MYST Hints

MYST Hints

These hints are divided into three sections.  The first section provides
general hints to help you better understand Myst and to improve play.  The
second section contains additional help, and guides you through Myst and the
different Ages.  As a last resort, the third section contains the actual
answers to the various Myst puzzles.


General Hints

Most devices on the island have been put there for a purpose.  If you see a
switch, flip it.  If you see a button, press it.  Take note of what happens.
 Did something change on the screen?  Did you hear anything?  Usually this
triggers an event somewhere else on the island.

Several devices require a combination of symbols, letters, or numbers to be
entered in.  If you have not discovered the combination, don t waste your
time guessing!  Find the combinations first!

Maps to each Age can be found in the Library.  You may want to copy them down
in your Myst journal before transporting.

You can hold only one red or blue page at a time.  Clicking on a new page
will cause the page you are holding to return to its original location.
 Similarly, only one red or blue page can be returned to Myst at a time.  You
may have to revisit Ages to get additional pages.

It is impossible to get permanently trapped, there is always a way out.

Remember to save your game.  You may want to use multiple saves, especially
towards the end, as there is no telling what might happen!


Discover Myst

Find the note from Atrus, and go to the chamber by the dock.  Use the
Dimensional Imager to discover what Marker Switches look like.   Travel
around the island and count the number of marker switches.  Enter that number
into the dimensional imager to receive the message from Atrus.  (You may
listen to the message as often as you like.)

Explore the Library

Red and Blue Books - Place the pages in the books to receive messages.
 (Click again on the book to replay messages.)

Paintings - The left painting opens a secret passageway to the observatory
tower, the right painting opens the door to the outside.

A Bookcase - Most of the books have been destroyed, save for a few which are
still legible.  Each book describes a different age which the author has
created.  Write down any information that you feel will be valuable later on.

Island Map - This controls the observatory tower rotation.  The marker
switches allow the island structures to become visible on the map.

The access keys to each age can be found in the Observatory Tower.  Click on
the observatory icon until the rotation line turns red.  The red line will
lock onto structures that contain transport books to different Ages.

Observatory Tower

Click on the bookcase picture to open a secret passageway to the tower.
 Inside you will find two ladders marked by book and key icons.  Climb the
book ladder to view the structure that contains the transport book.  Climb
the key ladder to find the access key for that Age.


From Myst to the Selenitic Age

The access key is a voltage number.  To open the Spaceship, the proper
voltage must be generated by the Power Station.

Inside the power station is a panel that controls ten generators.  Click on
each one and mark down the voltage that is generated.  By pressing the right
combination of buttons, the voltages will add up to the target voltage.

If too much power is generated, one of two circuit breakers will trip,
causing the right gauge to fall to zero.   You must then go outside to check
which breaker tower has the thrown switch.  There is a tower just outside the
power station, and one close to the ship.  The switch will be DOWN if the
breaker is thrown.  Push the switch UP to reset.

Go inside the spaceship and play the keyboard notes according to the sequence
found in the Selenitic Age book.  Listen to each tone and match it with the
tuner sliders on the opposite end of the ship.  Click on the animation to be
transported to the Selenitic Age.

Selenitic Age

You will first discover an elevator.  To gain access, you must enter the
proper combination of sounds into the activation panel.

There are five transmission antennas and one receiving station on the island.
 At each antenna you will hear distinct sounds.  The red buttons activate
microphones that will transmit these sounds to the receiving station.  Take
note of the symbols that illuminate at each station.
You may come across a red or blue page.  Click on the page to pick it up, but
remember, only one page can be brought back to Myst at a time!

After all five antennas have been activated, go through the wind tunnel to
the receiving station.  Here, you must aim each camera at the transmission
antennas.  When done, press the _ button.  This will give you the proper
order of sounds to enter into the elevator activation panel.

Take the elevator to the MazeRunner vehicle and get in.  The speaker panel
sounds indicate which direction to take.  Combinations of sounds indicate
in-between directions (Northeast, for example).  If you get lost, the
Backtrack button will move you back towards the correct path.

At the end of the tunnel is a book that will transport you back to the Myst
Library.  Once inside, place the red or blue page into its corresponding book
and listen to the message.


From Myst to the Stoneship Age

The access keys are dates which must be entered into the Planetarium Star
Plotter.  Turn out the lights, enter the dates, and copy down the
constellation formations.  Go to the library, look up the constellations in
the Stoneship book, and find the symbols associated with each constellation.

Now go to the fountain just outside the library.  Click on the marker pillars
that display the constellation symbols you have found.  (They are green when
ON and red when OFF.)  The ship model will rise in the fountain, as will the
ship at the dock.  Inside the ship at the dock is a book that will transport
you to the Stoneship Age.

Stoneship Age

At the umbrella crow s-nest are three buttons that pump water from different
areas on the ship/island.

Pump water out of the lighthouse.  You will find a key bolted to the floor
and a chest down below.  Drain the water from the chest and close the spigot.
 Pump water back into the lighthouse.  The chest will now be floating close
enough to the key to open.  Inside the chest is another key which will unlock
the trap door to the lighthouse tower.

Once inside, you will find a generator with a battery pack.  Crank the
generator until the light bar indicates  full .  This will give you ten
minutes to explore the island/ship.

Take the elevated wooden path to the telescope and look around.  You will see
a flashing beacon (but only if the generator is fired up).  Take note of the
compass degree of the beacon.

Pump water out of the Stoneship tunnels.  Look for the red and blue pages in
each of the brothers  rooms.  (You may also find a half page.)

Hidden in the tunnels is a secret passageway that leads to a giant compass.
 The compass activates the lights in the ship s aft.  Push the button that
corresponds to the degree angle of the flashing beacon.  If you press the
wrong one, the lights will go out, and you will have to recharge the
generator again.

Pump water from the ship s aft.  Downstairs is a book that will transport you
back to Myst.


From Myst to the Mechanical Age

Go to the Clock Tower on the opposite end of island from the Library.  Use
the wheels to set the time to the observatory clue.  The large wheel advances
the minutes hand, the small wheel advances the hour hand.

Once inside the clock tower, use the levers to set the combination to the
observatory clue.  Pull and release the left lever to rotate the bottom two
gears.  If you pull and hold the lever down, both gears will turn once, but
only the middle gear will continue to turn.  The right lever operates the
same way for the top two gears.  On the far right is a lever that resets the
puzzle.

When completed, go the giant gears near the dock.  Inside the gear is the
book that will transport you to the Mechanical Age.

Mechanical Age

You will first discover a metal platform.  To gain access, you must enter the
proper combination of symbols into its activation panel.

The center of this island is a mechanical fortress which can rotate on its
axis.  To get to the other islands, you must rotate the fortress using the
controls inside.  Practice with the Fortress Rotation Simulator in Achenar s
room to get your timing right.

In-between the two brothers' rooms is a passageway.  Press the red button to
lower the staircase to the elevator control panel.  Use the handle to align
the circles until there is an opening (circles will turn red).  Go back up
and raise the staircase.  Enter the elevator and press the UP button.  When
the door opens, press the middle button and step outside.

Use the controls to rotate the fortress.  Go outside and search the islands
for clues that will help you get back to Myst.  Remember to bring back a red
or blue page!


From Myst to the Channelwood Age

Go to the Cabin on the island.  Enter the combination into the safe as found
in the observatory clue.  Use the matches to light the pilot on the furnace.
 Position your cursor in the middle of the wheel (until it turns clockwise
green) and click to crank up the furnace.  This powers the tree elevator and
will bring it to above ground level.  Wait until you can no longer hear the
elevator moving upward.  Now turn the furnace off  (counter-clockwise red)
until the fire goes out.
Quickly go outside and turn back towards the cabin.  Move to the right of the
cabin in-between the two large trees.  You will see a giant tree with an
elevator moving downward.  When the elevator reaches ground level, click to
move inside.  Wait for the elevator to take you to the Channelwood transport
book.

Channelwood Age

Here you must channel water to power up various devices on the island.  Go
inside the Windmill to the water tank.  Click on the nozzle to open the pipe
(counter-clockwise), and head back towards the trees.  You should now hear
water flowing through the pipe.

There is a junction box at the first fork that controls the flow of water;
(the yellow dots indicate direction).  Channel water to the elevator on the
right.  Step inside, close the door, and move up to the second floor.

Here, you must search for a red lever that opens the door to the wooden
staircase.  A map to this level can be found in the Channelwood book in the
Library.  Once open, the elevator from the first to second level is no longer
needed, so you can use that water to power another device.

Channel water to the elevator at the top of the stairs, and take the elevator
to the third level.  Look for the red and blue pages.  (You may also find a
half page.)

Travel back to water level, and channel water to the motor on the far left.
 This will activate a water bridge.  Cross the bridge and head to the right.
 To power the elevator found here, you must complete the section of missing
pipe.  Turn the crank to extend the pipe.  Go back and channel water through
this pipe to the elevator.  This will bring you to a book that will take you
back to Myst.


From Myst to Dunny

Place your last page in the red or blue book and listen to the message.  If
you have placed enough pages into either book, you will be instructed to
enter the correct pattern into the fireplace vault.

MYST Answers

Number of Marker Switches 8

Selenitic Age
Observatory clue 59 volts
Power station generators Left row: one and three
Right row: three and four
Receiving Station Water 153.4
Volcano 130.3
Clock 55.6
Tones 15.0
Wind 212.2
Elevator sound sequence Tones, Water, Wind, Volcano, Clock
MazeRunner Controls North = bell sound (bing)
West = bird type sound (twrr)
East = air brake sound
South = bell clank
MazeRunner Path N, W, N, E, E, S, S, W, SW, W, NW, NE, N, SE

Stoneship Age
Observatory clue Oct. 11, 1984  10:04 a.m.
Jan. 17, 1207  5:46 a.m.
Nov. 23, 9791  6:57 p.m.
Pillar switches Leaf, Snake, Insect
Water pump switches Left pumps out book room
Middle pumps out Stoneship tunnels
Right pumps out the lighthouse
Compass Press button at 135 degrees, (12th button
  clockwise from the North).

Mechanical Age
Observatory clue 2:40 and 2-2-1
Symbol  Code First Symbol Horseshoe
Second Symbol Triangle Rectangle Triangle
Third Symbol Circle over Three Triangles
Last Symbol Half Circle

Channelwood Age
Safe combination 724

Dunny
Access to the vault can be achieved easily if the simple instructions are
followed.  First, locate each of the Marker Switches on the island.  Turn
every one of these switches to the  on  position.  Then go to the dock and
turn the Marker Switch there to the  off  position.

Either Sirrus or Achenar will give you the key to the vault.  If not, you
need to return more pages to them!