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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadows of Chernobyl is 10 years old today
- Thread starter bathsalts
- Start date
Bloodporne
Member
bati
Member
Those screens really don't do it justice, brightness/contrast is totally off in them. I played AMK: Autumn Edition (merge of AMK and Autumn Aurora 2.1) recently and it looked spectacular, would recommend it to people who are looking to re-experience SoC.
As for Misery, this is how PC Gamer summed it up:
Please note this was from an old version of the mod, I had theses screens lying around.
Holy shit, this is the first time I've heard about it. They've mentioned SOCOM inspiration, but wonder if it was only basic gameplay or the whole thing (including the shift from the original 1st person to 3rd person). What wiki mentions there was a PC prototype. Wonder if it was just the greybox from the screenshots, or if it was even a bit more advanced. I'd still love for it to be leaked, but yeah... these days I'm not sure if anyone still has it. :-/
SuperBanana
Banned
I ended up visiting Chernobyl last year because of this game. I never even got that deep into it but the location fascinated me.
<3
DigitalEpicness
Member
I'd also like to take the opportunity to point out and link to some of the screenshots I took, especially a few from the earlier builds. This one in particular stands out IMO:
(You can view the original size of this in 6720 x 2100 among other screenshots here)
The above screenshot is special to me because it was taken from Build 1935 which is dated Aug 2004. So this means the tech is almost 13 years old and DirectX 8! IMO, this could almost pass as a game released in current gen. You could tell, the devs were ahead of their time. Also, this build symbolises the peak of Oblivion Lost because after that, they seem to have started to cut out content (I'm not 100% sure it was called Oblivion Lost anymore at that time though).
Back in the days (2002, 2003 and 2004) there were three FPS shooter that stood out/were hyped: Half Life 2, Doom 3 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The latter stood out because it was open world, the size of the map was huge. Although as it was later revealed, GSC never managed to make one big map but several smaller ones.
However, I'm still of the opinion, had GSC been able to put a release candidate forward in 2004 and released it, it would have been something else compared to HL2 and Doom 3. I always wonder how that would have changed FPS games if Oblivion Lost had been released in 2004 (or if it would have had an impact at all).
I still enjoyed the 2007 game and it's the most atmospheric shooter I've played but the cuts they made were rather disappointing.
The last time I had a Stalker like feeling was while playing Fallout 4. It was only for a small amount of time before something in the game put me out of this feeling again though.
(You can view the original size of this in 6720 x 2100 among other screenshots here)
The above screenshot is special to me because it was taken from Build 1935 which is dated Aug 2004. So this means the tech is almost 13 years old and DirectX 8! IMO, this could almost pass as a game released in current gen. You could tell, the devs were ahead of their time. Also, this build symbolises the peak of Oblivion Lost because after that, they seem to have started to cut out content (I'm not 100% sure it was called Oblivion Lost anymore at that time though).
Back in the days (2002, 2003 and 2004) there were three FPS shooter that stood out/were hyped: Half Life 2, Doom 3 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The latter stood out because it was open world, the size of the map was huge. Although as it was later revealed, GSC never managed to make one big map but several smaller ones.
However, I'm still of the opinion, had GSC been able to put a release candidate forward in 2004 and released it, it would have been something else compared to HL2 and Doom 3. I always wonder how that would have changed FPS games if Oblivion Lost had been released in 2004 (or if it would have had an impact at all).
I still enjoyed the 2007 game and it's the most atmospheric shooter I've played but the cuts they made were rather disappointing.
The last time I had a Stalker like feeling was while playing Fallout 4. It was only for a small amount of time before something in the game put me out of this feeling again though.
I'd also like to take the opportunity to point out and link to some of the screenshots I took, especially a few from the earlier builds. This one in particular stands out IMO:
(You can view the original size of this in 6720 x 2100 among other screenshots here)
The above screenshot is special to me because it was taken from Build 1935 which is dated Aug 2004. So this means the tech is almost 13 years old and DirectX 8! IMO, this could almost pass as a game released in current gen. You could tell, the devs were ahead of their time. Also, this build symbolises the peak of Oblivion Lost because after that, they seem to have started to cut out content (I'm not 100% sure it was called Oblivion Lost anymore at that time though).
Back in the days (2002, 2003 and 2004) there were three FPS shooter that stood out/were hyped: Half Life 2, Doom 3 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The latter stood out because it was open world, the size of the map was huge. Although as it was later revealed, GSC never managed to make one big map but several smaller ones.
However, I'm still of the opinion, had GSC been able to put a release candidate forward in 2004 and released it, it would have been something else compared to HL2 and Doom 3. I always wonder how that would have changed FPS games if Oblivion Lost had been released in 2004 (or if it would have had an impact at all).
I still enjoyed the 2007 game and it's the most atmospheric shooter I've played but the cuts they made were rather disappointing.
The last time I had a Stalker like feeling was while playing Fallout 4. It was only for a small amount of time before something in the game put me out of this feeling again though.
That is incredible. Thanks for posting.
Assuming it was a complete game in 2004 wouldn't it have been ridiculously buggy?
I also want to post this video from Polygon Fragments, a YT channel focusing on "atmospheric video game landscapes [...] level design and sound design".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3FFB9xmGWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3FFB9xmGWM
Bloodporne
Member
I know I keep asking random questions but bear with me.
Was there ever a demo for Shadows of Chernobyl? I just saw it's still $20 on Steam and don't want to drop that blindly without knowing if it'll properly run on my machine. I only have a work PC with the following specs from what I can make out:
Pentium G620 2.60GHZ
8 GB Ram
Win 7
Was there ever a demo for Shadows of Chernobyl? I just saw it's still $20 on Steam and don't want to drop that blindly without knowing if it'll properly run on my machine. I only have a work PC with the following specs from what I can make out:
Pentium G620 2.60GHZ
8 GB Ram
Win 7
Coreda
Member
Stunning gallery of shots. For those not seeing the full res you'll need to be signed in first. Flickr's dates seem a bit messed up, I'm seeing the 'taken' date as this year yet the comments are from four years ago.
The game is on sale consistently, so you can always wait for that time. Sign up on isthereanydeal and add the game to your wish list.
Running Stalker should be easy for modern systems, but the game requires fan patches and mods in order to dodge some bugs.
Bloodporne
Member
Cool will wait for the sale certainly. Very interested, that's for sure.
Stalker is probably the saga that i love more aside Starcraft, it's also the main culprit if i'm an addicted pc gamer today. It was such a refreshing, amazing and unique experience that i felt in love with it. Every year I replay atleast one game of the trilogy, this year i'll go with Clear Sky, i've already prepared all the mod pack that I need on my hdd.
Last year I replayed SoC w/ Autumn Aurora 2, this is a tidbit from that run
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1X1iPVgxS4
I'll NEVER forget the first time that I saw where the 100 rads bar was
Here I have some screen available, sorry if I don't put them directly here but i'm from mobile, i'll edit the post later
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/125109772@N06/sets/72157648371982704/
Last year I replayed SoC w/ Autumn Aurora 2, this is a tidbit from that run
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1X1iPVgxS4
I'll NEVER forget the first time that I saw where the 100 rads bar was
Here I have some screen available, sorry if I don't put them directly here but i'm from mobile, i'll edit the post later
https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/125109772@N06/sets/72157648371982704/
It is not for everyone, but Misery Mod CoP is responsible for the most memorable gaming experiences I had in all my 20 years in this hobby. And I dont even like shooters.
Being caught in a downpour without flashlight batteries, firing my pistol every few steps just to see something, and trying to orient myself at every lightning strike, only to see just a glimpse of a bloodsucker in the flash, to die screaming in the dark seconds later.
Barely making it alive in the shelter, my gas mask broken, heavily breathing, spending all the money i got from the loot paying for the medic to patch me up, gulping a half full bottle of vodka by the fire and music, muttering to myself "Next haul will be better. Next one."
GOAT.
Being caught in a downpour without flashlight batteries, firing my pistol every few steps just to see something, and trying to orient myself at every lightning strike, only to see just a glimpse of a bloodsucker in the flash, to die screaming in the dark seconds later.
Barely making it alive in the shelter, my gas mask broken, heavily breathing, spending all the money i got from the loot paying for the medic to patch me up, gulping a half full bottle of vodka by the fire and music, muttering to myself "Next haul will be better. Next one."
GOAT.
DigitalEpicness
Member
Thanks!
The dates are messed up because I moved some of them ahead in time.
Most probably, yes. But SoC and especially Clear Sky were buggy as well.
Build 1935 was not really finished, let alone polished. The only thing they had going were the maps and Alife (which caused a lot of CTDs as well though). It felt like they didn't know how to realise their aims or that they were aiming too high.
Very nice shots! Are these from Autumn Aurora 2?
I only played with Atmosfear but your shots make me want to reinstall and try out whatever you used.
I know exactly the kind of experiences you are talking about.
Very few games ever manage to give you that.
bati
Member
Brother from another mother. Kayhan too. Preparing for Iron Forest exploration in Zaton feels like an epic adventure because you're still really limited by funds and the enemies there can fuck you up before you can say cyka blyat. It's not uncommon that you run out of ammo and other resources halfway through your assault and with 4 Burers bearing down on you you have to decide fast if you're going to run or fight, because if you hesitate you won't have enough stamina to run away in time. And don't even get me started on Controllers! Probably my favorite part of Zaton, getting PSI resists up with equipment and drugs, making sure you got a good shooter with scope, that your carrying weight is low enough that you can maneuver around and that you have stamina enhancing drugs on hand - it all feels like a real project, with a clear goal. And a lot of areas in Misery are like that, it's just amazing. Nothing comes close to Misery, nothing.
What classes do you guys usually pick? I'm pretty much Recon for life, had the 'misfortune' of picking it on my first attempt with the mod and fell in love, it's just ridiculous to see how flexible it is. 24/7 SEVA, carbines, good stealth - simply the best.
MrCunningham
Member
Oh man, I remember the fanboy flame wars that broke out between Half-Life 2 and Doom 3. It was hilariously intense. The original Far Cry was released in the same year and had a surprise following as well. 2004 was a crazy year for first person shooters in general, to be honest. Sadly STALKER's development just kept getting pushed back. By the time the first media started showing up for Crytek's Crysis in 2005, STALKER was quickly forgotten in the PC gaming media. People lost their minds over the first screenshots and videos of Crysis. It quickly made a lot of people forget about STALKER.
I would love to know what was cut out of the game.
Nice. Only thing I hate about Lost Alpha is what they did to the "zombies":
Any Questions
Member
Please can someone PM me. I picked up this game after seeing it on Steam and after reading this thread. Now i am completely new to PC gaming and modding however i think i have got the ZRP 1.07 installed and working. Can someone help me out with getting the sleeping bag mod to work with the ZRP and also can I reduce the head bobbing.
So far i am engrossed and can't wait to time manage my next 3hr block into this title, hence getting to use a sleeping bag will be very helpful. Wife and kids take their toll on gaming. Thanks in advance.
So far i am engrossed and can't wait to time manage my next 3hr block into this title, hence getting to use a sleeping bag will be very helpful. Wife and kids take their toll on gaming. Thanks in advance.
Any Questions
Member
Will ask Google and see what comes up. Any idea on sleeping bag?
Omegasquash
Member
You feel seasoned. You feel like a veteran.
Go and play it again, just for kicks. It's a good time.
tommycronin
Banned
In case anyone doesn't know the S.T.A.L.K.E.R bundle is on sale on steam for like 8.49
TheVampire
Banned
Wasn't this game really hard?
Like a few bullets and your dead?
Like a few bullets and your dead?
Comrade Crunch
Member
It's not too bad if you've played tactical shooters before, otherwise it takes a little time to get used to how fragile you are and to get a handle on some of the mechanics.
I remember noping the fuck out for a decade after running into one of those invisible dudes. Holy shit I think that's the most scared I've been in a game. Really amazing atmosphere, I hope we get some kind of spiritual revival from somebody cuz I haven't felt anything else like it since.
TakeItSlowDude
Member
It is one of those games with a strong difficulty curve at the beginning but becomes pretty easy once you get the right artifacts and upgraded weapons.
Dries
Member
Bumping this thread for the following question:
So I just started my first playthrough with the Complete mod and, while I'm enjoying it, the dice roll mechanics for shooting are really bothering me. I did a google search and I noticed that there is a part of the ZRP mod which has a toggle called "FPS" mode which removes this RNG aspect of the shooting mechanics. I was wondering if I can install this part of ZRP mod "on top" of the Complete mod? Does anyone know this? And what's the best way to approach this?
So I just started my first playthrough with the Complete mod and, while I'm enjoying it, the dice roll mechanics for shooting are really bothering me. I did a google search and I noticed that there is a part of the ZRP mod which has a toggle called "FPS" mode which removes this RNG aspect of the shooting mechanics. I was wondering if I can install this part of ZRP mod "on top" of the Complete mod? Does anyone know this? And what's the best way to approach this?
Not sure what you mean by RNG, but IIRC Complete includes ZRP (since Complete is just a compilation). I have finished Shadow Of Chernobyl completely vanilla, but if ZRP is built the same way as Sky Reclamation Project (a similar mod for Clear Sky), those optional features are just config files.
Although a lot of people would probably discourage you from playing Complete, because it makes a lot of little tweaks that combined supposedly make the game too easy. Of course it's your choice, but just wanted to mention that, since for whatever reason Complete is often pushed as an essential mod or even just as bugfix (which is what ZRP is)/graphics overhaul, without mentioning the rebalance.
Although a lot of people would probably discourage you from playing Complete, because it makes a lot of little tweaks that combined supposedly make the game too easy. Of course it's your choice, but just wanted to mention that, since for whatever reason Complete is often pushed as an essential mod or even just as bugfix (which is what ZRP is)/graphics overhaul, without mentioning the rebalance.
I think what you're after is the "Realistic Weapons Add-on", which increases the accuracy and damage of the weapons slightly and makes it feel less "RNG-like". It is recommended to increase the difficulty to Master to balance it.
Dries
Member
I wasn't aware that ZRP was completely included in the Complete mod. Does that mean I can use this tool: http://www.metacognix.com/stlkrsoc/modifier.html too?
This tool can enable a certain "FPS" mode (more info here: http://www.metacognix.com/stlkrsoc/modifier.html) which I would like to explore.
This looks very promising! But it's kinda vague what this add-on exactly does. Does it remove the RNG aspect completely or does it just give me better dice rolls? Cause I'd like to do the former. But this is probably something to check out if I can't use the above mentioned modified tool.
Aztechnology
Member
One of the most immersive games I have ever played. I loved every minute of it. I still remember my head practically splitting open from the screeching sound, walking down a dark tunnel when a controller(As I later learned) targeted me, my vision shaking, barely able to see what's going on. I had to wrench off my headset and walk away I was so overwhelmed. Some of the moments in that game have stuck with me greater than almost any other game in history.
There's a strong chance I would have actually died that day if it had been in VR.
There's a strong chance I would have actually died that day if it had been in VR.
TheRazielim
Member
I really liked the dynamic firefights in the world. So many moments where you could see your allies getting toasted and feeling "well, I am going to nope the fuck out of this area ASAP".
This game was truly ahead of its time. F.E.A.R and this were one of the last great ones...I love consoles for other genres, but it truly fucked FPS genre over.
This game was truly ahead of its time. F.E.A.R and this were one of the last great ones...I love consoles for other genres, but it truly fucked FPS genre over.
. Great gameBandersnatch1
Member
Stalker has a reverse difficulty curve. Your weapons in the beginning are complete shit and you are wearing a brown paper bag for armor. Rather than trying to mod this out you should be focusing on getting a better weapon. Until then, always hold crouch + walk before firing to maximize your accuracy. I felt your pain when I first started playing this, but it doesn't take long to get a weapon that isn't crap. Also play on Master difficulty if you are finding the enemies to be a bit bullet spongy. I'd recommend either just ZRP for your first playthrough or Stalker Starter Pack which includes ZRP for a vanilla experience with improved graphics. Stalker still has a very active mod community and Complete is really outdated and makes needless changes to the gameplay.
Sad Affleck
Member
Ahead of its time, the developers were geniouses.