S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - coming November 20th

[Iucounu]

NPCs wandering aimlessly around the game world is not a fucking feature.

I only remember that from CoP, where the exMonolithians indeed wander around Yanov aimlessly (after being recruited into Duty or Freedom I think), but that's still better than not going anywhere. In the previous games, NPCs usually wander purposefully from their spawn location towards their target location (to replace a killed NPC), which is a great feature since you can encounter them anywhere along the way, across multiple levels.

You don't actually provide any argument as to why that is a great feature. How does that improve the gameplay?

It adds almost endless variation. And not just during replays, even in a single game you never know where you may encounter replacement NPCs. But I think you already know about this.

 

[luj1]

They are so focused on tech and presentation that gameplay suffers

I'm almost certain this will be nowhere near the original

 

[Stavrophore]

The fact that they had chosen nighttime as their gameplay showcase for gamescon is pretty worrying. A lot of detail, not only graphical detail[the demo looks unimpressive, but its console+vid compression], but AI movement and animations can't be really seen. IMHO i don't have high hopes for this, and i don't think even patches will help. We will see though.

 

[Gerrard]

NPCs wandering aimlessly around the game world is not a fucking feature.

I only remember that from CoP, where the exMonolithians indeed wander around Yanov aimlessly (after being recruited into Duty or Freedom I think), but that's still better than not going anywhere. In the previous games, NPCs usually wander purposefully from their spawn location towards their target location (to replace a killed NPC), which is a great feature since you can encounter them anywhere along the way, across multiple levels.

You don't actually provide any argument as to why that is a great feature. How does that improve the gameplay?

It adds almost endless variation. And not just during replays, even in a single game you never know where you may encounter replacement NPCs. But I think you already know about this.

You are just repeating yourself. How does that "endless variation" improve the game? The answer is: it doesn't, because those NPCs being there or not don't affect anything.
In fact, CS would be the only game where the "A-life" can actually affect your playthrough in a non-superficial way, for example Loners taking out the bandits at garbage entrance, saving you the trouble of dealing with them, and even then this is basically the extent of influence. But to know that you'd actually have to play it more than once.

 

[deuxhero]

The fact that they had chosen nighttime as their gameplay showcase for gamescon is pretty worrying. A lot of detail, not only graphical detail[the demo looks unimpressive, but its console+vid compression], but AI movement and animations can't be really seen. IMHO i don't have high hopes for this, and i don't think even patches will help. We will see though.

And that YouTube's compression hates night scenes.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Iucounu]

NPCs wandering aimlessly around the game world is not a fucking feature.

I only remember that from CoP, where the exMonolithians indeed wander around Yanov aimlessly (after being recruited into Duty or Freedom I think), but that's still better than not going anywhere. In the previous games, NPCs usually wander purposefully from their spawn location towards their target location (to replace a killed NPC), which is a great feature since you can encounter them anywhere along the way, across multiple levels.

You don't actually provide any argument as to why that is a great feature. How does that improve the gameplay?

It adds almost endless variation. And not just during replays, even in a single game you never know where you may encounter replacement NPCs. But I think you already know about this.

You are just repeating yourself. How does that "endless variation" improve the game? The answer is: it doesn't, because those NPCs being there or not don't affect anything.

If you don't like repetition, why do you want Stalker to be repetitive?

"Endless variation" affects where and when you encounter enemies, resulting in many more locations and situation where you can fight. This lets you play the game much longer without becoming bored by repetitive situations. It also gives you the impression of a living gameworld that's independent of the player.

In fact, CS would be the only game where the "A-life" can actually affect your playthrough in a non-superficial way, for example Loners taking out the bandits at garbage entrance, saving you the trouble of dealing with them, and even then this is basically the extent of influence.

It can happen in SoC as well. I've encountered Bandits, Loners, Military at the Cordon exit (or nearby). Sometimes nobody's there.

But to know that you'd actually have to play it more than once.

Of course, isn't that what we want? It's thanks to A-Life the Stalker games are so fun to replay, unlike most other games where nothing ever changes.

 

[randir14]

 

[Gerrard]

In fact, CS would be the only game where the "A-life" can actually affect your playthrough in a non-superficial way, for example Loners taking out the bandits at garbage entrance, saving you the trouble of dealing with them, and even then this is basically the extent of influence.

It can happen in SoC as well. I've encountered Bandits, Loners, Military at the Cordon exit (or nearby). Sometimes nobody's there.

Doesn't the game start with the military being at the outpost, and just constantly spawns bandits coming from the garbage level changer so eventually the military are wiped out? It only depends on when you go there.
I don't think it's possible for the scripted bandit event near the entrance to be wiped out by random NPCs before you get there (are they even spawned before you enter garbage?).

 

[Iucounu]

In fact, CS would be the only game where the "A-life" can actually affect your playthrough in a non-superficial way, for example Loners taking out the bandits at garbage entrance, saving you the trouble of dealing with them, and even then this is basically the extent of influence.

It can happen in SoC as well. I've encountered Bandits, Loners, Military at the Cordon exit (or nearby). Sometimes nobody's there.

Doesn't the game start with the military being at the outpost, and just constantly spawns bandits coming from the garbage level changer so eventually the military are wiped out?

It only spawns enough Bandits to replace those that are killed in Cordon, but unless you are nearby they will migrate "offline", which means they won't fight the Military (or others) to my knowledge. New Military may spawn as well (in Garbage?) to replace any from the base (or bridge?) that have been killed, but these replacements only pass by the guard post at the Cordon exit, they don't stay there.

It only depends on when you go there.

And that's the beauty of it.

I don't think it's possible for the scripted bandit event near the entrance to be wiped out by random NPCs before you get there (are they even spawned before you enter garbage?).

True, I don't think any fighting takes place anywhere in SoC with NPCs that are offline (CS is different, there you can watch "fights" all around the Zone on your PDA map).

Not sure what would happen if you are near the robbers at the same time as Military or Loner replacements passed by online, would the latter take a detour around the robbers? Might be worth investigating. I recall there are other places (like the Bar area) where the migrants use routes outside the normal playing area, that way they can avoid fights even if they are online. No idea if that's the case in Garbage too.

 

[NecroLord]

In fact, CS would be the only game where the "A-life" can actually affect your playthrough in a non-superficial way, for example Loners taking out the bandits at garbage entrance, saving you the trouble of dealing with them, and even then this is basically the extent of influence.

It can happen in SoC as well. I've encountered Bandits, Loners, Military at the Cordon exit (or nearby). Sometimes nobody's there.

Doesn't the game start with the military being at the outpost, and just constantly spawns bandits coming from the garbage level changer so eventually the military are wiped out? It only depends on when you go there.
I don't think it's possible for the scripted bandit event near the entrance to be wiped out by random NPCs before you get there (are they even spawned before you enter garbage?).

I remember getting some unfortunate Bandit spawns, but that was it.

 

[Iucounu]

Is it Military NPCs after 6:20?

 

[randir14]

 

[Drakortha]

They gave the player character a voice. He sounds like Jason Brody from Far Cry 3.

 

[randir14]

They gave the player character a voice. He sounds like Jason Brody from Far Cry 3.

Yeah I don't like that. I will be playing it in Ukrainian so at least I won't know if the voice acting is bad or not.

 

[AlwaysBrotoMen]

Game of the year

 

[Drakortha]

I can't believe I missed this. It's worse than I could have ever imagined.

This is the anti-thesis of what made S.T.A.L.K.E.R great. It has to be some kind of joke, there's no other way to put it. How can anyone who played those games think for a second that this will hold up? It's not even close. It can't possibly be.

They took the worst design trend of the last 2 decades, which has almost single handedly ruined exploration and immersion in games, and they dressed it up as an old familiar friend who was once king at those things. Fuck this game and fuck you if you already bought it.

Now be a good little dog and follow that marker from A to B to get your treat. That's a good little dog!

 

[Drakortha]

I petition to have the thread title changed to S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Dopamine Edition

follow up ideas;

S.T.A.L.K.E.R: ADHD Edition
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Zoomer Edition
S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Retadred Edition
Skyrim 2

 

[randir14]

I can't believe I missed this. It's worse than I could have ever imagined.

This is the anti-thesis of what made S.T.A.L.K.E.R great. It has to be some kind of joke, there's no other way to put it. How can anyone who played those games think for a second that this will hold up? It's not even close. It can't possibly be.

They took the worst design trend of the last 2 decades, which has almost single handedly ruined exploration and immersion in games, and they dressed it up as an old familiar friend who was once king at those things. Fuck this game and fuck you if you already bought it.

Now be a good little dog and follow that marker from A to B to get your treat. That's a good little dog!

Gotta have some concessions for the console crowd I guess. But they said all the handholding stuff can be turned off.

 

[Tacgnol]

Nice to actually get some impressions from a fan of the series rather than some IGN retard.

Seems like that guy liked what he saw for the most part.

 

[BrainMuncher]

I can't believe I missed this. It's worse than I could have ever imagined.

This is the anti-thesis of what made S.T.A.L.K.E.R great. It has to be some kind of joke, there's no other way to put it. How can anyone who played those games think for a second that this will hold up? It's not even close. It can't possibly be.

They took the worst design trend of the last 2 decades, which has almost single handedly ruined exploration and immersion in games, and they dressed it up as an old familiar friend who was once king at those things. Fuck this game and fuck you if you already bought it.

Now be a good little dog and follow that marker from A to B to get your treat. That's a good little dog!

Gotta have some concessions for the console crowd I guess. But they said all the handholding stuff can be turned off.

Yeah but you can't turn off all the game and quest design that was done knowing that this was on by default.

 

[NecroLord]

Also a reminder that the original STALKER games were only for the PC Master Race.

 

[ferratilis]

Also a reminder that the original STALKER games were only for the PC Master Race.

As much as I'd like that to be the case, no. GSC has a new target audience, one that never complains and slurps any slop that they are served with:

 

[MasPingon]

I can't believe I missed this. It's worse than I could have ever imagined.

This is the anti-thesis of what made S.T.A.L.K.E.R great. It has to be some kind of joke, there's no other way to put it. How can anyone who played those games think for a second that this will hold up? It's not even close. It can't possibly be.

They took the worst design trend of the last 2 decades, which has almost single handedly ruined exploration and immersion in games, and they dressed it up as an old familiar friend who was once king at those things. Fuck this game and fuck you if you already bought it.

Now be a good little dog and follow that marker from A to B to get your treat. That's a good little dog!

Quest log:
- Use Stalker senses to find a ladder
- Go downstairs using the ladder(the yellow one).

 

[ADL]