Roadside Picnic and Tarkovsky's Stalker
The Zone concept comes from a book called "Roadside Picnic" by brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. The publisher is SF specialist Gollancz. ISBN : 0575 070 536
The film is called "Stalker" and is by Andrei Tarkovsky.
You can find out more about the DVD through Amazon.
Find the film Stalker at Amazon
[ Chernobyl ...and the reality of stalkers ]
[ Overview ] [ X-Ray Engine ] [ A-Life ] [ Trading ] [ Clans ]
PC Spec Requirements
| Minimum |
Recommended |
| P4 2.0 Gb / AMD XP2200+ |
Core 2 Duo E6400 / AMD X2 4200+ |
| 512Mb RAM / 10Gb HDD |
1Gb RAM / 10Gb HDD |
| nVIDIA Geforce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600 |
nVIDIA Geforce 7900 / ATI Radeon X1850 |
Chernobyl ...and the reality of stalkers.
10 January 2007
Comments by juni0r
2351hrs
What follows is from my Online Diary, 26 October 2006. It gives some insight, via National Geographic magazine, into the modern day realities of the Zone.
Finally get down to read that piece on Chernobyl. Some of you out
there will know I've been following the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow
of Chernobyl. As a result of doing up a website for the upcoming
FPS I'd done a bit of research into the accident and recalled some
of my prior knowledge on the incident. With this National
Geographic article I was to learn a bit more, including an interesting
fact regarding the term "stalker". More on that in a moment.
One gets the sense, of a lack of willingness by authorities, wherever
they may be, to take responsibility. We see this with documentaries
the other night, called "Let Us Spray" regarding the production
of 245T in New Plymouth. We see Australia and the US paying out veterans
for Agent Orange related illness yet here, in New Zealand, where they
made the stuff for the US government, for use in Vietnam, our vets
are still getting the run around. And so we come to something like
Chernobyl and we have inaction. Sounds like current vets and the issue
of Depleted Uranium, never mind the environmental and civilian concerns.
There are many more factors pinning back action in this case but the
fundamental principles remain the same. In the face of great sacrifice,
and ongoing suffering, we see ongoing suffering and a lack of respect,
dignity and in many cases service.
The routine test which went catastrophically wrong causing number
4 reactor at the nuclear plant to blow remains a menace to the environment
and those who remain there. 26 April 1986. I still remember seeing
the television coverage, those men, faces masked, knowing that they
knew their number was up. One of the scariest thoughts I can say I
ever had.
There was 400 times the fallout as that from Hiroshima. Several hundred
thousand people had to be evacuated. 1,100 buses come into Pripyat,
the city two miles way, where most of the plant's employees lived,
and by 1700hrs that day, the entire city was a ghost town. I somehow
doubted, to read that, the West could act with such efficiency. Today
the city is used to research fallout.
There is a concern now that, as a result of the sarcophagus collapse,
which was put in place to contain the damage and spread of the accident,
a fresh hazard occur. Plans are underway to put in place a second
check, resembling a huge aircraft hanger, to contain the threat further,
estimated to cost around $800 million. Perhaps a small price to pay.
It will end up being 350 feet high, high enough to cover over the
Empire State Building.
Asides from the hundreds of workers, called liquidators, who came
in at the time to fight the fires and contain the radiation, including
coal miners who dug under the core of the reactor allowing liquid
nitrogen to be pumped in, "stalkers" from the Ukrainian
Academy of Sciences work at the sarcophagus today to monitor radiation
levels and the state of the reactor. It is something that must be
done, and several have died over the years doing exactly that.
For those who have survived, the impact is not only physical consisting
of heart disease, cancers and deformities but also the psychological
including women who believe any baby they might give birth to will
be unhealthy, and therefore have no future.
The photographs are eery to say the least. No lack of thought provocation.
Well, to talk of my domestics today is going to be decidedly bland,
so I shall refrain. Besides, more important things to be doing...
like catching up with emails! And there I shall leave it, for at least
a day. But, if I spend a few minutes tidying up this hovel of mine,
I can at least do some training practice.
Top ^
26 June 2006
Comments by juni0r
In 1986, night of the 26 April at 0123hrs, the number four reactor
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded. This is the worst known
accident of its kind in the nuclear age. Being that the developers
GSC Game World are 100 km's away from the Chernobyl area, in the city
of Kiev, this became the basis for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. You play the part
of a Stalker in the year 2012, a scavenger who is searching out for
irradiated objects after something strange happens at the site in
2006. These events have created a massive area now known as The Zone.
While most FPS games are pushing the massive online multiplayer concept,
where single player missions seem to be a warm up only, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
appears to very much be going in the other direction. It is no surprise
that GSC Game World have gone down this road deeming the RPG elements.
Harking back to real adventuring. And on top of that, we have the
unique AI concepts which are non-scripted, making the solo game surely
much more realistic, and challenging, in an ever-changing virtual
world. You may no longer have to duel with fellow humans in order
to feel the sweat on your brow.
From the writer's point of view, this is all good. Massive multiplayer
is not the be end and end all and it only demonstrates a lack of creativity
and resourcefulness on the part of game developers. You can soon get
bored of it, and many of us can't find that many people, much less
broad band connections, to make the experience a consistently pleasurable
one.
Something fresh and part of the whole roleplaying experience is the
need of your character to eat. If you don't eat enough it has consequences
for your stamina, and therefore your ability to fight and survive
in The Zone. Drinking too much vodka will get you expectantly drunk
and most certainly effect your aim when shooting.
On watching the footage, even before you learn that the world is a
digital duplication of a real 30km/sq area in Chernobyl, there is
a sense this is unlike any other game before it. A non-linear approach
introduces built up areas, ruins, huge open areas and oppotunities
for all forms of tactical play. Missions will not be dictated by the
a map's given geographical layout, only by the choices of the player
as they guide their Stalker through the world. You will certainly
have objectives, namely quests, but it will be up to you how you get
there and which one's you choose. This in turn tells us that, unlike
most games your adventure is not "on rails", dictated to
you by the environment, one activity leading on automatically to another.
To give you an idea of the overall scale of the playing area, if you
got into a car and drove at 100 km/h it would take you a full 20 minutes
of game time to get from one side of the map to the other. Now, it
is unlikely you could travel that fast constantly, and I doubt you
could travel in anything resembling a straight line considering terrain,
built up areas and various hazards and creatures you're going to encounter.
Asides from various mutant creatures you'll find in The Zone, there
are about 120 other Stalkers in the game, along with a military presence.
Due to the non-scripted AI nature of Stalker, you will see a multitude
of different reactions based on their needs, the weather and perceived
threats. Survival is the name of the game and reactions even consider
the lay of the land. Soldiers in The Zone use Combat AI to properly
move as soldiers do in the real world, using cover, fire and movement
and adapting to best outwit their opponents. There is certainly no
cause for predictability of action as you will find in most games
up until now.
All in all S.T.A.L.K.E.R. made some big promises in the gaming world
- its now time to cash in.
Top ^
Unlike many other FPS games, Stalker does not use a outside engine
to produce its world. Instead GSC Game World have their own proprietary
system called X-Ray based on their own requirements to foreful their
vision of the game universe. Based on released media, it is doing
a very good job indeed, even bringing along some unique, firsts in
the gaming industry for the ride.
In the Engine video for Stalker you even see the player character
shooting into the sky at a flock of crows, and one of them drops to
the ground. This is the sort of universal interaction we want. The
playing area is huge, mapped out from the real site in which it is
depicted and this makes for massive play area.
The physics engine allows for the interaction and terrain elements
as they are in real life including gravity with regards falling objects,
and penetration regards ballistics and potential cover. This entails
details of trajectory for weapon fire in regards range, making it
increasingly difficult to hit targets at longer ranges. It is yet
to be established how closely it models the requirements of authentic
real world marksmanship. It makes sense considering the PSO1 scope
and features a reticule rangefinder. These elements provide more realism
and a challenge for players. A new skill to acquire and another way
of pursuing the thinking player's game rather than simple, fire and
whatever the sight is on will be hit. Such a system may be able to
be turned off for an "arcade" mode.
After seeing the DX9.1 demo I am wondering if ballistics will be effected
by objects between the shooter and the target. In the video we see
the Stalker shooting through glass to hit a soldier. Bullets are effected
quite a lot by glass and other materials, both regards accuracy and
their potential for doing damage on target. Later we see our intelligent
Stalker taking out a soldier through a wall rather than exposing himself
unnecessarily. He knows his target is there, and lets loose from cover.
My question is, had of this been at greater distance, would the ballistic
performance be effected? Concrete is good, plaster board is not.
Top ^
A Life - is the artifical intelligence system which controls the creatures
you find in the game. It is unscripted so instead of predetermined
behaviours based on predictable movements and what the player does,
you find activities of the world's inhabitants are much more flexible
and realistic during game play. Mutants, for example, will follow
basic needs as any animal does in the real world; hunt, sleep, eat,
seek shelter, defend itself. You will see creatures fighting amongst
themselves, reacting to changes in weather, hunting and even changing
their behaviours due to light conditions during the day / night cycle.
You will find that, unlike many games up until now, other inhabitants
won't necessarily attack you even if they know you are present. They
may be too tired, have sized you up and decided you're too dangerous,
or they are wounded so wish to retreat. This is far more realistic
than the aggressive kill kill kill attitude of scripted AI. Survival
is the name of the game, so you'll find, often, if you don't bother
someone or something, they won't always bother you.
Opposing Stalkers and military units will work in similar ways, determining
strengths and weaknesses and potentials for success. If you are well
armed and particularly are in a group, they will try and avoid you,
if not, its on. And when it comes to combat it will be deadly. There
will be great efforts made to out-flank you, and terrain and other
environmental conditions will be used to gain the upper hand. Teamwork
seriously means something in Stalker. If you play aggressively and
you will play the price.
Based on how you decide to play the game, it may well be possible
for you to venture into the Zone without killing another human being.
Without an aggressive nature being played out, the AI will react quite
differently than would be typical. This would be a unique prospect
for any FPS. With S.T.A.L.K.E.R., it is simply another way to interact
with a very atmospheric and complex virtual world.
Top ^
The ultimate RPG element could be construed to be trading. Here, while
you collect up alien artifacts you can deal with traders and other
Stalkers in the game. The Dealer is your man to trade with inside
the Zone. According to stlkwlk3 he acts as a mentor at the beginning
of the game, then gives you missions and quests. If you work these
these and complete them he gives you cash. In straight out trade you
deal in weapons and equipment, ammunition, provisions, upgrades and
the gaining of information, allowing you to learn more about the Zone
and therefore penetrate deeper into it, allowing for greater benefits
along the way. The Dealer is the one who gradually uncovers the plot
as you progress through the game. Keep people on your good side, then
you can greatly benefit through trade. Being a hard nut in Stalker
will just get you killed. Being wise and easy on the trigger will
provide you with enormous advantages as you move through the harsh
world of the Zone.
Being that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is based in Chernobyl, former USSR, trade
currency is Rubles. It remains to be seen if other world currencies
such as the Euro or US Dollar will be tendered in the Zone. Not so
likely as barter is more the rule of the day.
As it relates to trading, the RPG elements will find a certain amount
of restraint with regards the amount of equipment a character can
carry. This further holds to the sense of intelligent play as it will
become impossible to carry a virtual armoury as you can in most FPS
games. Another welcome balancing factor. You can not carry two dozen
hand grenades on top of three assault weapons, half a dozen pistols
and a claymore. Those who would become reliant on having massive amounts
of weapons and ammunition on hand will be in for a nasty surprise.
Give me a SVD, a Groza (or SPAS12 depending on the environment, a
USP (.45 thank you), and a few grenades and I'll be a happy Stalker.
Top ^
This brings a different perspective of the online gaming Clan concept directly into the gameplay of single player. It reflects real society and our human condition as social animals gathering for mutual support. So, while it will naturally occur in MP, it goes down well in single player mode as well. But if you insist on scrapping it out, things could go very bad. You gain strength in numbers but you also become more obvious as a threat to outsiders and can make yourself more vulnerable as a result. This dynamic is worth waiting for and I can see it being copied in game software houses already.
Top ^
Links
Oblivion Lost (English version)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
(English version)
Tarrackin's Home Scroll
http://juni0r.orcon.net.nz
Copyright © Leon T. Harrison 1996-2007. All Rights Reserved
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