Myst and Framing

Like novels and motion pictures, Myst has a way of framing what the audience (herein, gamer) sees. Nothing should be discounted as insignificant, especially in a game like this. Close attention is warranted. So I would like to briefly examine more closely the opening frame and look closely for what might be the motivated details. The point of this is to understand not only that these details are useful for solving puzzles, but a vital part of the text of the game.

Here's the first frame of the game:


This is the very first frame the gamer sees in his/her unexplained start of the game. A few things come immediately to mind: 1) you're at the very least on a coast (and, indeed, on an island), 2) it's daytime, and 3) the terrain is unorthodox (the gears in the plateau). These details might be taken for granted by a gamer just embarking on a new game. However, these details have significant bearings on how the author crafts. The seeing the coast immediately gives the gamer a feeling of seclusion, especially with the sunken ship. No life appears to operate on this harbor. The author chose daylight not only to show off his/her cool ability to make shadows, but to also highlight the oddness of the setting. Finally, the unorthodox terrain, namely the gear in the plateau, provides a clear image to the gamer (who can be considered the audience and narrator in a way) that this world of Myst, as the title implies, is fanciful, strange, and intriguing.

Just like the opening paragraph of a good novel always aims to make the reader think/feel a specific way, Myst as a game does the same. It provokes feelings of isolation and interest, just by use of details in the setting. Gamers (like readers) take for granted the detail while embarking on the ever-frustating yet addictive puzzles.