STALKER sequel and Expansion coming

[Maxon]

Well I have the Russian version of Call of Pripyat with sometimes good, but mostly poor English, and it seems to be running quite smashingly compared to previous versions.  It doesn't seem much graphically better and when I bumped the graphics to the max, I can still run it very well, but for some reason I'm having a bug where there is like this large circle around and when I move, it follows me and where the circle ends, like a ten foot bubble around me, the grass texture is replaced with basic rock.  There's no performance loss, but it's just odd and could just be happening due to how I have the game.

Though for some reason looking at water ripples kills my performance.  Framerate death by at least half or more.  I can run through water, but I can't actually look down to like pick something up.  It's weird.

Anyways, I haven't played much other than a little wandering around the starting area which is the brand new place you might've seen in videos with the abandoned ships.  There are some nice tweaks to the inventory, map, and so on, but still very familiar.  I won't be able to comment too much on story or missions other than being able to do them, since the English is so bad, it's like talking to a Russian after he just got off the plane and learned English while on the flight.  Very broken.  Very bad and kinda funny, but gameplay is certainly playable.

But since Brutal Legend is out today, I probably won't be playing STALKER till later this week, heh.

[Spore]

It doesn't seem much graphically better and when I bumped the graphics to the max, I can still run it very well.

You aren't playing it on max until you play it with DirectX 11, even if it just means slightly rounder barrels. ):< I don't know if they have that feature implemented in the Russian version yet though.

[KorJax]

DX11 looks almost exactly the same as DX10 in CoP except slightly more optimized I guess and a few minor tweaks to soft shadowing/color correction.

[Spore]

DX11 looks almost exactly the same as DX10 in CoP except slightly more optimized I guess and a few minor tweaks to soft shadowing/color correction.

The tessellation actually does make things look more realistic. It gives round things a more round look. It will apparently also lead to much more gradual LoD changing.

[Maxon]

Completely maxed or not, I just played for two hours right from the start, having wandered around most of the first area and I didn't get one freezeup or crash.  I did get a full system restart during a mission that I think involves attacking, but that just might be a bug with the mission.  But overall it is a way more solid release compared to the previous versions.  Really nice to see them put alot of time into making sure it's less bug free.  Has me more excited for STALKER 2

And this is with the early Russian version.  With the English version looking to come out in Quarter 1 of next year, that's alot of time for more polish.

[Spore]

And this is with the early Russian version.  With the English version looking to come out in Quarter 1 of next year, that's alot of time for more polish.

And for the mods to start rolling out.

[KorJax]

[quote author=KorJax link=topic=2684.msg117776#msg117776 date=1255443474]
DX11 looks almost exactly the same as DX10 in CoP except slightly more optimized I guess and a few minor tweaks to soft shadowing/color correction.

The tessellation actually does make things look more realistic. It gives round things a more round look. It will apparently also lead to much more gradual LoD changing.
[/quote]

What exactly is "tesselation" in these terms?

I never really understood the difference from looking at compairison screenshots.

[Spore]

What exactly is "tesselation" in these terms?

I never really understood the difference from looking at compairison screenshots.

For the sake of super duper simplicity, just say it is making detail where there wasn't detail before.
No tessellation:


Tessellelation:


In terms of Stalker... No tessellation: Look at the front of the mask or the circular filter thingie. Notice how you can see that it isn't a smooth circle.


Tessellation: Much smoother in those spots.


Small differences, but they have their uses.

[Benito Mussolini]

Huge difference between the two couples of "No DeeplInkIng please!" texts, Spore  :-\.

[Spore]

You can see that the e's and s's are slightly smoother with the DX11. Let me fix it to demonstrate it better.

All better.

[Maxon]

Well after having put at least 20 hours into the game through multiple playthroughs, I gotta say this game is impressive.  I can play for hours with not one bug or crash.  For some reason STALKER games don't like my graphics card and I get overheating reboots, but that's a probably on my end and not really with the game itself, so I can't fault it there.

The only downside of the game is that it is short.  There's three new areas, two of which had alot of work put into them.  Pripyat is the third and last area, but it's mostly just a few main quests and then the end of the game.  You can explore, but there isn't much to explore as say the first two areas.

Basically the tradeoff of this release is there is less to do, but the experience is much more enjoyable and really, it just puts it down to the length of some average games out there lol

Overall the changes to upgrades, gear, missions, and other things are really welcomed, and if this is combined into the size of what I'm hoping STALKER 2 will be, we'll be looking at an amazing game that'll knock the socks off the original release.

Now to wait and see what kind of mods will be released by the English release, such as adding whole new areas, since apparently it's been proven easy to port COP maps to SHOC.

**ALSO**
Here's the end of the month update for the Russian version, introducing that Tesselation to the game for DX11 users.

Total

- In the advanced graphics settings added option "tessellation" (for DX11);
- Added support for advanced instruction of the latest models of processors;
- Improved support for integrated graphics Intel;
- Vital reduced load times and improved overall performance when using DX11;
- Improved texture on the 32-bit systems;
- Added ability to simultaneously run the game under different user accounts;
- The possibility to run the game under a user account with restricted privileges;
- Improved system falling knife;

Single player

- Fixed a crash with the message "gamedata \ scripts \ xr_effects.script: 1288: attempt to index global 'npc' (a nil value)";
- Fixed a crash with the message "Arguments: bad node in heap";
- Fixed a crash with the message "any vertex in patrol path [...] is inaccessible for object [...]";
- Fixed a crash with the message "bone <obj-> PHGetSyncItemsNumber ()";
- Fixed a crash with the message "xrGame.dll, CxIOFile:: Scanf ()";
- Fixed crash when opening "message history" in the CPC;
- Fixed crash when you try to talk to the shingle after hunting Creek;
- Fixed crash when you try to talk to the shingle after it was found Magpie;
- Fixed crash when you try to talk to Kowalski after setting the "One Shot";
- Fixed crash when trying to talk to Bear after the job "Hostage";
- Fixed crash when you try to talk to Sychom after setting the "Transaction";
- Fixed crash when talking with Herman about research during the job "Investigation of anomalies;
- Fixed crash when trying to give Azot more material than was originally in the game;
- Fixed hang on the loading level;
- Fixed inability to continue the game after the issuance of the job "One Shot";

- Added saving rate approximation in dynamic elevations;

Multiplayer

- Optimized network part of the game, which substantially reduced the number used by traffic;
- Improved system to combat cheaters;

- Fixed crash when connecting to the server, by changing the team and when the map changes;
- Fixed crash when attempting to connect to GameSpy no connection to the Internet;
- Fixed a crash when the collection of statistics;
- Fixed crash when recording a demo;
- Fixed game hang if the server was forbidden mode observer;

- Fixed the loss of character during the spawn;
- Fixed the lack of ammunition for the pistol in the "team against the team";

[at0m]

Necro bump, Call of Pripyat got released this week. Anyone buy it?

[Spore]

Necro bump, Call of Pripyat got released this week. Anyone buy it?

Waiting for Steam release.

[Maxon]

I bought it.  I think the US version is even more stable than the Russian version I played last year.  Of course it's nice being able to understand the story in proper English.  I'm already looking to a few mods to enhance this playthrough, specifically one that makes everything winter which is an interesting change.

[KorJax]

Meh this was on my list of things to get but it's now indefinitely backlogged in favor of ME2, SupCom2, And BS2 (which I'll probibly just rent).

[at0m]

[quote author=at0m link=topic=2684.msg135746#msg135746 date=1265472792]
Necro bump, Call of Pripyat got released this week. Anyone buy it?

Waiting for Steam release.
[/quote]Same here, but figured it was worth checking if someone'd bought it to find out if it was worthwhile

[Maxon]

Though it doesn't do as much as new as the last two games and I think it's shorter, the game itself is pure STALKER.  It has three reasonably sized areas, all new, it has an alright story, but to me it's such a welcomed changed in quality that to me the experience is very nice.  They could've added abit more to the game, but I think it's another perfect game for some great modding and there's already a number of mods, though a few need to be tweaked to be usable for the English version cause they come with shitty translations.

Here's that snow mod I'm looking at using.

[Spore]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. Now available on Steam.

Edit: Holy shit, if you own STALKER or Clear Sky it's only 20 dollars.

[at0m]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. Now available on Steam.

Edit: Holy shit, if you own STALKER or Clear Sky it's only 20 dollars.

snagged, although $30 for a new game isn't bad either

[Wedge]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. Now available on Steam.

Edit: Holy shit, if you own STALKER or Clear Sky it's only 20 dollars.

I have Stalker but not on Steam.  It still lists it for $20 for me anyways???