S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Half Life 2 and Doom 3 gets some SERIOUS competition

[Despair]

Check out the trailers and screenshots for this upcoming PC game.

Hi-res: http://www.stalker-game.com/_exlink....trailer_hr.avi

Lo-res: http://www.stalker-game.com/_exlink....trailer_lr.avi

Official website: http://www.stalker-game.com/

Screenshots:







Beautiful



Very impressive lighting.











My thoughts

. It looks amazing. Extremely real. Damn. And the setting is original too. I mean how many games is set in Ukraine, in the area of radioactive contamination. Its developed by Russian and US company, and technology is way cool

And those physics. Damn, when the guy shot enemy from the top of roof and it fell, and hit the roof and rolled. Very cool.

And its always cool to be able to drive cars.

I'm definately very interested.

[Kidnemo]

*downloading trailer*

[Videodrone]

interested. looks like a better done SOF. Vehicle are always cool if done right.
Half-Life with reign based on it's amazing level of interaction. Doom has the Doom name and Trent. Im sure this one will get buried in that mess.

[Captain Vegetable]

Doesn't look to "SERIOUS" to me...

[Despair]

And why not? From the techincal point of view, its very impressive. Watch the trailer, see the ligthing fx and the way physics work, its very impressive.

[epmode]

the environments are beautiful. i love the setting.

[Captain Vegetable]

Originally posted by Despair
And why not? From the techincal point of view, its very impressive. Watch the trailer, see the ligthing fx and the way physics work, its very impressive.

There aren't any aliens or demons...that I could see.

In all seriousness, the game looks beautiful, but I'll never play it if it doesn't come to XBOX. That's why it doesn't look serious. Doom III and HL2 are coming to XBOX, so I can get excited about them. I didn't see anything that said this was coming to XBOX.

That's not to say it isn't appealing, as it is. I just don't want to get all worked up for a game I can't play.

[Dolemite]

Sky...pretty...

Seriously, though, looks good. Nice texture detail, and the grass that the guy is crouching in looks damn fine. The premise is interesting, too. I wonder how radiation will factor into the gameplay? I assume that you'll walk around with giger counters and have to find radiation suits before going into certain areas...

[MechDeus]

I'll check out the trailer later today, I just wanted to pop in and say those are some stunningly gorgeous textures. It'll eat up video RAM like not tomorrow but it'll be worth it for that beauty.

[Joust Williams]

Serious competition for what? I am assuming we are coming from the school of thought that says "More polys = better game", and if so, then I totally agree.

[epmode]

Originally posted by BoBVila
Serious competition for what? I am assuming we are coming from the school of thought that says "More polys = better game", and if so, then I totally agree.

sigh. i know i shouldn't respond to such an obvious troll, but did you even *watch* the video?

[Despair]

Originally posted by Dolemite
Sky...pretty...

Seriously, though, looks good. Nice texture detail, and the grass that the guy is crouching in looks damn fine. The premise is interesting, too. I wonder how radiation will factor into the gameplay? I assume that you'll walk around with giger counters and have to find radiation suits before going into certain areas...

Actually yes. If you read more info on the official site, it goes into alot of details on how the world of the game will work. Its simular to rpg, but without leveling up. And monster AI should be very impressive, with certain type of mutants being able to control groups of NPCs to attack you, scout, use them as distraction and such. Enemy AI and interaction said to be quite simular to what HL2 will have.

I couldnt find specific system requirements on it, but I'm sure it will be quite high.

Originally posted by Captain Vegetable
There aren't any aliens or demons...that I could see.

In all seriousness, the game looks beautiful, but I'll never play it if it doesn't come to XBOX. That's why it doesn't look serious. Doom III and HL2 are coming to XBOX, so I can get excited about them. I didn't see anything that said this was coming to XBOX.

That's not to say it isn't appealing, as it is. I just don't want to get all worked up for a game I can't play.

Well, Since it THQ, the game has chance to come to Xbox eventually. I just wonder who everything will be implemented. Especially with use of Russian in dialogs(in trailer many of character speak Russian)

[Joust Williams]

"sigh. i know i shouldn't respond to such an obvious troll, but did you even *watch* the video?"

Did you even *play* the game?

Yes, I've seen this game before. It's old news, and it was a long time ago. I didn't mean to OFFEND anyone, but I forgot. This is the internet.

[Despair]

You still here? Whats your point about bitching about this game???

[Joust Williams]

Uh...where did I bitch about the game? All I see is a video. If you can point to the game for me, please let me know. I'm all stoked for it now, really!

[Despair]

You did say "More polys = better game", and while I cant tell you without playing it, if it will be good or not, it does look marvelous, and Serious Competition ment in graphical sense, and in the way the game interaction and physics work.

[Drewbacca]

Originally posted by epmode
sigh. i know i shouldn't respond to such an obvious troll, but did you even *watch* the video?

Despite his delivery, he has a strong and valid message. So far I haven't seen too much that will put this in serious contension to make me buy this over a Halflife 2 or Doom III. However, it still looks like a pretty cool game.

What's the release on this sucker?

[Joust Williams]

Sorry. I assumed you meant competition as a game, because so far, there are three games on the table, none of which I can play.

I believe that the date is now early 2004, but there are always conflicts. This game has been delayed ta least once.

[Drewbacca]

So it's not even contending with Halflife 2 head on or anything like that.

[Glock17]

The detail put into that game is astonishing. I'd really love to see how this game compares against the likes of Doom 3 and Half-Life 2

[Sqoon]

Whoa. This game is heavilly based on the Strugatsky Brothers' short story "Roadside Picnic" (which was made into one of the most fantastic movies ever, Stalker). I'm really interested in this one now.

[Rumpy]

Sky textures have come a long way haven't they? I just hope this game looks "populated", not just you walking around some empty buildings and a pretty field. I'll download the trailer now.

[Tain]

The game does look pretty, but the physics really don't seem to compare to those of HL2. Yeah, the bodies flew around realistically, but outside of that, I didn't see too much.


/me takes the 'wait and see' stance.

[Despair]

World Information:

"The world of the Zone is a huge derelict territory of half-ruined buildings unruffled for 20 years, woodlands and anomalous greenery. The Zone world features neglected underground and ground laboratories, dead military bases and proving grounds for new technologies. Radioactive land is covered with ulcers of scorched earth, poisonous fogs, deadly gravitational anomalies. This is the world of a disastrous industrial and ecological catastrophe. And in the hub of this man-caused hell the wreckage of Chernobyl atomic facility rests.

We create the Zone based on reconstruction of Chernobyl atomic power plant and the 20-kilometer zone around it. Players, while progressing through the game, will see the Dead Forest, cities of Pripyat' and Chernobyl, sneak inside the Chernobyl atomic facility sarcophagus, go through the memorable areas, really existing in the epicentre of the tragedy to have occurred some 16 years ago.

We do our best to reproduce the atmosphere of industrial and ecological catastrophe of Chernobyl in detail, so, undeniably, all the zone sights will be easily recognizable. Photos and video materials acquired during our trip to Chernobyl, provide ample of information to meet this very purpose, ensuring the textures and architecture are of utmost realism."

Gameplay information:

"The player travels over immense world of the Zone, its all locations joined into one global map. He can choose any route and will not be limited in his traversing the Zone. The player will be offered free exploration full of generated and scenario-imposed tasks, participation in the eerie events of a murky world.

The player will become a stalker, a guy who earns money from shoveling embers out of infernal oven of Chernobyl Zone. Returning from the radioactivity-blazing Zone, he will sell anomalous formations to underground dealers and scientists in research camps on the Zone border.

With the money procured, the player will purchase equipment, weapons and protective suits allowing him to reach previously inaccessible areas.

This is a role-playing game without growing experience of your character, without changing characteristics and levels. We want the player to develop his real mastery, moreover Stalker is an action/RPG game and much depends on his ability to fight. Changing characteristics, levels and player's experience, to our mind, would destroy the realism we try to create. As far as the rest is concerned, this is almost a normal PRG game where players travel the Zone, collect artifacts, weapons, reveal anomalous zones, communicate and trade with NPCs etc."

Communication with NPCs:

"The Player's communication with the game characters will serve an essential part of the gameplay. By means of communication the player will find out important information, acquire tasks, trade or make deals to accomplish a task co-operatively. Apart from humans, the player will also be able to communicate with sapient mutant creatures. Talks with NPCs will in no way interrupt the game. If the player says something and distances from the character, the latter may re-ask or complain he cannot hear the player well. Thus, for instance, you will be able to communicate with a teammate sitting in an ambush and watching the enemy movements or attack your interlocutor. Additionally, the talk can be broken off at any moment, and interlocutor's verbiage can be interrupted with a next question.

The game will be strongly influenced by communication and NPCs' attitude towards the player. For example, under a bad attitude, trader will refuse to trade or will charge an exorbitant price, and stalkers will open fire as soon as they recognise the player."

Trade:

"Trade will be realistic, as you are given a chance to purchase, exchange or sell everything: ammunition, equipment or artifacts. You can trade with the army, traders, stalkers and scientists. To give you an idea how this will look in the game: the player comes across with a veteran stalker in the Zone, they greet each other, agree to remove weapons, then come closer to each other and start trading. They exchange phrases through communication system. Soviet roubles will be the game currency."

Originally posted by Tain
The game does look pretty, but the physics really don't seem to compare to those of HL2. Yeah, the bodies flew around realistically, but outside of that, I didn't see too much.


* Tain takes the 'wait and see' stance.

Well, No one is claiming this one is better than HL2 Plus we didnt get to see almost any of the monsters in the game. I personally would love to see how will the group of posessed zombies along with the controller will react in the action.

[The Ampersand]

Hrm, I hope there's some form of transportation other than walking. That might make the game a little annoying to play.

But, man-oh-man, those are some beautiful skies. Otherwise, I'd say the game isn't as good looking as Doom 3, and it would be awesome if the AI turns out to be on par with HL2. Unless this game turn out to be total crap, I'll probably get it once it arrives.

EDIT: Just watched the trailer. Whew, vehicles are in. Cool.

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by Andrew
So it's not even contending with Halflife 2 head on or anything like that.

The PC industry is the worst when it comes to hitting release dates. If Half-Life 2 actually makes it out in 2003, I'll kick my own ass for doubting Valve. We all know how much the original game was delayed right?!

[Chojin]

Originally posted by Videodrone
Doom has the Doom name and Trent.

Actually if I'm not mistaken, Trent quit the Doom 3 project not too long ago.

[Rich]

Uh...is the area around Chernobyl even inhabitable yet, or does this game take place in the future?

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by Rich
Uh...is the area around Chernobyl even inhabitable yet, or does this game take place in the future?

Future, I think.

[StriderKyo]

Wow, that's absolutely gorgeous. I have to wonder if Xbox could pull that off.