Editing Myst V: End of Ages

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{{Infobox game
| image = End_of_Ages_box.jpg
| developer = [[Cyan]]
| publishers = [[Ubisoft]]
| designers = 
| platforms = 
| releases = Windows & MacOS: Sep 19, [[2005 CE|2005]] (NA)<br/>Windows & MacOS: Sep 23, 2005 (EU)
| genres = graphic adventure, puzzle
| mode = single-player
| rating = 
| media = DVD-ROM
| input = keyboard, mouse
| preceded-by = [[Myst IV: Revelation]]; [[Uru: Path of the Shell]]
| followed-by = [[Myst Online: Uru Live]]
}}
'''Myst V: End of Ages''' (codenamed ''Sasquatch'' and ''Something Else'') is the "grand finale" of the five-part ''Myst'' series of computer games, after ''[[Myst (game)|Myst]]'', ''[[Riven (game)|Riven: The Sequel to Myst]]'', ''[[Myst III: Exile]]'' and ''[[Myst IV: Revelation]]''. Despite this, it clashes with some of its predecessor's themes on both technical and storyline levels, and it also ties in with the spin-off ''[[Portal:Uru]]'' games, ''[[Uru: Ages Beyond Myst|Ages Beyond Myst]]'', ''[[Uru: To D'ni|To D'ni]]'' and ''[[Uru: The Path of the Shell|The Path of the Shell]]''.

==Development==
[[RAWA]] has several time-lapse videos<ref>"[http://cho.cyan.com/rawa/MystVTimelapses/index.html EoA Development Timelapses]", The Pages of RAWA, accessed on November 24, 2019.</ref> showing the progress of the game's development between Summer and Winter [[2004 CE|2004]] (after which beta testing began).

==Premise==
The exact setting of Myst V in relation to its predecessors is rather ambiguous.  While it is marketed as a Myst game, it takes place in present time, roughly around its release (late 2005): ''after'' the events contained within [[Uru: Ages Beyond Myst]] (late 2003), [[Uru: To D'ni|To D'ni]] and [[Uru: The Path of the Shell|The Path of the Shell]] (spring 2004), but ''before'' the revamped [[Myst Online: Uru Live]] (late 2006 and beyond).

This gap of about two centuries made it unclear if the character played is the [[Stranger]] of the other Myst games: since that person was presumably human, they would probably be dead by now, barring time travel. This question had been deliberately left unanswered by [[Cyan]], to encourage fan speculation and to be explored in further detail later on. On September 11, [[2007 CE|2007]], [[Dr. Watson]] indirectly revealed that he, in fact, was the actual protagonist.<ref>[http://www.mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=205526#205526 Tayr], "Watson and Myst V". ''Myst Online forums.'' September 11, 2007.</ref>

The player is employed by [[Yeesha]] to go on a journey across four [[Ages]], finding [[Slates]] on each Age that control the [[bahro]]. At each of these Ages, the player is treated to a speech by the [[D'ni (race)|D'ni]] man, [[Esher]], who has deluded himself into believing he is [[the Grower]]. At the end, each of the four Slates are used to free the [[Tablet]], and you have the choice of giving it to Yeesha, Esher, or a third, somewhat less obvious choice.

==Ages==
Myst V takes place in seven areas: [[K'veer]], the [[Great Shaft]], [[Direbo]], [[Tahgira]], [[Todelmer]], [[Noloben]], and [[Laki'ahn]]. [[Releeshahn]] is also glimpsed at the game's "good ending" finale, but it is cinematic only and cannot be explored.

==Limited Editions==
Myst V was released in three editions:
* ''Standard Edition'', containing just the game;
* ''Limited Edition'', containing the [[Myst V: End of Ages Soundtrack|original soundtrack]], a collector's lithograph, a strategy guide, and a bonus DVD with a "making of" retrospective on the Myst franchise;
* ''Collector's Edition'' (for the European market), with a bonus DVD containing the "making of" retrospective on the Myst franchise, a (more limited) soundtrack, various trailers, and the ''Lost Chapters'' booklet containing: an introduction by Rand Miller, a preview of the never-released ''The Book of Marrim'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dnijazz.club/books-comics/book-of-marrim/|title=Book of Marrim|website=D'ni Jazz Club|access-date=December 8, 2022}}</ref> the D'ni Language Guide, and a gallery of artworks and screenshots from Myst V and previous games.

== Differences ==
=== Other Myst series games ===
''End of Ages'' differs from its Myst series predecessors as follows:

==== Graphics ====
* Myst (and Myst Masterpiece Edition) uses single-perspective pre-rendered nodes. All animation is done by embedding video clips, and characters are actual live-action movies with performing actors.
* Riven uses an increased amount of animation, but similar techniques. However, the water is instead real-time-generated with a comparably primitive algorithm.
* Exile allows for 360-degree panorama panning, although still merely through stitched-together, pre-rendered-image nodes. It does similar real-time-generated water animation as Riven.
* Revelation uses similar panning, but increases the use of real-time pieces for some animated aspects of the scene.


By contrast, End of Ages uses almost no pre-rendered data whatsoever, instead using full real-time 3d scenes, and relying on pixel shaders for water and grass animation—making for a much more scalable result: looking significantly worse on old machines, but arguably superior to preceding games on very modern computers. This makes for a recent source of negative reviews; many people's perception of the game is changed tremendously by presenting it on a more capable computer setup. Even the characters appearing are rendered in real-time, with the only exception being their faces, which are pre-recorded video files for added realism.

While ''realMyst'' uses an older version of the same real-time 3D engine as ''End of Ages,'' very few actually played it, making ''End of Ages'' the first widespread [[Plasma]]-based experience of a Myst game (not counting Uru).

==== Timeline ====
Myst, Riven, Exile and Revelation are all situated around the late 18th and early 19th century. This leaves a gap of roughly 180 years between [[Myst IV: Revelation|Revelation]] and End of Ages: Yeesha was born in [[1815 CE|1815]], and appears in Revelation in her early teenage years; therefore, the game must be set around [[1825 CE|1825]]. End of Ages, on the other hand, is set around the time of its release, i.e. [[2005 CE|2005]].

== Background ==
''End of Ages'' finishes contractual obligations between Cyan and Ubisoft. Following the cancellation of ''[[Uru Live (2003)]]'', Cyan and Ubisoft agreed to have some content originally slated for Live reworked to function in a single-player manner. The result of this are the two expansion packs, ''To D'ni'' and ''The Path of the Shell''. However, with virtually no marketing (although a notable amount of grassroots campaigning from fans, strongly encouraged by some Cyan employees), they remained, for the most part, a treat for fans, and the rebundling into ''[[Uru: Complete Chronicles]]'' did little to change that.

While Myst V arguably shares more with Uru than it does with the other Myst series games, marketing it as a Myst game probably helped it become a lot more successful than it otherwise would have been: unlike ''Uru'', ''Myst'' is a recognizable and hugely successful brand.

== References ==
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