Anti-Puzzle

Back to the Negilahn pod. First -- the Library indicates two new bahro stones (stonecloths), one on the ledge of the library (that i saw this time but didn't remember from the original Uru), one on a pedestal in the Bevin linking room.

The second one just wasn't there. Forum posts imply that different Bevins are featured differently -- some have D'ni clocks, some have the other Eder bk, etc. Did find the stone on the library ledge. It takes you to the top of the pyramid, or ziggurat, in Kadish. you can walk around the four sides, but nothing is there.

Back to Negilahn. Carefully plotted which animal sound goes to which speaker. Would both across from one another trigger something? No.

Skimmed forum posts--mostly speculation so far, with no one solving puzzle. Until this morning--speculation about the D'ni number 18 on the floor of the pod translating to a time on the D'ni clock, or equating to a particular interval of 15 hours and 45 minutes--the interval between openings of the portal door on the floor of the pod.

In other words, the buttons and animal sounds are irrelevant--there's nothing to solve. you just wait, or go to the pod at the appointed time, and the portal opens.

All very well, though the puzzle really is how game designers would expect anyone to figure this out, especially those whose Bevins don't have a clock showing the time in D'ni numerals. As mentioned before, one suspects the designers *presume* that the community of forum posters will spread the word--i.e., it's not meant to be solved in isolation. In that sense, Uru Live *is* a collaborative game, even if you don't have to interact directly with other players inside the game.

Guessing somewhat at which time zones forum posters are referring to, i calculated the next portal opening would be about 5:45 p.m. my time Sunday evening. so started game back up (m/w had tried installing Gametap on Sony pc, and downloading game--it seemed to finish, but kept d/l'ing, and never launched). went to pod, waited. Nothing. (But note -- now the power goes off automatically after a minute or so, whether or not any buttons are pressed. The behavior must be sensitive to the local time of day, or proximity to opening of the portal.) Went to a community Bevin, saw chat posts about 'last call for Negilahn'. Went back to pod. Immediately upon appearing, was surrounded by glittery white lights and tinkly music -- and then, without doing anything, transported to the Bahro cave, as at the end of the original four Uru ages. No voice message from Yeesha this time, just a symbol on the wall. touch it -- and back in Relto, with yet another floating stone above the others. Implying there are three more to gather for this layer. (Of course I'm missing the second layer of stones from the two new Eder ages. There was a forum post about arranging an Eder run on Saturday afternoon, but I had no opportunity to run the game then.)

So did I trigger something Friday evening when the phone rang? Or was it my imagination? Couldn't reproduce it. Nor could I (or anyone else, apparently) deduce what behavior caused the animal to appear through the window.

So the Negilahn pod isn't another age at all, at least not yet, nor is it a puzzle to be solved. It's really an anti-puzzle -- devices to play with that turn out to be irrelevant to the point of the place. Ha ha! A lesson perhaps, in how Uru Live will work. With more on the way.

One can hope that, eventually those buttons and animals sounds *will* be significant and useful in some way. Otherwise Uru Live would truly be diabolical.