Thanks, i don't know how i missed this, though i do have close to no free time during work days. What a fucking amazing day to see the first official trailer. Though i will hold my hype down as much as possible, i cannot contain the fact that i am extremely hopeful of this product. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl has been my number 1. favorite video game ever made for over 10 years now. The picture of my profile here is of Strelok, always has been. I have dabbled with the modding communities for what it seems an eternity. I hope to God this turns out as good as it deserves to be.
Looking to catch up before this releases, which Stalker game should I start out with?
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (GOG version). It's the best in the series in terms of atmosphere and an excellent introduction to the Zone (the world in which the action takes place). It's rough around the edges, but it oozes originality and atmosphere. You can play it as is (it's quite stable) or apply the Zone Reclamation Project mod patch which polishes the game up fixing bugs and keeps the game vanilla; Also don't hold back on the modding community. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has one of the most dedicated, and biggest modding communities there are. It is a PC game through and through. Here's what i would recommend depending on your choices for a first time playthrough:
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (GOG) +
Zone Reclamation Project - if you want to play the game as it was originally developed, old graphics and all. It still looks quite good tho.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (GOG) +
XpressTuning's Remaster Edition (my own package) - vastly improved graphics and animations, tweaks some negative elements (headbobbing is lessened, for example, crossair is smaller, etc.) ZRP is included as well, and keeps things mostly vanilla. I have also included a ReShade preset and instructions on how to apply it.
Once you're finished with Shadow of Chernobyl, which is basically an introduction to S.T.A.L.K.ER. You have several options:
- Mod Shadow of Chernobyl. There are countless ways to re-experience it. Think of it like New Game ++.
- Continue your journey through the rest of the trilogy, starting with Call of Pripyat (the third game) and ending with Clear Sky. Call of Pripyat is a stellar game but not as atmospheric or ambitious as the original. Clear Sky is a bug infested mess un-modded, but has some unique features; There are mods for both to vastly improve the experience.
- Jump straight into S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Anomaly, which is a stand-alone FREE 'sequel' to the trilogy build by the passionate community from the ground up. It is the best, most stable, feature rich, largest and modern S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience. It is also actively developed by the community, and it is what most of us are playing right now. It is an extraordinarily good video game.
For more information regarding S.T.A.L.K.ER check
r/stalker and
Moddb. The community is quite big and dedicated, and has kept the series relevant all these years. You'll get help in no time.
I will also inform you that the gunplay is unique and like nothing you've played before - it is based on
Gear Progression. Like how in RPGs stats progress your character. Well, in this case it is gear and the first few weapons are utter shit.
Here's advice regarding the gunplay from my mod package and how to properly play it to get the most enjoyment out of it and to know what to expect:
Why doesn't this play like a typical FPS/Why are enemies bullet-sponges/Why do my guns miss the target?
Because there are a number of underlying mechanics that influence the gunplay for which you need to adjust, keep in check and learn to take advantage:
- Default Gun Accuracy
- Ammo type
- Stance
- Gun Condition
- Varied damage multipliers based on specific body parts
- Aiming through iron sights raises accuracy
- Reduction of accuracy on rapid fire - meant to simulate recoil.
Early guns and sawn-off shotguns are low-tier inaccurate garbage with a 50 meter limit to their range, it's a rough start that push players to question if something is wrong with how the gunplay was designed. The design is based on progression, you will eventually get good weapons (with no limit) and as you gain some experience under your belt accuracy will be a non-issue.
How do i git gud?
- Use weapons that are in great condition, and aim for the head/torso while (if the opportunity arises) crouching or low-crouching (ctrl+shift). Advance slowly, stay hidden from enemy fire (keep your distance once you've acquired a rifle with a mountable scope and position yourself accordingly).
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl with Complete Mod. It starts out very rough with crappy gear and you dying real fast but stick with it.
Complete was good 10 - 12 years ago, but it's hopelessly obsolete these days. The assets it uses are very old in comparison to newer mods and the ZRP included is an older version of the current one. Besides, it messes with the gameplay.