S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Call of Pripyat is--by orders of magnitude--the best STALKER game to date. If you're on the fence about this one, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Captain_Arrrg wrote:

Call of Pripyat is--by orders of magnitude--the best STALKER game to date. If you're on the fence about this one, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Really? I mean - Really?!

Because I loved the hell out of the other two, and this is as good as you say, it may beat out Mass Effect 2 to the top of the pile.

More feedback, please, folks!

Someone could put a STALKER toothbrush in stores and I'd get one--I liked the SoC that much. So good to hear that CoP lives up to its predecessor.

Just to balance things out on the other side:

FATAL ERROR
[error]Expression : error handler is invoked!
[error]Function : handler_base
[error]File : D:\prog_repository\sources\trunk\xrCore\xrDebugNew.cpp
[error]Line : 764
[error]Description : pure virtual function call

First time: Hard lock the computer. Second time, just a crash to desktop. It's every time I try to turn in the same completed quest to one guy in the first zone. This is on the Steam version with the same computer I used to play the first two games.

Otherwise, I agree that this is an improved experience from the previous two Stalker games, and scratches all the itches the first two did. Stalker fans are a loyal group, so even little improvements like an inventory screen that highlights the ammo you can use when you mouse over your gun, we're super appreciative of that stuff.

Curse international shipping!

Captain_Arrrg wrote:

Call of Pripyat is--by orders of magnitude--the best STALKER game to date. If you're on the fence about this one, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Haakon7 wrote:

Really? I mean - Really?!

Because I loved the hell out of the other two, and this is as good as you say, it may beat out Mass Effect 2 to the top of the pile.

More feedback, please, folks!

I was just pondering whether or not I liked CoP more than ME2. I need to finish CoP first, and I'm 22 hours in now so I'm thinking soon.

Montalban wrote:

Just to balance things out on the other side:

FATAL ERROR
[error]Expression : error handler is invoked!
[error]Function : handler_base
[error]File : D:prog_repositorysources runkxrCorexrDebugNew.cpp
[error]Line : 764
[error]Description : pure virtual function call

First time: Hard lock the computer. Second time, just a crash to desktop. It's every time I try to turn in the same completed quest to one guy in the first zone. This is on the Steam version with the same computer I used to play the first two games.

Otherwise, I agree that this is an improved experience from the previous two Stalker games, and scratches all the itches the first two did. Stalker fans are a loyal group, so even little improvements like an inventory screen that highlights the ammo you can use when you mouse over your gun, we're super appreciative of that stuff.

The have been times I was certain that not only the game would crash, but it would crash my entire system in the process. So far it just hangs for 10 seconds and then goes back to normal. As with all PC games, your experience may vary.

...And highlighting the ammo makes everything easier.

I have to confess. I've tried playing STALKER a few times, but have only made it a few hours in each time before being distracted by other shiny objects. I'm not sure if it was still a bit too rough around the edges or if it was the learning curve, but it never quite stuck with me even though I really wanted it to. I tried a few mods too.

Regardless, I picked up STALKER: Clear Sky when it came out. I played that one even less, putting in maybe a good 1-2 hours and totally not digging the vibe. That, and my 4870x2 would completely choke at times dropping to single digits - I spent more time trying to get it running smoother than I did actually play it.

Still, with the loyalty discount, I'm thinking of picking this up - especially hearing that it's a bit more refined. How's the performance overall? Any weird dips in the FPS?

Swat wrote:

I have to confess. I've tried playing STALKER a few times, but have only made it a few hours in each time before being distracted by other shiny objects. I'm not sure if it was still a bit too rough around the edges or if it was the learning curve, but it never quite stuck with me even though I really wanted it to. I tried a few mods too.

Regardless, I picked up STALKER: Clear Sky when it came out. I played that one even less, putting in maybe a good 1-2 hours and totally not digging the vibe. That, and my 4870x2 would completely choke at times dropping to single digits - I spent more time trying to get it running smoother than I did actually play it.

Still, with the loyalty discount, I'm thinking of picking this up - especially hearing that it's a bit more refined. How's the performance overall? Any weird dips in the FPS?

Replace 4870 with 4850 and sprinkle in the occasional CTD in the first one and put Rezzy at the top. Including the question at the end. (although I'm seriously considering switching to one of the 5970s... Newegg just sent me a 10% off coupon)

boogle wrote:

Curse international shipping!

QFT.

Rezzy wrote:
Swat wrote:

I have to confess. I've tried playing STALKER a few times, but have only made it a few hours in each time before being distracted by other shiny objects. I'm not sure if it was still a bit too rough around the edges or if it was the learning curve, but it never quite stuck with me even though I really wanted it to. I tried a few mods too.

Regardless, I picked up STALKER: Clear Sky when it came out. I played that one even less, putting in maybe a good 1-2 hours and totally not digging the vibe. That, and my 4870x2 would completely choke at times dropping to single digits - I spent more time trying to get it running smoother than I did actually play it.

Still, with the loyalty discount, I'm thinking of picking this up - especially hearing that it's a bit more refined. How's the performance overall? Any weird dips in the FPS?

Replace 4870 with 4850 and sprinkle in the occasional CTD in the first one and put Rezzy at the top. Including the question at the end. (although I'm seriously considering switching to one of the 5970s... Newegg just sent me a 10% off coupon)

Hmm, I think I might have found something. Benchmark..

Some other places reported that STALKER used some sort of custom AA that took into account a lot of other variables and really killed performance, so I think I might mess with some AA settings on that benchmark.

Overall, the game is running worse than Clear Sky did on my same machine. I've had to dial back the resolution to 1600x900 or some such. But I'm digging the game overall, so as long as old machine users (i.e. 5 years ago with some upgrades) are ok with dialing the settings back, this is still a solid buy.

I have everything maxed except the AA is off.

I can has actual stealth mechanics?

FedoraMcQuaid wrote:

I can has actual stealth mechanics?

You can...has. Although it's not very deep, in the sense that enemies still seem to be able to shoot straight at you in total darkness and through bushes, etc. But sound and sight are highlighted as the mechanics that determine enemy awareness much more in this iteration than in the previous two. Those meters are front and center on the hud.

The benchmark ran pretty solid on my machine, Ultra with "God Rays" hurt the most @ 1920x1200 running an average of 45FPS which still isn't too bad. I think the sweet spot I found was "High" @ 1920x1200 with 2xMSAA to take away some jaggies. There seemed to be a little less foliage than Ultra, but I'm here to shoot people and monsters and not bushes damnit!

Downloading on Steam right now, hopefully I'll get a chance to check it out later tonight. I'm out of Vodka here though so I might have to settle for a glass of Whiskey instead.

Downloading the benchmark right now... I picked up CS during the year end sale, haven't spent any time with it yet though. And although I haven't beaten SoC, I've started a few times, gotten relatively far once or twice, and enjoyed it the time I did put into it.

I'm glad to hear the loyalty coupon on Steam isn't planning on going away anytime soon though. I have to clear out some recent purchases to even start to justify buying this. Some time in the next couple months methinks.

I just finished and while the end isn't a grandiose as the end of ME2, you do realize that there were a lot of choices that actually mattered. Case in point: apparently there was a lair of Bloodsuckers near the ship settlement (Russian name recitation fail) I didn't know about that tarnished my otherwise stellar ending.

Next I plan to go back to deal with that along with finding some hidden things such as Oasis. So yeah, not only the best STALKER game but the most compelling.

Montalban wrote:
FedoraMcQuaid wrote:

I can has actual stealth mechanics?

You can...has. Although it's not very deep, in the sense that enemies still seem to be able to shoot straight at you in total darkness and through bushes, etc. But sound and sight are highlighted as the mechanics that determine enemy awareness much more in this iteration than in the previous two. Those meters are front and center on the hud.

So it's like Farcry 2 "stealth"? I can deal with that.

f*cking international shipping!
Can't wait for that german CE!

boogle wrote:

f*cking international shipping!
Can't wait for that german CE!

Dirty skimmer here: What does the CE have over the Steam version? Just the boxed extras? And the need to download the english patches?

So far I'm impressed. It's a bit more polished than the original, and it seems to have a better flow right from the start than the previous games. (Read: I'm a STALKER noob, and this game so far has been easier to understand and is more accessible). I like how I was presented with some big decisions up front in the first couple of missions - did previous STALKER games have very different outcomes depending on the decisions you made?

Spoiler:

I was a bit shocked when I got my first artifact doing the mission to investigate the glow on the ship. "I need it for a sick friend". I knew better, and told him to take a hike. I was pretty surprised to see his friend pop out from the corner and demand it. I got pissed off, and while he ran away, gunned down his two friends. They had some decent loot including a nice assault rifle with a scope. Later on, I see this same asshole turning in my artifact for cash at the Bartender. I told him we'd meet again. Oh, and we will. Tuna.

boogle wrote:

f*cking international shipping!
Can't wait for that german CE!

And sent just in time for all the Valentines going home too. Not as bad as Christmas, but I imagine there's a little extra load this time of year.

Citizen86 wrote:
boogle wrote:

f*cking international shipping!
Can't wait for that german CE!

Dirty skimmer here: What does the CE have over the Steam version? Just the boxed extras? And the need to download the english patches?

And the desire to give Deep silver some more cash. But basically yes.

Swat wrote:
Spoiler:

I was a bit shocked when I got my first artifact doing the mission to investigate the glow on the ship. "I need it for a sick friend". I knew better, and told him to take a hike. I was pretty surprised to see his friend pop out from the corner and demand it. I got pissed off, and while he ran away, gunned down his two friends. They had some decent loot including a nice assault rifle with a scope. Later on, I see this same asshole turning in my artifact for cash at the Bartender. I told him we'd meet again. Oh, and we will. Tuna.

Spoiler:

I gave it to him first off but when I saw his friends come out from behind various corners, I knew I got rolled. I followed Tuna until he got far enough away from his friends then I shot him in the back of the head and took the artifact back. Problem solved.

So, I loved the first two to death but felt the second was way to similar to the first. Do you travel around the same areas again with this one?

I'm afraid of it feeling a lot like the other two again.

boogle wrote:

http://twitpic.com/13tiqj Behold my CE!

It's beautiful.... except for the thumbnails of your other pics... all I see are bruised feet. WTF dude?!

boogle wrote:

IMAGE(http://s3.amazonaws.com/twitpic/photos/large/66882331.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0ZRYP5X5F6FSMBCCSE82&Expires=1266469854&Signature=tSmPpGjYXJmn9SbCSog8r1Ue1J0%3D) Behold my CE!

That is pretty cool.

Citizen86 wrote:
boogle wrote:

http://twitpic.com/13tiqj Behold my CE!

It's beautiful.... except for the thumbnails of your other pics... all I see are bruised feet. WTF dude?!

I think boogle might need a Quintin Tarantino intervention.

Did the lighter arrive in the box already filled?