Why are Stalkers still in the zone?

[Darkside99x]

With the new fluff from 2 we now know that artefacts are practically useless outside the zone so the whole smuggling them out for a massive profit (same as Roadside Picnic) when they eventually leave doesn't work anymore.

Aside from old stalkers now having the nest egg they worked for probably taken as a result, and anyone with social or legal issues they need to escape, why would traditional stalkers still come to the zone?

[Joikax]

Shhh we're not allowed to have smart discussions that compromise the integrity of the game and its lore. That's the one thing you do not want to bring up with this franchise's fanbase.

[Darkside99x]

Originally posted by voloeb100500:

ADVENTURE AWAITS

Huzzah!

[Darkside99x]

Originally posted by Joikax:

Shhh we're not allowed to have smart discussions that compromise the integrity of the game and its lore. That's the one thing you do not want to bring up with this franchise's fanbase.

It vexes me lol.

Herman casually telling me that Artefacts don't work outside the zone in the intro hit me like a Disney retconn.

I spent YEARS collecting and selling those lol.

[Joikax]

Originally posted by Darkside99x:

Originally posted by Joikax:

Shhh we're not allowed to have smart discussions that compromise the integrity of the game and its lore. That's the one thing you do not want to bring up with this franchise's fanbase.

It vexes me lol.

Herman casually telling me that Artefacts don't work outside the zone in the intro hit me like a Disney retconn.

I spent YEARS collecting and selling those lol.

I thought for sure the rest of the tutorial narrative would serve to explain that and the many questions posed afterwards but so far right up to the end of the Lesser Zone it's nothing but more questions.

Still don't even understand why Skif wanted that artifact charged so bad or why Hermann risked so much without knowing its story.

Maybe the story is flying past me, maybe I'm too dumb, I'm not quite sure yet.

[Grandmaster Lolicon]

Little bit of info I got from a repeatable artifact fetch quest of all things:
Artifacts are not *useless* outside of the zone, but quickly lose power. Once taken outside of the zone, it can still be used for a while, but will eventually need to be replaced. They're consumables.

[Skorne]

One guy talks about not wanting to going back to concrete boxes and not being able to see the sunset. A lot talk about the zone having some kind of allure or addiction and always coming back to it or never being able to leave. In any case even if artefacts lose their power outside the zone they must still be very valuable for scientific study, given that they grant powers that kinda defy the laws of physics.

[soldier6661111]

Originally posted by Darkside99x:

Originally posted by Joikax:

Shhh we're not allowed to have smart discussions that compromise the integrity of the game and its lore. That's the one thing you do not want to bring up with this franchise's fanbase.

It vexes me lol.

Herman casually telling me that Artefacts don't work outside the zone in the intro hit me like a Disney retconn.

I spent YEARS collecting and selling those lol.

Wow that sucks, considering in the base lore (Roadside Picnic) it is confirmed they do work outside the Zone. I know Roadside Picnic is only inspiration but damn

[Darkside99x]

Originally posted by Grandmaster Lolicon:

Little bit of info I got from a repeatable artifact fetch quest of all things:
Artifacts are not *useless* outside of the zone, but quickly lose power. Once taken outside of the zone, it can still be used for a while, but will eventually need to be replaced. They're consumables.

Yeah but when you have previously had Artefacts in the lore that work as functionally endless batteries that now run out you kind of have to question their value lol.

Same for the collectors, if the floaty glowy thing you can show off turns into a hunk of black rock are they going to pay people to smuggle them across the planet?


I think part of this is from me having ran Stalker based rpg's in the past and now they are
officially wrong lol.

[Darkside99x]

Originally posted by Skorne:

One guy talks about not wanting to going back to concrete boxes and not being able to see the sunset. A lot talk about the zone having some kind of allure or addiction and always coming back to it or never being able to leave. In any case even if artefacts lose their power outside the zone they must still be very valuable for scientific study, given that they grant powers that kinda defy the laws of physics.

I kind of got the impression that the new faction running things was doing that research IN the zone though.

Not to say they don't pay stalkers for artefacts but if that's the case I think they need to change the acronym lol.