PC Collector's, anyone have an original release version of Myst? What are the tell-tale signs of an original copy?

[RH | 5,341]

I'm a big Myst fan. Playing it at my Dad's house as a kid was a really good memory and since it's been a game released on about every platform imaginable, I've slowly been working on collecting a copy for every system it's been released on. Of course, I have a PC copy but my problem is, every time I check (maybe once or twice a year) I always find the PC versions with the ribbon over the top-left corner, or with the gold badge that mentions it's "the most popular PC game ever sold".

So... I've never seen an orginal, first release version. Does anyone have a copy or photos of what it looked like? I'd like to get a copy, some day, but I've never even seen one. It amazes me that a game could have a "Millions of copies sold" badge and I can't even find a copy without a badge stating that, implying it's an early release?!

Edited December 18, 2021 by RH

[Tyree_Cooper | 907]

the triangle sticker was quite possibly put on ALL copies, since it mentions positive reviews, which may be the result of a good marketing campaign where review/preview copies were sent in early, so by the time the games were ready, the reviews were out, so they decided to put a sticker to boost sales.

this may explain why all copies have that sticker

https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/myst/cover-art/gameCoverId,11855/

 

then there's box that looks like a reprint with a best seller blurb printed on a round ribbon (doesn't look like a sticker), and the obvious rating missing from the earlier box

https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/myst/cover-art/gameCoverId,110381/

 

 

red orb sure liked their stickers. i mean the masterpiece edition has 5 on the front of the box. looks like a world record

https://www.ebay.com/itm/312538340963

 

Edited December 18, 2021 by Tyree_Cooper

[RH | 5,341]

This might be it, but I did see yhe back of the box is copyrighted 1993, 1994. The game was released in September 93, so they either predated the 1994 (is that legal?) Or this is an early, second version.

Still, this is closer. Maybe I've not noticed this because it'd a triangle, wherr there are also a lot of ribbons out there.

[RH | 5,341]

Yeah, I think that copy is close. Here is one on eBay with the triangle but it's in nasty shape. My Dad bought in early on the hype and I think this is the one he got because it too had the strategy guide packed in. The guide says "400,000 in print!".  I remember seeing that on his copy, and later I heard that in order to help sales, the guide was thrown in the box because it was considered too hard.

So yeah, I think the triangle variant is a rather early version for a game that sold so many copies, but I doubt it's a first edition without the guide. I'm curious how many od those sold before they started printing "400,000 copies" of the guide to shove in the box.

[Tyree_Cooper | 907]

Isn't that a European copy with EN/FR/DE box?

there's a variant that says MILIA PALME D'OR 95

https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/myst/cover-art/gameCoverId,181112/

both ribbons appear to be printed on the box, not stickers

 

also, i seem to have found a european copy without the ribbon.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC-GAME-MYST-amp-RIVEN-THE-SEQUEL-TO-MYST-PC-CD-ROM-BIG-BOX-GAME-WINDOWS-95-/254590065773

[RH | 5,341]

1 hour ago, Tyree_Cooper said:

Isn't that a European copy with EN/FR/DE box?

there's a variant that says MILIA PALME D'OR 95

https://www.mobygames.com/game/win3x/myst/cover-art/gameCoverId,181112/

both ribbons appear to be printed on the box, not stickers

 

also, i seem to have found a european copy without the ribbon.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PC-GAME-MYST-amp-RIVEN-THE-SEQUEL-TO-MYST-PC-CD-ROM-BIG-BOX-GAME-WINDOWS-95-/254590065773

No, I am pretty sure the one I posted is not a Euro version. Some in Europe mightbhave looked like that, but copies in the US had the ribbon as well at some point. They are older than the triangle though.

I have spent part of my morning looking at every Myst game I can find on eBay. I can't find anything strictly copyrighted 1993, but that doesn't mean ot doesn't exist. I know this game had an immediate explosion in popularity but CD-ROMs were still quite new and expensive then. This game did so well because (IIRC) this was the first PC game that used CD-ROMs or, at least, fully embraced the medium with FMVs and CD audio. There's a reason why it was super popular at immediate launch, but that also doesn't mean that people owning computers wuth CD-ROM drives were that prevalent.

I'm going to keep my hopes up and keep searching. The triangle variant is no doubt an early copy, and many sub-1,000,000 units probably looked like that, but I'm hoping for a first print run, maybe of the original 25-50,000 copies that was made in 1993 with a copyright specific to that timeframe.

[Code Monkey | 2,217]

Like this? This is mine.

[Gloves | 12,453]

2 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

Like this? This is mine.

Mmmmmm, sharewaaaaaare. Good times for all.

[RH | 5,341]

39 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

Like this? This is mine.

I'm looking for a complete copy but check the back. Is it copyright 1993 or 1994? The oldest copies I am finding are the MPC Windows 3.1 version, but are copyrighted 1994. Again, this was released in September 1993, so I assume there has to be some dated from then.

[Code Monkey | 2,217]

21 minutes ago, RH said:

I'm looking for a complete copy but check the back. Is it copyright 1993 or 1994? The oldest copies I am finding are the MPC Windows 3.1 version, but are copyrighted 1994. Again, this was released in September 1993, so I assume there has to be some dated from then.

It's at my parents' home, I won't be able to check it for a few months. I did get it early though, my uncle was a big fan and got this for us when we got our first 486 in the early 1990s.

[DefaultGen | 5,802]

Myst was originally a Mac game. The first release is the Mac one in a two-part box with the filmstrip thing in the top left. The first MPC also came in a two part box with the triangle in the top left.

The progression of variants goes something like this. I may have missed a couple:

Second MPC is a flip top box with with the triangle promo:

Flip top with triangle with CD rack promo (sticker residue, need a pic of this with the actual sticker):

Ribbon with CD rack promo:

Flip top with ribbon:

Ribbon with red performs under Windows 95:

Starflash with red performs under Windows 95:

Blue performs under Windows 95:

Starflash, no performs under Windows 95:

Same as above in a 2-for-1 promo pack. I forgot what this is packed with, but it was shrink wrapped side by side (like, the long way) with some terrible game no one cares about.

ESRB box:

Over 3.5 Million units sold ESRB box:

There's a million OEM, bundles, and re-releases but those are the main ones at least.

 

Edited September 19, 2022 by DefaultGen

[RH | 5,341]

No doubt there are a ton of variants. So if I am understanding this correctly, that Mac version is the pure, first release. The MPC/Windows version in that first photo is the first PC release but likely second variant. With that said, the yellow triangle one with the contents you're showing is basically the first PC release, and must have come out in 1994. I have seen a few of those, with those contents and they are all dated 1994.

I can't find a Mac copy like that on eBay but since the Mac wasn't half as popular back thrn, I guess that makes sense. I find it interesting thar Cyan evem went with Mac, first for that reason.  But as much as I love thos game, I don't know a bunch about it's history.

Thanks   @DefaultGen  for these details. I'll keep my eyes open for these variants.

[DefaultGen | 5,802]

To be clear the first MPC one is in a two piece hardtop box shown in the first pic. The second picture with the contents is a flimsier flip top box. They look the same from the front but the box types are different. And yeah there are other Mac variants but I just don’t care about them beyond the first, so these are just PC.

[RH | 5,341]

@DefaultGenCheck your MPC copy. I recall you mentioning on Discord that the green arrow sticker, and the triangle one (maybe) were not stickera but printed on the box.

Mine are not printed but stickers. See photos below, with UPC that's also a sticker, so this was definitely a repurposed Mac box.

 

[TDIRunner | 2,965]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:54 PM, RH said:

 I've slowly been working on collecting a copy for every system it's been released on.

Just our of curiosity, which (if any) of the home console ports are you missing?

[RH | 5,341]

14 minutes ago, TDIRunner said:

Just our of curiosity, which (if any) of the home console ports are you missing?

The more obscure consoles-- 3DO, CDi and Jaguar, plus I want console copies of the sequels, and other than the PS1 Riven, I don't have any of those.

[DefaultGen | 5,802]

On 12/24/2021 at 10:40 AM, RH said:

@DefaultGenCheck your MPC copy. I recall you mentioning on Discord that the green arrow sticker, and the triangle one (maybe) were not stickera but printed on the box.

Mine are not printed but stickers. See photos below, with UPC that's also a sticker, so this was definitely a repurposed Mac box.

 

I meant for the Mac release, but turns out that little filmstrip thing is a sticker too. Stickers all the way down  

[DefaultGen | 5,802]

Since this is probably the leading thread on the internet for Myst variant minutia, I noticed this on Mercari today. It looks like the second MPC variant but has sticker residue from the free CD rack promo what I have posted as the fourth. This possibly means the CD Rack promo existed during the triangle sticker era, and also #3 and #4 above are out of order. I've never seen this version with the CD rack promo before.

Does anyone care. Why do I do this. What is my life.

[RH | 5,341]

Update!  I posted a bit of this in the "What's New In Your Collection" thread, but for those wanting a little bit more, here are some additional details and questions. (Photos reposted as well.)  This is a copy of the first Mac version I finally found.  Someone managed to get a copy of Myst and just listed it, having no clue what this was.  Funny enough, it also had a copy of Riven in it, and a Riven insert.  Obviously, the original owner bought both and just put Riven in the box.

First, this this box version has two stickers--both the film strip and the green-arrow sticker.  I do not know for sure if this is 100% complete... ish, but due to the nature of the contents, I think it is.

The item contents are...

• The box made of two pieces of denser cardboard material.
• The game on CD-ROM, for the Macintosh, copyrighted 1993.
• The Myst journal, (not written in, phew.)  In searching early copies, I've found that there seem to be two early journals.  I haven't counted the pages but one feels thicker than the other. I think it's not the number of pages but just a heavier stock cover and paper used for the journal.  The variations I've found have been with PC versions, but it's no surprise that this first edition has the nicer, heavier journal.
• A blue insert for ordering the Hint Book
• An envelope with contents for early game hints.  Note, my envelope is sealed but I'm not sure it came that way or if with time and humidity it sealed itself.
• A registration card, with a dot-matrix number printed on it.  Mine was used and has had the postcard torn off, however it still has the second half with a registration number on it that the user was suppose to keep.  My number is 18,201. 

The registration card is unbranded but from a bit of research I've seen similar cards that are white with purple printing that were used by Broderbund.  At first I thought 18,201 was sort of like a game serial number (and it might be) but the purple insert I found online has a number of 45.620 (see here) and I have no clue what software that was for. I also found only one single image of a CIB copy of Myst, probably for PC, with a number of 18,202 on it's card (see here). 

I am now doubting this is a serial number but I have no clue what it might be.  (@DefaultGen, if you or anyone have a serial card in any of your early copies of Myst for Mac or PC, I'd be interested in knowing what number is printed on it.)

If anyone has any insight on these registration cards and how they were used, I'd be interested.

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by RH

[RH | 5,341]

Bump…

@DefaultGen I’m going to call you out on this because you’re the one to most likely anything about this but have you heard of, or familiar with this Myst disk? I have this coming my way soon.

 

[DefaultGen | 5,802]

I've never seen it but that's neat!

[RH | 5,341]

The plot thickens. If anyone else is going to fall in the nerding-out story of early versions of Myst, here is a launch copy. By looking at the invoice that comes with it, it looks like at some point before 1995, Broderbund just started sending out fixed CDs free of charge, rather than patch discs. It was probably easier to troubleshoot that way and at that point, a CD for them might have been cheaper to maintain than a patch disc.

To be clear, this is someone selling a launch Macintosh Myst copy with a 1.0 and 1.01 disc. It also has an packing slip/invoice with it being a free warranty replacement. I have no other info, but I'm assuming this is how that fixed the issue (possibly?) related to the disk I provided above.

Nothing new or really collectible here, other than that invoice, but since many of us nerd-out about the story of the production of games we love, I figured I'd share the auction.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/305800741537