I've played STALKER for 3 hours. So far i'm bored and unimpressed.

I want to like this game. Really, I do. So far though it's not doing anything for me. It's ugly, buggy, bland, the combat is nothing special and overall just not fun. I'm seriously considering just putting it up on Ebay. :(Skeptomania

yes bro is a stupid f...ing game And i wait 2 years this game :(

Stalker is NOT your run-of-the-mill type FPS! If you like Doom3, Call of Duty, etc... you might NOT like Stalker.

Stalker plays more like an RPG than a FPS and any serious RPG gamer has the patiance of a saint. I've put about 12 hr's into Stalker and I love it! Did not spent a second being bored!!! The game has it's flaws (even after the patch) and I'm having a hard time getting along with the weight limit... and the enemies has a bad habbit of flanking you:) It's still a great deal of fun though!!

Stalker is NOT your run-of-the-mill type FPS! If you like Doom3, Call of Duty, etc... you might NOT like Stalker.

Stalker plays more like an RPG than a FPS and any serious RPG gamer has the patiance of a saint. I've put about 12 hr's into Stalker and I love it! Did not spent a second being bored!!! The game has it's flaws (even after the patch) and I'm having a hard time getting along with the weight limit... and the enemies has a bad habbit of flanking you:) It's still a great deal of fun though!!

MindlessTeef

I want to like this game. Really, I do. So far though it's not doing anything for me. It's ugly, buggy, bland, the combat is nothing special and overall just not fun. I'm seriously considering just putting it up on Ebay. :(Skeptomania

Its a so so game. Could of done a much better job on the pda and organized the quests better and the none stop attacks even after you've done the quest in an area and the soldiers just keep coming and coming gets old fast. Don't have time to relax and loot before another wave is on you.

Buts its amusing to play from time to time. Had a quest to kill a guy and he was 2 others that didn't aggro so just lobbed a grenade in the center and boom quest done :P

Sure the game will get better later with patches and mods.

Yawn another thread for someone who is probably playing it on 640x480. Shocking.

I am using vista put it to high textures everything maxed and arse kicking game. Not many bugs to complain about.

Maybe you should get it patched. 

Yawn another thread for someone who is probably playing it on 640x480. Shocking.

 

I am using vista put it to high textures everything maxed and arse kicking game. Not many bugs to complain about.

Maybe you should get it patched.

ardylicious

Who plays "anything" at 640x480?! :? That's a weird statement. Even if it's a sarcastic one, I can't for the life of me figure out what you're implying there. Oh well, maybe I'm just slow. :P

I just may check this game out soon myself. Sounds kinda cool.

I'm about 7 or 8 hours in and I'm absolutely loving it. The combat really becomes enjoyable once you get the hang of how the weapons in this game handle. You can't run around emptying your clip, you need to use cover at long distances with the more innacurate weapons (which is what you have early in the game), close distance, take your time, and aim. Or early on you can opt to go crazy at point-blank range with sub-machine guns and your trusty sawed-off. Once you get the AKM/2, you'll start hitting your targets quite accurately from large distances..and it only gets better from there. With the more accurate assault weapons I'm sporting now, I can pull off headshots consistently from huge ranges.

The AI is spotty in some areas, but for the most part, it's quite advanced/challanging. You'll be spotted quite easily if you're in your enemies field of view, but they don't have godlike senses where it's impossible to sneak up on them and knife 'em. The only time where you're at a real disadvantage against enemies is early in the game, in the dark, with the poor starting weapons and no night vision..

The wheather effects are amazing, the visuals in general are also quite good (if unpolished,) and the atmosphere conveyed in this game is unlike any game I've ever played. The limited inventory mechanic is a nice addition, the huge range of weapons and ammunition is awesome, and, most of all, the freedom you're given in this game is refreshing after being force-fed these rail shooters year after year after year.

The game underdelivered on what was promised, but I'm pleasently surprised at how well the game turned out. I've said it a couple times now: this game, imo, is by far THE best singleplayer shooter in the past few years. I've only run in to one bug so far involving the completion of one of the Freedom missions, but it was fixed with a simple re-loading of the zone..this is without the new patch, which I plan on installing once I complete my first play-through.

It's ugly.Skeptomania

How exactly is it ugly?

buggySkeptomania

There's a patch out, you might wanna check it out. FYI, I have encountered zero bugs through my 5 hours of gameplay.

blandSkeptomania

In my opinion, the atmosphere is great. This is one of the games that make me jump outta my chair, and it happens pretty darn often when I play Stalker. Heh.

the combat is nothing specialSkeptomania

The combat is by far one of the best ones I have ever seen. It takes time to kill enemies, which is why the game's so rewarding. It's called "realism" ;]

I'm not trying to bash you or anything, just telling my opinion on the game.

Peace.

It sucks that the only way i've been able to play this game without it freezing is turning it down to ugly settings... no light and medium on everything else...

i guess i have to wait for another patch to come out and hope that it fixes my situation...but i really like the game when it does work

After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. MadExponent

After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland.MadExponent

El oh el...this coming from a Gears of War fan? STALKER certainly has more color and brighter conditions than GeOW does.

Seriously, how would you expect a conflict-conditioned nuclear wasteland to look?

I want to like this game. Really, I do. So far though it's not doing anything for me. It's ugly, buggy, bland, the combat is nothing special and overall just not fun. I'm seriously considering just putting it up on Ebay. :(Skeptomania

It is totally on par with Oblivion. You either love it or hate it. I go back and forth, but then I did on Oblivion as well. I keep going back to it though because it has some seriously difficult battles. My only gripe is (mind you I have not patched yet) is that some missions don't seem to be able to be completed and some after you beat them pop back up again if you go near that area. Unusual. I also don't like how some checkpoints you spent a ton of ammo clearing out respawns after you leave the board and come back. Other than it rocks.

After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. MadExponent

I think you are too stuck on your "Mad" rig to get this game. I guess it doesn't use your system to it's fullest. I am sure there is something flashier out there for you. By the way it take place in Russia after a nuclear disaster, it's not supposed to look like FarCry. The gameplay is realistic, not run and gun, and yes it is work, but that's why people are enjoying it. Sorry they didn't include a way for you to instantly transport yourself around. That is why it is brilliant. I have died countless time by being suprised by something roaming the wastelands. It feels like a true survival/horror game. One mans garbage is another mans treasure.

It is totally on par with Oblivion. You either love it or hate it. I go back and forth, but then I did on Oblivion as well. I keep going back to it though because it has some seriously difficult battles. My only gripe is (mind you I have not patched yet) is that some missions don't seem to be able to be completed and some after you beat them pop back up again if you go near that area. Unusual. I also don't like how some checkpoints you spent a ton of ammo clearing out respawns after you leave the board and come back. Other than it rocks.

Cabal23

Now that I think about it, I've had a problem with mission objectives not being completed correctly in my PDA log (I haven't patched either). I've never had a problem with missions themselves being completed though other than on one occasion, where I had to re-load the zone and it fixed. Even if the mission objective doesn't show as being registered correctly, I've always been able to go up to the person I turn it in to (after being sure I really completed it) and I've always been able to turn it in and get the reward(s), even when the little green light isn't lit up to confirm the objective's been completed.

I've never had any ammo problems personally, I even often find myself having too MUCH ammo..and I constantly have to drop many boxes of ammunition to reduce the weight I'm carrying. I'm also starting to find tons and tons of grenades (I have like 20ish in my inventory now) so I'm having to use those much more often than I have in the past.

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. ardylicious

[QUOTE="ardylicious"][QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. MadExponent

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. Cabal23

I think you are too stuck on your "Mad" rig to get this game. I guess it doesn't use your system to it's fullest. I am sure there is something flashier out there for you. By the way it take place in Russia after a nuclear disaster, it's not supposed to look like FarCry. The gameplay is realistic, not run and gun, and yes it is work, but that's why people are enjoying it. Sorry they didn't include a way for you to instantly transport yourself around. That is why it is brilliant. I have died countless time by being suprised by something roaming the wastelands. It feels like a true survival/horror game. One mans garbage is another mans treasure.

[QUOTE="ardylicious"][QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. MadExponent

LOL.

1) 16xAA (as in 2x2 supersampling + 4x multisampling) isn't compatible at the driver-level beyond resolutions of 1280x1024.

2) Anti-aliasing isn't even compatible with STALKER at max settings (full dynamic lighting) even IF forced at the driver-level.

3) Those settings, if even possible, would be likely to bring even that rig to its knees.

Try again.

[QUOTE="MadExponent"][QUOTE="ardylicious"][QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. Velocitas8

LOL.

1) 16xAA (as in 2x2 supersampling + 4x multisampling) isn't compatible at the driver-level beyond resolutions of 1280x1024.

2) Anti-aliasing isn't even compatible with STALKER at max settings (full dynamic lighting) even IF forced at the driver-level.

3) Those settings, if even possible, would be likely to bring even that rig to its knees.

Try again.

[QUOTE="Cabal23"]

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. MadExponent

I think you are too stuck on your "Mad" rig to get this game. I guess it doesn't use your system to it's fullest. I am sure there is something flashier out there for you. By the way it take place in Russia after a nuclear disaster, it's not supposed to look like FarCry. The gameplay is realistic, not run and gun, and yes it is work, but that's why people are enjoying it. Sorry they didn't include a way for you to instantly transport yourself around. That is why it is brilliant. I have died countless time by being suprised by something roaming the wastelands. It feels like a true survival/horror game. One mans garbage is another mans treasure.

Half-Life 2 doesn't touch this game visually. Lost Coast? MAYBE..but not HL2. The visuals aren't spectacular, but they aren't bad either. The lighting and shadowing in this game @ max, in particular, are excellent. Probably some of the best, maybe even the best lighting/shadowing to date. Maybe you're refering to the game's art style?

When I get home from work I will post screenshots of it. 16xAA/16xAF is something I have to force in the drivers. It does not bring it to its knees either. With fraps on it runs @ 40-50fps. When I disable 16xAA and AF and use ingame settings it jumps back up into the 100's. I'm using the 100.41 Forcewares. So anyways. Ugly game. Period.MadExponent

You do that.

Edit: Missed the SLI part, so it probably wouldn't bring it to its knees, but that doesn't changed the fact that it isn't even possible to force AA in this game with full dynamic lighting enabled (even with nHancer), and that 16xAA isn't possible at that resolution ;)

[QUOTE="MadExponent"][QUOTE="Cabal23"]

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]After seeing so many beautiful new games STALKER looks completely washed out and bland. The gameplay is not fun and feels more like work than anything I have ever played. Velocitas8

I think you are too stuck on your "Mad" rig to get this game. I guess it doesn't use your system to it's fullest. I am sure there is something flashier out there for you. By the way it take place in Russia after a nuclear disaster, it's not supposed to look like FarCry. The gameplay is realistic, not run and gun, and yes it is work, but that's why people are enjoying it. Sorry they didn't include a way for you to instantly transport yourself around. That is why it is brilliant. I have died countless time by being suprised by something roaming the wastelands. It feels like a true survival/horror game. One mans garbage is another mans treasure.

Half-Life 2 doesn't touch this game visually. Lost Coast? MAYBE..but not HL2. The visuals aren't spectacular, but they aren't bad either. The lighting and shadowing in this game @ max, in particular, are excellent. Probably some of the best, maybe even the best lighting/shadowing to date. Maybe you're refering to the game's art style?

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]When I get home from work I will post screenshots of it. 16xAA/16xAF is something I have to force in the drivers. It does not bring it to its knees either. With fraps on it runs @ 40-50fps. When I disable 16xAA and AF and use ingame settings it jumps back up into the 100's. I'm using the 100.41 Forcewares. So anyways. Ugly game. Period.Velocitas8

You do that.

[QUOTE="Velocitas8"][QUOTE="MadExponent"]When I get home from work I will post screenshots of it. 16xAA/16xAF is something I have to force in the drivers. It does not bring it to its knees either. With fraps on it runs @ 40-50fps. When I disable 16xAA and AF and use ingame settings it jumps back up into the 100's. I'm using the 100.41 Forcewares. So anyways. Ugly game. Period.ardylicious

You do that.

Exactly. No one could possibly be excited about seeing screenshots of THIS game running at absolute MAXED settings. It just does not look good and no one cares.MadExponent

The game is far from looking bad. The atmosphere in the game is nice, the technical side when it comes to environment scale and object/landscape lighting/shadows is probably some of the best I've ever seen, and textures are nice for the most part. The day/night cycles are very impressive, as are the wheather effects. Have you sat through a lightning storm yet? Have you even spent time playing the game beyond the first zone instead of just looking at it and b!tching?

Oh, and before you embarrass yourself: STALKER uses deferred rendering, and you CANNOT enable FSAA no matter WHAT card you have, even at the driver level, unless you're running the game in DX8 mode with static lighting. Whether your framerate goes down when you force it in your driver panel is irrelevant. Aliasing WILL persist.

I think Stalker is pretty nice, although I had expected a lot more in terms of freedom, you're still bound to the main story, and the side quests are pretty bland, and the world isn't much to explore just for the heck of it.

But still, the firefights are pretty nice, although I'm not really driven to continue as of now (I'm currently in Dark Valley). I'm hoping the story will turn out to be worth it.

IMO, they should simply have made a lot larger and with more freedom.
ShotGunBunny

[QUOTE="MadExponent"]Exactly. No one could possibly be excited about seeing screenshots of THIS game running at absolute MAXED settings. It just does not look good and no one cares.Velocitas8

The game is far from looking bad. The atmosphere in the game is nice, the technical side when it comes to environment scale and object/landscape lighting/shadows is probably some of the best I've ever seen, and textures are nice for the most part. The day/night cycles are very impressive, as are the wheather effects. Have you sat through a lightning storm yet? Have you even spent time playing the game beyond the first zone instead of just looking at it and b!tching?

Oh, and before you embarrass yourself: STALKER uses deferred rendering, and you CANNOT enable FSAA no matter WHAT card you have, even at the driver level, unless you're running the game in DX8 mode with static lighting. Whether your framerate goes down when you force it in your driver panel is irrelevant. Aliasing WILL persist.

Textures are nice in some areas. And you are right I have not played enough of the game to see all the stuff you are talking about, but you know what they say...first impressions are the best. And my first impression of this game is the crappy graphics. As far as the antialiasing issue. I have it setup in the drivers to be @ 16xAA and AF. If the game doesn't support it then that is just fine. I won't lose sleep over it. Game still doesn't have nice enough graphics to justify the crappy performance. I was REALLY hoping I would like this game and I was in EB waiting on the delivery from UPS on the day it came out. I am just not impressed by what I have seen so far. I have been a little too busy lately with work that I just could not spend more time with the game.MadExponent

Disable AA if it is dropping your framerate, it has no impact on the game's visuals (anisotropic filtering is uneffected, so leave that enabled). I'm a bit of a graphics whore and the only thing I REALLY hate about the game's visuals is how crappy trees look. I REALLY wish I could enable transparency supersampling so it wouldn't look so bad. Other than that, I'm generally pleased with how the game looks.

You're right about the game's visuals level to performance ratio..it feels pretty unoptimized to me, but I'm still getting great framerates @ max.

My first impressions of the game weren't all that great either, when it came to gameplay. I really only played for 15-30 minuites at a time, and I didn't become terribly interested in the game until I neared the end of Cordon. Once I got used to the game's weapons and got to the second zone, things really started picking up though..and I now play hours at a time. Stick with it! It's a great game, even if flawed in some aspects. You may still find you don't like it, but give it some time before you decide that you hate it.