The Witness: Lab 04

Shady Trees

Across the lake from the monastery, rays of filtered sunlight cut through a patch of shaded trees, offering puzzling displays of luminance and shadow.

You Are Here

Starting Point

The area’s section of puzzles begins just beyond this rusty, orange door.

Group Discussion: What similarities do you observe between the layout of this door panel and the layout of the puzzles in this area?

Key Insights

How Puzzling	Mirrored Lessons	Perspective

Audio Logs

• David Darling, 1996:

  

• Ryonen, 1711:

  

How Puzzling

What do you find peculiar about this puzzle?

Group Discussion: What techniques might you use to study the relationship between this puzzle and its immediate surroundings?

Mirrored Lessons

Group Discussion: Do lessons from one side of Shady Trees give insight into the solutions of the other side?

Perspective

When solving these puzzles, consider your position in the environment, and your view of the puzzle screen.

Group Discussion: How might you change your perspective to gain insight into the puzzle solutions?

David Darling, 1996

Follow a hidden, rocky path to the left of the logging building to find this audio log excerpt of David Darling’s 1996 book, Zen Physics: The Science of Death, The Logic of Reincarnation.

View Excerpt

Group Discussion: In what way you think David Darling’s excerpt relates to the puzzles in this area?

Ryonen, 1711

After gaining access to the interior of the gated laser area, turn around to see an audio log sitting on the wall.

View Excerpt

Group Discussion: What might Ryonen mean when she says, “Only listen to the voice of pines and cedars when no wind stirs.” Is light perhaps this voice when no wind stirs the trees?

Completing Lab 4

This part of the island is complete when the final puzzle is solved and the laser fires into the sky. Nice work!

The Witness Journal Entry #4

Write a journal entry on what you learned from this lab. Pretend that you are a scientist exploring this island for the very first time. Choose one of the prompts below (either 1, 2, 3, or 4) to respond to in your journal entry.

1. Compare, Contrast

   • Compare the puzzles in the shady trees area to those found in lab 1, 2 or 3.

   • Identify lesson(s) learned from a previous lab that informed your approach to the shady trees puzzles.

   • In what ways are these puzzle mechanics similar? In what ways are they different?

2. Trials and Tribulations

   • As you complete both sections of the shady trees, consider your thought process as you gradually come to understand the rules of this area.

   • How does the left side of shady trees differ from the right side?

   • Did knowledge from one section hinder your understanding of the other, or is there a collaborative lesson both sides teach together?

3. Helpful Hints

   • The shady trees sections of the island is covered in environmental clues. How do these clues lend you aid in solving the puzzles?

   • Describe a situation in which these hints increased your confusion instead of your understanding.

   • What additional information, crucial to solving these puzzles, is still missing? How did you derive this missing information?

4. Audio Log Reflections

   • Respond to the content of an audio log in this area. In your own words, explain the message behind the content of the log. What is the speaker trying to say? Do you agree with him or her?

   • Why do you think these audio log(s) were chosen for this location of the game?

   • In what way do the audio log(s) relate to the puzzles in this area?

Final Journal Requirement:

After responding to one of the items above, discuss the solution to a particular puzzle that challenged you. Explain the mechanics of this puzzle in detail and how you came to understand them. If it helps, feel free to include screenshots or sketches of the puzzle.