riven. Figuring this thing out relies on careful reading of all the journals, interpreting the signs we've seen, associating the correct symbols, and even then there's still a little bit of guesswork. I have left nothing out in this LP. You have every single piece of information the player should have at this point, and it is enough to solve it. Good luck!
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Dec 16, 2016 14:47
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I think figuring out the place to put the pegs won't be terribly difficult. However, there are six colours. If there are different colours, it means the particular colour is important. But which colour goes with which island. That's made even more complicated because there are six colours, but only five islands. Hmmm...
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Dec 16, 2016 15:09
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M.c.P posted:So, for those of you new to Riven, the above is, in many ways, THE puzzle of Riven. My brother owned this game, but he wouldn't let me play his copy of this game. However, I could read his books, and I'm pretty sure the number system is outright spelled out in one of them. I won't state the answer directly, but as stated it's a fairly simple logical step. I think I have the lights part, at least. I got as far as the six pillars of animals/sounds/numbers, and then no further. Snuck onto the computer and got caught late at night. Spoilering it in case people want to make their own guess without reading it. Is it the location of the colored lights at the whale observation room? The one you annoyed the whale in? Focacciasaurus_Rex fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Dec 16, 2016 |
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Dec 16, 2016 16:57
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Actually, I apologize, I am being remiss in not explaining how the inputs work. The six colored marbles can be placed anywhere on this 25 by 25 grid. That's it!
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Dec 16, 2016 17:29
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Looks like there's a stronger black outline around some of these 5x5 squares, and the shapes they make are the same as the ones on this page here. Here's my guesses so far. That page also refers to a "civilized mode of transportation", which to Gehn I would assume could only mean travelling via linking book. That page ALSO has a picture one of the small golden domes and a picture of the big golden dome. We've seen linking books under glass at each small golden dome, so I assume he uses the big dome to power the small domes, and each small dome stabilizes the linking book inside, and he travels around using the linking books, and that's his civilized transport. So my guess is each linking book is associated with one of those composite square shapes. We've seen grids in that shape before, too. The five composite square shapes definitely represent the five islands of Riven, and they fit together because they all used to be one island. My guess is we check out that water map display place, make note of where each small golden dome is on that island, and put one marble at that spot. What I'm not sure about is which color goes with which spot, or what to do with the sixth marble. Given this game's obsession with five, so I'm sure it has some significance. Maybe it goes where the big dome is? We also haven't been to that small island yet, so maybe it has two domes on it? I'm not sure how we'd get there, but I confess that I get kind of turned around reading this thing in screenshot form so maybe there's a path you didn't take that I've forgotten. I would say there's probably something there that provides a clue, but you said we had all the info we need so I'm probably overlooking some stuff.
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Dec 16, 2016 18:28
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Each dome had a weird eye-like symbol it stopped on in their viewfinders. Page 10 of Gehn's journal gives the order. Match the color order of the marbles with the journal, and we would know which color corresponds to each dome.
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Dec 16, 2016 23:45
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Added Space posted:Each dome had a weird eye-like symbol it stopped on in their viewfinders. Page 10 of Gehn's journal gives the order. Match the color order of the marbles with the journal, and we would know which color corresponds to each dome. IIRC, each eye has an associated 1-5 number and each 1-5 number has an associated color. Which spinning eye made the warhk sound? What color was the light used to summon the warhk?
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Dec 17, 2016 01:13
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We already know what these numbers are from the schoolhouse.  99 and 98 respectively. But that doesn't make sense. "98rd" isn't correct, so it really ought to end with a 3 in Arabic numerals. Obviously the D'ni numbering system is not base 10.
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Dec 17, 2016 02:08
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Fister Roboto posted:Obviously the D'ni numbering system is not base 10. If it were, then 10 would not be the symbol there; it would be two symbols, the vertical line and then an empty box for 0. 10, after all, is 1-ten-and-0, we're just so used to it that we don't consider it in two parts.
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Dec 17, 2016 02:29
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I was just looking at it some more and I think I figured out the number system. Just so I can check my assumptions without spoiling the process for anyone else, is the last digit in the journal password  ?
Jabor fucked around with this message at 09:06 on Dec 17, 2016 |
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Dec 17, 2016 02:50
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oh my poo poo it's in base 5 why didn't I see this earlier
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Dec 17, 2016 04:15
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Look at the relationship between 1 and 5, and 2 and 10... Hmm...
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Dec 17, 2016 04:21
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Jabor posted:I was just looking at it some more and I think I figured out the number system. To answer your question, Yep, you got it.
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Dec 17, 2016 04:48
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One aspect of this puzzle that I never got on previous playthroughs is obvious to me now. We can associate colors with the 'eye' symbols we saw before on the domes. We saw most of them matched up in the Whark room, and could get the last via process of elimination:M.c.P posted:I looked at the giant ball in my lap. 6 buttons with circular symbols on them. They looked like the symbols on the rotating domes. In fact, I recognized the eye with a line from the dome on Village Island. I did grasp other aspects before (though I could never integrate it all without this bit), so I'll just leave it at that.
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Dec 17, 2016 05:09
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idhrendur posted:One aspect of this puzzle that I never got on previous playthroughs is obvious to me now. We can associate colors with the 'eye' symbols we saw before on the domes. We saw most of them matched up in the Whark room, and could get the last via process of elimination: That's probably a better way of finding that out. Just goes show that great design includes a few redundant clues.
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Dec 17, 2016 05:24
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If you enter the colors in the order of Yellow Red Green Blue Black White you get the super secret best ending. Wait, wrong game. Bruceski posted:If it were, then 10 would not be the symbol there; it would be two symbols, the vertical line and then an empty box for 0. 10, after all, is 1-ten-and-0, we're just so used to it that we don't consider it in two parts. Indeed. And the way the numbers are ordered in McP's translation is a little misleading, because a counting system should start with zero instead of one. It might make more sense like this: 
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Dec 17, 2016 05:27
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Added Space posted:That's probably a better way of finding that out. Just goes show that great design includes a few redundant clues. Whadda ya know, it *does* match up with your way of doing it. Neat.
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Dec 17, 2016 05:29
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We're probably able to pinpoint where on the grid the domes are with that Topographical Map Generator. You know, the one that uses all those raised metal pins or whatnot.
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Dec 17, 2016 06:07
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oh yes oh god yes form the head FORM THE HEAD unghhhh...
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IronSaber posted:We're probably able to pinpoint where on the grid the domes are with that Topographical Map Generator. You know, the one that uses all those raised metal pins or whatnot. The domes are there but they're a little tough to discern because 1997. In the game itself I believe you can rotate the grid maps to an extent. That's why we need them to make realRiven! Also minor request- if it's not too much trouble, could you put all of the music clips in a list in the OP?
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Dec 17, 2016 07:11
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C-Euro posted:That's why we need them to make realRiven! 
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Dec 17, 2016 20:07
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I mean, there's this project, which even got Cyan's blessings: http://www.starryexpanse.com/ It'll just take them approximately forever to finish, unfortunately.
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Dec 17, 2016 20:12
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Fister Roboto posted:99 and 98 respectively. But that doesn't make sense. "98rd" isn't correct, so it really ought to end with a 3 in Arabic numerals. Obviously the D'ni numbering system is not base 10. I think the big problem here is that you're correct, it's not base 10, but the English language doesn't really have concise ways of pronouncing numbers in other counting systems. 98 in hexadecimal is 62, for example, but it's not read "sixty-two", it's read "six two," and the closest I can think for pronouncing "first second third" in hexadecimal would be "Age number six two." I think what I'm saying is, Gehn can spell it however he drat well pleases because it ain't gonna make sense to us no matter what.
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Dec 18, 2016 04:48
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Dr. Buttass posted:I think the big problem here is that you're correct, it's not base 10, but the English language doesn't really have concise ways of pronouncing numbers in other counting systems. 98 in hexadecimal is 62, for example, but it's not read "sixty-two", it's read "six two," and the closest I can think for pronouncing "first second third" in hexadecimal would be "Age number six two." Well, the number does in fact end with a 3 in base 10, so he's literally translating from D'ni to English. It's kind of silly, like saying that this is the XXIst Century, but it's still an important clue for figuring this out.
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Dec 18, 2016 09:55
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Entry 15 Let’s work on the numbers first. That seems less intimidating. I need to figure out what numbers relate to these symbols.  Thanks to the game in the schoolhouse, I’ve figured out the symbols for 1-10. And the input sliders run from 1-25, so it doesn’t get any bigger than that. So what can I get from there? --- Okay, looking at 1-10, there is something I noticed. The digits above 5 are a combination of 5 and another number.  So 5 and 1 put together make 6, 5 and 2 put together make 7, and so on. 10 has a new symbol. If the same rule holds out, we would get the following:  Checking back with the code, looks like 13 and 14 are there too. Good! We’re getting somewhere. But how do I get above 14? --- Alright, I think I figured something out.  It looks like 5 and 10 are 1 and 2 rotated 90 degrees. So if that trend continues, then you get:  And the symbol for 20 is part of the code. Okay, I’m getting somewhere! If I extrapolate further on that, using the overlaying addition I figured out before…  And if I look at the code from Gehn’s Journal, It looks like the code is 2, 13, 14, 20, 21. But as long as I’m working on this stuff… Gehn’s new Age. Directly translated the numbers are 98, so that should be it. Except this isn’t the Arabic number system. 10-24 are two digit numbers in the base-10 I’m used to, but they’re one digit in D’ni. So what does the second digit represent? Well, I suppose the numbers I’ve figured out so far can’t go above 24, since 5 rotated just looks like 1 again. So the second digit probably is a count of 25. Base 25, in other words. So the digit is 9 x 25 + 8, or 233. Gehn’s 233rd Age. Time to see if we can pay him a visit. ---   With the stairs lifted, I had to go around the inside to reach the small dome on Temple Island.   Back around the outside, down the elevator,  To get to the small dome, still open since last I used it.  I checked my journal again for the code.  2, 13, 14, 20, 21. Code set, I pressed the button.  The effect was immediate. The dome lifted and slammed shut around me, and the grinding of metal signaled the dome beginning to rotate again.   The pedestal inside ascended and lit up.  The linking book to Gehn’s 233rd Age. Maybe it would work?  No such luck. The linking panel remained black and non-functional. These linking books are faulty, and had to be powered by whatever the giant dome’s mechanism is.   The button at the bottom opened up the dome again, leaving me outside of it. I still need to figure out that giant grid and marbles to power the linking books. Nothing left for it but to try to tackle it now. M.c.P fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Dec 23, 2016 |
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Dec 18, 2016 13:39
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Haha 12 looks like a butt.
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Dec 19, 2016 06:31
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That whole "slams shut over you" mechanism seems questionable. Great way to knock a bitch right out if they're not careful about where they stands. I am tall like a motherfucker, I hit doors sometimes, I know what I'm talking about.
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Dec 19, 2016 06:43
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Dr. Buttass posted:That whole "slams shut over you" mechanism seems questionable. Great way to knock a bitch right out if they're not careful about where they stands. I am tall like a motherfucker, I hit doors sometimes, I know what I'm talking about. Knock out? Sounds like a good way to decapitate someone, frankly. Myst/Riven have never been particularly big on safety regulations.
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Dec 19, 2016 06:50
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"OSHA" is a powerful countercurse other cultures used to repel the D'ni.
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Dec 19, 2016 07:57
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Well, I just binged through this whole thread. I never played Riven, but I always wanted to after I beat Myst. So this is incredibly relevant to my interests. One point I don't quite get though. If Gehn only thinks of his ages by number, why does he refer to Riven in his journal as 'Riven', rather than whatever number it was? It seems really out of place when he starts talking about using a linking book to connect Riven to 233.
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Dec 20, 2016 04:20
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Truthkeeper posted:Well, I just binged through this whole thread. I never played Riven, but I always wanted to after I beat Myst. So this is incredibly relevant to my interests. I don't think the name Riven comes from Gehn; he of course named it simply "the fifth age", and possibly attached some importance to it on account of the number five. I'm unsure if there's a source on this but I'd wager the name Riven was what the age came to be known as later, possibly by Atrus, after the catastrophes caused by Gehn's ineptitude caused the landmass to literally become riven (noun, past tense of "rive", meaning "to split apart") into the five islands. I would further infer, assuming this, that Gehn came to know the age as Riven prior to becoming trapped on it, and the name simply stuck.
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Dec 20, 2016 04:42
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It's been ages since I read the Book of Atrus, but I think Riven was the natives' name for the place.
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Dec 20, 2016 04:49
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