Bakerman on 3/12/2010 at 01:32
The internet is full of message board posts where people ask about co-op play in STALKER and are told that it's not in the game, not possible due to A-Life synchronisation, or not desirable due to the nature of STALKER.
I'd like to tackle the last of those points, since the other two are moot.
I've seen people saying that co-op play in STALKER would be a terrible way to ruin what the game's about - loneliness, immersion, fear and tension. While I do enjoy being a loner on occasion, I really can't agree that STALKER can only work as a solo experience. The world itself is full of party work - stalkers are almost always found in little groups, and factions like Freedom and Duty show that even though stalkers are highly individualistic, they need to stick together to some degree.
I'd argue that a co-op mode would only enhance the experience. Maybe not full campaign co-op, which seems like an almighty task, but even just something like MW2's whatever-it-was-called co-op mode, where you take on short missions cooperatively. I reckon it'd be awesome for two or three players to be able to, for example, raid one of the labs (either from the single player, or a dedicated map) together, the idea being to get in, grab artefacts and other loot, and get out alive. I wouldn't fill the level with bandits and expect players to go in all gung-ho, but I reckon it'd be awesome if there were just a handful of mutant-type enemies, stronger than they were in the campaign... and not much ammo to go around.
I wanted to compare it to L4D... but you can't really get much out of that comparison. The common points would be: guns, enemies. But you get the idea - a small group of protagonists who have to work together against nasty creatures.
Yes? No?
This is just a thought experiment, obviously, but hey.
gunsmoke on 7/12/2010 at 03:27
I always thought this game would go well with co-op. Like you pointed out, you are basically the only one who wanders around alone after all, so it makes sense in the game's universe. Also, I think the gameplay would lend itself quite well to co-op. 2-player, mind you. Beef up the stats/#s of the enemies a bit maybe (like Diablo clones do when a 2nd player joins in ) and you would have balance. I dunno, it would be more desirable and interesting than the current MP modes in the series.
Koki on 7/12/2010 at 19:51
co-op always ruins immersion unless it's a bunch of LARPers who decided to try it out online.
Also, STALKER is a very open game, so it would either end up with both players running completely separately, or one forced to follow the other and quitting half an hour into the game.
Sulphur on 7/12/2010 at 20:01
Co-op would ruin the atmosphere, really. And that's one of the Stalker games' strongest points. With a gang of co-op members you'd be inclined to run after the next mission/encounter and not take in the sights or the sounds. The Stalker games aren't really about warfare first and foremost.
Co-op can work, of course, I'm not saying it won't. Just that it'd remove one of the primary reasons to play in the Stalker universe. If co-op is to be implemented though, change the gameplay to pure survival, with trade and anomalies and exploration and blowouts being the primary focus, and it could get interesting.
snauty on 23/12/2010 at 09:58
I see the atmosphere and loner issue like any other guy. It is without doubt its main attraction. But think of all the little groups at campfires. They're more common in the zone than single wanderers. So get into it with a buddy with vodka, cans of spam and a guitar. This surely won't destroy the atmosphere. It would be actually quite a feat. You'd have to take care of each other.
Also a very limited MMORPG thing could work. Of course due to Stalkers nature it'll have to be so limited that no one would ever build it. But as a thought: lots of little servers where only up to 20 people at a time could get in. So you very rarely meet anyone besides the usual NPCs. You can ignore them, loot them and also deal and bond with them in some tougher times.
