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What you want is here, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Come to me.
Stolls
Brave Corporate LogoChicago, ILRegistered User regular
Brave Corporate LogoChicago, ILRegistered User regular
Holiday Sale Newcomers, Read This First!
Before we begin, this OP covers mostly background and mod information, and in light of Steam sales there have been a lot of technical and gameplay questions the post doesn't answer. If you know the basic rundown of Stalker and are here looking for specific help, check this composite post first. The good Monger has scoured the thread for answers to most commonly-asked questions, ranging from rookie stalker advice to mod suggestions to technical support. If you've a problem not covered by the OP, check that post out and see if your issue is there.
Thanks for joining, folks!
---
My information might well be of use to you, Stalker.
"What can you tell me about S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?"
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is an adventure-oriented series of shooters set in the blighted Exclusion Zone of Chernobyl.
Taking a sci-fi twist inspired by the novel Roadside Picnic, Stalker tells the tale of a second explosion following the 1986 meltdown. Left in its wake are bizarre spatial anomalies - gravity wells, electrical discharges, spontaneous bursts of flame or shockwaves - that seem to defy modern science. The anomalies themselves create mysterious, powerful artifacts that, when held or worn, strengthen the bearer: bulletproofing, radiation resistance, regeneration, improved stamina, and so on. This draws the attention of Stalkers, a blanket term for adventurers, thieves and the like who penetrate the army cordon around the Zone in search of artifacts.
The original game, Shadow of Chernobyl, follows one particular Stalker; an amnesiac survivor of a truck crash, found only with a PDA ordering him to find and kill someone named Strelok, supposedly a Stalker who made it to the center of the Zone and unearthed the secrets of Chernobyl. Tattooed with the acronym 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R.', he sets out to learn what happened to him, who Strelok is, and just what lays at the heart of the Zone.
Clear Sky details the events that led up to Strelok's journey to the center, effectively a prologue to Shadow. You play as the mercenary Scar, the lone survivor of a radioactive blowout; a massive, localized energy storm that usually kills the unprotected, this one so huge as to change the very landscape of the Zone. A sect of Stalkers called Clear Sky believes the blowout was in response to a Stalker breaching the center of the Zone, as they feel the Zone is a living entity with which mankind must learn to coexist. Finding Scar alive, Clear Sky rescues him and contracts him to take down the Stalker responsible before another blowout happens.
The upcoming Call of Pripyat, conversely, follows after the events of Shadow. With a path to the center of the Zone open, the military stages a large-scale operation to reassert control over the derelict power plant - and, presumably, whatever force is behind the creation of the Zone. It fails, and spectacularly, thus the powers that be decide a more subtle approach is in order. The game is out now in Russia, with an expected North American release of February 2.
"I heard it's basically Oblivion With Guns, is that true?"
Yes and no. Stalker is undoubtedly a shooter, though it does have features that toe the line of RPG territory; quests, equipment upgrades, shops, and so on. The world isn't nearly as big as your average Elder Scrolls game, instead consisting of several fairly large maps connected by single checkpoints. Exploration is encouraged, but you can't always just pick a direction and go.
Make no mistake, this game is deeper than your average shooter, and it contains enough challenge to test the trigger finger of even the best FPS veterans. But at the end of the day, it's the atmosphere that truly sets Stalker apart. This isn't a fictional series of action setpieces designed solely to challenge the player. This world exists. The Zone is a very real place, a time-locked radioactive monument to Soviet failure. The derelict Rostok industrial complex, the garbage pits, the dead city of Pripyat, the Red Forest... Stalker takes liberties, yes, and gives the world a sci-fi pretext, but these places are real.
"Okay, I'll bite. So what do you do in Stalker?"
As I said, the "Oblivion With Guns" label is off the mark, but not completely. In both games, you're tasked at the start with finding a particular Stalker, which involves venturing into the Zone and currying favor with local communities. You'll have to deal with loners, bandits, scientists, the military, survivalist groups and even anarcho-hippies, who have set up camps here and there. Some might be willing to help you out if you scratch their back first, and in safe zones you'll have to do some talking, trading and good old-fashioned legwork to get what you want.
Out on your own, it's a different story. Whether poking around the edge of the army cordon, fighting your way through industrial ruins or sneaking through the wholly alien Red Forest, you'll have to stay on your toes. Bandits roam freely, looking for an easy mark, while packs of dogs scour the wastes for their next meal. The military holds court in the southern reaches of the Zone, but makes periodic appearances everywhere else and happily guns down anything not wearing their uniform. Mercenaries prey on the rich and give to themselves. Anomalies dot the landscape, ready to incinerate, crush or vaporize the unwary. Radioactive hot spots can turn a Stalker into a walking lamp in seconds, and a corpse in seconds more. In some areas, groups of Stalkers appear to have their brains boiled, and wander the Zone as if packs of shuffling, gun-toting zombies. Fearful scavengers speak of ghosts and demons, haunted labs and abandoned villages used as feeding grounds by mutated abominations.
Just getting from one safe spot to another is part of the adventure; ensuring you have enough food, enough ammo, enough medicine to survive on your own. No matter how many bandits you've killed, it only takes one well-hidden survivor with a shotgun to cut your life short. That howl from down the tunnel means something has spotted you, and you might not what it is until it's right on top of you. Shots ring out at your next destination, as a band of Stalkers tries desperately to repel a military incursion. After the battle, you watch as one of the survivors walks up to a wounded soldier, mutters a curse in untranslated Russian, and puts a bullet in his head. Night falls and your meager flashlight does little to keep you on the trail, all the while giving away your position to enemy snipers. Faint glimmers in the distance catch your attention, growing more numerous, closer, larger, and only too late do you realize they are eyes.
That's Stalker. That and so much more.
"Sounds pretty cool. Why haven't I heard more about it?"
Because frankly, a lot of people never expected the first game to make it out the gate. Shadow of Chernobyl was long delayed, upwards of five years, and it could easily have used a few more months to hammer out the various graphical glitches, bugs and balance issues. Clear Sky found a relatively quick release, but shares too many of the same flaws.
The A-Life AI system can charitably be described as wonky, as some Stalkers will latch onto a target halfway across the map and gleefully march to their doom. Scripted sequences are notoriously easy to break. Shadow is missing a stable repair system, and both games lack for an option to sleep through the night in a safe zone; options which feel like they should be in both games. Enemy respawn rates are high, and quests have an annoying tendancy to show up on your PDA without a clear indication of who issued them, or where they're directing you to. No matter how much horsepower your machine has, there's no real guarantee that Stalker won't eat your machine's resources for breakfast and ask for seconds. Lesser issues abound, ranging from sound repetition to clipping issues to lackluster trading.
While most of these issues are addressed by way of patches and mods, the fact remains that series lacks the polish of, say, Half-Life or Crysis. It is perhaps ironic that Stalker still had a more conclusive ending than either series to date, but there is no masking the problems with Shadow and Clear Sky. It remains to be seen whether Call of Pripyat addresses these issues; trailers look promising, but don't they always?
"Mods? Man, it really is Oblivion With Guns. So why should I bother?"
Because, when all is said and done, they are still great games. Because either game on its own brings more innovation, depth and honest-to-goodness adventure to the table than most series entire. Because even though the Zone is full of throwaway NPCs guided by awkward AI programming, it still shows uncommon humanity; it can still make you sit and listen when a Stalker breaks out a guitar or starts telling a joke, make you watch when one strolls up to a wounded enemy, curses in Russian, and finishes him off with a single pistol shot to the head. Because despite the scripted sequences, the linear finales and the block-of-text dialogue, you may not see the same battle play out the same way; if you quicksave, then quickload five minutes later, the next five minutes may yet surprise you, to say nothing of the next playthrough, or the one after that.
How about because Shadow is $19.99, Clear Sky is $34.99, and you can get both through Steam?
So what do you say?
"What can you tell me about modding?"
So you played the game; you know the ground rules, you like the concept, you think there's a gem there, but you need some help getting to the good stuff? No problem, the mod community's got you covered.
The Basics
It all starts here. Increase the range of the flashlight. Add a sleep system. Repair your gear. Revamp trader inventories. Add in vehicles. Force the AI to not be so stupid. Cut down on repeated sounds. Reskin weapons. Change the lighting. Change weapon damage. Make friends with any faction. Up your carry weight. Add artifacts as weapons. Click and drag destructable objects. Rework the noise that silencers make. Listen to new music over the radio. Grab new weapons. Throw in some Jin-Roh armor. Force the first trader to sell a gauss gun for ten roubles. Show Azumanga Goddamn Daioh on the TV at the bar.
It's not as sky's-the-limit as Oblivion, but damned if the mod community hasn't worked their asses off to make this game all the better. Mods for Shadow are all over the damn place, and most of the simpler mods for Clear Sky have been ported over, with some larger mod collections just now starting to show up.
The Specifics
Okay, so maybe it's not that simple. Mod conflicts are commonplace and not all are guaranteed to work with every patch and every hardware configuration. Towards that end, permit the royal us to guide you towards some fan favorites. Download links are in the titles.
The Zone Reclamation Project (SoC) (1.02)
Perhaps the most straightforward of the bunch, the Project began as an attempt at an unofficial patch for Stalker, courtesy of the GSC Game World forumers. Apart from scads of bugfixes, translation adjustments and other technical things, it adds a modifier program allowing you to adjust the parameters of the game itself: how long it takes to go hungry, how high you can jump, your carry weight, how long it takes for quests to recycle, whether enemies drop their weapons to the ground or stash them in their inventory when killed, headbobbing and nightvision quality, whether unique weapons degrade, how secrets are tracked on the PDA, and dozens of other things.
Extremely stable, it's been tested on the latest patch and is compatible with both the retail and Steam versions. It's a complete package, it's user-friendly, and there's no reason not to try it if you thought vanilla was just a little too unpolished for your liking.
The Stalker Mod Compilation (SoC) (1.25)
Alternate download link
A collection of various smaller mods, including the ZRP, this mod compilation - put together by yours truly - was crafted to be an easy to use starter kit; more or less for those of you who think the ZRP didn't go far enough, or for those of you who want a simple plug-and-play mod package. On top of the ZRP fixes, I've included a HUD revamp mod, improved sound effects, the prefetch tweak (disables prefetching, a known cause of memory leaks), a mod that changes NPC names to proper Russian ones, a weather overhaul, and improved shader models. In addition, the Compilation contains extra packages that have been customized with additional mods, including ones that don't normally work together. These add features like closed captioning, a repair system, armor non-degradation, revised trading rules, forcing the game to pre-fill (but not mark) all stash locations, and much more.
Stable at last testing, but there have been repeated reports of a lockup after the cutscene at X18; a likely solution can be found in this post. An updated version is coming soon, which will be compatible with Complete 2009. It's a work in progress, obviously, so any comments, suggestions or problems can be posted here, or directly to me via PM. I claim no credit for the mods themselves, only for getting them to work nicely together - this is done without express permission, but with the utmost respect for their creators.
Oblivion Lost (SoC) (2.2)
Far and away the most popular and well-known of the major overhaul mods, Oblivion Lost goes beyond simple gameplay tweaks and bugfixes to change pretty much everything about the game short of the whole 'point and click to kill mans' thing. New quests? You bet. New weapons? How's a minigun sound for starters, followed up by using artifacts to summon your own anomalies? New monsters? Well not really 'new' since they were in the code to begin with, but just try taking the Burer down with guns; just try. Random events? Mind-controlling mutants will now disarm you, possess your allies and send them to attack you, robed dwarves lead scores of zombies on the march, and the motherfucking sky will randomly turn red and radioactive.
Stable and easy to install, but most definitely not for rookie Stalkers. Practice in the original game (with mods, of course) before taking this one on. Do note that this does not mix well (or at all) with other megamods or mod compilations, so exercise extreme caution in combining this with others.
STALKER Complete 2009
One of the more recent entries into the megamod scene, STALKER Complete is a thorough visual facelift and rebalancing effort. The original game is intact; there are no faction wars, blowouts, psychic dwarf bosses, or anything of that sort. What is here, however, is remarkable to say the least: vast retexturing, improved creature and object details, a score of neat visual effects, sound overhauls - including new guitar music and authentic vocals - new tricks for the AI (grenades, healing other NPCs, moving bodies from campsites), and even the ability to shoot out lights. Old favorites like a repair mod, text revamp, Zone Reclamation Project, and a sleeping bag are also worked in for good measure, among gobs of other things.
This is basically a "make shit pretty" mod with various other tweaks, so for obvious reasons you're going to want a lot of horsepower for your rig before trying this. Granted, vanilla Stalker has been known to eat Crysis-grade machines for breakfast, but fair warning: this package is physically larger than Oblivion Lost.
L.U.R.K.
L.U.R.K. Weather Preview
Coming courtesy of 4chan's /v/ and /k/ boards, L.U.R.K. is a cumulative effort bent on delivering "the definitive S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience." Apart from the obligatory visual upgrades, L.U.R.K.'s aim is to deliver enhanced AI, deeper RPG aspects, a better in-game economy, and almost literally countless other improvements. Honestly, you really have to read for yourself to see just how far this one goes; likely far further than Complete 2009, while still retaining the 'feel' of the original game. Further details can be found at the mod's blog here.
Currently released and patched up to 1.0552; both the release and the patch can be downloaded through the moddb page
Although feedback has been extremely promising, this is still a work in progress and various issues have been reported. Forward any bugs to this thread on moddb.
Not sold on LURK just yet? The one and only Ninja Snarl P is running a Let's Play on that very subject. Check it out here, won't you?
Clear Sky Mod Pack (CS)
One of the first and most stable mod compilations for Clear Sky, this pack includes the following: a larger carry weight limit, better flashlight and nightvision, a pistol-slol MP5, larger magazine upgrades for certain guns, improved sounds, fixes for flash drive quests, mechanic improvements, the use of weapons anywhere, fixed fast-travel for Cordon and Garbage, some Russian to English translations, and much more.
Unfortunately, I haven't tested this one myself. Currently in the process of updating the SMC, and reviewing Clear Sky. But this one looks promising, and is the first on my list of mod comps to try.
Faction Commander (CS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBCbXF3tq8
Essentially, this is what Clear Sky should have featured with its faction warfare system. Faction Commander creates a system for arming, giving orders to, and expanding the influence of, the various stalker factions. The player can do this for any faction they are allied with, but other factions will have their own AI commanders which follow the same rules. This also makes several sweeping changes to faction AI, among other things allowing them to designate multiple goals at once, and even to send squads across the Zone to hunt you down. Also, factions can finally be wiped clear off the map.
Still grappling with some unrelated crashing issues - vanilla Clear Sky is giving me grief for some unknown reason - but I've received independent verification that Faction Commander is relatively stable.
"Clearly, Stalker is serious business. What else can you tell me?"
Glad you asked, 'cause I have a whole bunch of stuff to put here that doesn't really belong anywhere else.
This is how men LARP. (Thanks, Basticle!)
I can't figure out if this exchange makes me want Stalker Online more or less. Kinda both.
IceBurner's got some useful information as to what might've caused the crash this time:
Various bits about how weirdly awesome the Stalker world is:
"Can you dumb it down for me what Stalker is really all about?"
SPOILERS FOR EVERYTHING: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Sure, what the hell. A thorough explanation of the story, complete with all endings, can be found here.
Previous Threads on Stalker:
"I said come in! Don't just stand there!" (S.T.A.L.K. T.A.L.K.)
Let's drink to him once more. He was a good S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
[Let's Play]S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl
Let us commence with S.T.A.L.K. T.A.L.K., round three! C'mon, these threads don't max themselves out!
Before we begin, this OP covers mostly background and mod information, and in light of Steam sales there have been a lot of technical and gameplay questions the post doesn't answer. If you know the basic rundown of Stalker and are here looking for specific help, check this composite post first. The good Monger has scoured the thread for answers to most commonly-asked questions, ranging from rookie stalker advice to mod suggestions to technical support. If you've a problem not covered by the OP, check that post out and see if your issue is there.
Thanks for joining, folks!
---
My information might well be of use to you, Stalker.
"What can you tell me about S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?"
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is an adventure-oriented series of shooters set in the blighted Exclusion Zone of Chernobyl.
Taking a sci-fi twist inspired by the novel Roadside Picnic, Stalker tells the tale of a second explosion following the 1986 meltdown. Left in its wake are bizarre spatial anomalies - gravity wells, electrical discharges, spontaneous bursts of flame or shockwaves - that seem to defy modern science. The anomalies themselves create mysterious, powerful artifacts that, when held or worn, strengthen the bearer: bulletproofing, radiation resistance, regeneration, improved stamina, and so on. This draws the attention of Stalkers, a blanket term for adventurers, thieves and the like who penetrate the army cordon around the Zone in search of artifacts.
The original game, Shadow of Chernobyl, follows one particular Stalker; an amnesiac survivor of a truck crash, found only with a PDA ordering him to find and kill someone named Strelok, supposedly a Stalker who made it to the center of the Zone and unearthed the secrets of Chernobyl. Tattooed with the acronym 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R.', he sets out to learn what happened to him, who Strelok is, and just what lays at the heart of the Zone.
Clear Sky details the events that led up to Strelok's journey to the center, effectively a prologue to Shadow. You play as the mercenary Scar, the lone survivor of a radioactive blowout; a massive, localized energy storm that usually kills the unprotected, this one so huge as to change the very landscape of the Zone. A sect of Stalkers called Clear Sky believes the blowout was in response to a Stalker breaching the center of the Zone, as they feel the Zone is a living entity with which mankind must learn to coexist. Finding Scar alive, Clear Sky rescues him and contracts him to take down the Stalker responsible before another blowout happens.
The upcoming Call of Pripyat, conversely, follows after the events of Shadow. With a path to the center of the Zone open, the military stages a large-scale operation to reassert control over the derelict power plant - and, presumably, whatever force is behind the creation of the Zone. It fails, and spectacularly, thus the powers that be decide a more subtle approach is in order. The game is out now in Russia, with an expected North American release of February 2.
"I heard it's basically Oblivion With Guns, is that true?"
Yes and no. Stalker is undoubtedly a shooter, though it does have features that toe the line of RPG territory; quests, equipment upgrades, shops, and so on. The world isn't nearly as big as your average Elder Scrolls game, instead consisting of several fairly large maps connected by single checkpoints. Exploration is encouraged, but you can't always just pick a direction and go.
Make no mistake, this game is deeper than your average shooter, and it contains enough challenge to test the trigger finger of even the best FPS veterans. But at the end of the day, it's the atmosphere that truly sets Stalker apart. This isn't a fictional series of action setpieces designed solely to challenge the player. This world exists. The Zone is a very real place, a time-locked radioactive monument to Soviet failure. The derelict Rostok industrial complex, the garbage pits, the dead city of Pripyat, the Red Forest... Stalker takes liberties, yes, and gives the world a sci-fi pretext, but these places are real.
"Okay, I'll bite. So what do you do in Stalker?"
As I said, the "Oblivion With Guns" label is off the mark, but not completely. In both games, you're tasked at the start with finding a particular Stalker, which involves venturing into the Zone and currying favor with local communities. You'll have to deal with loners, bandits, scientists, the military, survivalist groups and even anarcho-hippies, who have set up camps here and there. Some might be willing to help you out if you scratch their back first, and in safe zones you'll have to do some talking, trading and good old-fashioned legwork to get what you want.
Out on your own, it's a different story. Whether poking around the edge of the army cordon, fighting your way through industrial ruins or sneaking through the wholly alien Red Forest, you'll have to stay on your toes. Bandits roam freely, looking for an easy mark, while packs of dogs scour the wastes for their next meal. The military holds court in the southern reaches of the Zone, but makes periodic appearances everywhere else and happily guns down anything not wearing their uniform. Mercenaries prey on the rich and give to themselves. Anomalies dot the landscape, ready to incinerate, crush or vaporize the unwary. Radioactive hot spots can turn a Stalker into a walking lamp in seconds, and a corpse in seconds more. In some areas, groups of Stalkers appear to have their brains boiled, and wander the Zone as if packs of shuffling, gun-toting zombies. Fearful scavengers speak of ghosts and demons, haunted labs and abandoned villages used as feeding grounds by mutated abominations.
Just getting from one safe spot to another is part of the adventure; ensuring you have enough food, enough ammo, enough medicine to survive on your own. No matter how many bandits you've killed, it only takes one well-hidden survivor with a shotgun to cut your life short. That howl from down the tunnel means something has spotted you, and you might not what it is until it's right on top of you. Shots ring out at your next destination, as a band of Stalkers tries desperately to repel a military incursion. After the battle, you watch as one of the survivors walks up to a wounded soldier, mutters a curse in untranslated Russian, and puts a bullet in his head. Night falls and your meager flashlight does little to keep you on the trail, all the while giving away your position to enemy snipers. Faint glimmers in the distance catch your attention, growing more numerous, closer, larger, and only too late do you realize they are eyes.
That's Stalker. That and so much more.
"Sounds pretty cool. Why haven't I heard more about it?"
Because frankly, a lot of people never expected the first game to make it out the gate. Shadow of Chernobyl was long delayed, upwards of five years, and it could easily have used a few more months to hammer out the various graphical glitches, bugs and balance issues. Clear Sky found a relatively quick release, but shares too many of the same flaws.
The A-Life AI system can charitably be described as wonky, as some Stalkers will latch onto a target halfway across the map and gleefully march to their doom. Scripted sequences are notoriously easy to break. Shadow is missing a stable repair system, and both games lack for an option to sleep through the night in a safe zone; options which feel like they should be in both games. Enemy respawn rates are high, and quests have an annoying tendancy to show up on your PDA without a clear indication of who issued them, or where they're directing you to. No matter how much horsepower your machine has, there's no real guarantee that Stalker won't eat your machine's resources for breakfast and ask for seconds. Lesser issues abound, ranging from sound repetition to clipping issues to lackluster trading.
While most of these issues are addressed by way of patches and mods, the fact remains that series lacks the polish of, say, Half-Life or Crysis. It is perhaps ironic that Stalker still had a more conclusive ending than either series to date, but there is no masking the problems with Shadow and Clear Sky. It remains to be seen whether Call of Pripyat addresses these issues; trailers look promising, but don't they always?
"Mods? Man, it really is Oblivion With Guns. So why should I bother?"
Because, when all is said and done, they are still great games. Because either game on its own brings more innovation, depth and honest-to-goodness adventure to the table than most series entire. Because even though the Zone is full of throwaway NPCs guided by awkward AI programming, it still shows uncommon humanity; it can still make you sit and listen when a Stalker breaks out a guitar or starts telling a joke, make you watch when one strolls up to a wounded enemy, curses in Russian, and finishes him off with a single pistol shot to the head. Because despite the scripted sequences, the linear finales and the block-of-text dialogue, you may not see the same battle play out the same way; if you quicksave, then quickload five minutes later, the next five minutes may yet surprise you, to say nothing of the next playthrough, or the one after that.
How about because Shadow is $19.99, Clear Sky is $34.99, and you can get both through Steam?
So what do you say?
"What can you tell me about modding?"
So you played the game; you know the ground rules, you like the concept, you think there's a gem there, but you need some help getting to the good stuff? No problem, the mod community's got you covered.
The Basics
It all starts here. Increase the range of the flashlight. Add a sleep system. Repair your gear. Revamp trader inventories. Add in vehicles. Force the AI to not be so stupid. Cut down on repeated sounds. Reskin weapons. Change the lighting. Change weapon damage. Make friends with any faction. Up your carry weight. Add artifacts as weapons. Click and drag destructable objects. Rework the noise that silencers make. Listen to new music over the radio. Grab new weapons. Throw in some Jin-Roh armor. Force the first trader to sell a gauss gun for ten roubles. Show Azumanga Goddamn Daioh on the TV at the bar.
It's not as sky's-the-limit as Oblivion, but damned if the mod community hasn't worked their asses off to make this game all the better. Mods for Shadow are all over the damn place, and most of the simpler mods for Clear Sky have been ported over, with some larger mod collections just now starting to show up.
The Specifics
Okay, so maybe it's not that simple. Mod conflicts are commonplace and not all are guaranteed to work with every patch and every hardware configuration. Towards that end, permit the royal us to guide you towards some fan favorites. Download links are in the titles.
The Zone Reclamation Project (SoC) (1.02)
Perhaps the most straightforward of the bunch, the Project began as an attempt at an unofficial patch for Stalker, courtesy of the GSC Game World forumers. Apart from scads of bugfixes, translation adjustments and other technical things, it adds a modifier program allowing you to adjust the parameters of the game itself: how long it takes to go hungry, how high you can jump, your carry weight, how long it takes for quests to recycle, whether enemies drop their weapons to the ground or stash them in their inventory when killed, headbobbing and nightvision quality, whether unique weapons degrade, how secrets are tracked on the PDA, and dozens of other things.
Extremely stable, it's been tested on the latest patch and is compatible with both the retail and Steam versions. It's a complete package, it's user-friendly, and there's no reason not to try it if you thought vanilla was just a little too unpolished for your liking.
The Stalker Mod Compilation (SoC) (1.25)
Alternate download link
A collection of various smaller mods, including the ZRP, this mod compilation - put together by yours truly - was crafted to be an easy to use starter kit; more or less for those of you who think the ZRP didn't go far enough, or for those of you who want a simple plug-and-play mod package. On top of the ZRP fixes, I've included a HUD revamp mod, improved sound effects, the prefetch tweak (disables prefetching, a known cause of memory leaks), a mod that changes NPC names to proper Russian ones, a weather overhaul, and improved shader models. In addition, the Compilation contains extra packages that have been customized with additional mods, including ones that don't normally work together. These add features like closed captioning, a repair system, armor non-degradation, revised trading rules, forcing the game to pre-fill (but not mark) all stash locations, and much more.
Stable at last testing, but there have been repeated reports of a lockup after the cutscene at X18; a likely solution can be found in this post. An updated version is coming soon, which will be compatible with Complete 2009. It's a work in progress, obviously, so any comments, suggestions or problems can be posted here, or directly to me via PM. I claim no credit for the mods themselves, only for getting them to work nicely together - this is done without express permission, but with the utmost respect for their creators.
Oblivion Lost (SoC) (2.2)
Far and away the most popular and well-known of the major overhaul mods, Oblivion Lost goes beyond simple gameplay tweaks and bugfixes to change pretty much everything about the game short of the whole 'point and click to kill mans' thing. New quests? You bet. New weapons? How's a minigun sound for starters, followed up by using artifacts to summon your own anomalies? New monsters? Well not really 'new' since they were in the code to begin with, but just try taking the Burer down with guns; just try. Random events? Mind-controlling mutants will now disarm you, possess your allies and send them to attack you, robed dwarves lead scores of zombies on the march, and the motherfucking sky will randomly turn red and radioactive.
Stable and easy to install, but most definitely not for rookie Stalkers. Practice in the original game (with mods, of course) before taking this one on. Do note that this does not mix well (or at all) with other megamods or mod compilations, so exercise extreme caution in combining this with others.
STALKER Complete 2009
One of the more recent entries into the megamod scene, STALKER Complete is a thorough visual facelift and rebalancing effort. The original game is intact; there are no faction wars, blowouts, psychic dwarf bosses, or anything of that sort. What is here, however, is remarkable to say the least: vast retexturing, improved creature and object details, a score of neat visual effects, sound overhauls - including new guitar music and authentic vocals - new tricks for the AI (grenades, healing other NPCs, moving bodies from campsites), and even the ability to shoot out lights. Old favorites like a repair mod, text revamp, Zone Reclamation Project, and a sleeping bag are also worked in for good measure, among gobs of other things.
This is basically a "make shit pretty" mod with various other tweaks, so for obvious reasons you're going to want a lot of horsepower for your rig before trying this. Granted, vanilla Stalker has been known to eat Crysis-grade machines for breakfast, but fair warning: this package is physically larger than Oblivion Lost.
L.U.R.K.
L.U.R.K. Weather Preview
Coming courtesy of 4chan's /v/ and /k/ boards, L.U.R.K. is a cumulative effort bent on delivering "the definitive S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience." Apart from the obligatory visual upgrades, L.U.R.K.'s aim is to deliver enhanced AI, deeper RPG aspects, a better in-game economy, and almost literally countless other improvements. Honestly, you really have to read for yourself to see just how far this one goes; likely far further than Complete 2009, while still retaining the 'feel' of the original game. Further details can be found at the mod's blog here.
Currently released and patched up to 1.0552; both the release and the patch can be downloaded through the moddb page
Although feedback has been extremely promising, this is still a work in progress and various issues have been reported. Forward any bugs to this thread on moddb.
Not sold on LURK just yet? The one and only Ninja Snarl P is running a Let's Play on that very subject. Check it out here, won't you?
Clear Sky Mod Pack (CS)
One of the first and most stable mod compilations for Clear Sky, this pack includes the following: a larger carry weight limit, better flashlight and nightvision, a pistol-slol MP5, larger magazine upgrades for certain guns, improved sounds, fixes for flash drive quests, mechanic improvements, the use of weapons anywhere, fixed fast-travel for Cordon and Garbage, some Russian to English translations, and much more.
Unfortunately, I haven't tested this one myself. Currently in the process of updating the SMC, and reviewing Clear Sky. But this one looks promising, and is the first on my list of mod comps to try.
Faction Commander (CS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBCbXF3tq8
Essentially, this is what Clear Sky should have featured with its faction warfare system. Faction Commander creates a system for arming, giving orders to, and expanding the influence of, the various stalker factions. The player can do this for any faction they are allied with, but other factions will have their own AI commanders which follow the same rules. This also makes several sweeping changes to faction AI, among other things allowing them to designate multiple goals at once, and even to send squads across the Zone to hunt you down. Also, factions can finally be wiped clear off the map.
Still grappling with some unrelated crashing issues - vanilla Clear Sky is giving me grief for some unknown reason - but I've received independent verification that Faction Commander is relatively stable.
"Clearly, Stalker is serious business. What else can you tell me?"
Glad you asked, 'cause I have a whole bunch of stuff to put here that doesn't really belong anywhere else.
This is how men LARP. (Thanks, Basticle!)
I can't figure out if this exchange makes me want Stalker Online more or less. Kinda both.
On the thought of a STALKER MMO, I could imagine what the chat log would look like.
Connected Player "Waka Laka" to server - The Den.
Connected.
Welcome to the Den.
(Trade) HUMMER557 - WTS Atrifact +5 Rad res +2 Rupture PST : )
(Local) Cockweasel - OMFG Tarox how the fuck did you hit me.
Bandit whispers - HEY WAKA! :P
You whisper Bandit - Hey.
(Local) Taroximation (HRST) - My bullets are gay seeking, and you are a faggot, stop being a faggot and
they'll stop hitting you.
(Local) Cockweasel -asshole, I know you're hacking.
(Trade)qkdkanfksk - WELCOME TO STALKTRADE!!! THE ONLY WEBSITE THAT GUARANTEES BEST VALUE STALKER MONEY ON THE WEB - BEST PRICED ARTIFACTS! 24/7 DELIVERY! WWW.GOLD4GOLD.COM/STALKERGOLD/default.htm
(Trade)(ZONE) Grudge - WTS AK47 with scope, Fired twice, dropped once - 1400r
(Local) Taroximation (HRST) - OMFG LRN 2 STALK FAG. IMA CHARGIN MAH FAG GRENADES
Bandit whispers - Want to raid X105 with me?
You whisper Bandit - Nah, dude you always tell me to raid with you and then when I want to raid you're like "Oh my dog died or my auntie is sick" So no, go ask someone else.
(Local) (R.A.D) Argh, fucking respawning dogs, I was looting and they all spawned around me!
(Trade) Monkeyfarts - Too expensive Grudge
You whisper Bandit - Technically your Auntie has died 4 times in the last 2 months, I'm wondering if she's a zombie or some shit. Say hi to your goldfish, cos I think he might be on the way out when I ask you to raid the Sarcophagus
Bandit whispers - Fag you're out of the guild
(You have been removed from your guild)
(LFG) Baxter Stockman - LF2M, prefered Medic, Heavy and/or Robber LVL 18-21
Buttseckz whispers - Can you make me some bread and vodka?
(Local) You wrote - Fuck the lot of ya!
(Local) Taximation - Ask Cockweasel, he does alot of fucking. Like cocks and dicks and stuff
(You disconnect)
IceBurner's got some useful information as to what might've caused the crash this time:
I finally have some useful, possibly OP-worthy info: Whenever S.T.A.L.K.E.R. crashes, with or without an error message/popup, it copies the reason for the crash into your windows clipboard.
So if S.T.A.L.K.E.R. ever crashes for you, immediately open notepad or your favorite text editor and paste to find out why. The report looks something like this:Expression : fatal error Function : CInifile::r_string File : E:\stalker\sources\trunk\xrCore\Xr_ini.cpp Line : 352 Description : <no expression> [B]Arguments : Can't find variable launch_speed in [wpn_mac10][/B]Discovered this by accident while debugging my own mods.
Various bits about how weirdly awesome the Stalker world is:
Hey Stolls, this might be worth a mention in the OP. The guy that gave the 68% PCG UK review (and said there was less atmosphere/scares in CS and the faction war was kind of goofy), Jim Rossignol, has done a few good features about the original.
Eurogamer review: basically says the exact thing we tell newbies -- shaky mechanics with awesome atmosphere. Good summary for new folks.
The game in relation to real-life Ukranian history: this along with the PCG UK three part feature and RPS interview has some nice background details about the inspiration for the game, from the Russian film and sci-fi novel we all know, to the historical context and Ukranian culture. Neat read for those that aren't aware of this. Good for new players and old.
Mini LP: just a nice story of how he continues to enjoy the game after completing it twice. Also mentions some of the game's faults, and hope for Clear Sky that is kind of sad (at least now that I know he's a little disappointed in it). It's a retrospective for experienced players.
"Can you dumb it down for me what Stalker is really all about?"
SPOILERS FOR EVERYTHING: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Sure, what the hell. A thorough explanation of the story, complete with all endings, can be found here.
Previous Threads on Stalker:
"I said come in! Don't just stand there!" (S.T.A.L.K. T.A.L.K.)
Let's drink to him once more. He was a good S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
[Let's Play]S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl
Let us commence with S.T.A.L.K. T.A.L.K., round three! C'mon, these threads don't max themselves out!
kstolls on Twitch, streaming weekends at 9pm CST!
Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
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Steam Name: Dr.Oblivious
If you can't live for the now, at least live for the future.
It's cool that I'm able to play the game completely without any main quest interference, though.
Hmm... This is 1.5.04. After taking the base countless times, I decided this time to just afk in the base hoping to catch the Duty retake... except it never happened and more and more freedom patrols came to populate it. I don't know if this is permanent yet, but it certainly is an interesting turn of events from what I'm used to seeing. Anyone been able to do this yet?
Update: Duty came back with 2 patrols but wouldn't leave the main building and my troops wouldn't attack them (all 5 patrols are outside the building). So I came back and killed them. 2 minutes later I get the radio message that "Duty came back in their helicopters and wiped out everything", but I check and there are still dead and gone. I think I've finally beat the never ending battle. I only have 1 test left to do and that's to zone out which I'm about to do.
Edit: Oh and Stolls, it says Duty has a chopper, you just never see it
Clear Sky tips.
How come in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout there are no trees, but in the post-apocalyptic world of STALKER there are many trees?
Why?!?
They keep respawning in it its really tremendously annoying.
And my final Clear Skies inventory load out:
I learned my lesson in the original game
Should I OL?
EDIT: Stupid enter defaulting to post :x gimmie a sec to make this valid.
EDIT: Well I was gonna' have a nice "What you want is there, zimfan. Go to Oblivion Lost." thing going, but the goddamn mispost kinda' screws that, so basically go for it, it's completily worth it.
Protip: Anyone near Russia get -5 to bugfixing.
Are you responding to my picture? Because nothing in my game is modded.
I disagree. The weight limit drains the game of all the fun to me. You like to play with 50KG max, I like to play with more.
And Olivaw, here is the mod I told you about. This one fixes the weight-mod related crashes.
If I've never played either, get Stalker ($20 on Steam) first, then Clear Skies ($40 on Steam), right? Or does Clear Skies include both? The Clear Skies description has two hardware requirements columns, one which includes Vista and 2 GB RAM, and one that doesn't include Vista and says 512 MB RAM.
I know my hardware is capable, but on Steam the original Stalker says it requires Win2k or XP, and I'm running Vista 64-bit. Should I go ahead and purchase? Purchase Clear Skies only, or both?
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK
QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
It was more of a general comment, since weight mods seem to be one of the most asked "how do i do this" kinda thing, although I will admit it was somewhat inspired by your picture. I'm assuming you just have a couple +20 carry artifacts and went the up carry weight upgrade path for your seva now that you said that though
They fixed the main problem, which was carrying enough ammunition for your gun. In SoC every bad guy in an area used the same ammo and if it wasn't what you needed, you couldn't scrounge and had to bring 700 rounds. Plus you couldn't repair armor so sometimes you'd need an extra suit. Finally, other than the last couple of areas, you never really need to make long treks in CS with lots of supplies. There are traders everywhere.
In conclusion, you don't need to fret about it in Clear Sky, but if that's how you like your game then go for it!
I tried it and deleted the old system.ltx file and it worked
Thank God
Anyway now all I need is more anti-rad artifacts, the only one I've found was in the far left of the swamps and took me like forever to travel there and get
Also enough money to get a SPSA shotgun so I don't feel quite so scared going into the underground of Agropom
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
Totally agree. One of the biggest reasons I enjoy the STALKER games is because you aren't just exploring a desolate Zone dotted with the horrors of nuclear corruption....you're SURVIVING it.
I can aim, I can get headshots, and I can move from cover to cover. That's FPS child's play. Doing all that while evading grenades, flanking enemies, avoiding potentially deadly anomalies and killing mutants with a half broken weapon is what provides the real challenge. And what a deliciously awesome challenge it is
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK
QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
One's for Dx10 configuration (Vista, 2gigs of ram), the other is the recommended requirement to play STALKER: SoC with Dx9 or below.
Also, I'm really digging the 1.5.05 patch, haven't crashed once and none of my save files have begun to corrode. On top of that, my game is running 30 fps faster after the patch was installed for whatever reason. Boy I'm one happy camper.
Steam Name: Dr.Oblivious
If you can't live for the now, at least live for the future.
XBL Michael Spencer || Wii 6007 6812 1605 7315 || PSN MichaelSpencerJr || Steam Michael_Spencer || Ham NOØK
QRZ || My last known GPS coordinates: FindU or APRS.fi (Car antenna feed line busted -- no ham radio for me X__X )
While I don't get people wanting to weight mod the game to a ridiculous extent (1000 kg?!?!), this is still a game after all. No, having an 80 kg carry limit isn't realistic, but neither is carrying 30 kg of anything while sprinting a mile and then being perfectly ok to fire a rifle accurately.
I used the default weight limit on my first SoC playthrough and even though it did add to the atmosphere, it also drained some fun out of the game. I basically had to limit myself to a sidearm, a sniper rifle with some ammo, and an assault rifle with tons of ammo. It limited my option and thus limited the gameplay.
In OL, having just 30 extra kilos on the weight limit makes the game much more enjoyable. I can carry all the health, artifacts, and food that I need without impinging on my ammo supplies. On top of that, I have enough room left over for a sidearm, main gun, shotgun, and grenade launcher with plenty of ammo for everything. That means that if I get into a tough fight, my options aren't limited to either fighting at very long range, long range, chucking grenades until I can get back to long range, or switching to full auto and hoping for the best.
Personally, I'd rather be able to carry a couple extra weapons than be hassled by a weight limit that cripples your choices in dealing with firefights and mutants. The game already has such an overwhelming atmosphere that I've yet to think that being able to carry a bit more gear detracts from the game.
Of course, I might just be saying all this because I was recently ambushed by three bloodsuckers and some snorks in a dark warehouse at about 3 in the morning (oh sure, that stash looks safe to raid!). They may have had surprise, fear, and dry pants on their side, but for once I was actually equipped properly before making a deadly mistake. A few 5.56 clips, several loads of buckshot, and a couple heart attacks later, I was merrily steering clear of dark corners and running back to the Bar like a little baby. After raiding the stash, of course.. I have more greed than cowardice.
I found this to be a great compromise for those times when you want to bring back a bunch of phat lewt, while still providing the stamina penalty that I enjoyed having.
I'm basically always under 50kg unless I am hauling a bunch of shit back to sell.
Also, got my first crash with 1.05 tonight. Terrible, terrible timing, too.
I don't have a problem when I'm questing, or going around. It just saves me time having to go back and forth between a large stash of dropped weapons and a trader.
Why buy a SPAS when one of the dutiers guarding the entrance to the Agropom underground usually dies and he has one?
Hahaha! That right there is pretty excellent!
It is still glorious.
All right, people. It is not a gerbil. It is not a hamster. It is not a guinea pig. It is a death rabbit. Death. Rabbit. Say it with me, now.
Or even better if you manage to save everyone or even just him, he gives you a spas, along with a bunch of ammo, some tips, and a stash location in the underground.
Love that.
They died
Neither had a SPSA
So I went back and bought one
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
Glorious.