spitcodfry
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I agree with EvikEwok that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is the more graphically superior game compared to Half-Life 2, but I do believe there is an overriding factor that explains why this is.
To give the members of this forum brief background on just what S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is, in case you're unaware, I believe is essential in explaining why it's superior in terms of visuals.
The game's environment is based on an area in the Ukraine called the Zone, which is roughly a thirty kilometer area that includes the Chernobyl nuclear power station and its outlying cities and settlements.
The game's developer, GSC Game World, are based in the same country as the Zone (as they dub it), so it wasn't much of a trek for them to visit the site in order to take notes. The development team took extensive photos of almost every facet of the Chernobyl area; and its been stated in previews of the game that 50-60% of the world is literally based on what's inside the area.
That includes cities, buildings, the Chernobyl plant, etc. What does this mean? It means GSC Game World didn't make the majority of their game world from scratch. Valve did.
That's quite a feat considering the technology our Bellevue boys are pushing. Don't get me wrong Ewok, I think the folks over at GSC have got plenty of talent as well, but a lot of what they've created is based on pre-existing structures and objects.
Even after seeing the latest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video and the gamut of new screenshots showing off the X-Ray engine's capabilities, I'm still just as wowed when I re-watch "Barricade" for the xxth time. GSC's tech may be superior, but if you asked Valve to make a Seattle "level," I'm sure you'd see the same, if not more so, pizzaz that's inherent in S.T.A.L.K.E.R..
To give the members of this forum brief background on just what S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is, in case you're unaware, I believe is essential in explaining why it's superior in terms of visuals.
The game's environment is based on an area in the Ukraine called the Zone, which is roughly a thirty kilometer area that includes the Chernobyl nuclear power station and its outlying cities and settlements.
The game's developer, GSC Game World, are based in the same country as the Zone (as they dub it), so it wasn't much of a trek for them to visit the site in order to take notes. The development team took extensive photos of almost every facet of the Chernobyl area; and its been stated in previews of the game that 50-60% of the world is literally based on what's inside the area.
That includes cities, buildings, the Chernobyl plant, etc. What does this mean? It means GSC Game World didn't make the majority of their game world from scratch. Valve did.
That's quite a feat considering the technology our Bellevue boys are pushing. Don't get me wrong Ewok, I think the folks over at GSC have got plenty of talent as well, but a lot of what they've created is based on pre-existing structures and objects.
Even after seeing the latest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video and the gamut of new screenshots showing off the X-Ray engine's capabilities, I'm still just as wowed when I re-watch "Barricade" for the xxth time. GSC's tech may be superior, but if you asked Valve to make a Seattle "level," I'm sure you'd see the same, if not more so, pizzaz that's inherent in S.T.A.L.K.E.R..