STALKER, doot doot doot doot doo, you are my stalker girl

Fandyien

and you got me wantin' you



call of pripyat is the third stalker game, and it is i think still up on steam for $8.74 in a bundle with the first stalker game, arguably one of the best fpss ever. I'm about to boot up Call of Pripyat, and I've heard it's the best in the series

but i don't know if i believe that, because classic stalker is tits

lets talk about how scary bloodsuckers are, how stalker complete mods are awesome, and how these crazy ukrainians have made near-perfect shooter rpgs with infinite replayability/infinite bugs

Brolo

really wanna know about stalker 2

I hope the development goes smoother this time

WeedLordVegeta

Stalker is like bizzaro alpha protocol: I don't care how many times it crashes, I have to play more!

Duke 2.0

Fandyien wrote:

lets talk about how scary bloodsuckers are

My first ever encounter was walking into an invisible pillar and wondering what was going on. Upon closer inspection I observed the Predator cloak effect and shot the thing. Took more bullets than I thought it would due to having a cruddy gun, but after confirming that it was a Bloodsucker with one of my friends on chat I called the horror stories of these things into doubt.

Second one I ever encountered I saw walking around on some pavement in broad daylight. Gunned it down no problem.

Bugs sorta ruined Bloodsuckers and Controllers to me.

Fandyien

that's terrible

you're supposed to run into one right when you

hit the sewers on the way into some army encampment i think, the first time you go underground. it starts making noises and shit and then comes rushing out of the dark and holy hell

granted, i've also encountered them in broad daylight, and they're way less terrifying in that context

Duke 2.0

My first Controller was a very similar story. In that same underground segment, too.

At least the freaky shit in the various labs brought the sense of fear

I Win Swordfights

I own Stalker

I keep meaning to play Stalker

But good lord fuck it's so hard and I'm so bad at first person shooters.

Fandyien

STALKER is the first game with 'scary' bits in it i've ever played through. i couldn't finish any of the RE games, couldn't finish silent hill, didn't get into F.E.A.R, and i more or less ignore anything horror-esque

but stalker toes the lines between survival horror, rpg, and fps so fucking well i can't get enough of it which makes me think maybe i should go give something like metro 2033 a try

or maybe some legit survival horror, like amnesia or something

what was that first-person survival fpsish thing that took place on a ship stuck in the antarctic ice, and it had a warmth meter or some shit

Fandyien

STALKER is way hard in the beginning but once you get used to it's unique clunkiness, amass some awesome weapons and artifacts, get yerself a good stalker suit, you'll be able to fuck anything out of the way

Brolo

I managed to break the first Stalker game by exiting the lab with the controller fight in it by going out the initial entrance, instead of out of the hatch.

If you do that you don't meet Doctor and you can't get into the final part of the game after the Brain Scorcher.

Lasbrook

I've been eyeing this deal, how connected story wise are the games? I never beat the first one.

Fyndir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xKgd0_31e0

I have found that I simply cannot play Clear Sky without wanting to cheat, the addition of various things (upgrades, changed mission system etc) without the various OTHER changes they added for Call of Pripyat just bothers me, it's like the Jubilee of the series.

For Call of Pripyat I really do recommend looking up a simple little mod that lets you sell weapons etc regardless of condition, with suitable scaling of the price, makes it much less frustrating when you kill people for almost no reward because their weapons are all wrecked and can't be sold.

Brolo

Yeah, I remember modding repairing into SoC, just because fuck you game, it's bullshit that I had to fight off like a dozen mutants to get this rifle just to be afraid to use it because it will eventually break.

Fyndir

Rolo wrote:

Yeah, I remember modding repairing into SoC, just because fuck you game, it's bullshit that I had to fight off like a dozen mutants to get this rifle just to be afraid to use it because it will eventually break.

I think the Stalker complete mod gives the Barman repair ability in SoC, and it's relatively easy to just power through to the point where you get to meet him, especially if you

get the better suit from the attic in the stalker village at the start, get the crate with a couple of hundred pistol rounds, and take out a military patrol or two for a rifle plus some ammo

.

Arang

the scariest part I got to was in X-18 when

you have to find the code to open a door, except you walk past the door first, and something is just pounding away at it from the other side, and when you get back with the code everything is quiet so you're expecting an ambush, except there's nothing there

Brolo

The fight through the underground in CoP with your squad of Stalkers was pretty awesome.

I made sure all of my men made it through.

Kadith

i have never beaten any of these

the first one i got into some bunker and was out of ammo and there were these spetznas like dudes

and i just gave up

never played clear sky, but i still have it

and school distracted me from my badass in CoP

I wonder if i even have that save game still...

SenorTacos

I've been replaying this game. The original holds up really well still. Running through whirlygigs and what not.

Fyndir

Rolo wrote:

The fight through the underground in CoP with your squad of Stalkers was pretty awesome.

I made sure all of my men made it through.

I hated it, I'm so used to making use of stealth to get into good positions and then just one shot as many enemies as possible with a nice big sniper rifle before they even open fire, I found it really hard to adapt to working with the squad.

Fandyien

yeah i might get a durability mod and maybe a 20kg more backpack mod for call of pripyat. i assume they're moddable as steam games, i had the first one in physical format

also cop is fun as shit so far, but i just found

the first helicopter, number two on the initial quest list of em, and it told me to find out how the electric circuits got fused together but there's no ostensible cause and it didnt make that an actual objective. i also just got grouse killed cus i threw a grenade into that lair with like 15 sleeping bloodsuckers and holy shit that was a massacre.

Fyndir

Fandyien wrote:

yeah i might get a durability mod and maybe a 20kg more backpack mod for call of pripyat. i assume they're moddable as steam games, i had the first one in physical format

All mine are on Steam, they mod just fine.

It's been a little while since I installed any mods, so I don't remember exactly how, but I also don't remember it being egregiously challenging or awkward.

Fandyien wrote:

also cop is fun as shit so far, but i just found

the first helicopter, number two on the initial quest list of em, and it told me to find out how the electric circuits got fused together but there's no ostensible cause and it didnt make that an actual objective. i also just got grouse killed cus i threw a grenade into that lair with like 15 sleeping bloodsuckers and holy shit that was a massacre.

From very vague memory, can you interact with the helicopter? Check for like, a black box or PDA or anything like that.

Pharezon

This is my favorite game of all time.

Fandyien

i'm progressing nicely in call of pripyat, but it's sorta hard to find all the missions and stuff. i feel like i'm missing out on big chunks of stuff, i just got to yanov and i only have one of the veles detectors

this is one of those rare instances where i might have to use a guide

Fyndir

Fandyien wrote:

i'm progressing nicely in call of pripyat, but it's sorta hard to find all the missions and stuff. i feel like i'm missing out on big chunks of stuff, i just got to yanov and i only have one of the veles detectors

this is one of those rare instances where i might have to use a guide

Veles detectors are butts to find sometimes, how are you doing with finding tools for the mechanics?

Small tip:

Don't waste time searching for fine tools in the first area, or super-awesome tools in the first or second area, they are actually a form of mandated progression whereby you have to wait until the right part of the game to go find them.

I wasted hours in my first playthrough searching everywhere I could go, determined to get my third set of upgrades started before I went to the third area, fighting all sorts of things in the process, and it was frustrating as all hell.

DivideByZero

Arang wrote:

the scariest part I got to was in X-18 when

you have to find the code to open a door, except you walk past the door first, and something is just pounding away at it from the other side, and when you get back with the code everything is quiet so you're expecting an ambush, except there's nothing there

That baby.

That crying fucking baby.

fffffffff

Druhim

I really wish I'd played more STALKER before my graphics card went tits up. I barely got into the game.

Fyndir

For me, personally, the scariest parts of the game are always when I end up in the middle of nowhere at night, listening to the sounds of the zone and trying to tell what's something about to attack me and what's not.

Recently started a CoP playthrough on Master, had a hellish fight in the dark because I forgot about the guys that ambush you after you collect the glowing wheel from the ship, then wounded and overloaded with stuff to sell I began slowly making my way back to safety to complete the mission...suddenly I hear a growl off to my left, spin and see nothing, convince myself I imagined it and keep jogging...and then I notice two glowing eyes coming towards me out of the dark.

Completely lost my cool and just started spraying them down, an entire clip of rifle ammo mostly into the dirt around them as I flailed for my medkit button and tried to aim, hit sprint for a brief burst away, span back and couldn't see a thing, maybe it was dead?

Sat there crouched staring into the darkness, watching and listening as intently as I could, when I hear a growl FUCKING BEHIND ME OH GOD, SHOOT EVERYTHING.

TrippyJing

Fighting in the dark is a real tough experience when you turn crosshairs off, let me tell you.

Duke 2.0

Oh man the fucking night

Once while dicking around just before the Brain Scorcher at night my night vision goggles suddenly started to weird out. I turned them off only to hear a boom in the distance, and the sky lit up with a blinding light for like five seconds.

I sat there until morning wondering what the heck just happened.

Fyndir

Duke 2.0 wrote:

Oh man the fucking night

Once while dicking around just before the Brain Scorcher at night my night vision goggles suddenly started to weird out. I turned them off only to hear a boom in the distance, and the sky lit up with a blinding light for like five seconds.

I sat there until morning wondering what the heck just happened.

Generally once I get decent night vision (like the stuff that makes everything bright white instead of green) the night holds no fears for me, it's early on when I just have a pissy little torch that it gets me.

Duke 2.0

Visually yeah, no problem. But the sounds and events that happen are still horrible.

Kadith

stop making me want to play one of these you bastards

Fyndir

Kadith wrote:

stop making me want to play one of these you bastards

SHUT UP AND GO PLAY ONE OF THESE.

Kadith

Fyndir wrote: »

Kadith wrote:

stop making me want to play one of these you bastards

SHUT UP AND GO PLAY ONE OF THESE.

I have to grade like 20 students homework assignments

Fyndir

Kadith wrote:

Fyndir wrote: »

Kadith wrote:

stop making me want to play one of these you bastards

SHUT UP AND GO PLAY ONE OF THESE.

I have to grade like 20 students homework assignments

Send them to me, I'll grade it, you play Stalker.

That'll work, right?

Kadith

Fyndir wrote: »

Kadith wrote:

Fyndir wrote: »

Kadith wrote:

stop making me want to play one of these you bastards

SHUT UP AND GO PLAY ONE OF THESE.

I have to grade like 20 students homework assignments

Send them to me, I'll grade it, you play Stalker.

That'll work, right?

I don't see why not, just gotta find a carry pigeon.

Fyndir

Kadith wrote:

I don't see why not, just gotta find a carry pigeon.

I'll await it eagerly, my red pen at the ready.

MechMantis

Fyndir wrote:

Fandyien wrote:

i'm progressing nicely in call of pripyat, but it's sorta hard to find all the missions and stuff. i feel like i'm missing out on big chunks of stuff, i just got to yanov and i only have one of the veles detectors

this is one of those rare instances where i might have to use a guide

Veles detectors are butts to find sometimes, how are you doing with finding tools for the mechanics?

Small tip:

Don't waste time searching for fine tools in the first area, or super-awesome tools in the first or second area, they are actually a form of mandated progression whereby you have to wait until the right part of the game to go find them.

I wasted hours in my first playthrough searching everywhere I could go, determined to get my third set of upgrades started before I went to the third area, fighting all sorts of things in the process, and it was frustrating as all hell.

Except the tip is completely not true at all.

Like, utterly not true.

You can find both Rough and Fine tools within 20 minutes of hitting the ground in CoP if you know where to look. The only thing true about the above tip is that Calibration tools are in Pripyat.

PiptheFair

never ever turn around

always continue walking forwards forever

testsubject23

Oh, S.T.A.L.K.E.R, how I love thee. SoC remains one of my all time faves... hard to say quite why. Unmodded there are parts that seem almost designed to infuriate the player, but those parts are still completely outshone by how awesome the rest of the game is.
The first time I went through X18 was probably the most terrifying moment I've experienced in a game. They really know how to build tension.

I started playing Clear Sky again last night, inspired by all the recent STALKER threads... got near the power plant, and then got the hell blasted outta me by Monolith. Whoever taught those bastards how to use grenades is on my list.
I was a bit disappointed to note that there (seems to be) a point of no return in Clear Sky, much like SoC, where you can't go back to the previous areas to repair and resupply. So I'm stuck at the NPP with fucked armour and almost no ammo.
Does CoP have the same game mechanic?

Fyndir

MechMantis wrote:

Fyndir wrote:

Fandyien wrote:

i'm progressing nicely in call of pripyat, but it's sorta hard to find all the missions and stuff. i feel like i'm missing out on big chunks of stuff, i just got to yanov and i only have one of the veles detectors

this is one of those rare instances where i might have to use a guide

Veles detectors are butts to find sometimes, how are you doing with finding tools for the mechanics?

Small tip:

Don't waste time searching for fine tools in the first area, or super-awesome tools in the first or second area, they are actually a form of mandated progression whereby you have to wait until the right part of the game to go find them.

I wasted hours in my first playthrough searching everywhere I could go, determined to get my third set of upgrades started before I went to the third area, fighting all sorts of things in the process, and it was frustrating as all hell.

Except the tip is completely not true at all.

Like, utterly not true.

You can find both Rough and Fine tools within 20 minutes of hitting the ground in CoP if you know where to look. The only thing true about the above tip is that Calibration tools are in Pripyat.

It's possible I remembered wrongly then.

Edit: Yeah, just went and checked, you're absolutely right, I was remembering wrong.

Damn you, brain.