S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Worth Playing?

[MRG]

I have been given this game by a friend & i'm curious if it is worth playing through? I have played it for around 30 mins & so far, i'm really not all that excited about continuing any further. I was not impressed with the weapons & the damage they caused, so I found a great small mod that raised the damage & changed the audio for all the weapons, so that part is now great. I have heard great & horrible things about the game.

Any input would be appreciated.

-MRG

 

[xcellerate]

most horrible things are the bugs...I really enjoyed the game and had a great time. I actually played through it twice and a third time with cheats (which took no time at all)

 

[MRG]

Bugs, as in how bad are they? Nothing sucks more, than to put in some time playing a game, only to come across a bug that breaks the game.

-MRG

 

[Raziaar]

He's talking about the giant irradiated cockroaches that attempt to devour you. They generally roam around in packs of 700 or so. Very hard to avoid and kill if you're cornered.



And of course I have no idea what I'm talking about, as usual.

 

[Tagaziel]

Bugs, as in how bad are they? Nothing sucks more, than to put in some time playing a game, only to come across a bug that breaks the game.

-MRG

There are a few bugs, but generally they can be ignored. The game is amazing and one of the best experiences of the passing year.

 

[Pesmerga]

I disagree. STALKER disappointed me; it felt like Oblivion with guns. Ok, it was better than Oblivion, but not by much.

 

[Tagaziel]

I beg to differ: STALKER was nothing like Oblivion at all. No overhyped Radiant AI, no OMGSHINYGRAPHIX!!!11!!1, no Patrict Stewart and a fairly logical and interesting plot.

Plus, GSCs admitted the game has been cut down for release - which developer, apart from VALVe, has the giant titanium balls to do that?

 

[Pesmerga]

My point is... I never felt like there was a real focus to the game. It was almost a sandbox... and I just got lost and confused and even when I was fulfilling game objectives, I wasn't sure I missed something and even less sure if I'd be able to go back and see it.

I like games like Half Life 2 because the most important plot elements are shown very purposefully and the objectives are very distinct and concrete. I don't feel like the big damn hero in STALKER.

 

[MRG]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I played some more & was still not all that excited. So I went online & looked at a few more mods before I decided to uninstall the game or not. I found one called "Faiakes_v24" which after installing it & playing for 15 mins so far, is Whoa! Not even the same game anymore. I tried the Nuclear Snow mod as well, which was different, but the "Faiakes_v24" Mod is awesome.

Thank again all.

-MRG

 

[Cerpin]

I beg to differ: STALKER was nothing like Oblivion at all. No overhyped Radiant AI, no OMGSHINYGRAPHIX!!!11!!1, no Patrict Stewart and a fairly logical and interesting plot.

Plus, GSCs admitted the game has been cut down for release - which developer, apart from VALVe, has the giant titanium balls to do that?

I woudln't say logical, but it is never-the-less an amazing game. Best of 07 for me.

Oh, and about the guns. The best thing about that is the feeling of finally getting a better gun. It's not so much that they don't do damage, they're just really inaccurate.

 

[Nabobalis]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I played some more & was still not all that excited. So I went online & looked at a few more mods before I decided to uninstall the game or not. I found one called "Faiakes_v24" which after installing it & playing for 15 mins so far, is Whoa! Not even the same game anymore. I tried the Nuclear Snow mod as well, which was different, but the "Faiakes_v24" Mod is awesome.

Thank again all.

-MRG

What does "Faiakes_v24" do to the game?

 

[Cerpin]

Uglier textures, for one.

 

[Shamrock]

He's talking about the giant irradiated cockroaches that attempt to devour you. They generally roam around in packs of 700 or so. Very hard to avoid and kill if you're cornered.



And of course I have no idea what I'm talking about, as usual.

ROFL. <3 Cow man!

 

[Krynn72]

Trust me, you cant judge the game on the first couple hours. The game doesnt really kick in until you get to the bar. I really suggest you keep playing at least until you do a few missions you get from the Bar.

Also, look for a weight mod, so you can carry more and not loose you stamina so easily. Made the game more fun for me.

 

[Saturos]

Trust me, you cant judge the game on the first couple hours. The game doesnt really kick in until you get to the bar. I really suggest you keep playing at least until you do a few missions you get from the Bar.

Also, look for a weight mod, so you can carry more and not loose you stamina so easily. Made the game more fun for me.

Damn, you've been up all night too Krynn? I thought I was the only "night owl". Or are you just an "early bird?" On topic: I want to give STALKER a try too. I just wonder how smooth I can can run it on my machine if I can run Oblivion fairly well on high settings? (18-25 FPS outdoors, 55-60 FPS indoors)

 

[Raziaar]

ROFL. <3 Cow man!

<3 to you too!


EDIT: I am the new page master, as usual.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

The latest patch seems to off cleared away most of the annoying bugs

Trust me, you cant judge the game on the first couple hours. The game doesnt really kick in until you get to the bar. I really suggest you keep playing at least until you do a few missions you get from the Bar.

The Dark Valley is what really did it for me. I got f*cked in the head (no seriously I had a splitting headache) after completing the Vault mission.

Spoiler

The Psi Emitters that cause you eyes to go blood red, then the conforantation with the invisible energy ball that generates fire, after which you have that flashback

It goes to show how atmospheric the game is.

 

[Krynn72]

Damn, you've been up all night too Krynn? I thought I was the only "night owl". Or are you just an "early bird?" On topic: I want to give STALKER a try too. I just wonder how smooth I can can run it on my machine if I can run Oblivion fairly well on high settings? (18-25 FPS outdoors, 55-60 FPS indoors)

I sleep like 3 hours at night. I cant fall asleep until after 2pm simply because i dont get tired until then, and then i have to get up at 5am to go to school.

 

[CR0M]

Get it. Play it. Curse at the bugs. Shake your fist at the lack of optimisation. Shout at the linear gameplay. Finish it. Remember fondly a unique and atmospheric experience in fps history.

 

[Dekstar]

Stalker is one of the few games that I'd open up when just staring at my desktop wondering what to do. Very good game, though I haven't yet got a proper ending (going to play through again to get it when I have time).
I really only used graphical mods like that bloom mod thing and proper parallax-mapping. Made it look gorgeous. Also used a weight increaser, but not by much.

 

[Kadayi]

It's not a perfect game by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a must if you are into FPS. The guns get much better as you proceed through the game as well.

 

[taviow]

Indeed, it's one amazing and scary experience but I don't like the beginning too. Things will get better... later... :naughty:

I really only used graphical mods like that bloom mod thing and proper parallax-mapping. Made it look gorgeous. Also used a weight increaser, but not by much.

Where can I find the graphical mods?

 

[Krynn72]

http://stalker.filefront.com/files/Stalker/Mods;3785

 

[Dekstar]

Where can I find the graphical mods?

Well I got most of them from The Brick, but you can also find a lot of them in links from the steampowered forums:
I suggest Float32
and Clear Skies (You can get it from Krynn's link as far as I know), and you can try your hand at the parallax occlusion mods:
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=647842

Also it's highly suggested to put -mblur in your command line parameters. I tried it both on and off, and off looks disgusting.

 

[taviow]

Thanks everyone! I will do everything.

 

[MRG]

This is the mod I am talking about.

Quote:####################################
---------- Major features ----------
####################################

- Now compatible with patch 1.0004

- Buy almost everything from traders
- Rifles fitting the handgun slot
- Dream and avoid night time
- Drag items and carry higher load
- Non-degrading Armour and Weapons
- Reliable (non-jamming) weapons
- Side-quests without a time limit
- Better skins for weapons & items
- More gruesome blood effects
- More weapons accept attachments
- More usefull interaction with NPCs
- Lots of Quests fixed and reenabled
- Reputation reenabled
- Torch that shines further and wider
- More realistic nights and weather
- Text on the map
- Better English text dialogues
- Accurate & Realistic weapon descriptions

################################
---------- Changelog ----------
################################

2.3 -> 2.4

List of files in 2.4:

- Made compatible with patch 1.0004 (natasha8384)
- Added Hectrol's stalker minimod 0.5
- Added parts of Realism Graphic Mod 2.0 by edomae
- Added Cameron Sneed's (jjwalker) Float32 Mod
- Added giv_em_hell's GhillieSuit, SVD and SVU skins from GhillieSuit_Svd_v1.2 and one of 3 G36 skins in this mod from Advanced World Weapons v.2.0
- Added vehicles' coordinates and vehicle supporting files from Vehicle Enhanced 1.0 for GSC v.1.0003 by tampoux
- Added new advanced scope lenses from Advanced Scopes by Domm2405 (aka Smirnoff CCCP) featured on some weapons
- Basix Spawn Mod combo of monsters and vehicles for 1.0004
- Weapons Expansion Mod (17 new base weapon models)
- Texture Switcher for Add-ons
- Environmental GFX Mod
- NPC Weapons Distribution (Rebalancing) Mod
- Weapons Inside Mod
- Skinflint Mod
- NPC-Fracture Fix
- Kruglov Flashdrive Fix
- Weight limit reduced to 200Kg
- Several weight limit options provided
- Minor changes
- New logo by Jamie Roberts

http://stalker.filefront.com/file/Faiakes_Mod;83643

-MRG

 

[jimbo118]

Yes, worth playing, i never finished it due to a annoying crashing bug but want to someday, maybe even now. Just gotta update it, d/l some mods.

Its one of the most atmospheric games, FPSs's, i've ever played. Day/Night cycles ftw, if you can play with dynamic lighting, it adds so much. Moving around at night in a storm can be quite terrifying at times.

One thing i love about it is the general unpredictability of the A.I, yeah you will find them walking into trees occasionally but at times they will really surprise you, flanking you, honestly in combat(particularly outdoors) it is really quite tense as you never really know how the A.I will take you on, numerous times they snuck up on me. It feels like a survival FPS, you never trully feel safe. Areas repopulate etc.

I posted this in the old release thread:http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=121900&highlight=Stalker

wow i just quicksaved and had to post this, still in cordon

anyway i decided to scout the military outpost to the south of cordon, 3 military soldiers spotted me and opened fire, i engaged them and managed to take out two, i just finished looting the corpses for ak ammo when i looked to see up to 10 or more army soldiers heading out from the outpost to me, i did what i could to take them on but with limited ammo fled to the stalker camp....

well shiT!!! they followed me, to the south of the camp they came taking up position on the small hill looking into the camp, my fellow stalkers, 3 experienced stalkers including wolf and the rest of the rookie stalkers began to engage them, we were getting torn apart, i had taken up position in the central house in the series of houses to the south. All around i could hear the screams of the young inexperienced stalkers going down...

they had tried to engage at close range with their pistols and sawn-offs but were ripped into by the military's aks. I saw a growing number of orange dots indicating living stalkers turning grey, i looked to the north of the village and noticed the 3 more experienced stalkers including wolf firing controlled bursts from their aks...but it was doing no good, i had no ammo for my ak as i cowered in the destroyed house, then i suddenly got my nades, all 7 of them and began hurling them at the small hill where the military where firing on us from...

all i could see was the muzzle flash of their aks from behind the bushes. With each grenade that went off i could see on my minimap red dots turning to grey, the first nade took out atleast 3 army guys, each one after that killed or wounded atleast 1 more, i peeked out from behind cover to see my final one explode and illuminate the surrounding area sending 1 soldier flying.

The battle waged into the night, i could see the shadows created by wolf's flashlight to the south of me, he and his two fellow more experienced stalkers were still enagaging the reinforcing soldiers, i dared to move outside only to be confronted by a military soldier, he fired a burst from his ak wounding me only for a rookie stalker to blow him away at close range with his sawn-off, i took cover and checked the mini-map, i could see more orange dots appearing, REINFORCEMENTS from north were coming, in ones and twos. We had defeated the military in this battle, i then quicksaved and came here to tell the story

now i will go back to see who survived and those that werent so lucky

GAME WINS!

Good Review btw:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=74255

 

[taviow]

That was quite epic. :O

 

[Krynn72]

This thread made me start playing it again. Now I got past the first bloodsucker you meet, but I forgot to complete the objective down there (doh!) and went through to the exit of the tunnel. Then I realized my mistake, but now im afraid to go back in there because of that other mutant who freaks me the **** out might just be walking around now that I got past him already. Im screwed!

 

[Asuka]

I think the game is a must have. Some of the most eerie shit is in it. The atmosphere is absolutely insane. The bugs aren't game stoppers but can get annoying at times.

 

[taviow]

This thread made me start playing it again. Now I got past the first bloodsucker you meet, but I forgot to complete the objective down there (doh!) and went through to the exit of the tunnel. Then I realized my mistake, but now im afraid to go back in there because of that other mutant who freaks me the **** out might just be walking around now that I got past him already. Im screwed!

Turn up your brightness level D:
To the top D:

 

[Krynn72]

Its not the brightness that gets me, its the mutant himself. First time I played the game I freaking flipped out when he did that physic mind-zoom bullshit and gtfo'd as fast as I could. When I got outside I paused the game, and had to leave my room and get a drink.

My hand was shaking when I picked up the glass.

So every time i started playing the game again, I just sprint as fast as I can past that part so I never have to see him again. But now im ****ed, because I have to go back in, and he might be roaming around somewhere else.

 

[Unfocused]

Haha, Krynn, chill out it's just a game

On the other hand I envy you a bit. I'd like a game to scare the shit out of me like that.

 

[Bob_Marley]

Its not the brightness that gets me, its the mutant himself. First time I played the game I freaking flipped out when he did that physic mind-zoom bullshit and gtfo'd as fast as I could. When I got outside I paused the game, and had to leave my room and get a drink.

My hand was shaking when I picked up the glass.

So every time i started playing the game again, I just sprint as fast as I can past that part so I never have to see him again. But now im ****ed, because I have to go back in, and he might be roaming around somewhere else.

When in doubt, load up your AK, set your fire selector to full auto, charge the bastard, scream DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA!!! at your monitor, press down on your LMB and don't let go until the damn things dead.

I loved this game. Might have to play it again with some of the mods.

 

[Krynn72]

I just played it again, but i think im still screwed. I went into the tunnel, got to the hidden room and completed the objective, and then went back out the way i came in, but the "get out of tunnel" objective is still active.

Hopefully I can just go to the exit on the outside, go in, and that will register as completing it, then just go back out again.


Seriously, **** that mutant.

 

[taviow]

Damn the bloodsuckers never fail to scare me!

I'm shaking here but I must... go... on...

I never finished the game because of some crashes I had but now I have this new computer, the crashes didn't happen .

I'm at the Agroprom Research Institute btw.
Now I have to calm down...

 

[mrbloke]

This thread made me start playing it again. Now I got past the first bloodsucker you meet, but I forgot to complete the objective down there (doh!) and went through to the exit of the tunnel. Then I realized my mistake, but now im afraid to go back in there because of that other mutant who freaks me the **** out might just be walking around now that I got past him already. Im screwed!

I think thats what i did!
I thought it was a bug so i stopped playing. Where is the objective?
(and is the mutantthe one that kind of pushed his hand towards you from a corridor and you cant do anything about it?)

 

[Shippi]

.

 

[MJ12]

I checked on systems requirments lab, and it says this game wont run on my computer, which upsets me, considering the graphics are lower looking than HL2 graphics, and HL2 runs fine on my computer.

 

[Krynn72]

I think thats what i did!
I thought it was a bug so i stopped playing. Where is the objective?
(and is the mutantthe one that kind of pushed his hand towards you from a corridor and you cant do anything about it?)

Yeah, thats the one. Once you meet that fella you're at the end of the tunnel. There is a ladder leading out of the place at the end of the hall.