So S.T.A.L.K.E.R is like...........six years late. But I've been playing it for a few days, and my grade is Two thumbs up with chipped fingernails. And by that I mean the world is large, interesting, the gunplay is spectacular, and the setting, atmosphere and detail all create a compelling expires. However the fingernails ARE chipped and S.T.A.L.K.E.R has small bugs that annoy, and a LARGE bug that makes it impossible to play on Vista (Who actually cares about Vista, anyway?) and for some inexplicable reason 80% of the dialog is in Russian, and the rest is in English, unless it's written, and then it's in poorly translated English.
But all of these cracks don't really detract from a compelling, entertaining, brain sucking radioactive experience. Maybe it's the Fallout fan in me, but there is something inexplicably cool about trading bullets with bandits in a burnt out office building while trying to avoid the deadly clicking of the Geiger counter and packs of starving dogs while trying to save as much ammo as possible. And there is nothing better than hitting the mother load and finding a working AK-47 in the back of some loser's backpack. Hey, it's his fault he didn't see you in the bushes with that double barreled shot gun, right? Right?
So I'd say: Buy this game if you liked Fallout or Far Cry. Or both. I'm off the Chernobyl now. Those ruins are going to scavenge themselves.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R, or, the best acronym since H.A.R.M
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Machiosabre
- Posts: 1474
- Joined: 25 Dec 2005, 22:56
I can't say I cared for it much, it's fun roaming around the world and having some gunfights with the ai, but the whole mission structure is so lose. You'll end up with a million boring sidemissions, which are sorta on the way of the main quest, except you have to go back to get a rewards you really don't need.
In the end I just ended up ignoring them and sticking to the main quest which is really just as pointless.
I just get the feeling theres no purpose, it's like gta in a wasteland without vehicles and nothing fun to do.
In the end I just ended up ignoring them and sticking to the main quest which is really just as pointless.
I just get the feeling theres no purpose, it's like gta in a wasteland without vehicles and nothing fun to do.
i have vista and i managed to start playing this wonderful game after alot of headache. The bug you are tlaking about is the one that crashes the game when saving the game ore when dying? I had this, and got rid of it by playing to the first level transition without dying/savig. After that it has not crashed a single time.. Weird, and a shame they released it as buggy as it is. Unacceptable that a game that is released many months after vista is still this incompatible with it.
I actually got really lucky becuase I went in on Tuesday and asked for S.T.A.L.K.E.R and the guy behind the desk said, "You are really lucky."
"Why?" I asked.
"One of the guys who works here ordered his pre-order and they sent us two, and he donated the extra one to the first person to ask for it...and here you go!"
So not only did I get it a day earlier than most people, but I also got the extra multiplayer maps.
"Why?" I asked.
"One of the guys who works here ordered his pre-order and they sent us two, and he donated the extra one to the first person to ask for it...and here you go!"
So not only did I get it a day earlier than most people, but I also got the extra multiplayer maps.
I went to a used game store and bought something or other and the guy said "Oh some guy came in and wanted to get rid of this game and he didnt care that we couldnt give him money for it so here you go"
so i got whatever crappy game i was buying and 'Warhammer: Dark Omen' with a smashed case for free~~~~
so i got whatever crappy game i was buying and 'Warhammer: Dark Omen' with a smashed case for free~~~~
So, as of now, two things are SUCKING my life into them.
The first is E.L.F, which is (based off my completely unbiased opinion, being the author od the peice) is the single greatest novel in the history of Sci-fi. Seriously, check it out. The thread is somewhere around in the front page of this very forum, and I'd love some more critizisem. Casue any writer worth his salt needs critizisem to LIVE
And the second thing is...S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I've just passed through the second underground lab and the story is becoming much more coherent. So the Soviets were expirementing on psi-abilities, eh? I knew it all along. The additions of zombies was awsome, the fact that I have a tricked out AK-74 that has an underslung grenade launcher and a scope (which I took off another rifle that I didn't like as much) and the fact that the game just gets cooler...and cooler...and cooler. The Arena is great fun, though the second to last battle is some kind of sick joke. You with no armor, a knife, and four grenades Vs a guy in power armor and a FRIKEN MINIGUN!
Grah! I haven't figured out how to kill this guy yet.
My current position in the Stalker lists is 128 out of like 5000, so I'm doing pretty good. I've started working for Duty and I'm planning to keep using sniper rifles. Who needs more than one bullet if you go for the head?
The only time I've used shotguns so far is against zombies, early on, and against the invisble mutants. Those things freak the CRAP out of me.
This game is atompshereic, moody, and a great deal of fun. I've changed my grade to three thumbs up.
Who needs Fallout 3 when we have S.T.A.L.K.E.R?
Me. That's who. But S.T.A.L.K.E.R will lessen the pain.
The first is E.L.F, which is (based off my completely unbiased opinion, being the author od the peice) is the single greatest novel in the history of Sci-fi. Seriously, check it out. The thread is somewhere around in the front page of this very forum, and I'd love some more critizisem. Casue any writer worth his salt needs critizisem to LIVE
And the second thing is...S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I've just passed through the second underground lab and the story is becoming much more coherent. So the Soviets were expirementing on psi-abilities, eh? I knew it all along. The additions of zombies was awsome, the fact that I have a tricked out AK-74 that has an underslung grenade launcher and a scope (which I took off another rifle that I didn't like as much) and the fact that the game just gets cooler...and cooler...and cooler. The Arena is great fun, though the second to last battle is some kind of sick joke. You with no armor, a knife, and four grenades Vs a guy in power armor and a FRIKEN MINIGUN!
Grah! I haven't figured out how to kill this guy yet.
My current position in the Stalker lists is 128 out of like 5000, so I'm doing pretty good. I've started working for Duty and I'm planning to keep using sniper rifles. Who needs more than one bullet if you go for the head?
The only time I've used shotguns so far is against zombies, early on, and against the invisble mutants. Those things freak the CRAP out of me.
This game is atompshereic, moody, and a great deal of fun. I've changed my grade to three thumbs up.
Who needs Fallout 3 when we have S.T.A.L.K.E.R?
Me. That's who. But S.T.A.L.K.E.R will lessen the pain.
It's a shame it was released so obviously unfinished. They had big plans with a grand economic system, for instance... traders actually trading... etc.
Maybe I'm playing the game all wrong, but I'm finding it very hard even just on the third difficulty setting. I'm trying to get into that first scientific complex or whatever it is. I can't get out of the tunnel you start in, I just keep getting slaughtered by those guys with shotguns. And I've got the hidden upgraded Viper 5 rifle as well as an AK74, not to mention about 300 rounds for both and an outrageous sum of money from selling like four dozen crappy $650 artifacts (that just radiate you to death) to idiot NPCs.
I'll get past it, and I can tell there's probably a good story and lots of action to be seen, but right now it's not the greatest thing I've seen lately.
I think my biggest problem is my love for aiming down the barrel. Foolishly I think it'll be more accurate than just aiming from the hip, and thirty rounds later the guy I was shooting at takes me down with 3 direct hits to my head from 200 feet away. Using a pistol. No, really, I checked later once I finally killed the bugger. Yes, I was shooting semi-auto.
Maybe I'm playing the game all wrong, but I'm finding it very hard even just on the third difficulty setting. I'm trying to get into that first scientific complex or whatever it is. I can't get out of the tunnel you start in, I just keep getting slaughtered by those guys with shotguns. And I've got the hidden upgraded Viper 5 rifle as well as an AK74, not to mention about 300 rounds for both and an outrageous sum of money from selling like four dozen crappy $650 artifacts (that just radiate you to death) to idiot NPCs.
I'll get past it, and I can tell there's probably a good story and lots of action to be seen, but right now it's not the greatest thing I've seen lately.
I think my biggest problem is my love for aiming down the barrel. Foolishly I think it'll be more accurate than just aiming from the hip, and thirty rounds later the guy I was shooting at takes me down with 3 direct hits to my head from 200 feet away. Using a pistol. No, really, I checked later once I finally killed the bugger. Yes, I was shooting semi-auto.
I like the game.
I've been an RTS purist for ages so this is the first game like this I've played since golden eye on the n64, and I'm getting the hang of it all very quickly.
I havent gotten far due to the nvidia drivers but with the recent improvement I should be able to play it.
My only qualm is that sometimes when I press escape to save it crashes to desktop without warning. I downloaded the first patch tho which has like 150 bugfixes in it so I'll try it outagain later.
I've been an RTS purist for ages so this is the first game like this I've played since golden eye on the n64, and I'm getting the hang of it all very quickly.
I havent gotten far due to the nvidia drivers but with the recent improvement I should be able to play it.
My only qualm is that sometimes when I press escape to save it crashes to desktop without warning. I downloaded the first patch tho which has like 150 bugfixes in it so I'll try it outagain later.
The third difficulty setting? Dude! I had a hard time in later levels on the FIRST. The third difficulty is the HARD mode. It goes Easy, Normal, Hard, Extra Hard, Bone Crushing Hard. So right now, you can either suffer through the absurdly hard level your at, or go back and start on Novice or Normall.
The aiming takes some getting used too, and the shotguns HURT. When I started the game, I coulden't hit much. Now I can resonably hit things at long ranges. With a scope, at least. Scopes are nice. Also be sure you don't overly load yourself down with ammo and guns. If you have too much stuff you go to slow to really fight well.
I'm playing through my second time, this time on "Veteran" mode (that's the one your on, right Cyader?), and it's HARD, but I'm having a BLAST.
I've been waiting for a game like this for time, and I freely admit that it's a niche game that not all will like. But I love it!
The aiming takes some getting used too, and the shotguns HURT. When I started the game, I coulden't hit much. Now I can resonably hit things at long ranges. With a scope, at least. Scopes are nice. Also be sure you don't overly load yourself down with ammo and guns. If you have too much stuff you go to slow to really fight well.
I'm playing through my second time, this time on "Veteran" mode (that's the one your on, right Cyader?), and it's HARD, but I'm having a BLAST.
I've been waiting for a game like this for time, and I freely admit that it's a niche game that not all will like. But I love it!
Are artifacts good for anything? I've gotten a couple I thought sounded interesting but I couldn't see their effect. For instance, the one that gives you "+400% health"... is that +400% health regeneration, or HP? Sure didn't seem like HP, I was getting mauled by bunnies. I should try getting like 8 of those on my belt, maybe I'll regenerate like crazy and be unstoppable.
Where do you get scopes? I've heard accidentally that there's a bar or something right after where I am now with a trader. I hope he's got weapon mods of some kind, or at least something to BUY. I've got so much money it's crazy.
Can you expand your carrying capacity eventually? 50 kg limit before stamina begins to drop from WALKING is just insane.
(yes/no answers if possible, no spoilers! :D)
Where do you get scopes? I've heard accidentally that there's a bar or something right after where I am now with a trader. I hope he's got weapon mods of some kind, or at least something to BUY. I've got so much money it's crazy.
Can you expand your carrying capacity eventually? 50 kg limit before stamina begins to drop from WALKING is just insane.
(yes/no answers if possible, no spoilers! :D)
Ruins your savegamesdownloaded the first patch tho which has like 150 bugfixes in it so I'll try it outagain later.
Due to driver crashes I've been able to restart several times, and found each time things went very differently, for example the boars lair had a med pack/nothing/killed by military
And the military down south from the start point once came up and attacked the start position so I could loot them and the other dead ppl.
And the military down south from the start point once came up and attacked the start position so I could loot them and the other dead ppl.
Artficats are good for making money, as far as I see.
You find scopes off enemy rifles, mostly. If you find a rifle with a scope, you can take it off and put it on one of your own.
50K limit being dumb? 50 kilograms is...110 pounds! If your charicter is as thin as he looks, then he's probably around 200-210 pounds. Even soldiers don't carry more then, what, fourty percent of their own weight into battle zones. And they have mechinized support.
The traders have stuff to buy, though normally it's ammo, medical supplies and, offacionsally, rifles. I was so excited when I found the shotgun at the Science Lab. The pump action shotgun. :D
Now that is a good mutant stopper. See a mutant come at you, pull out the shotgun and blow it's brains out.
Hehehehe.
You find scopes off enemy rifles, mostly. If you find a rifle with a scope, you can take it off and put it on one of your own.
50K limit being dumb? 50 kilograms is...110 pounds! If your charicter is as thin as he looks, then he's probably around 200-210 pounds. Even soldiers don't carry more then, what, fourty percent of their own weight into battle zones. And they have mechinized support.
The traders have stuff to buy, though normally it's ammo, medical supplies and, offacionsally, rifles. I was so excited when I found the shotgun at the Science Lab. The pump action shotgun. :D
Now that is a good mutant stopper. See a mutant come at you, pull out the shotgun and blow it's brains out.
Hehehehe.
It is not a nvidia issue, it is a stalker issue. Seems that ati owners seem to suffer from crashes even more then nvidia owners. And it does not matter if you are running vista or xp. The quality of the engine is pure garbage (heh heh) but the game itself is so great :)AF wrote:I havent gotten far due to the nvidia drivers but with the recent improvement I should be able to play it.
My only qualm is that sometimes when I press escape to save it crashes to desktop without warning. I downloaded the first patch tho which has like 150 bugfixes in it so I'll try it outagain later.
The first patch did not stop my crashing problems when saving, i have completed it once so i will wait for the next patch and then start playing it again for the second time, only not speedrunning thru it like i did the first time.
I'm a lot farther in the game now. I've raided the freedom base with duty and stole a positively kickass rifle and a hidden suit of armor. Having a much better time now. I've figured out how to fight a lot more effectively, even with crappy weapons. Glad to see there's some *useful* artifacts later in the game. Despite carrying two rifles and a pistol, and over 1400 rounds of ammo between them all, I can still run like a champ because of my 5 +100 endurance artifacts 
Still really ticked off with the fact I haven't found *anything* to spend my money on. I have something like 200,000+ RUs. Where's the shops?! Where's the armorsmiths?! What the heck is going on... This feels like a mix of Deus Ex and Fallout 2, except you remove all of the places where you can buy stuff in both.
Dammit, I want to find a guy who asks $100,000 to upgrade my rifle's accuracy by 5% or something. I NEED TO SPEND THIS MONEY! What's the point of having cash if there's nothing to buy!!!!?
Still really ticked off with the fact I haven't found *anything* to spend my money on. I have something like 200,000+ RUs. Where's the shops?! Where's the armorsmiths?! What the heck is going on... This feels like a mix of Deus Ex and Fallout 2, except you remove all of the places where you can buy stuff in both.
Dammit, I want to find a guy who asks $100,000 to upgrade my rifle's accuracy by 5% or something. I NEED TO SPEND THIS MONEY! What's the point of having cash if there's nothing to buy!!!!?