Gold: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

[zapionics<alt>]

Just did the x18 documents mission, totally awesome level.
Poltergeists and pseudogiants! and one of the most atmospheric and scary levels I've played since Half Life.

I'm not doing all the jobs I'm offered now, just a few, as the main story and plot is starting to grab my interest.

[general_koffi]

Advice to anyone playing:

Follow the "Kill Strelok" plot line. Seriously. The game has fake endings otherwise.

[SpeedDMN]

Originally Posted by general_koffi

Advice to anyone playing:

Follow the "Kill Strelok" plot line. Seriously. The game has fake endings otherwise.

That's what I am trying to do. Honestly I am impatient when it comes to all the little subplots. Right now I am supposed to get to some complex and steal some documents or something, but I am having a hard time getting to the damn place. Seems like everything I follow ends up being blocked. Can't go across country you run into barbwire (not to mention hell hounds tearing you up) The train tunnel is blocked as is another tunnel I tried. It's starting to get a little frustrating.

[traveler]

Does S.T.A.L.K.E.R. install on win 2000 ???

I know the box says XP, but I've seen software say XP and install fine on win2000.



__________________

Visit and chat with the Buds at the #ABxZone channel on EFnet Internet Relay Chat
If you don't have it then download mIRC from www.mIRC.com

[zapionics<alt>]

Originally Posted by traveler

Does S.T.A.L.K.E.R. install on win 2000 ???

I know the box says XP, but I've seen software say XP and install fine on win2000.

The box also says "Windows 2000, SP4". I've never seen anyone try it, but.

[general_koffi]

Originally Posted by SpeedDMN

That's what I am trying to do. Honestly I am impatient when it comes to all the little subplots. Right now I am supposed to get to some complex and steal some documents or something, but I am having a hard time getting to the damn place. Seems like everything I follow ends up being blocked. Can't go across country you run into barbwire (not to mention hell hounds tearing you up) The train tunnel is blocked as is another tunnel I tried. It's starting to get a little frustrating.

You should be fine if you follow the roads...

Well. You'll be attacked mercilessly by the military and the bandits, but you won't get lost...

[zapionics<alt>]

Originally Posted by SpeedDMN

That's what I am trying to do. Honestly I am impatient when it comes to all the little subplots...

Many of the jobs are boring, but its possible to get new information or new weapons/objects on those missions. Some of the jobs are pretty cool tho.

Originally Posted by SpeedDMN

... Seems like everything I follow ends up being blocked. Can't go across country you run into barbwire (not to mention hell hounds tearing you up) The train tunnel is blocked as is another tunnel I tried. It's starting to get a little frustrating.

"Open ended gameplay" is a little hard to deliver, apparently. Far Cry tried, but they had their artificial boundaries in the form of those attack helicopters that would come from nowhere if you stepped over the mark. (Why didnt they use sharks instead ) Oblivion wasnt much better, very large levels but with just an invisible wall and text message displayed at the boundaries. At least with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. we do have large atmospheric and detailed levels with lots going on.

But I'm really pleased with the combat AI, as its pretty smart and challenging. Its like playing CoR or FEAR, but on the outside.

[traveler]

Originally Posted by zapionics<alt>

The box also says "Windows 2000, SP4". I've never seen anyone try it, but.

Thanks.

I've seen it both ways now. Where it says XP only and where it says win2000 SP4.


I just ordered the Limited Edition Collectors Edition (in the steel box with the map of the game world). It's coming from Singapore (English edition).

Why won't Amazon UK ship it to the US?



__________________

Visit and chat with the Buds at the #ABxZone channel on EFnet Internet Relay Chat
If you don't have it then download mIRC from www.mIRC.com

[johnrr6]

I like the game.....

Smooth as butter with all settings maxed on an e6600 and 8800GTX with 4 gigs of RAM

somewhat Deus Ex like----and that was one of my favorites.....

and the big maps....Far Cry like----and that also was one of my favorites....

It's buggy as heck though----tons of glitches that should have been polished up....

And I'm on the second to the top difficulty and I agree with some who've already said that the difficulty level seems a bit out of whack when a point blank blast from a shotgun will not bring your enemy down (takes TWO point blank blasts)---or an entire magazine of an AK also at point blank range) I guarantee you from personal experience that that is not real world....

Be that as it may----I'm more of a tactics and shooter guy----so I had real problems adjusting to all these "jobs" and sub jobs---plots and sub plots----but on the whole----I like the idea of trading and mangaing my resources.

I'm stuck now----trying to get to the "Dark Valley" to steal the x18 documents

Everywhere I go is blocked by Radiation---anyone have some tips on how to get out....???

The PDA is also telling me I can go back and clean out some bandits at Garbage----which I've already done twice previously......

Also---someone explain to me the artifacts stuff---how I can use them?? I'm just a stupid grunt and all I've been doing is picking them up and trading them for ammo. I know I can hang them on my belt----but the first one I tried to do this elevated my radiation level and killed me....

I know I should be using them to help me----but so far---I haven't used one of them--- I just get em and trade em......

Bolts???----what are the metal bolts for that you have in your fist??

I think this is the type of game you could go back and replay time after time----using different themes like "pistol only" and doing different "jobs"

Oh----and the ONLY guy to throw a grenade at me was a Military guy at the Agropom facility where I stole the first set of documents---seems a bit unlikely overall----I like COD where the grenades came at you hot and heavy...

[Kimbo]

Originally Posted by traveler

Why won't Amazon UK ship it to the US?

for the same reason amazon US won't ship software internationally....
bastards!!!!

ps: what site did you order from ?

[Kimbo]

Originally Posted by johnrr6

Bolts???----what are the metal bolts for that you have in your fist??

i think their only real purpose is to throw them into the anomalies to trigger them or temporarily stop them or in fact to even see or know that some of them are there. ..and maybe even throw them to create noise to lure enemies a particular way.

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by Kimbo

i think their only real purpose is to throw them into the anomalies to trigger them or temporarily stop them or in fact to even see or know that some of them are there. ..and maybe even throw them to create noise to lure enemies a particular way.

Thanks----any ideas on how I use all these Artifiacts??

Hang them on my belt and they do just what????

[zapionics<alt>]

Originally Posted by johnrr6

Thanks----any ideas on how I use all these Artifiacts??

Hang them on my belt and they do just what????

Ok, very minor spoilers for people still playing in the first 2 levels, Cordon and first few missions in the Garbage, ok for anyone who has gone beyond that :

Spoiler:

The reason I see this info below as a spoiler is because its all pretty much a learning curve at the start of the game which fits in with the plot (you just woke up in this place and dont know jack) and can be a lot of fun learning how it all hangs together. After that its pretty basic. Dont read this unless you are the type of person who is really getting very VERY frustrated with the game at the start, or if you have already done a few jobs in Garbage and know your way around there.

The artifacts have different properties (both negative and positive/strengths and weaknesses), as you know, and some will reduce radiation affects.
If you can find an artifact with this property in abundance (there are a few) then it will counter balance the increase in radiation from the other artifacts you are carrying so you can wear them safely and travel through heavily radiated areas.

Also ther is medicine which will help you recover from radiation sickness when you are exposed. Some artifacts also have healing properties which can reduce your dependance on health packs a lot.

Different armour has different properties too. If you look at the inventory screen you will see a small properties window in the lower right which lists all the properties and how they are currently being affected.

So you need to manage weapons, ammo, armour, artifacts, medicine, food and things like rifle scopes and grenade launchers, etc, they're ALL equally important.

After I realised all this I actively started investigating anomalies and artifacts a lot more and have collected some very rare and useful ones. The best are the ones that have only positive affects. Also excess artifacts are a great way to gain cash in trade.

Earlier in the game cash does not play a big part, the focus is more on learning about the different artifacts and their properties, but later on cash does become more useful. I think this is a nice touch because having to worry about budget straight up would have been a PITA.

Kimbo is right about the bolts. Very useful for detecting anomalies.

And I'm on the second to the top difficulty and I agree with some who've already said that the difficulty level seems a bit out of whack when a point blank blast from a shotgun will not bring your enemy down (takes TWO point blank blasts)---or an entire magazine of an AK also at point blank range) I guarantee you from personal experience that that is not real world....

True, however there is a way to rationalise this which may help suspend the disbelief; the enemy humans often may carry artifacts which reduce their damage. (Aritfacts are effectively like magic) Also I'm playing on "Stalker" level which I find to be very challenging but usually not frustrating. So I cant imagine playing it on the higher levels. I think the higher levels increase the amount of damage enemies can take.

...I'm more of a tactics and shooter guy----so I had real problems adjusting to all these "jobs" and sub jobs---plots and sub plots----but on the whole----I like the idea of trading and mangaing my resources...

I was doing all the jobs, wanted to experience them all and I have done most. What I've found is that some jobs are a lot of fun, but the biggest benefit can be from the information you sometimes receive and some useful rewards you can get.

Spoiler:

I also realised that doing all jobs just for the sake of it may not be a good strategy in some cases

...Smooth as butter with all settings maxed on an e6600 and 8800GTX with 4 gigs of RAM...

heh, it should be. I get periodic stutters, only a few just for a few seconds every so often. I put it down to loading of objects. Sometimes it will appear to freeze up for about a second but then comes back again. Do you ever get that with your setup?

[zapionics<alt>]

I'm really enjoying this game a lot

Hunting for rare artifacts is fun (now that I can resist a lot of radiation) and I've built up a good inventory.

The interaction and combination of artifacts, armour, weapons loadout and jobs makes this game very absorbing and fun. And once you get used to the clunky interface then its not such a pain.

My character is sporting a Tunder S14 assault rifle and wearing a SSP-99M modified suit. Pretty much unstoppable (at least until my ammo runs out).

I'm heading off to Strelocks hiding place to meet with the Dr now...

[traveler]

Originally Posted by Kimbo

for the same reason amazon US won't ship software internationally....
bastards!!!!

ps: what site did you order from ?

I'll go check and get back to you on that.



__________________

Visit and chat with the Buds at the #ABxZone channel on EFnet Internet Relay Chat
If you don't have it then download mIRC from www.mIRC.com