Features/Mods you'd like to see in S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 ::

[Shard of Manus]

On a light-hearted note, let's chat and ramble about some things you might hope for in the upcoming Stalker game.

Firstly dispensing with the damnation that it won't be a proper Stalker game due to a different dev team, or any other such worries or concerns - and let's just have a jovial little back and forth about some fun ideas and positive stuff.

e.g.

- More optics and sights. I pretty fancy some end-game Thermal Optics, in line with the Mk.III Night Vision etc., or similarly some high end sights that have these optics built in so you can sacrifice universal utility (an armour upgrade) for some other armour upgrade instead, but rely on just a few weapons having Thermal/Night Vision and only when ADS.

- Placeable mines and traps etc. It would be nice to have more than just anomalies to 'set traps' for certain creatures or enemies; especially useful for luring in actual human NPCs in certain areas.

- Bicycles. Breakable/repairable bicycles. Something that will let you ride around places much faster (except up-hill and on certain terrains) and skirt around the Zone. Having them as breakables that lose durability if you ride like a twerp or it gets hit by mutants/bullets etc.)

When broken they can be picked up (whilst not heavy, they should be pretty unwieldy, and so weapons can't be drawn and one can't sprint etc. and they have a set weight also) and have to be carried back to a technician for repairs (or perhaps some manner of unlockable to allow you to repair it yourself with the right tools / materials).

- Separate multiplayer sandbox. An actual sandbox of the zone where you can play with or against friends etc., with various side missions and content, but minus a single-player story. It'd just be nice to play a Stalker game with some... competition. Mainly I like this because I have a friend with whom I play all sorts of games, and we are always at each others throats (even in co-op games) - so it'd be great to be playing against someone.

[PsyWarVeteran]

Originally posted by Shard of Manus:

- Bicycles.

???

[arottweiler]

I like the idea of bicycles and much bigger maps on the GTA scale where transport is useful. Also motorbikes that need fuel to run and random outposts and settlements to rest and trade. Bars and repair shops to meet new contacts and find work. Stalker with a Deus Ex flavour.

Misery has mines and other explosives which are useful but I would like to see sticky bombs and timed explosives. Or drone delivered explosives with a camera view from the drone. Or laser guided rockets that you fire in to the sky and then run for 10 seconds to escape the damage radius. Or Deus Ex style spiderbots.

[Delta_Coyote]

Why bicycles specifically? Wouldn't a car or something be better?

[arottweiler]

It's a desolate environment so bicycles makes more sense than transport that needs fuel to run and regular maintenance.

[Shard of Manus]

Originally posted by Delta_Coyote:

Why bicycles specifically? Wouldn't a car or something be better?

No. I think motor vehicles would ruin it for a number of reasons.

1. If you can outrun a chimera you're going too fast.
2. Fuel. Only the military really have access to the world outside of the zone, so the only way to get fuel would be to steal it from them - and since following Monolith and Fairway they're practically non-existent, fuel is a rare resource.
3. Trivialises traversal too much. Bicycles have limited use, and aren't just an all around faster way to travel - they also leave you vulnerable to any fast mutants or gunfire.

[Shard of Manus]

There's also the concern of carry capacity. Motor vehicles don't require physical exertion to drive, and so you're just getting a huge free boost to carry weight (or as with a car, near infinite storage to just drag around with you).

[Redrick]

I'm playing metro exodus right now and its got some play options I'd like to see in stalker 2.

a 1:1 passage of time, an hour in game takes an hour IRL.
Also Misery's Dark mode, where you can only go out at night, these two kind of synergise.

[Shard of Manus]

Originally posted by Bif:

RPG elements, xp, skills. AI that flanks, runs, seeks help, etc. Swimming. Parachutes. Vehicles. Removal of inventory constraints & weight. Base building. Clans. Emergent gameplay and a virtual DM rather than set assassination or fedex quests. NPCs and monsters that do stuff when they aren't being killed, like search for food or compete with each other. Environments other than Ukraine, no offense.

I agree with the AI that flank. Currently some of the human NPCs do try it if you hide in cover for too long, but I don't think they're aggressive enough or make good enough use of cover. A lot of enemies will walk out into the open just to gain LoS on you, and then you can peek and just pop their top off with ease (not to mention any number of corridor cheeses you can funnel them into in some environs).

I'm wholeheartedly against the idea of removing inventory constraints. Likewise with introducing vehicles and RPG elements, XP and skills. These would just stop it from being a Stalker game. One of the best parts of Stalker is that no matter what - everyone in the Zone is equal and you are all at risk of being killed at any time. Becoming more and more 'powerful' through XP and skill systems would spoil that - survival in the Zone is based on your gear, and your caution. Also means that a naked Stalker with a pistol can still kill a fully kitted out Stalker with an exoskeleton and an FN2000 (albeit with a little luck and well placed headshot).

I'm not sure about base building. It could be nice, but also risks spoiling stuff. It'd turn the survival atmosphere into one of farming and collecting resources to expand some manner of base camp. I think introducing a camping system could work - to let you set up a bedroll somewhere and sleep, plus some other functions (like tinkering with gear or cleaning gear) - but of course camping in unsheltered or uncleared areas risks ambush.

[PsyWarVeteran]

Originally posted by Bif:

RPG elements, xp, skills. Parachutes. Removal of inventory constraints & weight. Base building.

These suggestions are worse than bicycles.

[Grand Vizier Of Chaos]

I want this things in S2, but with smoother animations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETLsXdAxpqk
You know, drinking, eating, maybe weapon inspection / fixing (animated ofc) near the camp fire.

[arottweiler]

In Misery the enemy will flank and enemy squads will separate as soon as they detect a threat. I've been using the spawner in Misery to create groups of enemy squads on the Pripyat map and then using all the buildings to take them on and they will use flank and cover tactics so if I'm not on the ball enemies will creep up on me from different directions and run in to nearby buildings for cover. Very different behaviour to the usual stand there and shoot and I hope Stalker 2 has Misery AI.

Bicycles could work in the Zone which is like a Mad Max, post apocalyptic environment where manual transport makes perfect sense in a place where petroleum is probably the most valuable commodity. Maybe Stalker 2 has a mutant that can outrun you so some missions need something like a bike to escape. It could work in a 1st person view where you can't see the bike but 3rd person animation could be difficult to do without it looking comical. Like CJ from GTA SA pedalling on a rusty BMX or Chopper in an exo. Done in the right way there is no reason why bikes couldn't be used. It's not like there's a Rule Book Of Zone Lore to adhere to.

SoC had much better places to squat by a fire with other stalkers and chill out than in CoP. Stalkers randomly pulling out a guitar or harmonica to play. The only place in CoP I can think of where stalkers play music is in the Skadosvk where someone plays guitar sometimes but I can't think of anywhere that someone plays Harmonica. It could be easy to overdo it and affect the immersion of the Stalker world but I hope to see more areas where I can rest and interact with people.

[arottweiler]

Like I said don't bother with him and his bitter attitude. His comment that Misery still sucks is a dig at me because I like Misery. That shows his level of sophistication. I don't care if he likes Misery or not but he makes a big deal out of it and says I follow him around even though I blocked him years ago. He's deluded and seems to enjoy irritating people. Posting that he thinks bicycles in Stalker is a terrible idea but thinking he's too important to explain why. Sad really.

[PsyWarVeteran]

I never thought these points needed explanation, as one can easily understand the problem with them by simply reading the names but apparently not everyone can, so here:


XP & Skills - "0 / 500XP left to unlock Burer Hunter Perk, instantly kill burers with a special knife attack". See the issue? XP, skills or perks have no place in the world of STALKER.

Parachutes - You have a game that doesn't even have land vehicles let alone aircraft but you are suggesting parachutes?

Removal of Inventory Constraints & Weight - Sorry to break it to you, but not every player is a cheater. People aren't looking for a nonsense collectathon or mindless item hoarding in STALKER. In STALKER you take equipment necessary for the job, use artifacts for heavylifting and running, that's it.

Base Building - Generic survival FPS cliche #235. No thanks, go back to Fallout 4 or any other dime-a-dozen survival game. Let's entertain the idea and say your main character is a weirdo stalker who decides to build a base instead of camping in or around countless empty buildings, rubble, equipment, vehicles, stalker encampments etc., what will you use for materials? Radiactive boards? Rocks somehow melted in a campfire to build stone walls? Nonsense.


And of course, the smartest of them all: Bicycles

Tell me with a straight face that seeing a heavily armed and armored, gas-mask wearing stalker riding a bicycle is a good idea. Are we imagining a sequel to STALKER or a comedy?

And to reply the genius comment that is comparing STALKER to Mad Max:

A) When will people learn that STALKER isn't post apocalyptic? You want something, you have it brought in from the outside world, simple. This fact alone can tell you why there isn't crafting or other useless additions in STALKER. Why create a crappy rifle from pipes when you can buy a brand new one from a trader?

B) Petrol isn't the most valuable thing in the Zone. If you play the originals instead of coming and preaching here like you know all about the series, you'd know that not only there are barrels and cans filled with the stuff everywhere but there is a part where enemies literally roll 5+ barrels to your way to make you explode. So no, it's not "probably the most valuable commodity".

C) Do they use bicycles in Mad Max?

[marie pavie]

OP:

Originally posted by Shard of Manus:

On a light-hearted note...

[arottweiler]

Anyone that accused me of self pity wouldn't be ok in my book. Back to the discussion I hope Stalker 2 has voice acted female NPCs and side games like gambling (Blackjack and coin flip) and maybe even a pool table can be unlocked which has ripped cloth and chipped balls but can still be used for a game. Same mechanics as the pool table in GTA SA. Done in the right way by the dev team anything could be added and work in the Zone with some imagination and suitable artwork. Hoping it has the biggest maps in the series and a lot of distractions. More dangerous and larger mutants and specialist equipment like night vision sights and heavy weapons like the M60.