Seriously, this is really getting frustrating. What do they mean "focus" the crystals? What am I supposed to focus them on? I've been to the UESP already and its no help at all. I can not get all three of the beams of light into the middle of the three rings on the ceiling. Please DO NOT POST A LINK to the UESP. Someone tell me where I am supposed to aim these beams of light at, and what it should look like when i am supposed to activate the machinery.

Thanks.

I had trouble, too. YouTube has some good videos of how to do it.

the uesp is fairly clear and works like a charm so i'm not sure what anyone else can say. have you read the book in the room and used fire and frost spells to change the focus?

also, try this:

If you do not already know the Flames or Frostbite spells, read the Spell Tome: Flames and/or the Spell Tome: Frostbite sitting on the desk behind the control panel up the stairs. Then stand directly below the http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Oculory and fire a continuous stream of http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Flames or http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Frostbite (use ONLY these novice spells, apprentice or higher leveled spells will move mirrors differently) up at the crystals until each beam of light is focused on the center of a separate horizontally rotating panels on the ceiling with the blue mirrors in them. Now move the blue mirrors. Each of the Dwemer pedestals atop the ramp rotate one of the three horizontal ceiling panels. The trick is to press the button on each pedestal so the panels shift sideways until one of the blue mirrors lines up with the light beam. (The inner row will be behind you to the right, the middle will be just to the left and the last will be just on the right.) The beam then ricochets off and up to the ceiling mirror. When all three light beams hit the ceiling, you know the http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Oculory is focused properly. If nothing happens right away, try alternating between Flames and Frostbite. taken from here: http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Revealing_the_Unseen

I had an absolute HELL of a time doing this too. I was on PC and could barely make out the beams of light. I even toggled clipping off so I could "float" next to the crystal for the best view and could still barely make them out.

After half an hour of screwing around with it and looking it up online, I finally gave up and just used the console to advance the quest. I don't like doing that, but I felt like I wasted enough time.

It wouldn't have been so bad if the beams of light were just stronger. They were just so dim for me though, even when floating next to the crystal for the best possible view. I have no idea how someone would do it from the ground.

PS - I read the wiki and had frost and fire ready to go on each hand....it was being unable to clearly see the beams of light that made it such a pain for me.

The prob I had when I did this quest was I used spells too powerful which made the lights move too far.

I think I got it now, my problem was I using Ice Spike and Fireball spells instead of the novice level ones.

First Archpatriach I've ever seen. *mind blown*

On topic, I spent about twenty minutes pumping the buttons at random until I realised you have to use the spells to "heat up/cool down" the beams of light, changing their position. You should be able to get the beams to settle on a point on the belts of metal going round the room. Once you've done that, rotate the belts so the attached disc reflects the light.

Unfortunately, that's a known issue with some video card/driver combinations. Some people can't see the light beams at all. That's something that definitely needs to be fixed.

Can I kill the Mage that is in the Oculory after I get done focusing the crystal? Or should I let him live?

He was essential earlier, but he's not any more. Is it going to cause issues later if he's dead? I saved it right before I killed him so if he needs to be left alive, I can fix it.

Yeah, I read that too. They were indeed there, just impossibly hard to make out.

I know my computer has had some minor graphical issues with Morrowind before (black hole sun!) but at least that was purely aesthetic. This was giving me a major headache trying to actually solve a quest.

i don't recall encountering him anywhere other than there and i don't believe you have to go back so have at him....

Last time I did it I just used Frostbite until they stopped moving and that's pretty much it.

I killed him. Can't very well have him going back and reporting any secrets, now can I? (I know it has no real bearing on the game itself, but sometimes I've just got to stay in character )

I don't think it makes any difference whether he lives or dies. I spared him myself, but I oh so wanted to kill him.

Maybe next time.

just follow YT Videos