S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky Complete

[werepossum]

After I totally borked my Fallout New Vegas with The Rockwell Pursuit (great mod, just a mod too far on my rig) I've switched to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky Complete. I never finished or even got very far into this game as it was too buggy, I found artifact collection to be annoyingly difficult, and several times I broke the scripting and was left with an empty land. Now I've loaded the Complete patch and I'm playing through on Veteran, and this thing is mind-numbingly hard. I've cleared out the Renegades, but they won't stop launching waves at the Machine Shop even though the faction map says they have been defeated. Every wave has a couple of the guys in robes who are damned near immortal, takes almost a full magazine of AKM-74 or MP5A1 at point blank range to put one down. I get no AK ammo and damned little 9x19mm ammo from each wave and there's only one Clear Sky guy around, and each new wave does not deplete their squad strength, so eventually I'm reduced to pistol and shotgun ammo and I go down. Only way I can compete at that point is to knock out the guys in black first, but if there are two brown robed guys I can't kill them both once I'm out of 5.45x39mm & 9x19mm ammo. Is this a bug? I'm not seeing the point here - every time I try to leave I get called back to defend the Machine Shop, until eventually I'm overrun. I think too that I've missed something along the way - this is my second attempt and on the first I got the SPSA-14 which rocks as well as the Fora-12 pistol before finishing cleaning out the swamps. This time, nothing other than double barrel shotguns (which when reloading apparently turn me geriatric as it takes me longer to replace two shells than it takes a Renegade to recover from taking two shells to the brisket - go figure) and the occasional Viper submachine gun. My first play-through of Complete up to reaching the Cordon I wiped out the Renegade Northern Base, only to find when I returned that they were stronger than ever and had in fact retaken the Machine Shop while I was returning to the Clear Sky base.

For that matter, I'm not seeing the point of being rewarded by being shown a path into Cordon which is certain death (at least on Veteran), especially when there is another path through the swamps (which I just helped clear) that doesn't show up until after I'm led into certain death. Or for that matter, of being pointed to one target then continually redirected to another. This seems to be one of those "open world" games that is best played by following a walk-through script.

Is there a better mod for Clear Sky? Is it worth playing at all? I gave up my first playthrough because I updated the kevlar body armor with ballistic plates and then decided that additional load bearing capacity (which is apparently incompatible with ballistic plates) would be preferable as I'm always being told I'm overloaded and immobile, but now I'm thinking I should either go back to that one or a start a third new game and follow a walk-through - although really, is there even any point to playing a game if you're just following a script? I'd hoped with the Complete mod, Clear Sky would be worth playing, but so far I'm not finding it so.

 

[Stringjam]

Add this file to your Complete mod to take care of the bullet-soak issue:

http://www.moddb.com/mods/clear-sky-complete/addons/cs-complete-113-realistic-weapons


As for "clearing the swamps," there is really no point to that. They will never be clear. You are going to progress through this game by leaving them and moving towards Limansk. They are really of no consequence in the long run.

I do love the swamps environment though...I think it's one of the most haunting / beautiful maps in any of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, especially the musical score. I sometimes just load up the game to walk around the swamps.

And yes - the game is totally worth playing. It is considered the weakest in the series (and most people don't seem to realize it is a prequel to ShoC), but I have thoroughly enjoyed every playthough. The environment art in ClearSky is top notch. Limansk is amazing, IMO....I just wish it wasn't as closed-off. The game becomes quite linear at that point. The end is a bit of a wash. I usually don't even finish the ending when I play through anymore, because it really isn't the point of playing the game, and it is more of an annoyance than anything.

And if you do make it to the ending, take off your headphones. When you step through the portals, the noise it makes kills your eardrums. I seriously thought I had permanent damage the first time that happened.....horrible sound design decision for that part (which is odd, considering how good the rest of the game is).



As far as other mods, I've heard the Sky Reclamation Project is better at fixing bugs than CS Complete (which wouldn't surprise me....I still run into a lot of bugs with Complete).

 

[DigDog]

Is there a better mod for Clear Sky?

ermm.. no. If you aren't happy with Complete, i suggest you bin CS. Imho, it was great, but i can see you dont like it.
(i liked the original stalker better, also with Complete mod)
sorry if i can't be more positive, but i doubt you'll find better than Complete.

 

[werepossum]

Add this file to your Complete mod to take care of the bullet-soak issue:

http://www.moddb.com/mods/clear-sky-complete/addons/cs-complete-113-realistic-weapons

As for "clearing the swamps," there is really no point to that. They will never be clear. You are going to progress through this game by leaving them and moving towards Limansk. They are really of no consequence in the long run.

I do love the swamps environment though...I think it's one of the most haunting / beautiful maps in any of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, especially the musical score. I sometimes just load up the game to walk around the swamps.

And yes - the game is totally worth playing. It is considered the weakest in the series (and most people don't seem to realize it is a prequel to ShoC), but I have thoroughly enjoyed every playthough. The environment art in ClearSky is top notch. Limansk is amazing, IMO....I just wish it wasn't as closed-off. The game becomes quite linear at that point. The end is a bit of a wash. I usually don't even finish the ending when I play through anymore, because it really isn't the point of playing the game, and it is more of an annoyance than anything.

And if you do make it to the ending, take off your headphones. When you step through the portals, the noise it makes kills your eardrums. I seriously thought I had permanent damage the first time that happened.....horrible sound design decision for that part (which is odd, considering how good the rest of the game is).

As far as other mods, I've heard the Sky Reclamation Project is better at fixing bugs than CS Complete (which wouldn't surprise me....I still run into a lot of bugs with Complete).

Thanks! I did not realize that the swamps would not stay free of Renegades. I'll download that mod. At the very least, if some NPCs are bullet sponges there should be some lootable armor.

And I totally agree about the swamps, they are beautifully done.

ermm.. no. If you aren't happy with Complete, i suggest you bin CS. Imho, it was great, but i can see you dont like it.
(i liked the original stalker better, also with Complete mod)
sorry if i can't be more positive, but i doubt you'll find better than Complete.

Thanks. I think Stringjam's mod and info will fix my problems.

 

[Face2Face]

I played CS first, and really started to get into it. I stopped and decided to play SOC first. Starting over with the compete mod now. I really like the complete mod so far.

 

[Seven]

Good times player STALKER.. Too bad the sequel got cancelled.

 

[Rhezuss]

Add this file to your Complete mod to take care of the bullet-soak issue:

http://www.moddb.com/mods/clear-sky-complete/addons/cs-complete-113-realistic-weapons


As for "clearing the swamps," there is really no point to that. They will never be clear. You are going to progress through this game by leaving them and moving towards Limansk. They are really of no consequence in the long run.

I do love the swamps environment though...I think it's one of the most haunting / beautiful maps in any of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, especially the musical score. I sometimes just load up the game to walk around the swamps.

And yes - the game is totally worth playing. It is considered the weakest in the series (and most people don't seem to realize it is a prequel to ShoC), but I have thoroughly enjoyed every playthough. The environment art in ClearSky is top notch. Limansk is amazing, IMO....I just wish it wasn't as closed-off. The game becomes quite linear at that point. The end is a bit of a wash. I usually don't even finish the ending when I play through anymore, because it really isn't the point of playing the game, and it is more of an annoyance than anything.

And if you do make it to the ending, take off your headphones. When you step through the portals, the noise it makes kills your eardrums. I seriously thought I had permanent damage the first time that happened.....horrible sound design decision for that part (which is odd, considering how good the rest of the game is).



As far as other mods, I've heard the Sky Reclamation Project is better at fixing bugs than CS Complete (which wouldn't surprise me....I still run into a lot of bugs with Complete).

Wow, simply stunning. I might reinstall SoC with Complete and actually play through it for the first time lol (shame on me).

Last time I played it I got 5-6 hours of gameplay and enjoyed my time a lot but can't recall what happened that made me stop playing...

I'm gonna reinstall tonight I think!

BTW, werepossum your screenshots look amazing!

 

[runzwithsizorz]

OP

I played all the STALKER games; SOC and COP years ago. I just completed CS complete and it is the weakest of the three...however, this is one of my favorite series. I did have some issues with CS, but I don't know if I did something wrong or if it was the game (prob me).
I could never find or use all the weapons' upgrades, especially the more advanced upgrades.
In a few places, I would complete a mission to clear an area, and was constantly called back to clear the same area over and over again...I finally gave up and proceeded to the next area, and of course "failed" the mission where I did not clear area 1. This did not happen in the swamps, but further into the game.
However, I still enjoyed CS and would still highly recommend it.

The Wife

 

[werepossum]

Wow, simply stunning. I might reinstall SoC with Complete and actually play through it for the first time lol (shame on me).

Last time I played it I got 5-6 hours of gameplay and enjoyed my time a lot but can't recall what happened that made me stop playing...

I'm gonna reinstall tonight I think!

BTW, werepossum your screenshots look amazing!

Those are Stringjam's actually. But yeah, Clear Sky was pretty enough originally but it's simply stunning with Complete.

OP

I played all the STALKER games; SOC and COP years ago. I just completed CS complete and it is the weakest of the three...however, this is one of my favorite series. I did have some issues with CS, but I don't know if I did something wrong or if it was the game (prob me).
I could never find or use all the weapons' upgrades, especially the more advanced upgrades.
In a few places, I would complete a mission to clear an area, and was constantly called back to clear the same area over and over again...I finally gave up and proceeded to the next area, and of course "failed" the mission where I did not clear area 1. This did not happen in the swamps, but further into the game.
However, I still enjoyed CS and would still highly recommend it.

The Wife

Pretty much my experience. I'm going to load the mod Stringjam recommended and start afresh. Third start in a couple days which you'd think would be bad, but the swamps are beautiful and very well designed although severely over-stocked with boar - but at least they fall to my pistol reasonably easily. Funny that in a game where some of the NPCs are bullet sponges, boar are actually easier to kill than in real life where I would not want to face one with an eight shot 9x18mm pistol! lol Also, the renegade bases are respawning, so if you finish the machine shop with few fighters you're doomed to fight that battle over and over until you die, from what I can tell. Or else simply hurry up and abandon Clear Sky.

My first time around I did not know about the second passage into Cordon that appears after you are led to the death trap. I died over and over and over. Finally I made it through, but there was no one around except for occasional random patrols. Turned out I failed to trip some essential trigger and Cordon had accordingly not been stocked, which meant I had to restore from an old save and spend another hour or so running from tree to rock just too make it into the area. Spending a few hours dying every thirty seconds is NOT fun! It had not occurred to me to wonder if the faction I had just helped survive had intentionally led me into a death trap. I made it fifteen hours into the original Clear Sky before giving it up as a lost cause. But with Complete, not a single CTD.

 

[Stringjam]

Well, your thread inspired me to jump into Clear Sky for some exploration.

I'd forgotten how beautiful this game is. I also forgot just how fun and tense it is to get into a fire fight. It makes you find cover fast - - and all it takes is one mistake stepping out into the open and you're toast. Just look at how many FPSs now don't even have lean control - - you wouldn't last 5 seconds in this game without it.

It's sad that almost nobody is interested in making gameplay like this anymore.

 

[werepossum]

Well, your thread inspired me to jump into Clear Sky for some exploration.

I'd forgotten how beautiful this game is. I also forgot just how fun and tense it is to get into a fire fight. It makes you find cover fast - - and all it takes is one mistake stepping out into the open and you're toast. Just look at how many FPSs now don't even have lean control - - you wouldn't last 5 seconds in this game without it.

It's sad that almost nobody is interested in making gameplay like this anymore.

snip

Agreed. That's one of the things that makes the swamps so challenging - there is so little cover. The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series manages to be both heavily atmospheric and an excellent mechanical shooter, quibbles like bullet sponges aside. There aren't many like it, and that's a damned shame.

Got to work on my controls though. I play with joystick and trackball and there is no crouch toggle set up, which makes it difficult to crouch/uncrouch quickly from the joystick. Fire and movement are vital in a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, so I'm experimenting with the best way to implement crouch from cover and movement standpoints.

 

[DigDog]

re: swamps. in my second playthrough, i simply ran out of the swamps. top right corner of the map, wait for night, run through. there's nothing useful in the swamps, if not a couple of artifacts.
once in the cordon (i think thats the name of teh second map), i ran up to the derilict house just before the roadblock, and assisted a bunch of stalkers fighting some bandits. i think this mini-mission is scripted, because it happened in all my playthroughs.
i really didn't do much with my pistol, but i grabbed a decent AK from the dead bodies and some ammo. (some from my "friends" as well.)
after getting an AK, i could even go back to the swamps. shotguns and pistols are simply useless.

Good times player STALKER.. Too bad the sequel got cancelled.

thats not entirely true. the original team (who doesnt have the rights to the stalker name) is working on a MMO based on a similar scenario, and it's now in closed beta. (you can apply to get a key).
i dont remember the name / etc .. but you can just google / wikipedia it and you'll find it.

 

[Stringjam]

thats not entirely true. the original team (who doesnt have the rights to the stalker name) is working on a MMO based on a similar scenario, and it's now in closed beta. (you can apply to get a key).
i dont remember the name / etc .. but you can just google / wikipedia it and you'll find it.

It's called Survarium, but it doesn't really have anything to do with STALKER, other than having rusty buildings and some anomalies. The thought of it being an MMO (a F2P one at that) is enough to make me cringe.

The only thing I really have to look forward to in the STALKER universe is the release of Lost Alpha, which we have been waiting YEARS for. The developer keeps hinting that this will be the year we get it (October, specifically). I won't get my hopes up until I see that Download button.



Also, FWIW regarding Clear Sky: the realistic weapons addon I posted earlier is A MUST. But even then, shooting with pistols is going to require you to be a moderate distance and aim well. You can make it through the swamps with nothing but a Colt 1911 (I have....just for fun.. ), but you have to shoot people in the head with it, because it will take multiple shots to body armor to bring someone down. Headshots with the pistol will drop them in a single shot.

 

[lavaheadache]

Thanks for this thread. I think I'm going to revisit the series for some 4k stalking goodness.

 

[DigDog]

It's called Survarium, but it doesn't really have anything to do with STALKER, other than having rusty buildings and some anomalies. The thought of it being an MMO (a F2P one at that) is enough to make me cringe.

The only thing I really have to look forward to in the STALKER universe is the release of Lost Alpha, which we have been waiting YEARS for. The developer keeps hinting that this will be the year we get it (October, specifically). I won't get my hopes up until I see that Download button.



Also, FWIW regarding Clear Sky: the realistic weapons addon I posted earlier is A MUST. But even then, shooting with pistols is going to require you to be a moderate distance and aim well. You can make it through the swamps with nothing but a Colt 1911 (I have....just for run.. ), but you have to shoot people in the head with it, because it will take multiple shots to body armor to bring someone down. Headshots with the pistol will drop them in a single shot.

well, we have many things in common. but i have hopes for survarium. and lost alpha ... well .. i won't hold my breath just yet.

 

[werepossum]

re: swamps. in my second playthrough, i simply ran out of the swamps. top right corner of the map, wait for night, run through. there's nothing useful in the swamps, if not a couple of artifacts.
once in the cordon (i think thats the name of teh second map), i ran up to the derilict house just before the roadblock, and assisted a bunch of stalkers fighting some bandits. i think this mini-mission is scripted, because it happened in all my playthroughs.
i really didn't do much with my pistol, but i grabbed a decent AK from the dead bodies and some ammo. (some from my "friends" as well.)
after getting an AK, i could even go back to the swamps. shotguns and pistols are simply useless.

thats not entirely true. the original team (who doesnt have the rights to the stalker name) is working on a MMO based on a similar scenario, and it's now in closed beta. (you can apply to get a key).
i dont remember the name / etc .. but you can just google / wikipedia it and you'll find it.

That's pretty cool. I may go back and try that just to reach the side with the trader.

Thanks for this thread. I think I'm going to revisit the series for some 4k stalking goodness.

Be sure and load the mod Stringjam linked, it's the tits. The game is still relentlessly difficult, only now in an entertaining and challenging way.

 

[Stringjam]

BTW....there are a couple of very valuable items in the swamp.

Spoiler

If you go to the very end of the railroad tracks you'll see a demolished bridge. There is a small section of fence missing where you can go through and get to it. There is a little dugout underneath the bridge -- look underneath the mattress to get a Veles detector. Open the Veles detector in the dugout and you'll find an artifact as well.

I have to admit....there's a few times playing through with Complete I've used the Wish Granter (Esc + F1). I don't like myself for it...but it happens.

 

[DigDog]

Clear Sky was the first of the three games i bought (at full price on release, when it was full of game-breaking and saves-nuking bugs), and in my opinion it's the weakest of the three.
I liked the first stalker the best, played with the complete mod only (never played vanilla). I liked call of prypiat very much but it's easier, and i didn't like the end section (prypiat).

imho, one could play the first stalker and then call it a day. Maybe, different playthroughs with different modpacks - i hear Misery is great.

 

[werepossum]

BTW....there are a couple of very valuable items in the swamp.

Spoiler

If you go to the very end of the railroad tracks you'll see a demolished bridge. There is a small section of fence missing where you can go through and get to it. There is a little dugout underneath the bridge -- look underneath the mattress to get a Veles detector. Open the Veles detector in the dugout and you'll find an artifact as well.

I have to admit....there's a few times playing through with Complete I've used the Wish Granter (Esc + F1). I don't like myself for it...but it happens.

Thanks! I've never used the Wish Granter (didn't even know it existed) but I'll definitely use this tip when I get time to play again.

Clear Sky was the first of the three games i bought (at full price on release, when it was full of game-breaking and saves-nuking bugs), and in my opinion it's the weakest of the three.
I liked the first stalker the best, played with the complete mod only (never played vanilla). I liked call of prypiat very much but it's easier, and i didn't like the end section (prypiat).

imho, one could play the first stalker and then call it a day. Maybe, different playthroughs with different modpacks - i hear Misery is great.

I thought that as well, but with Complete and Realistic Weapons it's standing up well for me. There's another called Faction Wars that is supposed to be good, but it drops the main quest and since I never finished Clear Sky I'll save that for later - unless I get Fallout Fever again!

 

[DigDog]

unless I get Fallout Fever

Go Go Gadget Thread-Derailer!

Y'know, i would have loved if fallout 3 had been more like stalker.

 

[werepossum]

BTW....there are a couple of very valuable items in the swamp.

Spoiler

If you go to the very end of the railroad tracks you'll see a demolished bridge. There is a small section of fence missing where you can go through and get to it. There is a little dugout underneath the bridge -- look underneath the mattress to get a Veles detector. Open the Veles detector in the dugout and you'll find an artifact as well.

I have to admit....there's a few times playing through with Complete I've used the Wish Granter (Esc + F1). I don't like myself for it...but it happens.

Okay, stupid question - how do I look under something?

Go Go Gadget Thread-Derailer!

Y'know, i would have loved if fallout 3 had been more like stalker.

I think the atmosphere is about equal and the quest handling and dialogue trees are generally better in Fallout, but the combat mechanics and especially the graphics are better in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. With the Complete and Realistic Weapons mods, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky offers a tense game of cat and also cat with only a couple adversaries, something the Fallout games simply do not do. One bullet can kill you unless you immediately heal and get to cover. Sometimes it's an insta-kill. In Fallout, enemies generally come right at you and except for deathclaws at close range, usually die for it. And without mods to make it harder, even deathclaws don't stand much chance at high level. Tracey Hickman tells a story about his early years with D&D when his group really didn't understand the rules. They saw level One - 1d10, level two - 2d10. etc. so each time they gained a level they added that many dice worth of hit points. And of course he wanted the game to be interesting and fun, so he gave away a lot of magic. To paraphrase, pretty soon it was "I don my Cloak of Fire Resistance, put on my Ring of Fire Resistance, drink a potion of Fire Resistance, pour a flask of oil over myself, light it, and roll down the hill into the dragon lair." At high level that describes the Fallout games.

I will say one thing though - artifact location and gathering sucks hairy monkey ass in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky.

 

[Stringjam]

Okay, stupid question - how do I look under something?

I will say one thing though - artifact location and gathering sucks hairy monkey ass in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky.

You don't actually look under it - - you can just see the corner of the detector peeking out where the upper right hand corner of the mattress is butted up against the wall.

You need to walk up to it and crouch (possibly double low crouch) and move around over it until you can see the option to pick it up.


I think CoP did the best job with anomalies and artifact collection.

If anybody else read "Roadside Picnic," a short novel that a lot of the game's mechanics are based on, The Zone is a vastly more dangerous place than even portrayed in the games.

Stalkers routinely had to crawl an inch at a time on the ground to reach an artifact safely. The game mechanic of tossing bolts into the anomalies to navigate came from the book as well, as did many of the anomalies and artifacts.

Honestly though, I found the game's story and lore are a lot more interesting than the book's explanation (which is based on aliens, is futuristic, and not in Ukraine). It's just that the game doesn't really do a very good job explaining it coherently.

Still though, there is no other game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I don't even really compare it to Fallout, because FO is an RPG with some (very shoddy) FPS elements. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is pure FPS, with great shooting mechanics, but adds survival elements. I have to say that playing Shadow of Chernobyl for the first time pretty much blew away my preconceptions of what could be done in the FPS genre, and so now I've been somewhat disappointed with every other FPS I've played since.

If "Lost Alpha" is not released this year, I don't know what I'm going to do. :'(

 

[werepossum]

You don't actually look under it - - you can just see the corner of the detector peeking out where the upper right hand corner of the mattress is butted up against the wall.

You need to walk up to it and crouch (possibly double low crouch) and move around over it until you can see the option to pick it up.


I think CoP did the best job with anomalies and artifact collection.

If anybody else read "Roadside Picnic," a short novel that a lot of the game's mechanics are based on, The Zone is a vastly more dangerous place than even portrayed in the games.

Stalkers routinely had to crawl an inch at a time on the ground to reach an artifact safely. The game mechanic of tossing bolts into the anomalies to navigate came from the book as well, as did many of the anomalies and artifacts.

Honestly though, I found the game's story and lore are a lot more interesting than the book's explanation (which is based on aliens, is futuristic, and not in Ukraine). It's just that the game doesn't really do a very good job explaining it coherently.

Still though, there is no other game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I don't even really compare it to Fallout, because FO is an RPG with some (very shoddy) FPS elements. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is pure FPS, with great shooting mechanics, but adds survival elements. I have to say that playing Shadow of Chernobyl for the first time pretty much blew away my preconceptions of what could be done in the FPS genre, and so now I've been somewhat disappointed with every other FPS I've played since.

If "Lost Alpha" is not released this year, I don't know what I'm going to do. :'(

Thanks for the tip. I can only compare the level of tension with the original FEAR and Monolith's Aliens vs Predator 2. The only pure FPS with comparable atmosphere are the Metro games.

I may try Survivarium. MMO is totally not my thing, but given that it's the same developers . . .

 

[shortylickens]

Monolith made excellent games for a while.

NOLF 1 and 2, AvP 1 and 2, FEAR, some others, their engine was used in a buttload of good titles as well.

 

[Stringjam]

Thanks for the tip. I can only compare the level of tension with the original FEAR and Monolith's Aliens vs Predator 2. The only pure FPS with comparable atmosphere are the Metro games.

I agree on the Monolith games. I loved F.E.A.R. - - still one of my favorite games in life, and I load it up about once a year to play through it.

Love both of the Metro games as well.