Boundless Journey

A lot has been said about the future of URU, age creation, and Cyan Worlds. Some say that URU is dead, that there will be no future for it. Others say that it is the responsibility of the fans to take over cyan's work - setting up our own shards and servers.

On the surface URU appears to be dead. Even in MOULa the number of familiar faces is dwindling. Those who still stick around have grown bitter and spread their despair through a community starving for anything new and exciting.

However, URU is not dead. In fact, it is full of potential that has only just begun to be reached. Since the formation of the guilds, the guild of writers has been growing in members, technology, and ages. As time goes by more and more ages are produced.

When D'ni was first discovered, we looked at the potential beyond the blockades. We longed for the beauty beyond Eder Gira's waterfall. However when areas were opened, there was always another barrier to hold us back. URU is not dead, and those barriers no longer block our way. Ordinary explorers with a vision can write worlds of stunning beauty.

One example of the unbound potential of the guild is the recent release of Adrael. Adrael is large scale age project that was recently released. It's puzzles are not too different from cyan's, and the storyline is amazing. It shows the true potential of what fan ages can be. Ages such as these grow in quality and quantity and rival many of cyan's. In essence, we have ahead of us a boundless journey that has only just begun.

Hacking is not evil

In my experience with the Guild of Writers, one thing that stands out most is the constant criticism of anyone who disagrees with hacking, or any level of hacking. To set the record straight, I love my Guild. Writing ages is one of my favorite hobbies. However, It is the belligerent attitude and complete lack of tolerance at times that often turns me off to the guild.

While claims have been made by the leaders of the guild that "We value freedom of expression", this obviously only applies to expression that conforms to their own opinions. Personally I'm not against hacking, that is not all hacking. Most hacking works for the benefit of the guild and even the community. It is when hackers begin to throw away all standards and do what they please with Cyan's work, without considering who they may be hurting that the problem arises.

Even the original Guild of Writers had standards. The Art was viewed as something sacred that should not be abused. In the words of the Watcher, "Writing of links is a gift to be cherished". However making Hex isle "ages" convertible and other such wanton actions performed simply for their own sake far from respects the creators of the games. Not only does it go completely against canon, it seems to have no apparent purpose but for the sake of making anything and everything possible.

As far as canon goes, many people claim that "canon is already dead so why bother?". Although there are cracks in continuity in URU from cyan, it has stayed for the most part intact. The only mistakes are fairly trivial and do not destroy the storyline or realism. Running around on cakes and swimming in cheese however destroys both storyline and realism. It's true if one does not want to visit such "ages" they do not have to and may change single player URU as they wish. The problem lies in the act itself, not in how many use it.

Now about "Cyan worshiping", respecting and wishing the best for a company that has made the games we all love is not worship, but rather common courtesy. Condemning Cyan and being a fan of Myst and URU is as contradictory as hating a theme park but enjoying all the rides.

Coming to the crux of the issue, it is obvious that most of us will never come to complete agreement in any or all of the areas debated on. However smearing people's reputation or making fun of their beliefs will obviously not make an opinion any more credible, but rather make it's owner look all the more immature and unable to have a civil conversation.

Phrases such as "HAXOR1NG IS K1LLING URU", not only makes fun of those who disagree with hacking, but also create a straw man of anyone who disagrees with any form of hacking. The poster of such phrases, and pictures of "Dr. Hax" show themselves to be exceedingly unintelligent, and being unable to come up with a valid point, would rather poke fun of and smear their opponent.

In conclusion, whether everyone agrees or not, resorting to cheap blows on people's character and smearing opposition is most definitely the wrong way to run a guild that claims to value freedom of expression. alienating fellow writers far from achieves the guild's goal of writing ages, and creates an environment of hostility where there should be hospitality.

Watching

The Watcher was a D'ni prophet who's prophesies predicted the fall of D'ni, the betrayal of Sirrus and Achenar, and many other key events in D'ni history. His books, (located on the Relto shelf in URUCC), hold great wisdom that applies to many areas of life. His story goes as follows:

The man now known as The Watcher was given a revelation from Yahvo (God). He tells him that he will wait for a time and watch for a time, then will receive "signs of things to come" or prophecies. After this revelation he is left blind. For two years he waits for the signs promised him, but sees nothing. He cries out to Yahvo, weary from his long waiting, asking when the signs will be revealed to him. Yahvo responds that he will watch until they come. After roughly 60 years of waiting, his sight is restored and he is rewarded for his patience. And so each day he is given five lines of prophesy to put into five sections, and thus the prophesies of the Watcher came about.

Now, over the years the Myst community has done more than it's fair share of waiting. Waiting for Uru Live to return, waiting for the book of Marrim to come out, and most recently waiting for MO;RE, or some new incarnation of URU. Many have grown weary or bitter. However we should always remember that like the Watcher, our waiting is not in vain.

Waiting is a common theme in the watcher's prophesies. For example:

"Wait,
if you can be calm,
the way is a simple thing to gain."
- The Watcher book 3 page 1

He warns against impatience, and tells of the destruction it causes:

"The future is always revealed to those who wait.
But the proud have no patience.
Because of pride the destruction will come."
- The Watcher book 4 page 3

While it is easy to loose hope of URU's returning, Impatience can become a cancer that spreads to even the most patient. Cynicism is often the cause of many arguments. For this reason, we must always keep positive and even if URU never returns, at least we will have the satisfaction of knowing that we never gave up, and fought to the end.