ethanThomas

Down in the Zone (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.)

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Not to derail this thread entirely with technical issues, but I've tried those tweaks and I'm still seeing the Barcodes of Doom:

th_ss_temp_09-21-09_21-18-14_l01_escap.jpg

Any other ideas? ;(

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I can't offer any great tech support, but I'd reinstall the game, reapply all the patches, and make sure I've got all the latest drivers for my video card. Try running vanilla STALKER and seeing if the issues are still there, if they're not then you might just be better off playing STALKER mod-less. The Complete 2009 mod has some great improvements for the game, but I don't think it's essential to enjoying the game.

If none of that helps, then I can only hope you will find solace in this image:

fuckingpcgaming.gif

Edited by ethanThomas

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Eh, after being frustrated time and time again when playing 360 with my brother, I'm happy with PC gaming. The PC version of STALKER is sooo much better than the others :fart:

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I can't offer any great tech support, but I'd reinstall the game, reapply all the patches, and make sure I've got all the latest drivers for my video card. Try running vanilla STALKER and seeing if the issues are still there, if they're not then you might just be better off playing STALKER mod-less. The Complete 2009 mod has some great improvements for the game, but I don't think it's essential to enjoying the game.

Thanks for the tips.

It's a fresh reinstall as it goes. I lost my last game (not that far in but completely trapped anyway) when I had to format my machine a while back. Just zipping up the "r2" folder in gamedata/shaders still leaves all the other Complete 2009 fixes and updates in place - including the new textures and weapons visuals - and just drops the new additional visual effects (like motion blur and so on).

I think I'll just play it like that.

If none of that helps, then I can only hope you will find solace in this image:

fuckingpcgaming.gif

You know, that's exactly like my PC. The case I mean... :eek:

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Eh, after being frustrated time and time again when playing 360 with my brother, I'm happy with PC gaming. The PC version of STALKER is sooo much better than the others :fart:

It came out for other systems? Huh.

Also, in looking for other info online, I found out that a third STALKER game is scheduled for release later this fall. Looks like I'm gonna have to put Shadow of Chernobyl and Clear Sky on my priority list.

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It came out for other systems? Huh.

He's just being silly.:mock:

Also, in looking for other info online, I found out that a third STALKER game is scheduled for release later this fall. Looks like I'm gonna have to put Shadow of Chernobyl and Clear Sky on my priority list.

Just a fair warning, STALKER generally needs to be played in large chunks to be really enjoyable. This might be obvious, but I'd strongly recommend playing a fair bit of Shadow of Chernobyl before picking up Clear Sky, just to make sure you like the radioactive open-world hellhole that GSC has to offer. If you do decide to pick up Clear Sky, keep in mind that it's very much Shadow of Chernobyl 1.5 and that a fair number of areas from SoC get reused. I don't want to scare you off CS, but just make sure you have realistic expectations going in.

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Just finished it. While having multiple endings is cool, making the "good" endings that actually explain what the hell is going on dependent on finding a secret stash is disappointing. If I hadn't known about them, the ending I got would have nearly ruined my opinion of the game (

I got the "wish I was rich" ending"

).

Guess it's time to fire up Clear Sky.

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Oh, anyone that hasn't done so should read Roadside Picnic, the novella that inspired the Tarkovsky film that inspired the game. Here's a free PDF. I'm hoping they will make more of the anomalies in the next game - they are what makes The Zone, the Zone, and Roadside Picnic does a wonderful job of freaking you out with them.

Thank you, I enjoyed that during a few commutes. I'm more disappointed with the extra endings to the game now. Roadside Picnic does a good job of examining the disturbing motives of Stalkers without ever explaining the Zones. The extra, harder to find endings of Stalker seem even more like typical SF "come up with bunkum to explain everything" writing. I liked that they had a fair bit of pathos in too, but still.

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I don't mean to act as salesman for this game, but it's available on Steam for five dollars until November 2nd.

Easily worth picking up for that little.

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Done. Hell, all I have to do is not buy a lunch this week.

You won't regret it! It's a great game.

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Not to derail this thread entirely with technical issues, but I've tried those tweaks and I'm still seeing the Barcodes of Doom:

th_ss_temp_09-21-09_21-18-14_l01_escap.jpg

Any other ideas? ;(

So I've come back to this chuffing lovely game recently, and just this lunchtime I've managed to solve that barcoding glitch!

It was a shader problem as everyone suspected, but all I needed to do was comment out the ambient occlusion shader reference - found in the STALKER Complete 2009 mod's graphics config file - and it runs like a silky dream now!

Config file

[installation directory]\gamedata\shaders\r2\SkyGRAPHICS_options.cfg

Before

#define IMPROVED_MBLUR 		// Enable/Disable Motion Blur
#define DEPTH_OF_FIELD 		// Enable/Disable Depth Of Field 
#define PARALLAX_OCCLUSION	// Enable/Disable Parallax Occlusion Mapping
#define SSAO			// Enable/Disable Screen Space Ambient Occlusion

After

#define IMPROVED_MBLUR 		// Enable/Disable Motion Blur
#define DEPTH_OF_FIELD 		// Enable/Disable Depth Of Field 
#define PARALLAX_OCCLUSION	// Enable/Disable Parallax Occlusion Mapping
//#define SSAO			// Enable/Disable Screen Space Ambient Occlusion

So simple, even a Wrestle could do it!

Really enjoying the game again this past week, and finding a solution to this problem only makes it better. :tup:

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Yeah, I'd be curious to know if it's worth checking out Pripyat if I've yet to play the other Stalker games...

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The GiantBomb guys were of the opinion that it might be good to just skip the others if you haven't played them yet and play this one, since it's the first one with proper polish.

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Damn, it's a bit slow on my PC. I really need to get a new one. But I also want a PS3. And an apartment. Aargh.

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the first game with OL2.2 + Arsenal 2 is still the best imo but

Cal of Pripyat is very good, easier for new players and not buggy like clear sky. the game is kinda unfocused though. if you already own a stalker game its only $20 on steam, $30 if you dont, and $40 in store. for $40 its a little much, for $20 you should def. buy it.

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I turned down some random settings and now it's pretty playable. But it looks nothing like any of the screenshots I've seen. Maybe I'll play it anyway and re-play it in the future on a futuristic PC (or maybe I'll do a Stalker marathon sometime and play all three games in a row. I have Clear Sky, but only played it for an hour or so).

It seems like it might be pretty awesome, with everyone saying how polished and not buggy is compared to the previous games, and with the emergence factor that Chris talked about in the podcast. Although the opening movie didn't leave such an impression as it had subtitles that didn't match with what the narrator was saying (most funnily any years it mentioned were off by one in the subs).

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So this game is pretty cool (Shadow), about 3 hours in. I don't get the radiation thing, so just run backwards if my Geiger-meter goes off. I'm really looking forward to obtaining a sniper rifle though.

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I got Pripyat based on Chris and Scoops' tales, I liked Shadow of Chernobyl a lot but got put off it after a while.

Decent start, but why won't AA or vsync turn on? PC gaming can be so aggravating.

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