Myst III Exile - Lava Room

I am having no luck at getting to the fan switch in the lava room. I've read the six different walkthroughs and still can't get it to work. I clicked once to get the hand to change and then moved the red ball to the left. I had to then click to release the hand to make it work. I'm assuming the first click is to change the hand and the second click is to make it work (takes two clicks per walkthrough). The overhead gear moves to the left and reveals the mural. It appears that the lift goes up because I can't see the red control anymore. However, the instructions tell me to repeat what I did the first time; but this time I was to make the ball go through the middle slit. I have to right-click to move down to see and then reach the red control. When I move it that time, the overhead gear goes back to the right again. It's like I'm right back where I started, on the floor or lowest level.

What in the world am I missing? I see the fan switch from a distance, but I can't once I get on the lift. The lift doesn't seem to be rising. All I seem to be doing is moving the overhead gear back and forth. I have read all of the walkthroughs over and over again in case I'm missing something, but I can't figure out what that might be.

Help!

Contains spoilers:

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Move the red knob in a clockwise direction. The control gear moves clockwise, simultaneously raising the catwalk and lowering the lava drain gate at right.

Slide the red knob to the left through the center groove. The hydraulic arm moves the control gear to the left side, engaging it to the large gear that moves the lava inflow gate. The painting on the drain gate is exposed.

Rotate the red knob counterclockwise to simultaneously raise both the catwalk and the inflow gate. Lava flows into the room and the fan control switch is now visible in the hole at the end of the catwalk. Turn on the switch.

Rotate the red knob clockwise to lower the catwalk one level and close the inflow gate. If you look up, the fan should be spinning.

Slide the red knob to the right to move the control gear to the right side, then rotate the red knob counterclockwise to open the lava drain gate and lower the catwalk.

Important: Before you leave the lower room, slide the red knob to the left to move the control gear over to the inflow gate side.

Upstairs, rotate the red knob counterclockwise to allow the lava (needed heat) to flow back into the room.

Okay, let's see if I get this right. I click on the rid knob and release so it changes to a grabbing had. I then move the knob without clicking clockwise (down and to the left) and then click to release the knob so it will actual move. Correct? You then tell me to move the knob to the left through the slit. The problem is that the knob is now to the left of the slit because it was moved there with the first move. Do I click to get the grabbing hand, go counter-clock wise (down, over to the right and up) go left through the slit and click to release the hand?

The directions I wrote are from the initial position of the catwalk when you first enter the lower room. Sliding the red knob through the center slot moves the control gear left to the inflow gate or right to the drain gate. Rotating the knob clockwise lowers the catwalk and counterclockwise raises the catwalk. The gates are raised or lowered depending upon which side the gear is located.

Hi there kszanz...

Not sure if this will add to what LadyKestrel has already offered, but Gameboomers has a special help file for the tougie red knob exercise, right here.

Witchen

I have all of the walkthroughs there are and still can't get this to work. I guess I'll try again tonight or this weekend. The instructions are very similar but different, which is probably why I'm not successful in making it work.

One more thing. When you walk into the room, the platform the knob device is sitting on is what you're referring to as the catwalk. Correct? There is something with a hole in front of the catwalk. It sort of looks like a fan blade with a hole in it. I'm assuming that, when you get everything positioned correctly, the switch will show up in that hole. Correct?

Yes, the catwalk is the platform on which you are standing and the hole is where the switch will show up when you move the catwalk into the correct position.

Some further points:

First, don't click then release to turn the knob. You have to be holding the button down to pull the knob round. Release the button only when you get the knob in the direction you want it.

Second, the knob is very difficult to manipulate. You sometimes find it moving in a different direction to that which you want (ie moving through the middle of the switch rather than round the outside). I found it best to move the mouse diagonally up or diagonally down in the direction I wanted the knob to turn, to a point some distance away from the knob. Even then it tends to slip through the middle.

As many times as I have done the Lava Room, there is still a little trial-and-error for me. And on my computer there seemed to be a very small sweet spot to get the knob to go where I wanted it to go. One thing helps me; once you get the fan on, be careful and have the big gear on the proper side of the catwalk/lift so the lava door can be opened from upstairs. Happy Gaming!

You say you shouldn't release to let the knob go. These instructions tell me I should.

Place the cursor on the red knob and click once and release. You will get the "closed hand" cursor, indicating that you still have hold of the knob. Do not hold down the mouse button.
Drag the knob up or down. It will only go a short distance, as shown here in the photo. Click the left mouse button again. The knob will then travel all the way around. At any given time, the controller will only operate in one direction. If the knob returns to its starting position, try the other direction.

Using these instructions, I can only get the knob to go a short distance. It never goes all the way around. I'm going to try to do it the other way this weekend because all of the others ways have not worked. Whether or I go clockwise, counter-clockwise or through the slit, the only thing that happens is the gear moves from the left to the right or from the right to the left. That is all. The catwalk stays right where it is.

I'll try again. Thanks.

The knob has to go around to the other side of the control dial in order to affect the vertical movement of the catwalk. The center slot just moves the gear arm right or left. As others have said, it takes some trial and error to get it right.

Hi, this puzzle was a pain for me too. Even the second time I played the game. I think I was trying to push it or pull it to far in the direction I wanted it to go before I released it. then I think I tryed just getting it started near where I wanted it to go and let it go. Does any of this make sense? Well, it has been a long time ago for me and this game. Re

It has been a long time for me, but it seems that I clicked and dragged it, not letting go until it went in the direction I wanted. But it has been a couple of months since I visited there. Happy Gaming!

This was a very finicky knob. There's definitely a sweet spot, as Re said.

You have to hold the button down just until it's going in the right direction & then let it go. I also found it to be an upper or lower diagonal. Aussiemystic explained it perfectly.

Melanie

People I have helped with this same problem are under the impression they must hold down the left mouse button and move the red knob all the way around, regardless of the direction they wish to move the red knob. What really happens is that with the left mouse depressed, the red knob can only be moved about 1/4 of the way in whichever direction, then the program continues the movement without the left mouse button depressed. More than one person has just about given up on Exile because of the red knobs.

I thought I sent a message yesterday asking for additional help on this, but it doesn't appear to be here. Therefore, I'll try again.

After waiting 2 1/2 months, I finally decided to try this again. I have tried at least 100 times to get the red knob to go all the way around and only managed to get it to work about three different times. I could not figure out how in the world I did it, so I could not get it to go up the second time so I could reach the fan switch. Also, despite what one of the walkthroughs said, doing it counter-clockwise does not make it go up; it makes it go down. Therefore, I went up one level and then down.

I DO NOT touch the left button. I click the red knob, remove my finger from the mouse button, move the red knob to the left using the mouse only so I hear it click twice and then and only then click the mouse button. Other than the three times I managed somehow to get it to go all the way around, the only thing that happens is the bar goes over and down back and forth. I've come to hate that bar. It's supposed to only do that when I make it go through the slot. Trust me, I am not doing that; so why does it insist on doing it anyway. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

I'm sorry. I give up. Can someone please send me a saved game just past this part. I totally and completely give up on this one. Believe me, I have read four different walkthroughs and cannot get it to work despite following all of the instructions.

Thanks so much for all of you trying to help me.

Kszanz, you did post yesterday, I don't know why you weren't able to see it. But since this message says the same things, I took the other one out.

Have you checked these directions? It is often hard to find a save for a game that is as old as this one, but I will contact a source that might have one. Hang on...