It didn't change much for me in DX11. Actually crashed the game after some minutes...
It seems to run much more stable in DX9. Actually I don't see much difference between 9 and 11 anyway. Yeah I don't get tesselation, which is barely noticeable, and I don't get softer shadows, which are also barely noticeable...
But I get faster loadtimes, more frames and a much more stable game
Finally, the game started! Ran like complete poo though. Not as in low framerate, just massive lags and skips, like it was stopping to draw a huge texture plate and then back to smooth. Probably need to tinker with the settings a bit. At least it's progress!
Well I'm glad those pictures were posted, because the beginning of the game looks completely underwhelming. A big ass field with ugly foliage and ugly plateaus and ugly swamp land. I have the "Complete" mod and everything set to max. Why cant I load the game with Fraps?
Well I'm glad those pictures were posted, because the beginning of the game looks completely underwhelming. A big ass field with ugly foliage and ugly plateaus and ugly swamp land. I have the "Complete" mod and everything set to max. Why cant I load the game with Fraps?
Haha, that was so anti-climatic when I actually managed to get into the game. I was expecting epic graphics, insane textures and some stunning skyboxes ... And all I got was mudville that looked like a turd gone sour. Hopefully I'll get to some of the urban areas that can blow me away.
ok, so I'll start posting this in bits, because it's too big.
Introduction
I bought the game on the release date and played it ardently for two weeks until I was done... with the game. All my impressions are based on this walkthrough and as it happened almost a year ago I can mix up details. I tried to like it but the game didn't want me to. What went wrong? I'll try to explain as clear as I can. So let's start.
Gameplay
1)First thing I noticed after 2 hours is that there are no dynamic anomalies. At first I thought that I'm yet to encounter them. Later I learned that there are really no dynamic anomalies. At all.
What STALKER is about? It's about getting from point A to point B being in constant danger. It's about paying attention to the environment because it will kill if you don't. It's about some random awesome stuff happening because the world actually lives and not scripted to revolve around you. So why dynamic anomalies are so important? Because they're one of the pillars on which STALKER relies. You go into the Zone and you're listening. You go into the Zone and you're watching. You can't afford running carelessly or even walking because it will cost you serious wounds or life.
But there's more. While in fight you ALSO have to look for anomalies because there were countless times when I stepped in them being too occupied with shooting or my enemies stepped in them. Or you're outnumbered and you need to run away. Run away right into the anomaly. Barely make it out alive. Survive. Also blowouts. When there's blowout coming you've to run. And yes, sometimes shit happens and if you're lucky you'll have a chance to use your medpack.
Clear Sky had dynamic anomalies AND special anomalies with precious artifacts inside. COP had only special anomalies. Why? WHY?? I don't know.
Next: vast landscapes and empty locations as a bad level design.
It didn't change much for me in DX11. Actually crashed the game after some minutes...
It seems to run much more stable in DX9. Actually I don't see much difference between 9 and 11 anyway. Yeah I don't get tesselation, which is barely noticeable, and I don't get softer shadows, which are also barely noticeable...
But I get faster loadtimes, more frames and a much more stable game
i just cant bring myself to try Stalker anymore, i just end up getting very angry at the developers for releasing such a mess of a game. it really does speak volumes about a game when people refuse to play it until mods like this come out.
i just cant bring myself to try Stalker anymore, i just end up getting very angry at the developers for releasing such a mess of a game. it really does speak volumes about a game when people refuse to play it until mods like this come out.
Still haven't found a fix for the loading issue. Going from the game to the menu takes like 1-2 minutes.
Also, amusingly, STALKER is the only game that can make my PSU make a noise. Seriously, take off your headphones and listen closely to your PSU while you open up the game. While it switches through the videos, your PSU will make a buzzing noise. This have been true of the 3 PSUs I've tried the game on so far:
Yep, I get this too, and in a few other games. Crysis and Warhead's videos also do it to my Corsair 620W. I could hear it through my sound card and headphones until I switched to an external DAC.
So I'm at the mission where you have to hurry up to the choppers with Strelok and the other soldiers. I reached the helicopters, but started fighting the Monolith soldiers instead. The helis took off, and I got a message saying that they left without me. If I manage to reach the helis in time, will the game end there, or will I get to keep playing? If there's a definite end to the game there, I'm thinking of rolling back to an earlier save.
So I'm at the mission where you have to hurry up to the choppers with Strelok and the other soldiers. I reached the helicopters, but started fighting the Monolith soldiers instead. The helis took off, and I got a message saying that they left without me. If I manage to reach the helis in time, will the game end there, or will I get to keep playing? If there's a definite end to the game there, I'm thinking of rolling back to an earlier save.
Just finished my marathon playthrough of this, I never played through vanilla CoP so I don't have much ground to compare it to. Great great game though, had a blast.
+ Amazing atmosphere and lighting. I don't think any game does it as good as this one. Dunno how much of it can be related to the Complete mod though.
+ It's addicting to explore the game world, loot shit and find artifacts. Upgrading stuff and improving your character scratches the perfect RPG itch.
+ The gunplay is solid. Although some of the weapons sound like shit (and the animations are so-so), it feels extremely satisfying dropping an enemy from a distance with a headshot. The suppressed sniper rifles are the most fun weapons in the game.
+ Rewarding exploration. While SoC had many flaws with its exploration aspect, at least you're sufficiently rewarded in this game.
+ Decent amount of quests.
+ The game world, while not very big, is still relatively dense and very well-realized. The copy-paste is at a minimum, and every new location is worthwhile.
+ For being a STALKER game, this one's surprisingly polished and fault-free (once again, dunno how much can be attributed to the Complete mod). For example, in an early mission, the medic disappeared from the base, and I figured this was some kind of bug. But then it's revealed it wasn't a bug, which was positively surprising. In fact, aside from some crash bug, I honestly can't recall I experienced even a single bug in the game!
+ The enhanced RPG aspects and the achievement system that actually provides ingame benefits is sweet.
Pros:
- The presentation leaves a lot to be desired. I thought the VA in Metro 2033 was bad, but this is on a whole other level. Couple this with a very weak script, and it falls into campy territory. The heavy amount of very poor cutscenes in the last third of the game is annoying too. The actual narration ending of the game's cool though, very reminiscent of the Fallout: New Vegas ending, although some sync problems made me miss out on chunks of the ending (the narrator didn't finish before the next slide was up).
- Character models and animations are the worst parts of the STALKER presentation aspect.
- I found the game to be a bit too short, honestly. The last section of the game could've been expanded a fair bit, and the map is misleading since the actual size of each area is much smaller than you might think.
- Certain mutant enemies are too bullet-spongy for no reason at all.
- The start of the game is weak; as some have said, the initial impression upon booting up the game is bad. Not a wise choice to start off in the fugliest area of the game.
Anyway, I had a hard time getting into this game, but once it clicked, I really loved it. I would rate this one 9/10.
Alright, now that I still have an urge to play STALKER games, I've been looking at Clear Sky. I barely know anything about it, but could someone perhaps explain what ways CS differs from CoP (and SoC)?
Alright, now that I still have an urge to play STALKER games, I've been looking at Clear Sky. I barely know anything about it, but could someone perhaps explain what ways CS differs from CoP (and SoC)?
LOL I just started a Clear Sky Complete playthrough after finishing CoP as well. I played a bit of vanilla Clear Sky back when it came out and it's main gameplay thing seems to be around dynamic faction conflict. Each zone has a couple of factions duking it out and you can choose who to side with and help in taking and holding territory for them. It also looks miles better then CoP which is surprising the shit out of me.
For example, in an early mission, the medic disappeared from the base, and I figured this was some kind of bug. But then it's revealed it wasn't a bug, which was positively surprising.
Here is how I rate (out of 10) the three STALKER games (Complete versions all)
Shadow of Chernobyl - Gameplay: 10, Graphics: 9
Clear Skies - Gameplay: 9, Graphics: 10
Call of Pripyat - Gameplay: 10, Graphics: 9
Yes, I think they are some of the best PC games ever. They rival everything else, even from the golden age of PC gaming - or maybe this the golden age of PC gaming!
Vast landscapes and empty locations as a bad level design
GSC developers said in some interview that they wanted to make the scale locations closer to the size of real ones. Even if locations didn't exist they tried to make it more vast, so buildings could be bigger and destinations between the locations further.
So how it went in gameplay perspective? Really bad. I played the game before it was patched and I guess my stalker was a heavy smoker because he couldn't run further than 50 meters until his was out of his breath. So I'm walking and walking and walking not giving a fuck about shots from a distance (too far lol), not giving a fuck about mutants (too far lol), not giving fuck about dynamic anomalies (there are non lol).
I'm going to this building far far away because it looks mysterious and there might be something interesting. Something interesting, you say? FAT FUCKING CHANCE. I searched some garages with rusting Zils thoroughly only to learn that I walked this destination for nothing. Well, hmmmm, may be there are some hidden stashes? Oh yes, I found some sausages under the rock in the backyard. Delightful! At least you could reward me with some enemies or bullets, you dumbasses.
The Zone in SOC and CS felt dense. You were walking through it watching dynamic anomalies or enemies or you were just walking because you didn't need to run - there was always some place nearby where you could do something.
I was at the sawmill when an emission struck. I ran around looking for shelter but all of the buildings were too open. I started hoofing it back towards the middle of the map and saw a building with a door. I threw it open and
it turns out it was Noah's place and when he fired his shotgun at me I almost had a heart attack.
Also, I always want to strongly disagree with people that dislike this game, but I usually get stoned before I play it so it's totally possible that it's actually incredibly boring and I just don't notice.
Fucking hell, I succumbed; just ordered Clear Sky for 5. And I'm now re-installing Shadow of Chernobyl just so I can replay it with the Complete mod. I hate myself.
Good god, is it just me, or does SoC: Complete look so much better than CoP: Complete? All the refinements in CoP are sorely missed though, going back to SoC makes all the (minor/major) differences between the games stand out.
Any idea what causes the hiccups in this game ?
I heard it was related to dual cores proc... I have an E8400, would it help to OC it ?
Game is super smooth overall but I'm getting some freezes when running. Also, grass pop-ups are annoying as hell.
Any idea what causes the hiccups in this game ?
I heard it was related to dual cores proc... I have an E8400, would it help to OC it ?
Game is super smooth overall but I'm getting some freezes when running. Also, grass pop-ups are annoying as hell.
E8400 (stock clock) here as well, w/ HD6850 and 4Gb. I get random freezes as well, which last long enough for me to think the game has crashed, but then it resumes. I find this odd as the game runs super smooth otherwise.
I did notice much better loading times and smoother overall performance under DX9 so I left it that way.
I love this game (my first STALKER experience). It reminds me of the obtuse-but-awesome euro games I used to play on my Amiga. The game does not spoon feed you one bit, which is a welcome change as far as I'm concerned! I started over from scratch four times just to leverage my hard-won experience.
Anyone know whether there is a way to independently adjust the volume of the NPC's voices? I enjoy playing COP with the sound cranked loud, to better enjoy the creepy (and useful) ambient sounds. However, this has the effect of making NPC voices louder than gunshots!
I upgraded my box to a 6870 last night, installed Pripyat Complete and started a new game.
I couldn't stop playing. This is, seriously, one of the best looking games I've ever played. The sunsets are just epic. I couldn't believe how good they looked.
They even model god-rays filtering through thick grass. Amazing.
I did notice one bug though. When the new "super foggy" weather comes around, if you're underground in a tunnel it lights up the place so it looks like you're outdoors.
Also, I really dig the new "everyone turns to zombies who are exposed to emissions" thing, but it really makes the game a bit too easy as there are corpses laying everywhere full of loot to sell and tons of ammunition.
Does anyone know if I can uninstall the mod, reinstall it with "no zombies" and still use my save?
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In fact, aside from some crash bug, I honestly can't recall I experienced even a single bug in the game!
