Topic: STALKER: Call of Pripyat

[MysterD]

NEW -> 2-6-2014:
STALKER series joins GOG and is DRM-FREE
Here's GOG's Mod Spotlight on the STALKER series


OLD:
STALKER: Call Of Pripyat - SDK Released.
Oh, hell yeah!!! More STALKER games are coming from GSC Game World.
This Autumn 2009, we can expect STALKER: Call of Pripyat coming.
I'm guessing this will probably be another stand-alone expansion (like STALKER: Clear Sky).
Also, GSC Game World is already at work on a full-fledged STALKER 2.

[Pugnate]

meh

[MysterD]

*cheers for more STALKER*

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat officially announced.
It's a stand-alone product (like STALKER: Clear Sky).
Due out this Autumn 2009.

Thursday, Apr 30, 2009 Happy Queen's Day (Netherlands)
   
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
   
[Apr 30, 2009, 4:24 pm ET] - Share - 6 Comments
GSC Game World officially announces S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (working title), which turns out to be a new project in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, due for release this autumn, rather than an add-on, as was speculated when the project was first discovered. The announcement is accompanied by two screenshots, and here's the deal:

    GSC Game World is glad to announce a new project in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series – S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (working title) for PC.

    S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat will become a third stand-alone game in the highly-acclaimed Survival FPS S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.
    The project is slanted for release in autumn 2009.

    The events of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat unfold shortly after the end of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. Having discovered about the open path to the Zone center, the government decides to hold a large-scale military "Fairway" operation aimed to take the CNPP under control.

    According to the operation's plan, the first military group is to conduct an air scouting of the territory to map out the detailed layouts of anomalous fields location. Thereafter, making use of the maps, the main military forces are to be dispatched.

    Despite thorough preparations, the operation fails. Most of the avant-garde helicopters crash. In order to collect information on reasons behind the operation failure, Ukraine's Security Service send their agent into the Zone center. From now on everything depends on the player.

    Key game features:
            • Photorealistic exclusion Zone – Pripyat town, Yanov railway station, Jupiter factory, Kopachi village and more, recreated by their true-to-life prototypes.
            • New story, a number of unique characters.
            • Extended system of side quests.
            • New monsters: Chimera and Burer. New behaviour and abilities for all monsters.
            • New A-Life system, created using the players' best-liked elements of the first two games in series.
            • Emissions considerably influence the world of the Zone.
            • Sleep function added into the game.
            • New player's interface.
            • Possibility to continue the game after completion in a freeplay mode.
            • The game is developed on X-Ray engine v.1.6

[PyroMenace]

I want to like STALKER, I really do, but the bugs and the horrendous framerate issues I have with it even though my system can easily handle it prevent me from being interested in the games anymore.

[MysterD]

I want to like STALKER, I really do, but the bugs and the horrendous framerate issues I have with it even though my system can easily handle it prevent me from being interested in the games anymore.

Sounds like how I feel about Far Cry 2 -- especially on the "bugs" part.

[MysterD]

STALKER: COP's Minimum and Recommended System Requirements revealed.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat System Requirements, More Screenshots Arrive
by Chris Faylor May 18, 2009 11:45am CST tags: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, Screenshots
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Developer GSC Game World has launched the official site for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, revealing new screenshots and the system requirements of the action-RPG.

Following up on the events of the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. entry, 2007's Shadow of Chernobyl, Pripyat continues the post-apocalyptic PC shooter series with new options this fall.

    Minimum System Requirements

        * Intel Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz / AMD XP 2200+
        * 512 MB RAM
        * 128 MB DirectX 8.0 compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600

    Recommended System Requirements

        * Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 / AMD 64 X2 5600+
        * 2 GB RAM
        * 512 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible card / nVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX / ATI Radeon HD 4850

[MysterD]

RockPaperShotgun has an Interview w/ GSC's Oleg Yavorsky on STALKER: Call of Pripyat.

Reflections on past STALKER Development & Moving Forward

RPS: Do you think you learned any important lessons from the release of Clear Sky? Has that shaped how you’ve approached work on Call Of Pripyat?

Yavorsky: Clear Sky has been a good lesson for us indeed, primarily in the aspect of game stability and playability. There were a lot of changes both in technology and gameplay that we did for Clear Sky, but we had no time to polish and fix everything as proper before the release. With Call of Pripyat now we are taking a safer route by, firstly, building the game on the technology we’ve been polishing since Clear Sky, secondly, getting rid of some features which did not work out well – such as global war of factions, for example; and thirdly, by taking more serious approach to testing the game.

New Areas

RPS: Can you tell us about the new areas of the zone that Call of Pripyat will include? How much of this new material is taken from the real Chernobyl zone?

Yavorsky: We will present a complete set of new locations in Call of Pripyat. This includes the Pripyat river basin and its rusty fleet standing still for over 20 years now, the Kopachi village completely buried after the accident, Jupiter factory located on the outskirts of Pripyat, the railway station Yanov, and, to crown it all – an entire district of Pripyat, modeled in its real scope. Many players have repeatedly asked us to implement Pripyat in the game, so we decided to satisfy their wish.

I think Call of Pripyat will be the most photo-realistic, and hence, atmospheric S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game of all three.

A-Life System - Enhancements and Changes

RPS: Can you explain how you’ve changed the A-Life system for this new game?

Yavorsky: Firstly, we picked the best-liked features from SoC and CS games to preserve them in Call of Pripyat. Secondly, we added a number of touches to make the world and its atmosphere more believable. Hence, day and night cycles will affect the behaviour of both monsters and NPCs: monsters will be more active and go hunting prey at night, while NPCs will try to find shelter and return to bases after seeking artifact and day-patrolling as night descends. To liven up the game world, each character/monster has been attributed their deadly enemies. Mutants hunt humans, bandits are after neutral s.t.a.l.k.e.r.s, Duty faction is after mutants.

Thirdly, hunger and sleep will have their effect too in the game: if the player is hungry, it will take him longer to restore his stamina. Sleep function will help you to refresh yourself, so as to speed up the time a bit (which may be useful in case you have a night mission designated to start at a particular time at night, for example).

This said, we gave all monsters an updated look, changed their behaviour in combat (so as to make them tougher and more interesting to fight with), added a couple new monsters – Burer and Chimera.

Modding Community

RPS: How much inspiration do you take from the work done by the modding community on the previous Stalker games?

Yavorsky: We are very pleased to see how active the modding community is with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – we’ve seen a number of interesting modifications done by the fans (AMK-mod, for example). When it comes to development of the next official games, however, I’d say we rather build them the way we see as proper and our own style, rather than copy mod-makers’ ideas. Our ambition is to present players our own S.T.A.L.K.E.R. as we see it (and we still have a number of ideas to get implemented). Nevertheless, we do listen to a lot of feedback received from players and their wish-lists. It helps us make decisions on which directions to take for the series.

Sleep Function

RPS: From the patch notes: “Sleep function added into the game.” That’s a function that was unlocked by several mods…

Yavorsky: As opposed to pure story presentation element, the sleep function this time will have its gameplay role. As mentioned, you can take a nap to save time and not walk about in wait for your mission to start at a certain time. After sleeping your character will also restore his powers. You will only sleep in safe dedicated spots, such as s.t.a.l.k.e.r. bases, for example.

Game Will Continue If You Finish The Main Quest

RPS: Can you explain how the game will be playable “after completion in a freeplay mode”? Is this tied to the extended side-quests?

Yavorsky: The freeplay mode is designed for those players, who prefer to stay in the game and explore as much as they want without the need to re-play it to see all of it. So, you’ll be able to travel freely, enjoy the A-life around and accomplish quests you missed during the playthrough.

I always liked that Morrowind and Elder Scrolls allowed to keep going in the game-world, even after I finished the game's main quest. Good!

Language - Subtitles and Audio

RPS: Replacing English dialogue with the original Russian dialogue seems like a popular modification - have you considered an all-Russian dialogue option with English subtitles, as CD Projekt did with The Witcher?

Yavorsky: Thanks for the idea! At least part of our S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games has been in Russian already (such as campfire stories, combat shouts (predominantly rude ones!)). We’ll consider adding even more of the language flavoured with vodka, bears and balalaikas.

Actually, I'd prefer to hear STALKER in all Russian -- with English subs; especially if whomever the parent company was thinking of hiring not-so-good English-audio voice-acting.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat interview with Oleg Yavorksky of GSC Game World

Side & Main Quests Are Pre-Set Now

pcgames.de: Can you tell us about the new gameplay-features of Call of Pripyat? Are you planning to implement the ability to drive cars?

Yavorsky: The first big difference to the previous games is that we design all the game quests (both story and side missions) in advance manually, as opposed to them being generated automatically by the game. This change ensures the player will see truly interesting and unique quests, so as the presentation of those will be better.

More RPG Elements

With Call of Pripyat we're developing the role-playing element of the game further. You can expect to see new strings of upgrades for your weapons and armor. Armor, by the way, got separated into torso and head protection, so you can collect and upgrade those items separately now.

Socializing with NPCs will become a more important part of the game too this time. Thus, you'll be able to speak more with NPCs, both on bases and in the outer Zone, trade and get extra missions from NPCs, so as hire them to act as guides for you (it's an option for the player - pay some money to spare the travel time if you know where you need to be). The extended opportunities with guides for the player will serve as substitute to the vehicle driving feature mentioned.

Sleeping & Nighttime

Yavorksky: The problem with vehicles is, we still don't see much fitting space for them to be driven in the Zone. Back to NPCs - the player will see some true-to-life action going on around: s.t.a.l.k.e.r.s will go hunting mutants, looking for artifacts, patrolling during the daytime and returning to the bases at night. The player will go seek shelter, so as NPCs, in case of looming Emission warnings, it'll be deadly to stay outdoors then.

Call of Pripyat will introduce an opportunity for the player to sleep in the game. Sleeping will help the player to restore his energy, while at the same time quickly transfer to the needed hour in the game (in case of a time-designated mission) without having to walk about in wait. By the way, it's going to be more dangerous to play in the night as monsters become more active, so the sleep feature may come in very handy indeed.

ALL New Locations

pcgames.de: Can we expect authentic locations in Call of Pripyat or are they all just fictional? If so, which?

Yavorsky: Oh, yes. Firstly, all of the locations in the game are going to be totally new. One major introduction is a whole part of Pripyat town (its eastern area) remodeled in the game in its real scope and authenticity. We've taken a number of new trips specifically to photo Pripyat and the surrounding areas for the game. As a result, we will introduce the Pripyat river boat station, the Jupiter industrial complex, the Kopachi village, the railway station Yanov - all of those and more recreated from the real-life references.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat - TRAILER.
Around 5 min and 17 seconds.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat - Atmosphere Trailer.
Around 2 minutes or so.

[MysterD]

Only the Russian version is due out Oct 2nd.
German version ships in November.
Rest of the world will have to wait until Q1 2010.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat preview from IGN.

[MysterD]

STALKER: COP - Benchmark Tool released.

[MysterD]

My results from STALKER: COP Benchmark Tool.

[MysterD]

GSC will be launching the International release of STALKER: Call of Pripyat in Feb 2010 in the USA.

Like January and March, February is starting to look pretty crowded. GSC Game World and bitComposer Games have just announced that S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat will be be launching in February, putting it right alongside high-profile titles like Splinter Cell Conviction and BioShock 2.

The third game in the series, Call of Pripyat is the first true sequel. Clear Sky was a prequel to the Shadow of Chernobyl. Call of Pripyat will star agent Alexander Degtyarev as he investigates the disappearance of five military helicopters in the Chernobyl contaminated zone.

The international release will come in English, French, Italian, and Spanish. It will also be one of the first PC games to support DirectX 11.

Call of Pripyat will be out on the PC in February. Expect a more specific release date soon.

[MysterD]

GameSpot - 8.0 (out of 10).
GameSpy - 4 stars (out of 5)
CNET - 4 stars (out of 5)
Eurogamer - Score of 8 (out of 10).
Resolution Magazine UK - Score of 8 (out of 10).
Bit-Tech.Net - 7 (out of 10)

[MysterD]

STALKER - Steam Loyalty Promotion.

STALKER: Call of Pripyat is $19.99 on Steam ONLY for those who own on Steam already STALKER: Shadow Of Chernobyl ($19.99 on Steam currently), STALKER: Clear Sky ($9.99 on Steam currently), or both.

This deal will go on over Steam...forever.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat Now Available
February 11, 2010, 3:58 pm - Valve - Product Release

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat is now available on Steam! If you currently own either S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl or S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky you will receive the game at a discount, otherwise you will receive the game at the standard price. This loyalty promotion is indefinite!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat takes PC gamers once again into the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor that exploded in 1986. This so-called "Zone" is a highly contaminated area cordoned off by the military and now is combed through by the so-called stalkers, modern fortune hunters, in search of unique artifacts.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat - Loyalty Edition joins Impulse.
NOTE: For this version of STALKER: COP on Impulse, STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is required to run Call of Pripyat.

[MysterD]

STALKER: COP - Loyalty Edition is $11.99 currently on Impulse for the weekend.
This version requires STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, which is $19.99 on Impulse.

EDIT:
About The Loyalty Edition sold on Impulse, it looks like if you have DVD version, it will work - from this post here. Confirmed here by a gamer who tried it - with Call of Pripyat from Impulse, you have to point to the SOC folder - where you have the DVD version installed and all.

Interesting.

EDIT 2:
Ordered COP from Impulse. When about download COP and install it, it asked to register my SOC key OR locate SOC on my HDD. I chose to locate SOC on my HDD - since I just reinstalled it onto my HD (updated to 1.0006). I pointed at where SOC was installed - and then it agreed to download Call of Pripyat. Simple as pie.

So, yeah...now DL'ing Call of Pripyat, as we speak.

[angrykeebler]

One person on these forums likes Stalker.







ONE GUESS AS TO WHO IT IS

[MysterD]

One person on these forums likes Stalker.







ONE GUESS AS TO WHO IT IS

Hmmm...gosh, let D think...

[MysterD]

I've got about 7 hours so far logged into this since Friday night.

If you've even been looking for a very polished STALKER experience....well, here it is. Performance has improved MAJORLY on the game engine - running it on 1024x768 w/ Full Dynamic settings. On my aging PC here w/ those settings, slowdowns don't even exist here w/ Call Of Pripyat - even w/ a fair deal of enemies on-screen, which is unlike their previous games.

The Faction Wars feature from Clear Sky - which seemed underdeveloped in that game - is completely gone, which is a good thing. The upgrading your weapons and armor feature found in Clear Sky is here. The artifact detector item from Clear Sky is back for finding artifacts. Hot Keys and Quick Slots have been made for Health Kits, Bandages, and Food. And yes, you actually now have to eat food to survive, here and there - which happens here and there, so it ain't an annoyance or anything.

You can talk to "guides", who often roam The Zone - and if you want to Fast Travel somewhere (of significance) in The Zone, they'll take you where you want to go for a decent sum of money.

There's now a sleeping system, so you can sleep in certain "friendly" areas to replenish your health and/or skip time so you can do missions that only can be done either during certain times of day. Also, you also have a place to stash your equipment in areas that are "friendly" to you - since you likely will come across a lot, if you kill and loot lots of other STALKERs for their equipment.

Even though you can save the game at any time - when doing a mission, once you are about to hit the "marker" on your map for doing that particular quest, the game does create a brand new autosave for you. That has saved me a few times, as I've got really into the game and...oh yeah, I didn't save...but, thank God for the autosave!

Some of the side quests - very memorable. To speak on some of the questing...

(click to show/hide)

There's been a quest w/ a guns deal gone bad in this awesome shootout in a warehouse and a quest for finding the bloodsuckers' lair.

That one quest for finding bloodsuckers...Turns out a STALKER was playing everybody for a fool, set them up, couldn't face the fact you found him (when you do), and just offs himself with his own handgun right in front of you - suicide-style. Crazy.

If you liked/loved Shadow of Chernobyl despite its problems (technical issues and bugs), you'll dig that Call of Pripyat is a MUCH more polished STALKER experience.

EDIT:
I should note, the version of this game on Impulse required Tages Internet Activation.

[Pugnate]

What is this even?

Why spend time playing the expansion to some dated game when there are fresher experiences to be had?

[MysterD]

What is this even?

Why spend time playing the expansion to some dated game when there are fresher experiences to be had?

B/c I like the STALKER series - and got it quite cheap off Impulse.
So...

If you have no interest in this, you can wait for STALKER 2 or play something else then...

To each his own, Pug.

[MysterD]

STALKER: Call of Pripyat - SDK Released.

News
A s.t.a.l.k.e.r. Christmas present: X-Ray SDK 0.7
28 December 2010

On the New Year's eve, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. project team has prepared a special present for mod-makers and all the game fans. Following your multiple requests, we decided to put the Software Development Kit for X-Ray 1.6 engine (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat version) under the Christmas tree.

Please, note the following key features of the SDK 0.7:

    * For the first time the SDK contains full set of instruments allowing you to create both single- and multiplayer levels.
    * The tools are partially documented (in Russian only).

! The tools are offered 'as is' and GSC Game World is unable to provide any technical support on this SDK. All the tools questions must be discussed on forum.

Have fun with the tools and Happy New Year!

[MysterD]

Just finished STALKER: Call of Pripyat. Yeah, it was really good - and it is the best and most polished STALKER game in the franchise. The story is actually good - and ties a lot of the stuff from the last two games (SOC and Clear Sky) together, as well.

The ending is long and has multiples pieces to it, as all your decisions for who you took w/ you, what quests you did, and who survived will have an impact on the long and awesome ending(s).

[MysterD]

STALKER series joins GOG and is DRM-FREE

If you are missing this series, just know this - STALKER is an awesome open-world 1st-person shooter series.
Especially Shadow of Chernobyl & Call of Pripyat.

Here's GOG's Mod Spotlight on the STALKER series

[MysterD]

Eurogamer - Article on one of the Mods that kept STALKER Alive: Lost Alpha.