Pre-S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Released

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:42 am

[ Game -> Update ]

I don't know if this should be posted here but I'm willing to take the chance. Seems like GSC has released an early build of STALKER.

In an almost unheard-of move, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernboyl developer GSC Game World has released an early build of its 2007 post-apocalyptic shooter, allowing fans a peek at cut levels and unfinished features.

You can see the cut dragons from the game too. Check out here to find some links and more info.

Spotted @ Shacknews

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:37 am

I was thoroughly disappointed in the lack of dragons. Maybe now I can finally get some closure.

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:15 pm

Yeah, this was the 2004 Oblivion Lost build. Seeing the amount of content that was in this, I am disappointed in GSC for cutting that much out in the final release. Clear Sky was a step in the right direction, but it still hadn't got there yet. Definitely worth downloading since its free.

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:42 pm

Fixed.

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:14 pm

So is this release basically the Oblivion Lost mod that came out a while back? That mod was way better than the vanilla game, and I liked the vanilla game. Its hard to even play Clear Sky after the OL mod.

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:30 pm

Fixed.

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:45 pm

The mod tried to bring various ideas and concepts back when the game was known as "Oblivion Lost", before all the mainstreaming and cutting after THQ became the publisher and then... well you know what happened...

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:09 am

STALKER totally passed under my radar, I'm definitely going to get this game. What community sites support mods and such for STALKER? (Google keeps throwing all sorts of random poop at me.)

If this OL mod is that good I'd rather not even start the vanilla game.

BTW, who's idea was it to make it: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.? Why the acronym? I found out what it stands for and I still think it's a dumb idea. Why not just call the guys who go into the zone Stalkers, just because?

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:06 am

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stands for: Scavenger, Trespasser, Adventurer, Loner, Killer, Explorer, Robber. The reason its "just because" is because all of the stalkers in the zone represent one of the seven letters in the acronym. However, those who venture deep into the zone are marked with a tattoo with the label S.T.A.L.K.E.R. on their forearm, thus making them a Marked One. A blessing of survival as much as it is the curse of being enslaved to the zone itself.

The normal dwellers of the zone are simply called Stalkers, and they are only true free men in the world. They only have two fears, being hunted by the army, and the zone itself.

I recommend this mod called Oblivion Lost, and the hot fix for it.

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:55 pm

The pre-release thing is pretty gosh darn weird. I enjoyed driving around in the madness, but it's quite literally madness. Zombies walking around, en massé I might add, beside soldiers, both only attacking wild dogs or the player exclusively. Sounds of all kinds of critters surrounding you constantly, as if you had one of each up your ass at all times. Emptying two clips into a guy's face isn't enough to down him, but if you burst fire into his foot he'll jump through the air. I like it.

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:43 pm

Stalker: Surrealism Lost

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:10 am

Thanks for the links!
That's a decent explanation. I just noticed that Stalker the movie and the book were not acronymized. I just get annoyed by dumb trends. Acronyms are cool, let's shoehorn them into everything!