Anyone have news about S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?

[Sir Real]

When I first heard about this game, I was pretty juiced, but it hasn't been getting much press lately. It looked like a Chernobyl version of Morrowind, basically, that you could play co-op or alone. I know it was shown off at E-3, but haven't heard anything about a release date. Anybody here have some info?

[enfestid]

Originally posted by Sir Real:
It looked like a Chernobyl version of Morrowind, basically, that you could play co-op or alone. graemlins/av_saywhat.gif

Anyways, they're working on it. I don't remember when it ever had much press, to be honest.

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

To be honest, I'm getting a tad worried about this one myself. Its beginning to wreek of Breed and Solner fare. Hopefully it will end up being more along the lines of the Farcry spectacle.

I am really looking forward to it.

[Patrick.Cox]

I saw an early build, many moons ago, of it running. It was pretty smooth then, amazing graphics and visuals. The movies since then, up to last month, have all gotten better. Nvidia has invested a lot in this in helping them get it done, I betcha it will be a good release.

[[E2160}&_FuZz]

Can't wait for this one. The vids on gamespot look great... av_smile.gif

[stingray]

Thanks for the heads-up. Stalker looks awesome!!! av_eek.gif Those video clips on Gamespot make me wonder now how Half Life 2 will stack up to it. It sure looks like they used the original HL as template for Stalker.

I'll even upgrade my rig for this game.
graemlins/av_cheesygrin.gif

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

Originally posted by Patrick Cox:
I saw an early build, many moons ago, of it running. It was pretty smooth then, amazing graphics and visuals. The movies since then, up to last month, have all gotten better. Nvidia has invested a lot in this in helping them get it done, I betcha it will be a good release. Ah brilliant. I'll be able to sleep better tonite. av_biggrin.gif

[Patrick.Cox]

Hey, who knows... it could blow. I am guessing, yes, but does it hurt to be hopeful. I saw it running on a FX6800U and even then it was just jaw dropping in motion, and that was before AI and most of the stuff we have seen in the past 6 months via screenies and videos.

Can't a person be hopeful?

[Derek Smart [3000AD]]

Originally posted by Patrick Cox:

Can't a person be hopeful? A person, yes. A gamer, no. As that would be considered sacriledge in this day and age of gaming. av_biggrin.gif

[NO2STARFORCE]

Hoping its another Far Cry and not another Söldner.

(And while they're at it.. why not have it NOT demand the cd in drive.. and, for the love of all that is holy, not ruined with Starforce (IF they're going to infect it with anything..I'd rather it be SecuRom or Similar than "Hey, lets install 4 hidden drivers and hoze your system" starforce :) )

I saw someone running the alpha version a long time ago.. even without any mobs it was scary.. and great av_smile.gif

[Sir Real]

I'm hoping it's going to work well with my 9800 Pro. Seems like NVIDIA's getting into bed with a lot of game developers these days. Derek and others, does this mean that NVIDIA's trying to optimize these games for their own cards?

[Chip]

Stalker was shown at E3 and playable too. Fun game.

[NO2STARFORCE]

@Sir Real:

I believe the "in bed with" programes that Nvidia and ATI have is a way for the programmers of said title to get easy access to hardware and support from the hardware manufacturer to enable the game to excel on that hardware and use all the latest features available. Which is good for the developers, and could be bad for those that do not have that specific hardware unless the 'in bed with' programe utilizes standards that are cross hardware-platform (e.g. using only DirectX methods that both cards support etc).

But many of those features work on both cards, the only difference is that one hardware manufacturer gets to put his 'stamp' on the title giving gamers the impression that "this title will run best on that kind of hardware", and maybe it will av_smile.gif , but it will still run on the other.

So, Developers win, because they get easy access to information and hardware, the hardware manufacturer wins because they get "free advertisement" (sort of), and many gamers win because the game utilizes features that may not perhaps have been used had the developers not gotten assistance. =)

[Hitman05]

Half the games that have the "NVIDIA The Way It's Meant to be PLayed" logo on them actually run better on ATI cards, so I think it's more a case of advertising.

[Patrick.Cox]

New videos released, linked from home page recent news, not bad at all.