RarRar on 2/5/2007 at 19:54
I don't know what's wrong with me. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. looks like exactly the kind of game I love. Big and open like Oblivion. Non-linear. Layers of complexity. Why does it just sit there on my computer? Staring at me.
At first I installed it but my video card was only powerful enough to run it at 800x600. I didn't feel like playing it that way so I put it off.
Finally, I upgraded my video card and now it'll run at the highest quality. I played it for a bit but I still can't get into it. I know it's not the game, it's me. I'm too stupid or too shallow. The game is confusing to me. And hard!
I didn't have any weapons. I looked around for some but couldn't find them. I went on the Cordon raid and hung back like a coward and let my comrades do all the hard work. Then I noticed I had a gun. Where did that come from? So I shot and shot at people but they wouldn't die! I know I'm supposed to try for headshots, but how? When I zoom in with my gun it covers my view. It's not like other games where there's a crosshair and I can see my target. Pistols, shotguns, nothing works.
I die! I'm not used to dying instantly like that, even with a suit of good armor.
The movement is weird man. Side to side. It makes me sick. Is there a head bob slider like in other games?
I can't for the life of me figure out the minimap. Which way am I pointed? Where am I even at on the map? I can figure out the big map and find myself on it but the minimap is confusing.
I am NOT asking for answers or help with what I've listed above. I've been reading forums and FAQs and such and some of it is addressed. I'm just relaying my state of mind, that's all. The game looks awesome but for some reason or another I don't look forward to getting home and playing it. I'm not staying up till 3 in the morning hopelessly addicted to it like I know I should be. I rev it up and play for 20 or 30 minutes before giving up.
What's wrong with me???! I suspect the game is just too sophisticated for a simple mind like mine. Or I'm just too old. or both. Wah.
steo on 2/5/2007 at 20:08
Before you give up on the game I implore you: get at least as far as agropom underground. When I first played the game I was a little wary, wasn't too sure about how a lot of things worked but once you get to grips with the inventory, artifacts, weapon handling etc. the game becomes a lot more fun. Just wait til you get a half decent weapon, everything before the bar is crap aside from (perhaps) the fast shooting AK74.
The automap has a north/south marker on it, use it.
If you're finding aiming tricky then enable crosshairs.
You'll get used to the headbob after playing for a while.
Try to read what people tell you when you are given/complete a quest, then you'll know what to do and, for the most part, what they might have thrown in your inventory.
Read everything in your PDA, the encyclopedia will give you info on a lot of things, you can get a message history if you missed something, you can zero in on most quest objectives in the map etc. etc.
RarRar on 2/5/2007 at 21:00
I refuse to give up. I'll hang in and get to agroprom. Eventually.
Another problem, maybe the biggest one, is that I got a whole new desk and chair for my PC. The setup is quite different from the old one and I'm still trying to get used to it. Fact is, I'm not comfortable playing any of my games now. I know I'll get used to eventually, but it's just one more complication blocking my complete and utter devotion to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
RarRar on 2/5/2007 at 21:14
And another thing!
I have this constant feeling I'm missing out on something. I go around breaking open boxes with my knife. They kind of explode into flinders but there's never anything inside. I must have broken into a couple of dozen boxes now and not one had anything in them. I thought at first, okay, breakable boxes ... must be there for immersion. They don't have to have anything in them. But then I read in FAQs and such that yes, they do have stuff in them. Why haven't I ever found anything?
I go into an abandoned house, up the ladder into an attic. Nothing there. But there's a passage into another attic room. Aha. But it's blocked by crates and I can't get through. So I look around, find a way to get onto the roof and manage to jump down into the other room. I feel proud of myself. There must be something good in here since they hid it with an obvious puzzle. I look around until I finally find a stash, search it--and nothing's in it! Maybe there's a bug in my version and the stashes are empty. I keep finding empty stashes. Bodies I can search fine and get stuff but I've yet to find a stash with anything at all actually in it. Admittedly I've only found two or three stashes so far but isn't it weird they'd all be empty?
The game is different in a lot of fundamental ways than other games of the same genre. I think that's what's upsetting me. I'm just too stuck in my old ways and expectations.
steo on 2/5/2007 at 21:25
Stashes are only filled once you get the map marker for them.
There are crates with stuff in them, sometimes its random sometimes its fixed. Theres a little caravan type thing at the start with some crates which contain some ammo, medkits, a pistol and bandages, for example.
Are you playing with full dynamic lighting? I presume so, since you mentioned upgrading to a good video card but if you don't enable FDL then you're really missing out.
RarRar on 2/5/2007 at 21:31
Quote Posted by steo
Stashes are only filled once you get the map marker for them.
Oh, I get it now. Weird. See, it doesn't work like other games. Strange that the stash exists but is always empty unless I guess someone tells you about it or something. Still, this is very helpful to know. Thanks. That would have driven me CRAZY after awhile.
Phatose on 2/5/2007 at 22:48
The destructible boxes aren't stashes. Most actual crates are empty. Metal briefcases more often have things in them.
As for shooting, find a rifle as soon as you can, but mostly realize you ain't gonna snipe shit without a sniper rifle. You need to get reasonably close if you're using an assault rifle. If you've got a pistol or shotgun, effective combat distance is 'whites of their eyes'.
I'm fairly convinced that the movement accuracy penalties also apply to iron sight/scope mode, and I'm sure they apply when you're not in that mode. Gotta remember that it doesn't fade instantly, and that any movement, including mouse movement, has accuracy penalties, so be patient and wait for a good shot. And for god's sake, don't run and gun.
RarRar on 2/5/2007 at 22:58
How do you tell if they're good guys or bad? I would have thought that the red crosshairs meant they were bad guys. I get to the collapsed railroad and the guys guarding it appear in my crosshairs as red so I try to shoot them but of course can't do squat and they always kill me. Turns out I read someplace you can approach them and pay to get past. WTF? I see another bunch of guys on the road, crosshairs red, I go to see if I can talk to them and get killed instantly.
Seems I have to approach to see if they'll initiate a conversation then reload a savegame when they shoot me dead. That's how you know! There are a lot of things about this game I'm going to have to get past before I can begin loving it.
charlestheoaf on 3/5/2007 at 00:22
Being able to talke to that one enemy is the only time in the game in which you can do that. There's actually a pda entry alluding to it, as a hint. But you really don't need to pay them, you can kill them or just sneak past.
Other than that, shoot them if the crosshair is red.
daprdan on 3/5/2007 at 06:45
I too was frustrated to start,and like yourself let the game linger.
Red crosshairs=Bad
Green = ally
Yellow=neutral
I just finished the game and I blundered thru it like an idiot,I basically ignored the memo's and just wandered around aimlessly,but I got thru it,and it was really hard,but once I got a scoped weapon things improved a great deal.
Play in novice mode to start,you can change at any time.
I started a new game at the third difficulty level and dialed it back as it was too hard,I may dial it up later when I get a scope.
I found the iron sights to be effective at close range,however,at the longer ranges,shoot when the crosshairs turn red,in quick bursts aimed at the head.
The double barrel is essentialy useless unless you are right there.
the silenced pistol is a bit more accurate.
It's worth it to persevere.
Even though I played this game as poorly as possible,and probably found the lamest ending,I had a great time and am looking forward to playing again in a proper manner.
