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Hello there, reader. So nice of you to pop in and read about my trip to Southern California! I will be trying to describe all parts of this trip day-by-day, with lots of detail, and many pictures. So sit back and enjoy! After I went trigger-happy with the camera in the concept room and the concept art, we sat down and started talking. Well, I told you what was said somewhat already, but while I was sitting down, Susan went away and came back with two HUGE binders. They were both full of every single piece of press having to do with Exile. There were articles written from magazines, articles written online printed out, and even all the scheduled chat sessions from RivenGuild! It was so cool. Incidentally, that's how most at Presto knew me. I head Susan walking around to people and saying that I was here using my real name. They were pleased, but when she mentioned my screen name of Gandalf, they were like, "Oh! Gandalf!" I felt so honored. They know a lot of people from online there. Very cool. Anywho...another binder Susan showed me was the giant photo album of the live-action video shoot from Exile. There were some really cool pictures in there. Lots of photos of all the actors and actresses including Greg's daughter who played Yeesha. She's so cute!
Then Greg brought out the Box. Just when I didn't think the day could get any better, it did. Remember how I said my excitement level shot through the roof earlier? Well, at that moment, it went even higher. Greg reached inside the box and took out a Myst-novel-looking thin book. This book contained all the proposals for Myst III: Exile. I wish I had had time to read it because I saw some very cool things flipping through it. I was careful not to drool on it. ^_^ Next, he brought out a black binder which was the entire script for the Exile game. It was what they had to work from while making the game and filming. Puzzle solutions, descriptions, and everything was in it. (Yes, I have played Exile through already.) Again, I wish I had time to read all of it, but I didn't. There was a lot there! As I was flipping through that, he took out Atrus's journal from the game. The actual journal that Rand Miller handed to us in the game. Very nice journal. I'd love to have it. ^_^ While looking at that, he took out another very cool prop. Then he handed it to me. It was the J'nanin linking book used in the game! The actual book. Of course, being an AVID, I flipped it open to the first few pages looking for a glowing linking panel on the right-hand page, but there wasn't one. Heh. Funny how I did that instinctively isn't it? I couldn't put it down. I was so happy to actually be holding the J'nanin linking book!
After that, he brought out yet another prop. Guess what it was. Go ahead. Guess. Yep. You're right. It was the Releeshahn book used in the game. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say! I just sat there holding it and staring at it. To them it's just a prop. To me, it was the sacred Releeshahn book. I opened it up to see what was inside...and...well, that you'll have to wonder about yourselves. ^_^ Also, inside the box was the fire marble that Brad Dourif through in the opening sequence. Part of it was cracked as you can see in the picture below. I did not do that! It was like that when he gave it to me. Honest! See, when filming the opening scene, Brad was told to throw it hard and not to gently toss it so it would look real in the game. So he chucked it! He threw it so hard he almost broke completely. When the digital stuff was being done on the computer, the folks at Presto made it glow which is why it appears to be glowing in the game. They had thought about making it glow in real life, but since Brad had to throw it, they didn't think it was a good idea to have something electronic being thrown. Too heavy and a hazard. It worked out well in the end!
What, you think I'm finished? Heavens no! While I was looking at all the props and trying not to drool over them, Susan had disappeared again and came back with the clay model of Edanna that Ron Lemen made so he could map out all the nodes in the Age. I remember seeing the model in the Making of Exile movie that came with the Collector's Edition. I was impressed when I saw it on the video and I was even more impressed when I saw it in person! Below are photos of all the parts of it. It was so intricate. It was amazing. When I saw the bottom part (there were three parts of the model) of the model, I couldn't help but laugh. Remember the big purple bulb flowers at the bottom of the Age? Well, to symbolize them, he used those little rolly eyes that always look up when you roll them. You'll se in the picture below.
Susan stood up then and asked me if I had an Exile poster. I told her I didn't and she asked me how many I wanted. How many?! I certainly did not expect that! While I was stumbling over my words not knowing how many to ask for, my dad asked for one for his classroom (he's a 6th grade teacher) and then Susan asked me if five would okay. I of course said yes. FIVE! I now have five Exile posters! She suggested the great idea of getting the poster signed by everyone there today. So she unrolled one of them and put it on a drawing table in one of the big rooms where several artists were working and asked them all to sign it. I was flabbergasted! I got to shake hands with all of them and tell them how much I loved what they did. I also had a wonderful conversation with Ron Lemen. Susan was also taking pictures while my dad was and she got some cool pictures that she is going to send to me so I can put them up on this site. Here's all the signing pictures. I didn't get pictures of everyone signing the poster. :-( Dang.
Once that was done, it was pretty much time to leave Presto. But, before I went, Susan gave me a very cool Presto t-shirt that she had taken out of a time capsule she had made a while ago and also gave me a very, very nice press kit. It was sad to leave Presto, but I knew I had to. I had stayed there an extra two hours than we had planned. It was such a nice day. That was a memory I will never forget it for the rest of my life. Below are the pictures of the items I got from the generous folks at Presto.
Thanks for making Myst III: Exile, Presto! Thank you to all who signed the poster at Presto! And a very special thank you goes out to Susan Weyer and Greg Uhler for making that day such a wonderful day for me. Click below to see what happened on Day 3. 
Gandalf1210@attbi.com Feedback is always welcome! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
