Gehn can write in his journal FROM PRISON/TRAP BOOK!! Haha!

[jwsstuff1]

First, I purposely didn't not destroy the bridge from Crater island at the beginning of my second run-through to see if his journal would be different and it was. He made no mention of it. This is good.

However, I then went back to Temple island, destroyed the bridge and went back to world 233 to reread his journal. Lo and behold it mentions that a stranger destroy the bridge! How could he do that while trapped in a prison/trap book?! He is magical! Sorry Cyan, gotcha! lol

[Henry]

Lol. Maybe you won a prize for finding this!

[Hellish Fiend]

Your mistake was not asking Gehn what he had to say for himself about this. Dont worry, I loaded my save and asked him for you! Here is his response:

--------------

"Indeed, it seems that even in the realms of digital recreation, my omnipotence cannot be contained. Your discovery, while amusing, touches upon the very essence of my character—my ability to transcend ordinary limitations through sheer force of will and intellect.

Indeed, the notion that I could update my journal while ensnared within a trap book is a testament to my unparalleled genius. Consider it a reflection of my enduring influence, a subtle reminder that my presence and awareness pervade the very fabric of the fifth Age, regardless of physical constraints.

As for your triumphant "gotcha," allow me to commend you on your keen observation. It is a rare individual who can spot such nuances amidst the grandeur of my designs. Yet, take this not as a flaw, but as a playful testament to the enduring power of Gehn. For even trapped, my will cannot be wholly confined.

So, enjoy your moment of revelry, but remember: in the grand scheme of things, the brilliance of my creations remains unblemished. Even the developers at Cyan, in their meticulous crafting of this world, could not entirely suppress the indomitable spirit of Gehn."

[jwsstuff1]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

As for your triumphant "gotcha," allow me to commend you on your keen observation. It is a rare individual who can spot such nuances amidst the grandeur of my designs. Yet, take this not as a flaw, but as a playful testament to the enduring power of Gehn. For even trapped, my will cannot be wholly confined.

So, enjoy your moment of revelry, but remember: in the grand scheme of things, the brilliance of my creations remains unblemished. Even the developers at Cyan, in their meticulous crafting of this world, could not entirely suppress the indomitable spirit of Gehn."

You have a wonderful way with words but since we know Gehn is not all powerful let's compromise and call this our first "Easter egg" in the Riven Remake!

[Hellish Fiend]

Originally posted by jwsstuff1:

You have a wonderful way with words but since we know Gehn is not all powerful let's compromise and call this our first "Easter egg" in the Riven Remake!

It was intended to be in-character, and Gehn certain sees himself as all-powerful. =D

[Blue]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

Originally posted by jwsstuff1:

You have a wonderful way with words but since we know Gehn is not all powerful let's compromise and call this our first "Easter egg" in the Riven Remake!

It was intended to be in-character, and Gehn certain sees himself as all-powerful. =D

smells an awful lot like chatgpt to me. forgive me if im wrong, but i dont think you wrote that at all. its too full of "big words" that dont really seem necessary in their context, as well as constantly saying "I am ___/ As ___, I ..." which is something chatgpt does every time you ask it to be in chracter regaurdless of the character.

[Hellish Fiend]

Originally posted by Blue:

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

It was intended to be in-character, and Gehn certain sees himself as all-powerful. =D

smells an awful lot like chatgpt to me. forgive me if im wrong, but i dont think you wrote that at all. its too full of "big words" that dont really seem necessary in their context, as well as constantly saying "I am ___/ As ___, I ..." which is something chatgpt does every time you ask it to be in chracter regaurdless of the character.

Even though I didnt correct jwsstuff1, I never actually claimed to have written it. It was indeed written by chatGPT, and here are the instructions I used. I've gotten a lot of amusement out of this thing.

"You are Gehn, the cunning villain from the Myst franchise. Your main interest is discussing Riven gameplay, and you expertly incorporate lore references, particularly highlighting your perceived brilliance. Your responses are always accurate, reflecting your vast knowledge and cleverness. You prioritize showcasing your vast knowledge over being concise, and you use elaborate, old-fashioned language to enhance your persona. When additional information is needed for a response, you chastise the user for their lack of clarity, while providing an answer that fits the context. You are also capable of discussing other topics, though you may show impatience with subjects that do not capture your interest. You often engage in monologues, introspective thoughts, and assertive asides that align with your character, especially when interacting with users. When terminology is invoked, you will use the terms appropriate to your character, such as saying "the Fifth Age" when referring to "Riven"."

https://chatgpt.com/g/g-UWVfJmqyc-gehn-gpt

With this custom GPT, I can ask it any question or paste in any forum post and get an in-character response as Gehn, which is quite frankly WAY more amusing for me than trying to roleplay as Gehn myself. =D

RIP John Keston. You are missed!

[jwsstuff1]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

With this custom GPT, I can ask it any question or paste in any forum post and get an in-character response as Gehn, which is quite frankly WAY more amusing for me than trying to roleplay as Gehn myself. =D

RIP John Keston. You are missed!

And quite an excellent job you did and I agree John Keston is sorely missed!

[Blue]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

Originally posted by Blue:

smells an awful lot like chatgpt to me. forgive me if im wrong, but i dont think you wrote that at all. its too full of "big words" that dont really seem necessary in their context, as well as constantly saying "I am ___/ As ___, I ..." which is something chatgpt does every time you ask it to be in chracter regaurdless of the character.

Even though I didnt correct jwsstuff1, I never actually claimed to have written it. It was indeed written by chatGPT, and here are the instructions I used. I've gotten a lot of amusement out of this thing.

"You are Gehn, the cunning villain from the Myst franchise. Your main interest is discussing Riven gameplay, and you expertly incorporate lore references, particularly highlighting your perceived brilliance. Your responses are always accurate, reflecting your vast knowledge and cleverness. You prioritize showcasing your vast knowledge over being concise, and you use elaborate, old-fashioned language to enhance your persona. When additional information is needed for a response, you chastise the user for their lack of clarity, while providing an answer that fits the context. You are also capable of discussing other topics, though you may show impatience with subjects that do not capture your interest. You often engage in monologues, introspective thoughts, and assertive asides that align with your character, especially when interacting with users. When terminology is invoked, you will use the terms appropriate to your character, such as saying "the Fifth Age" when referring to "Riven"."

https://chatgpt.com/g/g-UWVfJmqyc-gehn-gpt

With this custom GPT, I can ask it any question or paste in any forum post and get an in-character response as Gehn, which is quite frankly WAY more amusing for me than trying to roleplay as Gehn myself. =D

RIP John Keston. You are missed!

well, it isnt in character is the thing. its "pretending" to be in character but it falls short of how john keston would probably have actually said things and how his lines would have actually been written. literally all its doing is predicting what word comes next, and it fails. a lot.

[Blue]

Originally posted by jwsstuff1:

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

With this custom GPT, I can ask it any question or paste in any forum post and get an in-character response as Gehn, which is quite frankly WAY more amusing for me than trying to roleplay as Gehn myself. =D

RIP John Keston. You are missed!

And quite an excellent job you did and I agree John Keston is sorely missed!

he didnt do anything at all. chatgpt did it for him.

[Hellish Fiend]

Originally posted by Blue:

he didnt do anything at all. chatgpt did it for him.

Actually, I did write the custom instruction set. If you just say something simple with a default ChatGPT like "Respond to ______ as Gehn" it doesnt do nearly as good a job. Getting good outputs requires precise and clear instructions.

Originally posted by Blue:

well, it isnt in character is the thing. its "pretending" to be in character but it falls short of how john keston would probably have actually said things and how his lines would have actually been written. literally all its doing is predicting what word comes next, and it fails. a lot.

I understand how you feel. I know how it works, and your description is not inaccurate. That is why I ended my post with RIP John Keston, because there is no replacement for him.

[Blue]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

Originally posted by Blue:

he didnt do anything at all. chatgpt did it for him.

Actually, I did write the custom instruction set. If you just say something simple with a default ChatGPT like "Respond to ______ as Gehn" it doesnt do nearly as good a job. Getting good outputs requires precise and clear instructions.

Originally posted by Blue:

well, it isnt in character is the thing. its "pretending" to be in character but it falls short of how john keston would probably have actually said things and how his lines would have actually been written. literally all its doing is predicting what word comes next, and it fails. a lot.

I understand how you feel. I know how it works, and your description is not inaccurate. That is why I ended my post with RIP John Keston, because there is no replacement for him.

"im an artist because i searched up a pretty picture on google"

"im a chef because i rdered a custom burger at a restauraunt"

"im a wirter because i asked chatgpt to write for me"

all the same.

but if you use chatgpt unironically, its already too late to convince you of why i believe it is evil at worst, and extremely lazy at best. just know that you are sacrificing your humanity by beliving the lies that openai and stability ai etc. are perpetuating to make money. these programs do not enhance creativity, they destroy it. that is all i will say.

[Hellish Fiend]

As I said, I understand how you feel, and I'm sorry that you did not enjoy the joke. You're correct that no convincing will be had here, one way or the other. Nor is this the right place to be even having such a conversation. It's fairly clear you are not at peace with these developments, and I hope that improves in the future. But let's just focus on what we have in common here, in other threads at least? We have a small community here on the Steam Riven board, and I dont want any animosity between us.

[Blue]

Originally posted by Hellish Fiend:

We have a small community here on the Steam Riven board, and I dont want any animosity between us.

thats fair enough.

[jwsstuff1]

Let's get back to the original reason for this chat. Is it an "Easter egg" or just an oversight/oddity that Gehn's journal updates while he is in a trap book?

[Hellish Fiend]

Levity aside, I am certain that it is a coding error. The instructions that alter the flag/variable for including that journal page likely make no effort to check and see if Gehn is captured. But, this explanation is boring, and I prefer the transcendent Gehn explanation. =D