Letters from RAWA
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This page contains copies of emails about Linking and The Art of Writing which were sent to the Riven Lyst in 2000 by RAWA, Richard A. Watson, Cyan programmer and ultimate D'ni historian. The words in italics are the questions from fans. The plain gray print is written by Richard Watson.
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To: Riven Spoiler Lyst Ken T. wrote: Yep Now as for the brothers removing a page from Atrus' Myst book ... you're running on the assumption that the myst book was always in D'ni. Perhaps the Myst book was on Myst, or on one of the other mystian ages, and the brothers got at it without Atrus knowing. Hence the message from Sirrus to Achenar in the recording device in Channelwood.
Then when atrus took his myst book with him to go to D'ni, that was his only way back. Yep. Now this brings up the question -- why wasn't there already a myst book in D'ni? ... Where *was* myst written anyway? (It's been a while since BoA...sorry :) ... Well I'd venture to guess that that myst book (which used to be in D'ni) was the one atrus brought to Riven, and dropped down the star fissure. Yep. Atrus was very careful not to leave a link to Myst from D'ni (when preparing to trap his father in Riven at the end of the book of Atrus). He couldn't be sure his plan would work, or that he wouldn't miss one of Gehn's links back to D'ni, so he wanted to sever all the links between Myst and D'ni, just in case. Which, of course, is why he brought another myst linking book when he went to D'ni after the brothers tricked him into going there -- because he knew there was no myst linking book there. Yep. Nice explanation, Ken. :) RAWA From: Richard A. Watson To: The Riven Spoiler Lyst Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 Paraphrase of fan question: If a Descriptive Book is destroyed, could another Book be made to link to the same Age? Answer from another fan: Not likely, if the original Descriptive Book has been destroyed. The odds of writing another link to it are nil. Just being nit-picky (what else is new?): Because there are countless Ages that fit any given description, no matter how detailed, there is a chaotic (random) element in the process of the Book selecting which Age it links to. This will make the odds of writing a Link to the same exact Age twice _extremely_ remote (even if you copy the first Book verbatim). Possible, yes. Probable, no, but the odds are slightly better than nil. :) Hope that helps, RAWA From: Richard A. Watson L.L. wrote: Just one thing... don't use text intended for marketing as proof text in a debate like this. :) (It's the note on the back of the Myst box all over again...)* :) RAWA * Editor's Note: Here is an email that explains what RAWA means by "the back of the Myst box all over again."From: Richard A. Watson S.A. wrote: If you look on the back of the Myst box. You find a journal entry written by Atrus. Notice at the end, how his writing ends suddenly, as if he was attacked, or something caught his attention. Any ideas as to why he broke off so suddenly? One word: marketing. It is _not_ a note from Atrus. It doesn't even make sense. "I dare not write further without revealing too much." Huh? I notice it's even on the Ages of Myst website. Wonderful. <--- (sarcasm) Grrr... I know, I know... more therapy. RAWA From: Richard A. Watson J.F. wrote: How's this... game answer - when we need it to for a specific reason, yes. real answer - No. Sound doesn't travel through the Books. RAWA From: Richard A. Watson B. G. wrote: Shorah! I have a question about the end of Riven. At the end, you fall in to the Star Fissure after the Myst Linking Book. I assume you land back in the Age of Earth Feel free to run with that assumption. , but the book fell in about half a minute earlier! And the first Myst linking book fell some 30 years ago, and still managed to make it to Earth. A few seconds will not have a noticable effect... Another question, about Trapped AGehn. If Linking is makes a biological reaction with the skin, then how come when Atrus linked to Riven to retrieve Catherine, he could bring a linking book? Paper is made out of trees! Does someone have an explanation??? What establishes a link, and what can link once a link is established are two separate issues. Setting a pen on the linking panel will not cause it to link. Having it in your hand/pocket when you touch the panel will. How's that? :) RAWA From: Richard A. Watson To: Riven Spoiler Lyst Subject: Re: Linking book problems Date: Friday, December 08, 2000
H.P. wrote: The short answer - yes, living tissue is required to establish a link, but some dead organic material (like the outer layer of your skin, for example) will not interfere. Gehn's gloves, it would seem, fall into the category of dead organic materials that don't interfere. 2. I read Catherines journal and it reminded me that in BoA, it says that Catherine and Anna wrote the daggers and fissures into Age 5! This I don't understand. When you add things into the descriptive book of Riven, wouldnt it change the link to another age, one exactly like Riven but with daggers and fissures? According to the D'ni, the age isnt created, it is just linked to, so how could changes in the descriptive book, change riven? Another short answer - not necessarily. It depends on the magnitude and type of changes made. Better, longer, more complete answers to these questions (and many others that frequently appear on the lyst) are archived in several places. Here are two of the best that I know of, though I am sure there are many others as well: http://www.rivenguild.com/kbahnsen/linkingfaq.html Hope that helps,
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