Been playing STLKR and its really frustrating. The gane has a steeper learning curve, in that the manual doesn't cover quite everything. Instead of AKZ as in FC, this game uses radiation poisining. I got a little off track, and returned to the 'safe' playing area, only to repeatedly die of radiation poisioning. I had to revert back to a previous level and replay. AI spawns constantly, so there is no rest. I just left a "Safe" area to do trading and info gathering, now I'm wandering around with no inventory whatsoever. Don't know if its a glitch, or another challenge. Still haven't figured out the inventory, etc. Pick up a weapon, and it may be empty. Carry too much and you get tired too qiuickly or can't move. Lots of crazy things... almost too much. Interesting game so far, but I still enjoy FC.

Finally had to shelf this bug laden disappointment. I don't want to discourage anyone from playing, but there are some really annoying bugs. You can't shoot through barbed wire or chain link, but the AI can tear you up. Bad, when you have a long fence line to run with no cover. You can get shot through 3 feet of concrete, inside a building. AI often clip through steel walls to shoot you dead. It goes from fairly easy fire fights, to kill one, save, kill another save... or die. I got to a point where I'm supposed to traverse a long way, and there are 3 choppers shooting, AI spawning behind and in front, on roof tops, radiation increasing.. So, I'm dealing with all of that, not noticing that it is a timed event. Radiation increases to the point that you can not survive, no matter what protection you have. Now, I can't progress anymore, without going way back to a save game point, rather than quicksave. That means about three hrs of re-play through a very intense city fight.
So, it will sit on the shelf for awhile, until I feel like re-playing it. Maybe a second patch will fix the bugs.
By the way, as far as I can tell, with the patch, there are no cheats of any kind available.

Okay, so I've replayed, and finished. Evidently, there are several scripted endings, depending upon how you've played the game. I went into the last level, (by the way, once you enter the next to last area, you can not backtrack to previous levels) I had a pocket full of money, because I could find enough inventory without buying it. Anyway, you get to a wish granter, and your wish seems automatic. Since I was loaded with currency, my wish was to be rich. I was subsequently buried alive in gold coins that turned into steel as it fell on me. Disappointing.
I may try again later, and empty my pockets before the final sequences.

****SPOILER*****



I've just finished this and loved it. There are 2 sets of endings. One is the Wishgranter (a "false" ending), and with that the ending depends on your reputation, which is determined by how you behaved in the game, which missions you did and how much money you have.
The 2nd (and the "true" ending) is the best. Ignore the wishgranter and look for the secret of the monolith. Once you find this you will be given a choice - one of the choices leads you to a fairly linear firefight and the eventual real ending. Worth playing again I think - did you find out about Strelock?

buzz..
I'm going through the second time. I'm doing a lot of wandering around, as I do some more of the side tasks. I had read about the ending and the alternative to the wish granter. Is the other route in that same room as the wish granter, or the room before?
I got in an umapped area, and wandered for quite a while. Leaving the Bar, via the dog route, I went along the right fence and hopped over, trying a shorcut to my next destinaton.

How's multiplayer? Is it very CS'ish with the weapon buying?

Now Kimi..I know you aren't asking ME about multiplayer ;-)
I finally did some multiplay, albeit Flight Similator X. At least nobody tries to kill you and end the game!

I know I know! I just figured I'd ask in the thread and hope someone happens to pop in here.

Aw...shucks, Kimi. I wouldn't mind meeting you on-line, as long as you'd promise not to "pwned" me! ;-)

Cpt, sorry,I can't remember exactly how I got to it - I was wandering around a lot too. Do you have the task in your pda to look for the secret of the monolith? If so make sure it's active and follow the marker on the map. If you don't have that option in the pda you'll have to do some side missions - I think one of the important ones was to meet the "Doctor" who tells you about Strelock. Can't think of any more than that.

I bought STALKLER shortly after it came out for $30, and though it has some very good and unique gameplay and qualities to it, I must say I'm really glad I didn't pay more than I did.

I was a bit at a loss at first too, especially since I don't play RPGs and am not inclined to like to have to wander to find things and figure out on my own how to use them. That is part of the appeal to many though, having to explore AND read about each item picked up in the inventory.

At first I thought the radiation was overkill too, until I realized there are only specific spots you can run through and survive even with a minimal suit on. The game is almost entirely about managing your inventory, and that is where it falls short of both a good shooter AND an engaging RPG.

The missions and battles are not long enough, intricate enough, or difficult enough to make it a good shooter. That combined with the main story being way too short and many of the items and tasks (even main story tasks) being repetetive and/or not neceassary means the plot and RPG elements are rather mundane.

What you are left with is something of a marvel in some ways with it's unique AI and engaging graphics and effects, but a rather hapless story, once you know it's shallowness. Truth is you can scoot through this game very fast without much difficulty once you know the bare essentials equipment wise and what tasks are required.

Thus unless you are thrilled by repeat wandering experiences revealing only minor differences and albeit some rather astoundingly drastic differnces in AI compared to some games, you will be left feeling underwhelmed.

The more I play it the more I realize the only compelling thing left in it for me is wondering if certain AI oddities will foil a plan. Making manual saves often can keep this from happening, but tends to make you feel like you're stuck in an AI bug loop at times.

So, in summary I feel this game had loads of potential that the 6 years of developement did not nearly begin to tap. Fortunately it's easy to mod and there are many mods already available for it.

At first the developers appeared to be aware of the need and concerned enough to patch it promptly, but after this last patch being jumbled together with features from two changelists into one, dropping some of the more prominent ones, it seems it may not be until the game's populaity declines considerable before it receives the patching it needs.

All this to say and yet I've not mentioned my biggest complaint yet, which is stuttering. I get pretty good frame rates at the settings it recommends for my spec (Static Lighting, at High settings), but the constant stutters are VERY annoying.

This game has to be the worst example of a title that is unoptimized, unpolished, unfinished, and underwhelming. I used to think the modding community could save it from dying, but after having bought GRAW, HL2 EP1, Just Cause, and NFS Carbon recently, I can't say it's as compelling to play, despite it's very long developement time.

*** SPOILER ***

BTW, besides many of the tasks and even main tasks not being necessary, you can actually use tricks to get you into places like Bar and the Secret Lab at the end even if you've forgotten to talk to the necessary characters or done the tasks.

You can easily push the gate open Duty guards south of Bar (requires rifle drop trick on the way back) and the decoder door can be popped open by aiming a Gauss rifle downward at an angle above the lower hinge pin then dropping it.

Been playing this around a week now, I find it quite absorbing. Certainly worth the £20 I paid.

Learning curve was steep, with typical stealth not working as well as keeping on the move for me at least, along with lousy weapons to start with. Also I didnt like the way iron sights are less accurate than unzoomed with the none scoped ones. (The red cross hair when on target when unzoomed makes it much easier to kill)
Just got hold of some scoped weapons, and I feel more at home now.

Even patched to the latest version I seem to have encountered some bugs like the original trader shutting up shop when I had multiple missions on the go with him (cant open door to get in) That will teach me to be greedy I guess!

Also struggled to keep up with the semi cutscene messages that pop up, maybe I should read the manual maybe you can review them?

As Six mentions, I cant play it anwhere near the "detected" settings without serious stutter and had to back of the shadows and the lighting which is a shame as it was very atmospheric with them on.

On the whole, I'm enjoying it though, while its not FC what is? Its keeping me busy while my ISP is down...

CuZ