Must have mods?

[Vyadhi]

What are some must have mods for performance for a first time player?

Or should I just go in with no mods?

[Yoinkyz]

if your not allready the type to find mods through google then id say just play vanilla

[kallipsoul]

Play vanilla

[OutoftheLoop]

vanilla is pretty good all on its own. maybe after your first play-through, you can try mods.

[Cacodemon]

Zone Reclamation Project fixes bugs and doesn't change gameplay unless you configure it to do so. Absolute Nature and Absolute Structures improve visuals if you need it. Or you could try the Stalker Starter Pack which includes ZRP and further visual enhancements but is still pretty much vanilla for gameplay.

[Capt. Davinci]

Publicado originalmente por Salamandes:

What are some must have mods for performance for a first time player?

Or should I just go in with no mods?

IMO, there are no "must have" mods for Shadow of Chernobyl as the base, "vanilla" game is a great and challenging experience.

But, I second @cacodemon suggestion of Starter Pack 2019 if you want to upgrade the graphics along with a mod to fix some of the bugs the patches didn't address. I'm currently playing Starter Pack and it's a good mod even if this is your first play through or you haven't played the game in a long while because it doesn't alter the game play or the "vanilla" experience.

Here is the link: https://www.moddb.com/mods/starter-pack/downloads/starter-pack-2019-fixed-re-upload

It contains the following mods:

Dynamic Shaders from AA2.1
FoV switcher
OWR3 weapon pack for Shadow of Chernobyl
Photo Realistic Zone 2.1 textures
HD Models addon for Shadow of Chernobyl
Stalker Weather Overhaul v3.1.1
Zone Reclamation Project 1.07 R5 RC
COMPLETE mod nightvision animation for suits with bad NV

NOTE: That OWR3 weapon pack does NOT add new weapons nor does it change the mechanics of weapons in the game. It is just remodels the weapons for Shadow of Chernobyl as well as changes the weapon animations and sounds. Some of the remodels look good, but to be honest, I'm not a fan of all the remodeled weapons for the game this part of the pack implements, but overall it's a decent upgrade in the textures and animations.

If you just want bug fixes, you can just download the Zone Reclamation Project (ZRP for short) from Moddb https://www.moddb.com/mods/starter-pack/downloads/starter-pack-2019-fixed-re-upload . I prefer the re-upload at Moddb over the one from the original site at http://www.metacognix.com/files/stlkrsoc/index.html#ZRP1.07 because it fixes some lighting and shader issues.

Another graphical and textures update that keeps the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. look and vibe, is CrommCruac's Absolute Nature and Structures: http://www.absolute.crommcruac.com/shadow-of-chernobyl/

I DO NOT recommend the STALKER Complete 2009 (2012). It isn't bad, but the reason I don't recommend it because it changes the game play, messes with NPC and mutant AI and reduces detection range compared to vanilla. The AI felt "dumbed" down IMO and I found the AI a little buggy as well as far as the NPC behavior. For example, in the second special mission, Fox would become hostile towards me after the wild dogs attacked even though I didn't shoot him or at him. Complete 2009 (2012) also introduces some "game breaking" additions IMO such as being able to reset faction hostility as well as teleport in the game to different locals. It also introduces Repair Kits in the game and messes with the game economy. I tried it and didn't like it after about an hour of game play and went with Starter Pack 2019 instead.

Here is a simple modding guide video from Valde for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfYoIrrF66E

[PsyWarVeteran]

Go in with no mods.

[Delta_Coyote]

None.

[Jericho]

For a first playthrough? Original Weapon Renewal is pretty good if you want realistic weapons. You'll have to get a different addon if you want them to have realistic names. Then after that, I would recommend boosting the damage, but no mod is compatible with OWR That does this, so you would have to do it manually for each gun as I did. I wouldn't recommend this to somebody who is new, but basically I doubled all weapon damages. Now guns might be inaccurate, but at least the damage boost makes the weapons lethal. Before, I was having to shoot bandits with an MP5 like 12 times. Now I can shoot them like 6 times and they die. It's perfectly balanced but their guns are also now boosted, so if they shoot you, it will hurt you pretty bad. Hell, I peaked a corner while reloading and a bandit was right there hiding with an MP5 and I died in a single burst. Had no chance to even back out.

[Baddest Mormon]

Play with Z.R.P. if you want more of a Vanilla experience, but feel free to use S.T.A.L.K.E.R. complete for your first time. While i get people saying to play Vanilla with no mods, the overhauls make it a better game hands down. Don't worry, the Slav Jank is all there, even with the mods.

[Red_Gloomy_Baron]

For now just go with Absolute Nature + Structures and ZRP. That's it. The mods only enhanced the texture and some bug fixing. The game still "looks" and plays like vanilla games but with much needed enhancement

[THICC Penny]

There is a bug with 1.00006 that makes the game crash when using objects in an NPC's inventory. I'd recommend fixing this. Here: https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/503-stalker-shadow-of-chernobyl-unofficial-patch-10008/?changelog=0
As far as I know, this fixes this issue, my source being me because I tried it myself. Medkits, food, drink, and bandages don't crash with the "use this" option in a dead npc's inventory.

[Capt. Davinci]

Publicado originalmente por Baddest Mormon:

Play with Z.R.P. if you want more of a Vanilla experience, but feel free to use S.T.A.L.K.E.R. complete for your first time. While i get people saying to play Vanilla with no mods, the overhauls make it a better game hands down. Don't worry, the Slav Jank is all there, even with the mods.

I'm not a fan of Stalker Complete 2009 (2012). It really messes with the AI of the NPCs in the game. Not saying it is a terrible mod, but the AI is dumbed down to a point that sometimes it breaks how some of the NPCs act from my experience. Plus it doesn't use the latest version of ZRP, which may be part of the problem with the buggy AI.

I uninstalled it after a couple of hours of game play and went with Starter Pack 2019 instead.

[Tazor]

Publicado originalmente por Yikes:

if your not allready the type to find mods through google then id say just play vanilla

Geez. I just did that. And guess what? This thread was the 2nd result on Google. I always come across people like you whenever I google stuff. A forum thread shows up as one of the top results with what I googled. And the first response is from a "wise" one like you. Telling me to google it. How do you feel to know you have wasted my time after all these years? And the time of who knows how many other people who were too lazy or scared to call you out on your BS?

Don't bother to actually answer me that. You are blocked.

[Wille Wilse]

Publicado originalmente por Tazor:

Publicado originalmente por Yikes:

if your not allready the type to find mods through google then id say just play vanilla

Geez. I just did that. And guess what? This thread was the 2nd result on Google....

Its Google algoritm. If Google finds google..guess what, it comes up first.