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Myst Online: Uru Live
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Myst Online: Uru Live | |
|---|---|
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| Developer | Cyan Worlds |
| Publisher | GameTap |
| Engine | Plasma engine |
| Released | February 15, 2007 |
| Genre | First-person adventure, Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer online |
| Ratings | GameTap 10+ |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X |
| System requirements | Windows
Macintosh |
| Input methods | Mouse and keyboard |
Myst Online: Uru Live is a Massively multiplayer online game developed by Cyan Worlds and published by Turner Broadcasting System, featuring several diverse D'ni Ages designed in the style of the Myst game series. Although Uru and the Myst series share the theme of the D'ni civilization and culture, Uru takes place in the present day, as if the entire story of the Myst saga were discovered to be true. Unlike previous games, where the player is a stranger who lived 200 years ago, Uru allows avatar customization so that "you are you." The gameplay is more sophisticated than in previous Myst games, and the graphics are now in real-time 3D (cf. realMyst) rather than being pre-rendered stills. It is the resurrected multiplayer component of Uru: Ages Beyond Myst, and is available through the online GameTap service. Following its official launch, a limited number of countries outside those supported by GameTap will have access to the game via a separate client and monthly fee.
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Work on Myst Online: Uru Live (then known simply as Uru Live) began shortly after the completion of Myst's sequel: Riven. The original vision involved players exploring the Myst universe in a real-time 3-D environment, as opposed to pre-rendered stills that gave the Myst game and several of its sequels (Riven, Myst III: Exile and Myst IV: Revelation) such photorealistic graphics (Stratton, 213). This task was made easier when Cyan Worlds purchased Headspin Technologies. Headspin Technologies' Plasma Engine is the basis of the game's engine. The original incarnation of the engine made DIRT (D'ni in Real Time), an unreleased game idea which eventually became Uru.
Myst Online: Uru Live underwent further development which added a subscription-based multiplayer environment. This allowed players to not only explore together, but also to be provided with new content on a continual basis. During this part of Myst Online: Uru Live's development phase the acronym was changed to MUDPIE (Multi-User DIRT, Persistent Internet Entertainment) to reflect the more expansive nature of the project (221). The name was then changed to Uru: Ages Beyond Myst: Uru is a Sumerian word meaning "deep city", as well as the more literal interpretation of "You-Are-You" due to the fact that players (known as explorers) are encouraged to play as themselves.
The original incarnation of Myst Online: Uru Live was released in 2003 and required the game "Uru: Ages Beyond Myst" to be purchased. This game could be played completely offline but had an online component known as "Uru Live". Progress from the offline game could be imported to the online component. Although URU Live was in Open Beta (known as Prologue) from late 2003 to early 2004, it never actually launched before it was abruptly cancelled in February 2004. The online content was repackaged into two expansion packs: To D'ni and Uru: The Path of the Shell, released in March and July 2004 respectively. In August 2004, Until URU was released as a static, online version of the Uru: Ages Beyond Myst game, which players could access for a small admission fee of $5 (Though Cyan created their own server, called the D'mala shard, which was played for free, as long as you owned the original games to patch over).
Several incarnations of the Plasma Engine have been developed. realMyst was the first Cyan Worlds 3D real time game developed, using the Plasma version 1 engine. After the release of realMyst, Cyan Worlds decided further development on the engine was required and the Plasma Engine version 2 was developed for Uru: Ages Beyond Myst. Cyan Worlds later developed the Myst V: End of Ages game (The final game in the Myst series) the development of the Plasma Engine to Plasma version 2.1. Myst Online: Uru Live uses the Plasma version 2.05 engine, this means that the Plasma 2.0 engine is used but many of the graphical enhancements, loading times and the increased graphics card compatibility from the Plasma 2.1 engine have been backported. Plasma renders almost all objects on the screen, including most of the terrains and the avatars. In addition, Myst Online: Uru Live makes use of the PhysX physics engine. Its use is especially noticeable when moving around objects on the floor, such as stones or pieces of wood. When Uru: Ages Beyond Myst was originally developed under Ubisoft the physics engine was the Havok engine. The use of the Havok engine at the time made it impossible to port the original Uru: Ages Beyond Myst and its online component Uru Live to the Macintosh platform, as Havok did not support that platform. Due to licensing and technical issues, Havok is not used in the reincarnation of Myst Online: Uru Live.
On May 9, 2006, Cyan Worlds and GameTap announced at E3 that Myst Online: Uru Live would be returning in the holiday season of 2006 and would be published by Gametap. In the United States and Canada, the game is available as part of the GameTap service. Myst Online: Uru Live is also available internationally, in Australia, Denmark, Finland,France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom for a monthly fee of $12.95 USD outside of the GameTap service. However, if and when GameTap launches in that country, subscribers to Uru Live will gain access to the service at the standard GameTap rate. The new version does not require any physical purchase: all game content is downloaded through Gametap.[1]
On July 29, 2006, GameTap announced that Myst Online: Uru Live will feature free 'Visitor' access areas, which require no subscription to access. To explore further content will require a subscription fee. Closed public beta testing of Myst Online: Uru Live began in August of 2006.
On December 12, 2006, a semi-open beta began. This sneak peek continued until December 18th.
On December 20, 2006, the Official Open Beta opened. This Open Beta featured new content but was still part of the Beta process.
On January 18, 2007, it was announced that TransGaming is in active development of a Macintosh port of the game; a beta became available soon after [1]. This coincided with the release of the first new Age, Eder Delin.
On January 24, 2007, GameTap announced that Myst Online: Uru Live would officially launch on February 15, 2007.
On February 15, 2007, GameTap and Cyan Worlds removed Myst Online: Uru Live from beta and it is now officially "live". Vista support was simultaneously added for the Gametap client which is responsible for launching the game.
On March 20, 2007, GameTap released Myst Online for Mac OS X, and added the Dereno Age for all paid subscribers.
On May 19, 2007, the fifth Episode (the other four being unnamed and having their content spread over a month rather than a week as episodes are now being done) was launched, entitled "Scars". A new age, Minkata, was released during this week, making it the seventh new location for explorers since the beginning of Uru Live.
On June 23, 2007, the sixth Episode, "A New Light" was launched. A new City Location, the Watcher's Pub, was released, as well as the age of Er'cana, previously seen in the Path of the Shell offline expansion.
On July 30, 2007, the seventh Episode, "Familiar Voices" was launched. The DRC released the neighborhood Kirel (containing Guild paraphernalia) and the Age Jalak Dador. Bahro appearances became more frequent and began to happen across all Ages, even in Relto.
On September 8, 2007, the eighth Episode, "Deception" was launched. Each Guild had a modified version of the Watcher's Pub and the storyline continued with the return of Michael Engberg and Dr. Watson. Watson explains that he will not return to the DRC and Douglass Sharper has left to fight with the Bahro.
On November 1, 2007, the ninth Episode (and season finale), "Exodus" was launched. A modified version of Ahnonay, Myst, and K'veer were released, allowing players to finish "The Path of the Shell" that they had started with the Er'cana Age. Bahro sightings have increased, and funding for the DRC is being pulled. Many DRC leave to find more funding, and Douglas Sharper returns to help the DRC find funding. Cyan has hinted at a new season starting in February of 2008.
Puzzles remain a main theme in Myst Online: Uru Live. While Uru: Ages Beyond Myst (referred to as Uru Prime) puzzles were solvable by a single person, Myst Online: Uru Live subscribers can solve puzzles with others. Several of the new puzzles within Myst Online: Uru Live require multiple people working together to solve them.
Like previous Myst games, the story element of the game is also of prime importance. Some avatars will be controlled by live actors, whose purpose is to advance the storyline. The developers boast that players will have a limited ability in affecting the direction of the story. Small changes to the world will purportedly occur on a daily basis, with large story advances roughly once a month. Uru Live also features both text and voice chat features. [2]
The voice chat feature is currently not available for Mac. [3]
GameTap and Cyan Worlds announced in May that instead of continuing in its original form (with content appearing at any given moment), all stories and releases would be packed into one week of the month, called the "Episode." Originally the first Episode to use the name, Scars, was called Episode 1, however, now they are numbered with their version. For instance, the July/August Episode, Familiar Voices, is called Episode 7. The following is a list of Episodes and a description of them.
- Episode 5 - Began on May 19, 2007 - "Scars"
- Seismic activity in the D'ni cavern makes a crack in the Kahlo Pub. Willow "Wheely" Engberg (daughter of DRC member Michael Engberg) and her friend Rosette "Rose" Taylor decide to crawl into the crack, however, they find a strange marking inside. Suddenly and without warning a Bahro sees them and touches their Relto Books, rendering them unusable and making the crack collapse, trapping Wheely under rubble while immediately killing Rose. Over the next few days the DRC members attempt to dig Wheely out and a Bahro creature watches her, but just as they break through to her, another Bahro Links in and kills her. Douglas Sharper returns from an observing situation near the Negilahn pod, explaining that, at the exact same time, he was almost killed by one Bahro, but another saved his life. Michael Engberg goes to the Great Shaft which connects D'ni to the surface and disappears. The DRC release the Minkata Age.
- Episode 6 - Began on June 23, 2007 - "A New Light"
- Douglas Sharper goes to Noloben, the home of the Bahro, wishing to learn about the creatures and kill one in retaliation for Wheely's death. The DRC release the Age of Er'cana, allowing explorers to help feed the darkened lake of D'ni, the algae of which have been dormant since the D'ni stopped feeding them in the Fall.
- Episode 7 - Began on July 30, 2007 - "Familiar Voices"
- Douglas Sharper returns from Noloben, having killed a Bahro. Said Bahro is brought back by two other Bahro who mourn its death in the Watcher's Pub. Sharper wishes to go to Noloben permanently to fight on the side of the "good" Bahro but at the last minute decides not to. Bahro appearances become frequent and begin occurring across all Ages. The Bahro even react to explorers who mention D'ni phrases or Yeesha. The DRC releases the D'ni neighborhood of Kirel (filled with Guild paraphernalia) and the Age of Jalak Dador, the only non-D'ni DRC-released Age without a solution. Shortly after Jalak was released, Phil "phend" Henderson, who has not been seen for almost 4 years after plummeting off of a high structure in D'ni, returned. He stated that this phase of the Bahro war was just the beginning and that he has spent time in Releeshahn, the new home of the D'ni.
- Episode 8 - Began on September 8, 2007 - "Deception"
- A modified version of the Watcher's Pub for each Guild is released. Michael Engberg returns after his 3 month absence following the death of his daughter. Dr. Watson, previous leader of the DRC before his disappearance in 2004, returns with him. He has spent time with Phil Henderson and Yeesha and will not be returning to the DRC. Douglas Sharper leaves to fight with the Bahro, saying that the side he favors is losing.
- Episode 9 - Began on November 1, 2007 - "Exodus"
- MO:UL's season finale. The age Ahnonay was released in the Watcher's Pub near the Er'Cana book with some slight modifications from its appearance in 'Path of the Shell.' Likewise, K'veer and Myst were found. The war between the Bahro gradually increased as did Bahro sightings in all ages including Relto. Meanwhile, Cate decides to leave the cavern taking her funding with her. From this, many of the DRC members decided to go top side in an attempt to find more funding for the DRC efforts. The season climaxed with Yeesha appearing in the cavern (she had only been seen or heard from in images and recordings) explaining that she is going to draw the Bahro war away from the cavern. Finally, Douglas Sharper appeared in the Cavern wondering where everyone had disappeared to. After an explorer explained to him that the funding was gone, Sharper also decided to go top side for the holidays citing the fact that the Patriots are doing well. *Cyan has officially stated that the issue with funding that the DRC is having does not, in anyway, reflect the situation between Cyan and Gametap. It has been hinted that a new season may start some time in February.*
As in all Myst-based games, there are a number of different locations (called Ages) for the player to explore. The following are the Ages currently accessible in Myst Online: Uru Live--
- D'ni (Earth)
- The Cleft - A fissure of volcanic origin near a dormant volcano located on earth in Eddy County, New Mexico just a few miles from Tomahna. Atrus's home as a child.
- The Cavern - A large cavern housing a series of islands located several miles beneath the Earth's surface.
- Descent - A section of the great shaft which connects the cavern to the surface.
- The Watcher's Sanctuary - A completely enclosed area around a tree-like structure (known as the Great Tree of D'ni), located somewhere in the J'taeri District of D'ni. Also known as the Great Tree Pub, the area was built many thousands of years ago in honor of the Watcher, known for his prophecies. It eventually came into the possession of Guild Master Kadish, who added a spiral maze (the Path of the Shell), which only he himself could solve. He also used it to showcase the Ages of Er'cana and Ahnonay.
- K'veer - One of many mansion islands in the caverns, Known to be one of the larger ones. K'veer appears repeatedly throughout the Myst series, including at the end of the first game.
- Relto - The player's personal Age, Which can be visually changed when special pages, called "relto pages" are found. Adding things such as trees, a dock, or even sticks and rocks on the floor.
- Teledahn - A former slave Age, permeated by mushrooms.
- Gahreesen - A training center for the D'ni Guild of Maintainers. Often referred to as the 'prison' age. Though sounding similar to the English word 'garrison' (and thus often referred to as such), the Age is named for three D'ni words, gahro (great, mighty), ahreeuh (to protect), and senahren (building/structure).
- Kadish Tolesa - A ruined forest Age filled with towering trees, once owned by Guild Master Kadish to protect his treasure.
- Eder Gira - A volcanic Age of steam vents and waterfalls.
- Eder Kemo - A garden Age with occasional sudden rainfall.
- Eder Delin - A sublime garden Age with an autumn theme.
- Eder Tsogal - A small, sun-filled garden Age that complements Eder Delin.
- Reziksehv - An Age containing pods through which explorers can observe various areas of the planet.
- Negilahn - A gigantic jungle with many bizarre plants and animals. It can only be viewed from a special observation pod.
- Dereno - A frozen world punctuated by a breathtaking sea of ice. The ocean is home to colourful species of aquatic life, and must be viewed through an observational pod due to environmental risk.
- Payiferen - A large desert with frequent sandstorms and an unusual large creature. The Age is viewed from a pod, possibly due to the bright sun and sandstorms.
- Tetsonot - A broken pod, thought to be under many feet of water. The pod only includes dim, red safety lights to light up the water filled interior.
- Minkata - A gigantic desert land that stretches a seemingly infinite distance. The mystic night sky and caves beneath the surface house the keys to unlocking the puzzle that was placed there. Houses a minigame, with a soccer ball, and bone posts, that explorers can play soccer with. The name was released as meaning "Heavily Scarred"
- Er'cana - A harvest Age accessed from the Watcher's Sanctuary. Er'cana's primary purpose appears to be the production of pellets rich in nutrients. When the pellets were dropped into the water in D'ni, the algae would respond to the nutrients, producing more light. This process is intended to revitalize (and relatively normalize) the condition of the algae in D'ni, which has been dulled for nearly two centuries.
- Jalak - A customizable arena once used by the D'ni for competitions. Explorers have created countless games and puzzles to be tried in this world.
- Ahnonay An age that appears to demonstrate Guidmaster Kadish's ability to control time.
- Myst - The Library on Myst Island, though with no books. The fireplace is no longer enter-able in MOUL.
The word "Uru" means "city" in Sumerian and also has a side meaning of "deep", and, of course, anyone who knows our storyline knows it has to do with that deep city. One of the nice sidelines of that name is just how it's spelled, U-R-U ["you are you"]. It represents what we've always done with our worlds, which is not make you play a roleplaying game where we force you into being someone you're not, you really are you in this place, so that also is a nice little sideline of the name itself.
- Official Myst Online website
- Official Myst Online forums
- D'ni Restoration Council
- Cyan Worlds
- Gametap
- Myst Online: Uru Live at MobyGames
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| Myst series | Myst · Riven · Myst III: Exile · Myst IV: Revelation · Myst V: End of Ages |
| Uru series | Uru: Ages Beyond Myst · Untìl Uru · Myst Online: Uru Live · Ages |
| Novels | The Book of Atrus · The Book of Ti'ana · The Book of D'ni · The Book of Marrim |
| Characters | Achenar · Atrus · Esher · Gehn · Sirrus · Ti'ana · The D'ni |