I've explored the first area top to bottom, and managed to uncover (And delete) the message left in the imager. But after that, I've no clue what to do. I've put coloured pages into two books and gotten some very garbled messages from two other people from them, I've flipped all the switches except the one at the clocktower (Blocked by water?), turned all the generators on, and so on.

As with most puzzle games, I get stumped very quickly, but I'd rather not just follow a walkthrough step by step. So I am going to ask instead where the answers are, as I've scoured every nook and cranny on the island that I can get to and interacted with basically everything. The message mentioned rotating the tower, and I notice it 'hitches' when the projected line on the map goes over where a switch is (Roughly), but that's about it.

How about reading some books or looking at some paintings in the library? And that fireplace looks sneaky...

Hey there!

I am aware you posted this about two weeks ago, and hopefully you played the game a little more and found your way. In case you didn't here's general advice, and I hope it helps you enjoy the game a little more :)

Myst is somewhat of an oddity when it comes to adventure games because it provides no guidance at all and barely any level structure or progression. The manual for the original Myst game had a paragraph describing how the designers expect you to play the game, and I think that might help you.

To put it simply, it said that the game is designed as a living world (many worlds, actually) rather than as a game. You shouldn't think about it as an adventure game or a puzzle game. When you play games normally, the player is tasked with finding ways to jump over each hurdle that he/she comes across; in normal adventure games, that means finding the right item and placing it in the correct spots or combining it with other items to solve a puzzle, or just talking to people. Myst has none of that. There's nobody but you, and there aren't items that you can use (other than one particular sort of item that has to do with those two guys you encountered in those books)

Again, Myst is a game that wants you to live in its world. Just go around, explore the island of Myst, imagine you are stuck there and have nothing better to do than run around (just forget about aspects of survival, otherwise you'll develop some sort of anxiety about starving to death on Myst). When I played the game for the first time a few years ago, I actually start writing a journal to enhance the experience a little bit, where I'd write about the places I encountered, summaries of some of the stories I read in the library, and about the weird levers and buttons and stuff that I found.

You don't have to go that far, but just go around, read the books and notes you find, press buttons, pull levers... Just do stuff! Doesn't matter if it works or not, just do it and continue exploring.

If you want more concrete hints... Click around the library a little. There's also a map there, look at it... 'Use' it. Oh, and don't forget, the switches you found? They are called 'marker' switches for a reason, they mark places... But for what purpose? Ohohohoho, you'll have to find out. You don't just need them for the message you listened to, there's more to them than that... Much more, actually!

Uuuuuh, writing this makes me so giddy, I wish I could play the game again for the first time, like you are right now! Trust me, if you are into this sort of thing and you start losing yourself in the virtual reality of Myst.... There's nothing quite like it, even today!!!

Yes, explore that library thoroughly.