THQ hired Dean Sharpe to fix S.t.a.l.k.e.r "mess"

[operative x]

However, it is worth bearing in mind that theres a much larger scope between Oblivion and STALKER. (Not to mention Stalkers using its own engine. Something Oblivion isn't)
For one, creating a world is easy. Making something very accurate from the real world? Much much harder.

You could also say that since they are recreating buildings for an existing place that alot of the building style, design, and placing is almost done for them. All they have to do is create the models/textures. In oblivion all the styling/design/names/culture must be created from scratch. Besides, Isn't it only 60% accurate to the real Chernobyl?

 

[cadaver]

However, it is worth bearing in mind that theres a much larger scope between Oblivion and STALKER. (Not to mention Stalkers using its own engine. Something Oblivion isn't)

For one, creating a world is easy. Making something very accurate from the real world? Much much harder.

That said, the game could be absolute poop and I'd still play it. Just to walk around a realistic Chernobyl and soak it the atmosphere.

same here.

 

[mortiz]

Seems like everything interesting about STALKER is being slowly drained away. Unsuprising really, the original idea to have a completely open ended eco system was a bit ambitious. He didn't mention the anomalies either, I wonder if they're still in?

 

[Jack_Karverboy]

I agree...either let the game go or release it totally under a new name and wipe everyones brains of any knowledge that stalker ever existed, or something like that, cause even if it's an awesome game, it definitely wont live up to the expectations and will be a dissapointment. Unless Dean Sharpe can pull off something miraculous.

 

[Sprafa]

I have to say, i don't remember any major hyping campaign for STALKER, so the truth is that we kind of hyped it in our minds.

A lot of people are getting it already. This was a team who went in way over their heads, and now the publisher is going to curb them back a little. It's a shame they got someone that doesn't seem to have much *good games* on his portfolio, but that dosen't means he isn't good.

 

[Solaris]

I have to say, i don't remember any major hyping campaign for STALKER, so the truth is that we kind of hyped it in our minds.

A lot of people are getting it already. This was a team who went in way over their heads, and now the publisher is going to curb them back a little. It's a shame they got someone that doesn't seem to have much *good games* on his portfolio, but that dosen't means he isn't good.

They had like 4 page article in PC gamer back in 05, maybe even 04.

 

[destrukt]

wow, a whole 4 page article ? that's amazing, they so shouldn't have hyped it that much, it's all their fault !

note: developers are of course responsible for the content in pc mags, the editors and other people in no way try to have certain content and request it, right ?

 

[blahblahblah]

Part of me always knew Stalker was never meant to be, it was such a ambitious game. They tried to give the feeliing of an engaging, open ended RPG, with FPS elements, amazing graphics, and every feature wanted by gamers.

The two most things that irritate me about the "new" Stalker is:

1) Lack of seamless gameplay. Loading screens are the bane of modern computer games. They rip you out of the action, no matter how beautiful the loading screen is

2) The removal of certain RPG elements. Most notably is the dialogue. I long for a game where it has a good story AND good script writing.

 

[destrukt]

Most notably is the dialogue. I long for a game where it has a good story AND good script writing.

see: the witcher, aside from nwn it seems (not released yet) to have some of the best dialogue + 'consequences' in an rpg yet.

 

[Baal]

Wow, who even cares anymore? I haven't thought about this game since the last forum post about it that I saw two months ago.

vaporware.

 

[destrukt]

Wow, who even cares anymore? I haven't thought about this game since the last forum post about it that I saw two months ago.

vaporware.

me and a large amount of other people.

why call it vaporware ? hell, there was a playable demo @ e3 which was like a month ago, the publisher still has faith in it, they recently hired that dean sharpe guy, it's known that they're in the testing phase and so on.

if you called something like dnf or phantom vaporware, that's understandable as there is little substance and neither seem to show any progress, at all and we can see [or hear of] progress for stalker.

if you don't care, go away please.

 

[Solver]

I have a bit of experience in the gaming industry. Now I believe, more than ever, that Stalker will either be cancelled or turn out to be a horrible game. It might be cancelled just because it has, well, taken forever. And there has been no evidence that they actually managed to produce something that is more than a demo, and really playable. They may just get fed up.

If not... there's this problem of the game trying to be too much. Originally, Stalkre was supposed to impress a lot through its graphics. The 2004 screenshots really look good, but since then, we've had Doom3 and Half-Life 2, and widespread use of HDR has started - Oblivion or HL2Ep1. Not to mention FEAR with great textures and special effects. So, if released with its 2004 graphics, Stalker will look good, but surely won't knock everyone out with amazement. And of course making the graphics better requires even more time.

Then there's the gameplay where they try to do everything - give freedom of action, AND a great story, AND some RPG elements, AND good action. And, of course, an awesome AI. They've promised too much. And that's precisely the problem - considerable advances have been made in all areas since the time when they first planned to release. For example, as far as the AI is concerned, FEAR made a significant jump forward. Ehh...

 

[Gargantou]

And there has been no evidence that they actually managed to produce something that is more than a demo, and really playable. They may just get fed up.

Err, correction, a group of people got to visit GSC back in February/March and play the latest build, back then everything that had been promised(And not been stated as removed before the visit) was in and fully functional, but they had 4 CTDs during about 4 hours of gameplay, this was no streamlined demo either, they got to start a new game several times even to try it..
Also, from what I've heard directly from people who've tried it, the STALKER AI is easily competitive with the latest and greatest FPS AIs, it flanks, splits up to take on enemies from several different direction, heck it even does tactical splitups, lets say they're 4 people, encounter 2 enemies, one enemy has a ****ing minigun, the other one has a knife, then the AI calculates that the one with the minigun poses a bigger threat, and thus the team splits up with 3 people going for the minigun one, and only 1 going for the one with a knife(Because he's a minimal threat), the one with knife will also realize he has no chance of winning the battle and thus try to hide/escape..

If you guys look up Dean Sharpes resumee, it's not a very impressive one imo..

The Simpsons Wrestling (2001), Activision Publishing, Inc.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC
Herc's Adventures (1997), LucasArts
Metal Warriors (1995), Konami Corporation
Zombies Ate My Neighbors (1993), Konami Corporation
Wordtris (1992), Nintendo of America Inc.

I'm wondering, wtf is this guy doing on a open-ended FPS RPG considering this resume?
It seems to me as if he thinks everyone in the world like supersimple streamlined FPSes and that's why he's turning this one into that..

 

[CptStern]

but they hired him to fix the GSC maess ...surely he must know what he's doing

 

[KagePrototype]

It seems to me as if he thinks everyone in the world like supersimple streamlined FPSes and that's why he's turning this one into that..

But surely by now, anything more is just unfeasible? The STALKER devs ****ed up; they had too much on their plate and couldn't keep to any sort of schedule. In order to lose as little money as possible, they need to get at least something fun out of the door. You can't just keep throwing money at it and hope it will fix itself; not all publishing/development houses have access to the sort of funding Valve, Lionhead or iD get, where it's possible to sit on something for a long time to perfect it without going bankrupt.

 

[Solver]

It may be my paranoid self, but I think that the fact of only select people visiting the developers and playing through parts indicates that they don't have enough done, so they can only afford to show off parts at their headquarters, to some people. For example, they haven't sent playable versions to game mags and sites, unless I'm much mistaken.

The important thing right now, for Stalker to have any chance of success, is that GSC doesn't run out of money. They're no Valve or iD after all, who can sit as long on a game as they like without having to worry about running out of money.