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[Ruuppa]

Well, seems like you get your request early. A local hunter commissioned me to take down one of them just before I was about to call it a day. The money was much more than I expected, so I agreed.
One problem with chimeras though is that they seem to be nocturnal, so it was the middle of the night when I made it to the location where it was sighted. It saw me as soon as I saw it. Quickly covered an impressive distance and jumped. Further than I ever saw a mutant jump before, about 3 times further than a snork and tore me the hell up. When I spun around to face it, it was gone. Before I managed to recover (I was bleeding pretty bad already) I was hit again, from the back! At that point I realized that I have no chance of killing it this way. I was in a small forest outside a facility. I ran to a clearing just in front of it, luring the thing after me. Only than was I able to sight it. I emptied 300 bullets into it before I was able to take it down.
After this little encounter I never want to see another of those god damned things for the rest of the game. Or at least not at night. :/

Pseudogiants on speed, then. Fun

Do you find resources as abundantly as in SoC and CS? The abundance of medkits/ammo/radiation drugs always bothered me in those.

 

[Almak]

Pseudogiants on speed, then. Fun

Do you find resources as abundantly as in SoC and CS? The abundance of medkits/ammo/radiation drugs always bothered me in those.

No change there I'm afraid. I had some difficulties with meds in the beginning (especially anti rad) but once I got over that initial hour or two I never had to think about them ever again, I never bought them, but I never ran out either.
Well, there is one med that is rare and very useful for certain situations but in general you make due without it.
Ammo is a bit more of an issue though, but only a bit.
Oh yeah speaking of meds, there are those that give you temporary boosts now a'la Fallout. Like, there is one that gives you extra 20kilos of inventory space for 300 seconds (strength), stuff like that.

 

[Joseph Merrick]

Well, seems like you get your request early. A local hunter commissioned me to take down one of them just before I was about to call it a day. The money was much more than I expected, so I agreed.
One problem with chimeras though is that they seem to be nocturnal, so it was the middle of the night when I made it to the location where it was sighted. It saw me as soon as I saw it. Quickly covered an impressive distance and jumped. Further than I ever saw a mutant jump before, about 3 times further than a snork and tore me the hell up. When I spun around to face it, it was gone. Before I managed to recover (I was bleeding pretty bad already) I was hit again, from the back! At that point I realized that I have no chance of killing it this way. I was in a small forest outside a facility. I ran to a clearing just in front of it, luring the thing after me. Only than was I able to sight it. I emptied 300 bullets into it before I was able to take it down.
After this little encounter I never want to see another of those god damned things for the rest of the game. Or at least not at night. :/

:-D~

 

[leroidys]

Here's the real life equivalent:

http://wikimapia.org/509/Consumer-services-centre-Yubileyny

Also an interesting link to checkout, as it offers a detailed view of the actual city of Pripyat.

edit: Also those cookies were badass when dipped in some hot tea.

Wow that site's awesome. And yeah, those cookies = win

 

[Arcipello]

i might get back into the original stalker but im going to install the L.U.R.K its basically a better version of stalker complete 2009.... better graphics...gameplay..and even the addition of stealth including being able to hide in shadows and not have enemies see you, no other mod does this.

check it out GAF http://www.moddb.com/mods/lurk click on the red titles to view videos of the features.

 

[dorkimoe]

I've tried to play the original 3 times now and I still can't bring myself to do it. Each time I put in about 3 or 4 hours and then call it quits after barely getting anywhere. Never made it out of the Cordon proper, I've gone north of that bridge where there's all the army guys and then got killed in some buildings just to the northwest of it after taking some quest from a guy in some broken shacks being attacked by dogs.

I keep being told by my brother that its an excellent game, and it gets love all over the place, but I just suck at it so bad and I die way too quick. It became very much quick save/quick load for every fight I ran into because I am terrible at the gunplay (assuming I remember to save. On my first playthrough I didnt save once, figured there would be checkpoints or something. I was pissed when I died like 2 hours in). I'll probably try again in the next couple months, but I don't know if I'll ever get to the point everyone else seems to be with regards to this game.

I tried to like the game to, the animations for the guns and the combat just seemed terrible to me. Im gonna give this one a shot though. for whatever reason ;\

 

[Anton Sugar]

I picked up STALKER SOC for $5 and am loving it. I've tried a few mods (Stalker Complete 2009, Oblivion Lost 2.2, Oblivion Lost 2.2 + Arsenal + Float32 + SHARPER textures) and the one I'm really enjoying now is Oblivion Lost 2009 RC1. Feature list:

Gameplay:

- Oblivion Lost v. 2.2
- Arsenal Mod RC1
- Tristan�s Arsenal Merge OL 2.2 Weapon Damage
- Natural English Language for OL 2.2 + AM RC2 merge v. 1.0, edited by Kyuzo84
- Clothes Do Make The Man
- Rules Of Engagement v. 0.1b
- Other minor modifications

Graphics:

- Photorealistic Zone v. 1.0 [a.k.a. Argus Texture Pack] with extras
- STALKER Weather Overhauled v. 3.0 with extras
- Nature Mod [Spring Edition] v. 2.0
- Asphalt Mod v. 2.0
- Stalker Forever Water Shaders v. 1.0
- Enhanced Water Textures v. 1.0
- Triggerhappy v. 0.3
- UI & HUD Overhaul v. 1.5 + Leandro�s Widescreen UI + Max Compass MOD + Marco�s Mini Mod PDA Camo [merge]
- Map Mod - Satellite v. 1.0
- Gnomus Scopes v. 2.0 with full additions
- Siro�s Duty, Freedom, Mercenary, Military, Monolith, Stalker & Exoskeleton packs
- KnifeInFace�s Rookie Skin
- New bino skin based upon LonEr1 creation & edited for OL 2009 RC1 by Kyuzo84
- New weapons and bolt skins by horiaz_ak47, Siro, Teh Snake and from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Complete 2009 by artispavel
- CLEAR SKY-ish Weapon Positions [AM weapons not included, except for sayga12k_sk1]
- Improved Marked One Face v. 2.0
- Clear Sky�s Sidorovich
- High resolution cigarettes, food, energy drink, med kits & vodka
- New main menu package based upon �Cave Menu Package� by Elvis Scatter & edited for OL 2009 RC1 by Kyuzo84
- New loadscreen from �Super Mod Pack 2.3� by Wolfehunter & Darius6
- Other minor modifications

Sound:

- Ambient Audio Overhaul v. 1.8 + Sound Overhaul v. 1.7 RC2 + Improved Sound Effects v. 0.9 + Annoying Audio Fix 1.3 + Authenticity Sound Pack [merge, some elements of these single mods are not included in this pack]
- Jamm�s Weapon Sounds Pack [full]
- New main menu theme composed by Ladatek
- Other minor modifications

Is Clear Sky worth getting?

 

[Anton Sugar]

I tried to like the game to, the animations for the guns and the combat just seemed terrible to me. Im gonna give this one a shot though. for whatever reason ;\

Animations are rough, but the combat is some of the best in an FPS. Sniping is beautiful.

 

[BobsRevenge]

Animations are rough, but the combat is some of the best in an FPS. Sniping is beautiful.

I dunno... never was a huge fan of the combat in STALKER.

I mainly just like it because of the open-worldness of it.

 

[Anton Sugar]

I dunno... never was a huge fan of the combat in STALKER.

I mainly just like it because of the open-worldness of it.

I didn't like it at first, but a combination of the guns, the sounds, the lethality, and just how visceral the world seems made it one of my favorites. Then again, I am not a fan of gunplay in games like COD, where everything feels so...plastic and ineffective.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

Animations are rough, but the combat is some of the best in an FPS. Sniping is beautiful.

sniping can be so satisfying!

Shooting can be frustrating at first but one just has to learn how shooting works in Stalker

 

[Almak]

Animations are rough, but the combat is some of the best in an FPS. Sniping is beautiful.

So much truth in this! I suppose the fact that you have to work for them is a big part of it (for me). Even when the target is standing you have to adjust for bullet fall over distance. But man when you line it up right and make that one incredible shot!

 

[Zyzyxxz]

especially when a group of them are running toward you in the long distance and you just perfectly snipe 2 or 3 in quick succession.

 

[luka]

I didn't like it at first, but a combination of the guns, the sounds, the lethality, and just how visceral the world seems made it one of my favorites. Then again, I am not a fan of gunplay in games like COD, where everything feels so...plastic and ineffective.

Definitely. Once you get out of cordon in the original and you have at least an smg the combat becomes so much more enjoyable. Mowing down large groups of respawning bandits is a blast. The ballistics modeling and bullet drop while sniping is immensely satisfying.

Absolutely echoing the CoD statement. They always felt like nerf guns to me.

 

[Almak]

Got my first really big disappointment of the game yesterday. Going through the third underground sequence I realized that none of them (I encountered so far) could hold a candle to the foreboding, desolate death-traps that were some of the subterranean levels Shadow of Chernobyl had on offer. It seems to me that the developers were very aware of the need to make them scary and ultimately in the pursuit of thereof horribly overdid it to the point of it being absurdly comical. Sigh, I guess in that respect the lightning could only strike once.

 

[Joseph Merrick]

overdid it in what way? too many monsters?

 

[Almak]

overdid it in what way? too many monsters?

That's a part of it yes. Another one is that there are environmental sounds that don't make any sense when used like they are here.
For example there was one part of the level where I came across what seemed to be an abandoned shop, when I suddenly heard a baby crying. Disturbing right? Well not when it doesn't stop crying it isn't. See due to the fact that the level is tightly packed together and the areal effect of that sound was so broad that after you activate it, you never stop hearing it. Couple that with some of the louder sounds smaller mutants make and you've got this cacophony of disjointed nonsense SFX gnawing at your ears at a steady pace wherever you go.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

That's a part of it yes. Another one is that there are environmental sounds that don't make any sense when used like they are here.
For example there was one part of the level where I came across what seemed to be an abandoned shop, when I suddenly heard a baby crying. Disturbing right? Well not when it doesn't stop crying it isn't. See due to the fact that the level is tightly packed together and the areal effect of that sound was so broad that after you activate it, you never stop hearing it. Couple that with some of the louder sounds smaller mutants make and you've got this cacophony of disjointed nonsense SFX gnawing at your ears at a steady pace wherever you go.

I remember when you are looking for Ghost's hideout, the first time you had to go underground...

Damn that was pretty freaky for me.

 

[Almak]

I remember when you are looking for Ghost's hideout, the first time you had to go underground...

Damn that was pretty freaky for me.

All I know is that prior to SoC I never thought I had the capacity to be freaked out by something as mundane as a screeching light bulb.
It also made me avoid cats...for a while.

 

[EatChildren]

How's the animations and general presentation of weapon usage?

I really like the change in weapon size and the extra animations included in Clear Sky. The guns felt 'better' to handle and a bit less clumbsy and clunky than they did in the original Stalker.

Is there an improvement again on Clear Sky, or is it more of the same? Also, have they made any alterations to the healing system? I get really tired of hitting bandage after every single shot I take.

Lastly, what is system performance like? The X-Ray engine is gorgeous but a fucking cunt to get running at a stable framerate. It shits me that I can max out something like Crysis and have playable framerates, yet Clear Sky chugs at random points and requires a silly amount of tinkering in the settings.

 

[Almak]

How's the animations and general presentation of weapon usage?

I'd like to answer that with a couple of screenshots (dont worry, no spoilers):

http://s54.radikal.ru/i143/0910/62/11f4cf7318f7.jpg
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5345/ssavi100909033145jupite.jpg
http://i044.radikal.ru/0910/da/d73735f7f439.jpg

Weapon presentation seemed adequate to me.

Also, have they made any alterations to the healing system? I get really tired of hitting bandage after every single shot I take.

The bandages are still in. Thoguh I havent used them as often myself but that might (or might not) be attributed to the difficulty I'm playing on (stalker, second from the easiest).

Lastly, what is system performance like? The X-Ray engine is gorgeous but a fucking cunt to get running at a stable framerate. It shits me that I can max out something like Crysis and have playable framerates, yet Clear Sky chugs at random points and requires a silly amount of tinkering in the settings.

For me the performance is...weird. It's running great but once in a while it'd drop to 5fps as if its loading something (though nothing comes up in the -console). I dug through the support forum and it seems to be a problem at least a couple of more people seem to have. But again like with the previous STALKER games there's really no conceivable way to tell how the game will behave from system to system.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Definitely. Once you get out of cordon in the original and you have at least an smg the combat becomes so much more enjoyable. Mowing down large groups of respawning bandits is a blast. The ballistics modeling and bullet drop while sniping is immensely satisfying.

Absolutely echoing the CoD statement. They always felt like nerf guns to me.

Especially with the mods and the insane amount of weapons, new sounds, new skins. The Oblivion Lost 2009 RC1 has 2-3 different skins for each weapon, which I really like. Also, just silenced my Saiga 12K I'm hoping to find an Anton Chigurh-esque shotgun I can silence.

So, should I get Clear Sky? Is it worth it?

 

[Almak]

Especially with the mods and the insane amount of weapons, new sounds, new skins. The Oblivion Lost 2009 RC1 has 2-3 different skins for each weapon, which I really like. Also, just silenced my Saiga 12K I'm hoping to find an Anton Chigurh-esque shotgun I can silence.

So, should I get Clear Sky? Is it worth it?

That depends. How much would you say you like Stalker? If a lot, than yes. Otherwise, well you're probably better off without.

 

[Peronthious]

I'm several hours into the original, using STALKER Complete 2009, but both LURK and Oblivion Lost look pretty awesome. Would I be able to switch to one of those mods without having to completely restart my game?

 

[Anton Sugar]

I'm several hours into the original, using STALKER Complete 2009, but both LURK and Oblivion Lost look pretty awesome. Would I be able to switch to one of those mods without having to completely restart my game?

You might be able to continue them, but I don't know if they'd be completely compatible.

Oblivion Lost 2009 is basically Oblivion Lost + Complete 2009, but your old saves won't be compatible. Easily worth it, though.

 

[Doytch]

Jim Rossignol wrote a preview of the English version for Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

This, in part, requires you to rely on your equipment, and to get it fixed up. The upgrades and repair guy you find in the first zone is crucial to progress. You are going to be spending money on repairs and upgrades, because there’s no other option. The surplus of equipment in the first two games is gone, and the suit you have must be fixed and augmented. Amusingly, the upgrades dude can be bribed with bottles of vodka – the greater the drunkenness, the cheaper the prices, until he falls unconscious and is inaccessible.

While some areas of the world retain the original bleak and desolate beauty, it feels like much of the level design is perfunctory. The original game seemed to hide a lot of the cracks in technology by simply making the level design very beautiful indeed, but that’s not so apparent here. It seems a little hurried, a little under-imagined. I wonder if the additional weirdness is a symptom of a lack of confidence with the original palette of post-Soviet dereliction.

Call of Pripyat feels a lot more like the Stalker game we wanted and expected than Clear Sky did. It doesn’t seem to quite capture the atmosphere and terrifying claustrophobia of Shadow Of Chernobyl, but perhaps nothing ever will.

 

[Almak]

Jim Rossignol wrote a preview of the English version for Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Never noticed the sprint impediment in the game but otherwise I'm glad to see that his opinion of the game overall is pretty close to mine.
I can at least put one question of his to rest, I suppose. The game is shorter than SoC.

 

[Doytch]

Never noticed the sprint impediment in the game but otherwise I'm glad to see that his opinion of the game overall is pretty close to mine.
I can at least put one question of his to rest, I suppose. The game is shorter than SoC.

Yeah I don't mind the length thing. Lately I haven't enjoyed many games that are longer than twenty hours anyway (DA being the notable exception). And I was also starting to feel the way he does about SHOC's atmosphere never being matched so I can't really be that disappointed on that point anymore.

 

[dLMN8R]

That preview makes the game sound like everything I hoped for in Clear Sky. However, I asked in the comments section and the writer replied that he hasn't seen any more underground areas that were sorely lacking in Clear Sky :-( Just a couple of underground paths.

Oh well, can't wait!

 

[bdouble]

Love their previews. Sounds like some good and bad but I am in love with these games. Despite only playing about half way through the first one and just giving up because I knew I wasn't getting a good experience out of my ancient rig. Since then only have a MBP to really play on and that won't do the games justice either.

I know once I do build a PC though that these will be the first games I play. Can not wait for this and to see what 2 looks like running on CE2 ::drools::

 

[dark10x]

Have there been any comments on the AI? That was easily the most glaring flaw in the original game. The atmosphere was often spoiled by the oversensitive AI.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Dunno if this was posted anywhere, just found it myself, so much awesome

http://www.stalker-game.com/en/?page=wallpapers

Also, UK box art -

Cant fucking wait !

 

[Daigoro]

wow, awesome Xmas card there! box art isnt bad either.

looking forward to this game

Lastly, what is system performance like? The X-Ray engine is gorgeous but a fucking cunt to get running at a stable framerate. It shits me that I can max out something like Crysis and have playable framerates, yet Clear Sky chugs at random points and requires a silly amount of tinkering in the settings.

speaking of CS. i just bought it recently and the performance is terrible! anyone have any ideas on what graphical tweaks i need to make in order to get it to run in a playable fashion?

i want to play it, but its running so poorly.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Question for those who have played the russian version.......

Do sun rays still destroy performance ? I absolutely loved them in Clear Sky, looked so damn good, but for fuck sake, its literally the difference between a shakey 20 FPS or easy 60 FPS +. I would love to think in CoP theyve worked there magic and there now usable.

 

[BobsRevenge]

That ferris wheel is so overplayed. No one cares anymore.

 

[NinjaFridge]

That ferris wheel is so overplayed. No one cares anymore.

I do.

 

[Neuromancer]

That ferris wheel is so overplayed. No one cares anymore.

You're right, they shouldn't use probably the most well known landmark in Pripyat. Call of Duty 4 did it first, did it best, and out of respect to Infinity Ward no one should ever touch it again. In fact, Chernobyl is overplayed too. They should base this game somewhere completely different, but similar in look and feel. My vote is for Newark, NJ.

 

[Cat in the Hat]

You're right, they shouldn't use probably the most well known landmark in Pripyat. Call of Duty 4 did it first, did it best, and out of respect to Infinity Ward no one should ever touch it again. In fact, Chernobyl is overplayed too. They should base this game somewhere completely different, but similar in look and feel. My vote is for Newark, NJ.

:lol

 

[dLMN8R]

You're right, they shouldn't use probably the most well known landmark in Pripyat. Call of Duty 4 did it first, did it best, and out of respect to Infinity Ward no one should ever touch it again. In fact, Chernobyl is overplayed too. They should base this game somewhere completely different, but similar in look and feel. My vote is for Newark, NJ.

Call of Duty 4 did it so best that it went back in time to apparently come out before the appearance it made in Shadow of Chernobyl 1-2 years previously!

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Looks like its going to be a special edition release in the UK at least (many retailers now list it as special edition, with a new box art).

"Includes art cards, zone map & soundtrack cd"

Awesome !

 

[D-X]

Here's photo montage of the real Pripyat set to Ash's new-ish song funnily enough called Pripyat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPpmDyoSpHo

The photos towards the end with the hospital are rather disconcerting

And if you like the tune you can find more here (most of them are more upbeat)
www.ash-official.com

 

[VibratingDonkey]

£17.95
Monday-ish only.

 

[NinajHeartless]

You're right, they shouldn't use probably the most well known landmark in Pripyat. Call of Duty 4 did it first, did it best, and out of respect to Infinity Ward no one should ever touch it again. In fact, Chernobyl is overplayed too. They should base this game somewhere completely different, but similar in look and feel. My vote is for Newark, NJ.

Hey I resent tha....
*looks at Newark*
Damn, nevermind

 

[Doytch]

£17.95
Monday-ish only.

Can't find it in their FAQ or select a shipping address without registering: Anyone know if they ship to North America, Canada specifically?

 

[Blizzard]

Call of Duty 4 did it so best that it went back in time to apparently come out before the appearance it made in Shadow of Chernobyl 1-2 years previously!

Thank you. Maybe everyone feels COD4 did it best, but people often seem to reference the Chernobyl level in COD4 as the original, when there was like, an entire game about the region year(s) earlier.

 

[bengraven]

I have committed a cardinal sin because I love SoC and I have yet to install any mods, including Complete and Oblivion Lost.

I had some problems installing them and lost patience; since I love the vanilla game anyway I didn't complain too much. (I'm running Vista 64)

much more focused on exploration with a healthy dose of action RPG elements

Yessssss.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

I have committed a cardinal sin because I love SoC and I have yet to install any mods, including Complete and Oblivion Lost.

I had some problems installing them and lost patience; since I love the vanilla game anyway I didn't complain too much. (I'm running Vista 64)



Yessssss.

I never really gave the mods a go either, only recently did i try the Complete mod, and thought "yeah pretty neat" but was still pretty much the same game. Whatever you prefer tbh

CoP looks like the first game purchase this year for me

 

[dLMN8R]

Thank you. Maybe everyone feels COD4 did it best, but people often seem to reference the Chernobyl level in COD4 as the original, when there was like, an entire game about the region year(s) earlier.

Not only did STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl come out roughly 8 months before Call of Duty 4, Shadow of Chernobyl's implementation of Pripyat wasn't a ridiculously forced linear roller coaster ride full of convenient destruction to funnel you through.

Not to mention the fact that the CoD 4 level in question was by far one of the worst, poorly-balanced, un-fun section of the entire game.


Can't freaking wait for Call of Pripyat

 

[VibratingDonkey]

Can't find it in their FAQ or select a shipping address without registering: Anyone know if they ship to North America, Canada specifically?

Yes. Standard Shipping (£2.35 per item)

 

[hamchan]

Isn't this game gonna come out very soon? I haven't heard much hype.