the sunken ship haunts the island of myst, as it presents the island as not only a broken space in need of repair/solving but also as it presents the island as a culprit of violence against man-established order. the ship has sunk off the coast of the island suggests that hidden objects in the water (rocks, a reef) have subverted Atrus’ order from below: an appropriate metaphor.
but of course, the ship can be raised. the game player becomes more and more sure of that as s/he plays. for what on the island of myst cannot be made right by play and critical thinking. the island can be again mastered by reason, and made right / whole by the player’s interaction with it. interestingly, the player encounters the island at its most broken. the island cannot be made worse by the player’s interaction with it; the ship cannot be further sunk. instead, the island (by choice of the game designer) is only to be improved by play. it is inherently a gamer’s island. albeit an island that positions the gamer as a sort of scientist or engineer: to understand the nature of the island and its rules is to make the island whole again.
and to raise the ship is to set off away from the island. by improving the island, by restoring its objects of civilization, we are allowed off of it.
Tags: escape, response, restoration, science, stoneship age
Wow, greet post !
I found the story of Big Fish Games fascinating. I wanted to keep playing it just so I could see how it would unfold… Unfortunately, this is one of those sites where if you’re unlucky, you will wander around for an hour trying to figure out what you’re supposed to be doing and/or how to do it.