S.t.a.l.k.e.r. (pc)

[MattyD]

Wow, this is awesome!

I've been making like Kenshiro all afternoon, wandering around the wasteland lending help to those in need. I've also developed a compulsion for looting corpses I love how much random stuff goes on in this game. There's almost too much going on at times. Often I'd simply be making my way from A to B and on the way I'd get caught up helping a lone stalker fight off a pack of dogs or helping them fight off bandits.

After finding my first few artefacts and completing a few missions I checked my PDA and realised I needed to go all the way back from the junkyards to the trader's bunker to collect the bounty on a bandit I'd killed. I picked up a bunch of MP5s and other goodies I'd left in a stash to sell them when I got back but on the way I was ambushed by five or six bandits working together. Fortunately they were dumb enough to start shooting from a long distance and I made good use of the distance. I let off a few rounds at them and they scattered to nearby cover (quite impressive behaviour). I tossed a grenade in amongst them and blew up at least one of them, sending his corpse flying up and over the wrecked vehicle he was hiding behind. I'm not sure if they maybe ran away after that but they didn't give me any more trouble as I ran away. I was going really slow, laden down with booty as I was, and proper bricking it!

This really is the first game I've ever played where the box blurb-type tag lines about 'never playing the same twice' and 'emergent gameplay' really are true. The nearest thing before that (for me anyway) was the GTA games, but this is in another league from randomly generated NPCs and spawning vehicles. Not once when I've died and reloaded have things plaed out the same way - not even close. I'll be looking forward to seeing what secrets lie deep within the zone...

[vanpeebles]

Its a super game and I really loved it. Going underground proper terrified the life out of me well scary. I just ran like a bastard all the way. The atmosphere when you see your fellow blokes sat round a fire listening to the guitar man is superb.

[sharky_ob]

Got really stuck at a section where I have to raid a military camp though. Too many enemies and not enough ammo. I still don't have a sniper rifle either, anyone got any tips about where to get one?

Any tips on that sniper rifle guys?

I'd like to start playing this again, but I feel too stuck at the moment!

[MattyD]

Is that bit you describe the Agroprom Research centre? Where you come out after visiting the underground for the first time? I'm up to there and yeah, it's pretty hard going. I managed to sneak into the main building undetected and used a silenced pistol to headshot the guard patrolling the first floor. But when I started to climb the stairs there were two guys ready and waiting for me at the entrance to the third floor. Someone must have seen me from the outside and alerted them all.

If I can't do it in a couple more goes I'll probably run away from the base and come back at night time, hopefully with some better gear. I'll be using the front gate though, no way am I going back into those tunnels!

[MattyD]

Any tips on that sniper rifle guys?

I'd like to start playing this again, but I feel too stuck at the moment!

I did this section last night and you don't need a sniper rifle. There's a swamp area in the Garbage with a train car in the middle. I think it's further West and slightly to the North of the factory (the big building you face after entering the Agroprom area, where you have the big battle with the army). Inside there's a deserter from the army. If you speak to him, he'll tell you some secrets about the camp and how best to infiltrate. If you want to know without finding him, it's:

->Open Spoiler<-

to enter through the catacombs, and at night when there are fewer patrols. The guards have a shift change at 2300, giving you a small window where there's even fewer guards, especially inside the main building. The plans are on the third floor inside the desk.

If you do decide to find him he also gives you a rather helpful map showing where the guards will be (again, inside the diary of your PDA).

[Hohum]

GSC have released an early build of the original game, which contains some levels cut out from the final game (plus other stuff).

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/57473

[MattyD]

I downloaded it off GSC's FTP site when they posted in the forum. It's buggy as hell and crashes all the time. Just like the retail version

I jest of course. This is one of my favourite games ever.

[Hohum]

Added video links to my other post, now I'm pretty sure you couldn't drive vehicles in the finished game...

[MattyD]

The code for the vehicles is still in the final version but they were taken out, along with many other things, when the game ran over deadline and budget. The Oblivion Lost mod and a few others allow you to drive some vehicles but they don't work very well.

[eastyy]

well can hope with this version there is a mod community that will fix alot of the game

[SmokeMeAKipper]

I'm just waiting for a new PC that can run this - will be using this as well:

http://artistpavel.blogspot.com/2009/04/stalker-complete-2009.html

[Sketcz]

Anyone here play Call of Pripyat (the 3rd game)? I couldn't find a dedicated topic for it.

QUESTION:
Does it use StarForce or SecuROM? If so I can't buy it.

[eastyy]

http://gam3rsparadis3.blogspot.com/2...sh-freeze.html according to that mentions something about securom

[Sketcz]

Cheers.

Anyone with first hand experiences?

[Digfox]

^ I bought Stalker:SoC and Stalker:CoP in one of the Steam weekend deals last year. I've only played CoP, and I certainly unaware of any DRM running in the background. Steam forums seem to suggest this too - that there's no Securom.