S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky

[the_mango55]

Who else is pumped about it?

A group of stalkers has for the first time reached the very heart of the Zone, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and brings about a cataclysm on the edge of a disaster. An enormous blowout of abnormal energy changes the Zone. There are no more reliable and relatively safe roads. The entire levels vanish in the outbursts of anomalies. Stalkers and even expeditions die or end up sealed on the lost territories. New areas, which remained unknown since the time of the Zone emergence, appear on the Zone map. The Zone continues to shake with blowouts. The Zone is unstable. The anomalous activity is at its maximum.

Changes of the Zone map known to stalkers shake the fragile balance of forces in the Zone. Among the groupings, there flare up fighting for the new territories, artifact fields and spheres of influence. There are no more old enemies or friends – now everyone is for himself. The Factions War has started between the groupings. The protagonist is a mercenary who appeared at the edge of the opposition between stalker factions, Strelok and even the Zone itself. The main character will have to play the key role in the events, which led to creation of the Zone up to the point from which the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game begins.

Features:
# Atmosphere of the Exclusion Zone
# Research of new depths of the Zone – Red Forest, Limansk, Pripyat Undergrounds and more.
# A-Life-driven War of the Factions
# Possibility to play and lead any faction to victory
# Advanced A-Life system
# Varied behaviour of NPC stalkers in the A-Life world
# Advanced spectacular storyline scenes
# Improved AI of computer-controlled characters
# Skirting around dynamic obstacles by NPCs
# Use of grenades by NPCs
# Fast Travel
# Improved concept of detectors, artifacts and anomalies
# New system of upgrades for weapons and armor
# Weapons and armor repair
# New version of the game engine - X-Ray 1.5.
# DirectX 10 renderer
# Improved DirectX 9 renderer - parallax bump, soft particles, depth of field, motion blur, eye adaptation effect.
# Cutting-edge and detailed game graphics (normal map)
# Inverse kinematics
# New animation engine


Some of the things I am hoping for is a larger variety of some weapons classes. I would like to see a couple fully automatic shotguns perhaps, I would love to see the Pancor Jackhammer (one of my favorite guns from Fallout). Also, many more SMG's, there was only one real SMG in the original.

I would also like to see heavier weapons, like light machine guns, that are only accurate if you are stationary and/or crouched, and weigh a ton, but will really tear **** up. Also, a prone position would be nice.

[Thanatos]

It better be better than the last one...

It didn't have that completely open-ended feeling that Oblivion had, for example.

[the_mango55]

It better be better than the last one...

It didn't have that completely open-ended feeling that Oblivion had, for example.

I didn't think it was supposed to.

Oblivion was a pure RPG, Stalker was an FPS with RPG elements, like Deus Ex. I thought they did a pretty good job of it for a shooter.

But I think it will be more open than the last one. At least the story is much less linear, they say you can lead any of the 8 factions to victory.

If you're looking for oblivion with guns, I still don't think you'll find it.

BTW, this is a picture about Fallout 3, but is relevant to a discussion of oblivion with guns.

[Thanatos]

ZOMG! The ultra-realistic graphics are just too much!

[Lone rider]

The main character on the pictures looks actually well done, its pretty hard to use paint (which it seems its used here). BUT WTF is it with those pointy ears is he a elf. My long last dream have arrived a combo of good old fashioned rpg and apocalyptic. I knew that Fall out 3 would have new features.

[Renegen]

That Fallout 3 screen is so hilarious, please don't make it like that...

STALKER is in its own category. I succeeds at what it tries to do. I heard the A life system will be even better. Plus 8 factions! This looks like more of a sandbox game.

[Cadmium77]

I was a huge fan of STALKER...until it finally came out. A beautiful game visually at times but what a disappointment. I was embarassed to be playing it. It just didn't come anywhere near what it had claimed to be.

I may play the sequel. But we shall see...I'm sort of maxed out at going through dark tunnels shooting scary monsters...

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

Still PC only I assume ??

[Aristocrat]

It's on my list, and has been since I first heard about it.
But it is sitting below a few other games (Crysis, FarCry2, then this game).

[Giorgos]

I like the fast travel and the joining/leading factions to victory features, but i am not holding my breath. They messed up royally the original, even after so many years in development so the record is not on their side.

[the_mango55]

huh, I never even knew STALKER had a lot of hype around it. I had heard of it, but not that much.

So I guess the let down from everyone expecting the best game ever didn't affect me, and I just played a great game for what it was.

[God-Emperor of Mankind]

huh, I never even knew STALKER had a lot of hype around it. I had heard of it, but not that much.

The hype around Stalker was quite big I would say.
It was almost put up as oblivion with guns offering almost a RPG type of game without loading zones.
However they cut alot of those things out and made Stalker more a regular shooter and couldn't provide the free roaming that they promised(hence the reason why they removed vehicles in the game).

Overall I would say Stalker was a good game.
Good sound(except for the voice but it's natural considering where it's was made), good atmosphere and good AI(not as good as promised but still good).

[hellheaven1987]

Yessss!!!! Finally we have an official thread for this game!!!

Clear Sky will have less map but bigger area in each one, there are also eight factions but you can only join six of them. The best thing is probably better graph, as many players were disappoint about the graph of original game. Hopefully there are more weapons available this time.

I am looking forward a walk in marshland!

[the_mango55]

I hope they put in the P90. If there is one gun that I hope they add, this is it. (followed by the Pancor Jackhammer and M249 SAW).

I have loved that gun since goldeneye.

[hellheaven1987]

I hope they put in the P90. If there is one gun that I hope they add, this is it. (followed by the Pancor Jackhammer and M249 SAW).

I have loved that gun since goldeneye.

Don't think they would put SAW... May be RPK, PKM or M60. I am pretty sure they would put Obankan back since it appears in trailer.

[italiano]

I was a huge fan of STALKER...until it finally came out. A beautiful game visually at times but what a disappointment. I was embarassed to be playing it. It just didn't come anywhere near what it had claimed to be.

To be fair, after such a long time in development can you blame them for just wanting to get the product out? No doubt they had pressure from the publishers to do so and companies need some influx of revenue. I still really enjoyed the game and modding went some way to showing the potential.

I'll probably buy the second game without reading reviews even if it's not much more than the first, but I get the impression that they want to incorporate a lot of the ideas of the original into Clear Sky.

[hellheaven1987]

I'll probably buy the second game without reading reviews even if it's not much more than the first, but I get the impression that they want to incorporate a lot of the ideas of the original into Clear Sky.

Wait, it sounds not very logic; you said it is a disappoint for first game and then claim going to buy the presequal without even check the review first??

Anyway, it is quite clear that Clear Sky is actually a faction in the game.

[Taimee Rose]

Will i have to wait 40 minutes for it to start up, and face 5000 enemies on the first two hours of the game?

[Giorgos]

You wish...you'll probably end up hiding behind trees with a miserable peashooter for the first two hours.

[Thanatos]

You wish...you'll probably end up hiding behind trees with a miserable peashooter for the first two hours.

The first STALKER comes to mind.