This was my reaction to this whole game back in 2001 when it came out, especially since Cyan actually made a point to integrate the puzzles into Riven's story. But after playing it a few more times, I've come to appreciate Atrus's conundrums much more. It still feels a bit contrived, but I love how each Age is designed to showcase mechanisms that are important to the Art of Writing and seeing what Saavedro did with them during his exile (paintings, imagers) was a neat way to tell the story.
Exactly! This is the one game that can get away with puzzles for puzzles' sake, because it's quite explicit that these Ages were meant to teach about exactly this sort of thing.
According to the strategy guide (which unlike with Myst contains info provided by the developers), it's made of ice. Just the thing that generates it was "not of this world". He also mentions that it's nigh-indestructible, which the sphere definitely isn't, so he's not talking about the sphere itself there.
it was built to test sirrus and achenar. of they are puzzles for puzzles sake. That was the whole point of building them. Even in Edanna, everything was set up just to be a puzzle.
It took me a second play to realize that there were clues to solve the different puzzles in Saavedro's room. I kinda felt silly afterwards. Haha! Love your videos!! Keep 'em coming!
because the ramp would tilt slightly upp at the front edge, and the ice ball crashes into that edge, at least I think that's what happens. been a long time since I played this.
I don't think so. The Age was built by Atrus to teach Sirrus and Achenar, so there doesn't have to be a explanation for the puzzles. I just like it because it's the only really challenging Age in the game (exept from navigating in Edanna, but I think that doesn't count).
I got to say, before you even looked at the ball on the track I was thinking "one iron, two wood to fix that weight" when that one peace of crystal you put on the half ball didn't work.
12:19 Actually, the entry suggests that he was grafting parts of different species together to form a Frankenstein plant, not cross-breeding. I honestly his ultimate success at that less believable than the ecosystem on Edanna. At least the plants and fungi on Edanna could have evolved elsewhere, and their seeds or spores were brought to the island/tree by birds and ocean currents; grafting, on the other hand, doesn’t work very well (if at all) if the species aren't closely related.
Which comes down to the writing, I guess. After Cyan made this whole thing with puzzle-world integration, Presto throws this at us. "Uh.. the puzzles are there because... they're ages that are supposed to have puzzles in them!" That annoys me, because they did puzzle-world integration in Journeyman, specifically journeyman 3 where you learn more about the environments through the puzzles. Arthur's a bit much at times, though.
yeah its pretty obvious journeyman has no art direction that comes close to this design, theres a good enough reason explained. im sorry you cant enjoy one of the coolest ideas in an age.
@@manteuro One of the coolest ideas? you mean Atrus built a roller-coaster to teach his sons physics? Art design is nice, I'll grant you, but art design isn't the be-all and end-all
I honestly liked the puzzle with the balls UNTIL it came to moving the Gears. I don't think the clue in Saavedro's is very intuitive on how that translates to working with the weight of the Balls.
@7:10 Your numbers are wrong. Four wooden spheres equal one glass sphere, and four glass spheres equal one metal sphere. You say it the other way around. Unless you were trying to be funny...?
This age really annoyed me - it seemed like the puzzles for puzzles sake. I mean, after an age like Edanna, where everything seemed to have a point and Riven that was a functional world where everything did have a point - this age is all about the ending. I can't understand why people like it, beyond the obvious scenery porn.
Hey, genius. Did you not say 4 ice = 1 metal and 4 metal = 1 wood? Well, then since you need 4 wood to complete the counterweight, wouldn't it make sense that 1 ice IS NOT ENOUGH FUCKING WEIGHT?! 4 ice = 1 metal 4 metal = 1 wood 4 wood = balanced 2 wood + x = balanced What do you need to equal x? Spoiler Alert 2 wood, 1 metal, 1 ice. The problem is you got the numbers wrong. 4 wood = 1 ice 4 ice = 1 metal 4 metal = balanced. End Spoiler Saavedro smashed the pieces so that Atrus could not follow him. Saavedro figured if he smashed some of those pieces it would be impossible for anyone to solve this puzzle. This is true of every puzzle here. Saavedro tried to ruin the solutions for each puzzle not knowing that Atrus designed them to have multiple solution so that if some part of the solution was damaged, or just to give his sons some leeway, the puzzles would be solvable.
This was my reaction to this whole game back in 2001 when it came out, especially since Cyan actually made a point to integrate the puzzles into Riven's story. But after playing it a few more times, I've come to appreciate Atrus's conundrums much more. It still feels a bit contrived, but I love how each Age is designed to showcase mechanisms that are important to the Art of Writing and seeing what Saavedro did with them during his exile (paintings, imagers) was a neat way to tell the story.
Exactly! This is the one game that can get away with puzzles for puzzles' sake, because it's quite explicit that these Ages were meant to teach about exactly this sort of thing.
According to the strategy guide (which unlike with Myst contains info provided by the developers), it's made of ice. Just the thing that generates it was "not of this world". He also mentions that it's nigh-indestructible, which the sphere definitely isn't, so he's not talking about the sphere itself there.
it was built to test sirrus and achenar. of they are puzzles for puzzles sake. That was the whole point of building them. Even in Edanna, everything was set up just to be a puzzle.
It took me a second play to realize that there were clues to solve the different puzzles in Saavedro's room. I kinda felt silly afterwards. Haha! Love your videos!! Keep 'em coming!
Ah, pure mathematics. Easy enough to understand. I like it.
because the ramp would tilt slightly upp at the front edge, and the ice ball crashes into that edge, at least I think that's what happens. been a long time since I played this.
I don't think so. The Age was built by Atrus to teach Sirrus and Achenar, so there doesn't have to be a explanation for the puzzles. I just like it because it's the only really challenging Age in the game (exept from navigating in Edanna, but I think that doesn't count).
I think Saavedro means that the thing making the ice isn't a natural part of the Age.
The title of this episode really should've been "Ballance." ;)
I got to say, before you even looked at the ball on the track I was thinking "one iron, two wood to fix that weight" when that one peace of crystal you put on the half ball didn't work.
12:19 Actually, the entry suggests that he was grafting parts of different species together to form a Frankenstein plant, not cross-breeding. I honestly his ultimate success at that less believable than the ecosystem on Edanna. At least the plants and fungi on Edanna could have evolved elsewhere, and their seeds or spores were brought to the island/tree by birds and ocean currents; grafting, on the other hand, doesn’t work very well (if at all) if the species aren't closely related.
I wish I took notice of Saavedro's laboratory, I never got the puzzle for weeks until I finally cheated and got the answer.
Thank you, I got dreadfully stuck on the weight, thought it was a whole ball.
Puntastic series this, a path in Edanna "Branced" and now we have something that's quite PossiBALL! :D
Late comment I know. I didn't know there were so many angles to see the ball from. So I guessed until I got the right combination
Which comes down to the writing, I guess. After Cyan made this whole thing with puzzle-world integration, Presto throws this at us. "Uh.. the puzzles are there because... they're ages that are supposed to have puzzles in them!" That annoys me, because they did puzzle-world integration in Journeyman, specifically journeyman 3 where you learn more about the environments through the puzzles. Arthur's a bit much at times, though.
yeah its pretty obvious journeyman has no art direction that comes close to this design, theres a good enough reason explained. im sorry you cant enjoy one of the coolest ideas in an age.
@@manteuro One of the coolest ideas? you mean Atrus built a roller-coaster to teach his sons physics? Art design is nice, I'll grant you, but art design isn't the be-all and end-all
Is it just me or does the 3/4 circle border around 2:20 look suspiciously like the letter C in CYAN?
As far as I recall, this is exactly what happens... I tried that out myself a few times when I didn't want to take a look in my walkthrough xD
I honestly liked the puzzle with the balls UNTIL it came to moving the Gears. I don't think the clue in Saavedro's is very intuitive on how that translates to working with the weight of the Balls.
i love this age
"obvious scenery porn"!!
*loud hearty laugh*
Why not put as much weight as possible so the ramp does not lift at all? (I know the answer of that but, I think you did not mention it yet)
Anyone notice how much the music sounds like Mass Effect? Who noticed this when playing Mass Effect?
If you did, 1,000 Internet points.
CZcams did, since a bunch of the Myst 3 videos got copyright strikes for containing Mass Effect music. I'm not joking!
@@Dilandau3000 amazing! Haha.
I wanna play amateria but like in Tony hawk
@7:10 Your numbers are wrong. Four wooden spheres equal one glass sphere, and four glass spheres equal one metal sphere. You say it the other way around. Unless you were trying to be funny...?
This age really annoyed me - it seemed like the puzzles for puzzles sake. I mean, after an age like Edanna, where everything seemed to have a point and Riven that was a functional world where everything did have a point - this age is all about the ending. I can't understand why people like it, beyond the obvious scenery porn.
Hey, genius. Did you not say 4 ice = 1 metal and 4 metal = 1 wood? Well, then since you need 4 wood to complete the counterweight, wouldn't it make sense that 1 ice IS NOT ENOUGH FUCKING WEIGHT?!
4 ice = 1 metal
4 metal = 1 wood
4 wood = balanced
2 wood + x = balanced
What do you need to equal x?
Spoiler Alert
2 wood, 1 metal, 1 ice.
The problem is you got the numbers wrong.
4 wood = 1 ice
4 ice = 1 metal
4 metal = balanced.
End Spoiler
Saavedro smashed the pieces so that Atrus could not follow him. Saavedro figured if he smashed some of those pieces it would be impossible for anyone to solve this puzzle. This is true of every puzzle here. Saavedro tried to ruin the solutions for each puzzle not knowing that Atrus designed them to have multiple solution so that if some part of the solution was damaged, or just to give his sons some leeway, the puzzles would be solvable.
this whole series would take half the time to watch if the guy wouldn't talk so much
+sorcererx But listening to him talk is the best part. Why else would you be watching a lets play?
And it could be done in like 5 minutes if you watch a speedrun =D
Most of us watch Sven's walkthroughs because of how he goes about them, I quite like it when he talks.