Clear Sky

[Vizzy 1]

Hi everyone.

While AMK Team does not hurry to release anything for Clear Sky, I'll start a topic on it anyway.

Yes, I know, you guys get Clear Sky only on Friday, but we already have it (even before Ukrainians - they're pissed off huge time ).

So I own two copies of Clear Sky. Ask me any questions about it (sensible ones, though, I'd be frustrated to try and answer something like 'is clear sky crap?').

And mini-mods for Clear Sky are starting to appear. So, by the time you will get your hands on your copy of Clear Sky, you should have all the information you need to play.

[Sasha 0]

give us the map list.

please Vizzy

[Vizzy 1]

Map list:

 

marsh

Marsh (swamp).

 

escape

Cordon.

 

garbage

Garbage.

 

darkvalley

Dark Valley.

 

agroprom.

Institute.

 

agroprom_underground

Institute Dungeons.

 

yantar

Yantar.

 

red_forest

Red Forest.

 

military

Military Warehouses.

 

limansk

Limansk.

 

hospital

Hospital.

 

stancia_2

Chernobyl NPP.

 

All that's left of Pripyat Dungeons (it has been cut out):

[level22]

name = katacomb

[Sasha 0]

thank you.

 

hmm, no bar, no wild territory.i swear there was supposed to be another level but that one was cut too. ordenance yard or something. cant remember.

[Vizzy 1]

i swear there was supposed to be another level but that one was cut too.

Pripyat Dungeons

[Lithe 0]

Are there any plans at all for an update to Clear Sky? Also, is it good? Does it keep the original feel of Stalker? And is there no area that serves as Bar? I'm glad Limansk made it in though...

[Sasha 0]

12 levels. 11 if you do not count agro underground as a separated level.

4 new 8 old. thanks GSC for your undelivered promises!!

im still getting CS for the new stuff.

animations, additions, four new levels,faction wars. etc....

[Vizzy 1]

Are there any plans at all for an update to Clear Sky? Also, is it good? Does it keep the original feel of Stalker? And is there no area that serves as Bar? I'm glad Limansk made it in though...

Well, opinions about Clear Sky differ greatly. Some people who liked original Stalker hated it, some liked both and some hated both. As for me, the game is good if I forget about little bugs here and there (there aren't much of them with me, I never had a CTD yet). But the first patch fixes many issues and I'm sure new ones will keep coming.

There is a bar in every faction's HQ.

People say Limansk is one of the best places in the game (even those who hated the rest of the game said Limansk saved it).

 

animations, additions, four new levels,faction wars. etc....

Don't forget the graphics engine update - believe me, it does look good (I'm running on DX10 high). Not Crysis of course, but I'd give it 9\10 for what comes up on my screen. However, it's not optimized very good (patch improves the situation a bit, but GSC still need to work on that and I know they are). If your PC is older than a year and it was Hi-End at the time you got it, you won't get good performance on DX10 maximum settings. I only got mine three months ago (Core2Duo e8400 @3.0ghz, 4gb ram, GF 9600gt 1gb) and I switched from maximum down to high because it was lagging a bit. There isn't much of a difference in graphics between maximum and high on DX10.

Hope my posts are understandable.

 

Also, I forgot to add: hunting for artefacts is really interesting now. You have to get your detector out (and ensure it is a decent model), get right inside an anomaly field (loads of anomalies near each other, each field has an area of about 3x3 metres, highly radioactive), make sure you don't get fried by radiation and anomalies, grab the actual artefact (not that easy to find at all sometimes) and jump out of the field without getting killed (anomalies don't like it when you steal an artefact from them) and drink lots of vodka to get the radiation out . Awesome. GSC gets a ten out of ten on that one.

Also, the nights are really dark and scary now... Be sure to have your flashlight ready. But it won't always help you. He-he...

Feel free to ask more questions, I'm happy to answer.

[Sasha 0]

my pc should be fine for CS.

 

i run SHOC at high settings on static lighting. get 45 fps average in crowded areas.

 

how is the weapon/armor upgrade system?

aside from magazine capacity, caliber change, barrel modification,weight. what else can you do?

[Vizzy 1]

how is the weapon/armor upgrade system?

aside from magazine capacity, caliber change, barrel modification,weight. what else can you do?

Upgrade system works well, you always want to 'get just that little upgrade' for your gun, meaning that you keep fiddling with it until you run out of money. Now that's another thing: in original Stalker SHOC you could end up a millionaire by the end of the game. In Clear Sky it's completely different: you never have a completely satisfying amount of money. In my opinion it's better and more realistic because stalkers should always be in need, otherwise what's the reason for them to stay in the Zone?

You can increase the shooting rate, decrease the kick-back, increase the accuracy and improve reliability. It might not be everything as you need to find upgrade data yourself (usually on flash-disks), so that's all I have so far. I havn't got any armour upgrades yet

UPD: If anyone wants some screenshots, feel free to ask for them

[Servalion 0]

I run SHOC on the same settings as Sasha and get almost as good performance. I too am curious about the upgrade system, as well as how regular mods might work with CS.

 

I am kinda disappointed about not all of the new areas having made it in. Bar wouldn't likely exist yet, I can understand that. Bar & Wild Territory was basically just Rostok split in two, but no Rostok at all? How'd they make such a big gap? And Limansk was basically Dead City, right? I can understand why that place might be killer in more ways than one, as its been highly anticipated.

 

Also, I was speaking to some NPCs in the Bar, when I noticed that one made a reference to the Confederates. This surprised me. Possible proof that they weren't just supposed to be in CS, but SHOC too. However, I dont see the Confederates listed in their official site, either. Didn't make the cut again?

[Vizzy 1]

I run SHOC on the same settings as Sasha and get almost as good performance. I too am curious about the upgrade system, as well as how regular mods might work with CS.

There are already good mods for CS (sleep, Pollux, weapons etc.) What is the release date in the 'civilized world'? 29th of August? 5th of September? Please tell me as I need to prepare good mods for you guys to start playing with them right away (trust me, some mods are 'must have').

 

I am kinda disappointed about not all of the new areas having made it in. Bar wouldn't likely exist yet, I can understand that. Bar & Wild Territory was basically just Rostok split in two, but no Rostok at all? How'd they make such a big gap?

Through other areas...

And Limansk was basically Dead City, right? I can understand why that place might be killer in more ways than one, as its been highly anticipated.

Limansk is more or less based on the Dead City that was cut out of the original Stalker. That's not official information, of course, but it is kind of obvious.

 

Also, I was speaking to some NPCs in the Bar, when I noticed that one made a reference to the Confederates. This surprised me. Possible proof that they weren't just supposed to be in CS, but SHOC too. However, I dont see the Confederates listed in their official site, either. Didn't make the cut again?

I don't who the COnfederates are, to be honest... Might be that they're called differently in the Russian version.

You reminded me of something though - here is a list of all factions you can join (in no particular order) with their HQ location:

 

Clear Sky (scientists\ecologists) - Marsh

Renegates (a clan of bandits) - Swamps (marsh)

Duty (you know who they are) - Institute

Freedom (you know who they are) - Dark Valley ("Would ya like some weed, maaan? I can feel your positive vibrations" )

Loners (free stalkers) - Cordon (escape) - I am one of them

Bandits (you know who they are) - Garbage

 

There are mercenaries, Monolith order members and others, but you can't join them and they don't take part in the faction war.

Regarding to the faction war - it demonstrates A-life simulation system at its best - three times during my gameplay my faction members have taken an important location with me being on the other map busy with something else. If you help your faction in the war, you get rewards (money, weapons etc.). IF you don't... Well, you don't get anything but if you completely forget the faction you've joined it might start getting worse. So it is good if pop in your HQ and get some tasks some time. You don't have to, though.

[Scarecrow 0]

Agh, can't wait for the game! I wonder if they release the game earlier for you because they want to make you feel privileged, or because they want someone to find the most obvious bugs before they release the international version?

 

Anyways, would it be possible for a mod to add Rostok and other levels into the game?

 

Oh, and by the way, according to Wikipedia the release date is September 6.

[Sasha 0]

I run SHOC on the same settings as Sasha and get almost as good performance. I too am curious about the upgrade system, as well as how regular mods might work with CS.

 

I am kinda disappointed about not all of the new areas having made it in. Bar wouldn't likely exist yet, I can understand that. Bar & Wild Territory was basically just Rostok split in two, but no Rostok at all? How'd they make such a big gap? And Limansk was basically Dead City, right? I can understand why that place might be killer in more ways than one, as its been highly anticipated.

 

Also, I was speaking to some NPCs in the Bar, when I noticed that one made a reference to the Confederates. This surprised me. Possible proof that they weren't just supposed to be in CS, but SHOC too. However, I dont see the Confederates listed in their official site, either. Didn't make the cut again?

yeah except i have a big problem with my pc. vista SP1 and xml core servive4.0 service pack 2 refuse to install on to my pc. it seems i have a few necessary files missing. it's very frustating as it seems CS needs SP1 to function. end rant.

 

pripyat and radar i understand but why the bar and wild territory was removed? that really sucks. oh well.

and yeah getting money in SHOC was easy. and AMK mod makes it even easier. by the time i get to x16 i have 3.5 mill.

[Lithe 0]

Do you need to find parts to upgrade your stuff? Though I really like the idea of upgrade-data. Maybe it could be worked into something like the data gathering along with transmutation recipies and stash locations. I was originally thinking if you go out and find a buletproof palte, then go to upgrade guy, he will ake your suit more bulletproof resistant, but this isn't a bad idea either. Also, just how different does CS feel as compared to SHOC? Why did people hate it? Are there more ways to get from palce to place? I really hated that there was only one place to get into and out of an area. The nly exception was Dark Valley and that is only put there I think for you to escape the military after X18. Are there many secret areas and what not? And how much does the cover system work to improve the game?

 

Also, I have Vista 64bit. Will it work?

 

Also, is there some big thing like brain scorcher that stops you from advancing? Is the main quest so necessary for things to be driven forward? Is there more than one ending? Are there any secret labs like X18 (which I hated)?

[WodkaGT 109]

Hm....i dont like CS because there are simply too much people. The Zone which should be deadly is simply overcrowded. It is more like COD 4 than SHOC. Ppl tell about errors if they leave the storyline. The whole game gained more action but loss a lot of the Tschernobyl atmosphere.....

[Sasha 0]

Hm....i dont like CS because there are simply too much people. The Zone which should be deadly is simply overcrowded. It is more like COD 4 than SHOC. Ppl tell about errors if they leave the storyline. The whole game gained more action but loss a lot of the Tschernobyl atmosphere.....

SHOC was a little over crowded for my taste. i hope the new animations, upgrade system, gets ported to SHOC and i will be happy.

[Vizzy 1]

because they want someone to find the most obvious bugs before they release the international version?

We think so

Oh, and by the way, according to Wikipedia the release date is September 6.

Unlucky

 

why the bar and wild territory was removed?

GSC said that was because according to the storyline there was still much radiation and anomalies in that area or something likу that. Whatever.

 

and yeah getting money in SHOC was easy. and AMK mod makes it even easier. by the time i get to x16 i have 3.5 mill.

It's not like that in CS at all

 

Also, just how different does CS feel as compared to SHOC?

Better in my opinion

 

Why did people hate it?

It was mostly fans of the Stalker idea who did because they didn't get their Stalker again. If you forget about the Stalker that GSC was promising in 2004-2005, you will like CS. I liked CS.

 

Are there more ways to get from palce to place?

Yes. And not only different exits from maps but also there is a system of guides who can provide 'teleportation' to far away places.

 

And yes, guys, don't read the reviews on the game or bad opinions of other people before you play yourselves. Because I started reading reviews and posts that thrashed CS and I realized I started hating it even before I got my hands on it. But now when I actually have it I think it's a good game.

And about the game being overcrowded - don't forget that Stalker is an FPS, not an RPG or a quest. And believe me, there are places where you will be left alone.

[Sasha 0]

i wish gsc team would have changed the look of the shell casings and the ejections. they look awfull and unrealistic. (goes to ply COD4) uuhhh much better!

[Vizzy 1]

Some screenshots (more are coming)

 

Hunting for artefacts

 

1. Getting closer to the anomaly field to understand where exactly the artefact is (that's where a detector comes in handy)

 

2. Closer (don't forget to use bolts!)...

 

3. Got it!

 

Sorry there is no screenshot showing me actually grabbing the artefact but it was kind of running away from me so I didn't really think about making one.