The official prequel to the highly anticipated (and highly delayed) S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky aims to build on its predecessor's strengths and improve on its weaknesses. Numerous gameplay and graphical enhancements are being made to help Clear Sky become the game GSC Game World originally envisioned. Taking place one year before the events of Shadow of Chernobyl, the forthcoming title puts the player in control of a mercenary named Scar who, much like the protagonist in the first game, has been tasked with finding and killing "the Strelok."





Hardware has advanced considerably since March of 2007 (back then, the fastest gaming video card was the 8800 GTX), and Clear Sky's graphical tweaks and additions reflect that. The game now brings "DirectX 10 features" to the table, though whether or not the enhanced graphics will work in DX9 à la Crysis remains to be seen. Among these improvements are:

• Volumetric lighting (god rays!)
• Better day/night transitions
• DOF and motion blur effects
• The gun origins are way better
• SSAO
• Improved water
• Soft particles that collide with the world
• Player hand model that changes according to the clothing being worn

Shadow of Chernobyl's gameplay seemed to have a somewhat polar reception - while many loved its open-endedness, others felt lost and confused by the lack of direction in the world, as well as overwhelmed by the combat's difficulty. Clear Sky appears to aim to please both parties, as its changes seem to maintain the original game's appeal while also refining its rougher edges.

General

• Fast travel between certain places (no more arduous Rostok-Cordon and back runs)
• Repairable weapons and armour
• Weapons can be upgraded and modified to suit the player's wants and needs with the aid of a mechanic, who often resides in a faction's base of operations
• More side-plots and faction-related missions
• Unlike SoC, you can join factions (Ecologist, Merc, Freedom, Duty, Clear Sky, Monolith, Bandit)
• Artifact-finding has less randomization, and requires more player effort
• You'll be given an artifact-finder to help you with the above
• Bandits can now mug you
• The stealth meters (sound and light bars) have been removed, possibly making it even harder to sneak around
• Instead of iron sights, the weapon is now simply brought closer to the player to facilitate aiming - this may upset purists

NPCs

• They take cover
• They throw grenades (sans mods)
• They blind fire
• They kick your ass harder than ever before
• Their routines change throughout the day

Requirements

Minimum

• Pentium 4 2.0 GHz / Athlon XP 2200+
• 512 MB RAM
• 10 GB free hard disk space
• GeForce 5700 / Radeon 9600

Recommended

• Core 2 Duo E6400 / Athlon 64 X2 4200+
• 1.5 GB RAM
• 10 GB free hard disk space
• GeForce 8800 GT / Radeon HD 2900 XT

More screenshots!!!



Technology demonstration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcFz0ilsV3w

Atmosphere trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k60GOTDNHlg

Bloodsucker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kZDEqbiyUQ


First 25 minutes of gameplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-ZStYLIYS0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mU8eKhIEDQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE8Z7daAqBM

Release date: September 5, 2008

Eh, we kind of had this implemented into the original STALKER topic but I guess we needed a new one at some point.

I'm looking forward to it.

Yeah, going too be 100% better

I simply can't wait.

Early reports make it seem like my original scepticism was well placed afterall.

Really? What happened?

yeah please tell?

Elanzer: Early reports make it seem like my original scepticism was well placed afterall.

Bump for wanting to know what elanzer does I don't yet.

Just bad reports by various trusted sources.

Most revolve around them ruining the game's atmosphere and replacing it with action by choking it full of factions and bandits leaving almost nowhere to explore without a grinding fight, not including any of the scary 'underground' missions, getting rid of Russian voices and replacing them with 'wacky' sounding English ones, recycling areas, increased difficulty to the point of stupidity across the board, the whole faction thing plays like the gang territories in GTA: San Andreas, some really stupid design decisions, etc.

bummer, going to obtain it then instead of buying.

STALKER Clear Sky comes out tomorrow (the 5th.)

Can't wait to play it.

Hopefully once i get it, i can get some in game screenshots and such up.

It's already been released in Russia and suprisingly already the first patch is already out.

Meh, it just looks the same as the old one except this ones got shinier graphics and a load of unwanted shit added.
Do not want.

Will obtain it through other than monetary means, disappointed to hear its not going to exceed the original in quality gameplay.

I never played the first one ,so I'll be looking forward to try this one .

I would advise everyone to make their own decisions when the game comes out, the issue seems to be mostly that Clear Sky is clearly much more focused around combat than anything else, so it might actually be better for some people. Just not me from the sounds of it seeming I only cared for the atmosphere/exploration.

Well i've been looking for a way to obtain it, however..can't seem to find it.

If anyone finds a link too this "obtainable" item please link it to me in the PM's area.

I'm looking for the english/US version.

It's not out yet.

oh what the fuck, it said the 5th a while ago..

god damn it, it got pushed back to the 15th.

You're shitting me right?

Nope, got delayed twice.

This latest delay being because they forgot to print CD keys if I remember correctly.

lol dumbasses

how the fuck do you forget the cd-keys.

I forgot to mention only North America was affected by that delay, but it's now out in Europe as planned so English versions should be obtainable.

THANK GOD! BRB GOING TO SEARCH.



edit

fuck still can't find anything.

I'm sad =/

I had one yesterday but didn't use it, going to buy the game, downloading with my speed wont work anyway .. 60kb is the highest i ever had when obtaining a game.

hehe, from the looks of it everyone I know is "obtaining it", and hardly anyones buying it.

I'll play Clear Sky, I liked SoC so hopefully they'll have kept the game somewhat similar.

Now that people have it
Quick review?

Imagine Shadow of Chernobyl

Add (even more) bugs
Add one new area, keep the rest the same but slightly rearrange them
Add one or two minor features such as equipment repair/modification and faction wars
Add to the Zone a population density higher than England
Remove scary atmosphere
Remove a little bit of story

Result is Clear Sky

:C

So go for original STALKER if wanting a better game?

Depends if you want buggy action or flawed adventure.

DONT FORGET GOD RAYS! THIS ONES GOT MOTHERFUCKING GOD RAYS!

Egyptfags aren't technologically advanced enough for god rays.

ma herro has gawd rays.

So Shadows it is, thank you my good man.

Tut, unless you spend a considerable amount of money on upgrading your machine shadows is not really a reasonable goal.

Do you think I am unaware of that?

Apparently GSC have apologised for the horrendously buggy state of Clear Sky, and said that a few people have lost their jobs because of it.

I guess in Soviet Russia, game tests you?

Apparently so.

They weren't able to probe the game with a million man army first, hence the bugs. And what they mean by a few people "losing their jobs" is that those responsible had their families executed and were deported to gulags in Siberia.

GOD DAMN YOU VISTA!!!! KILLING MY STALKER =((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( <-----uber sad face.

I can play stalker perfectly fine on vista

64 bit?

No 32, forgot there were problems on 64 bit. sorry xD

lol yeah.

Well anyway i installed XP on my other HDD and play STALKER on that one now.

Man clear sky is so awesome. I run it at the max dynamic lighting option, with max. Looks awesome. I like how the animations and orientations have changed. I also noticed the NPCs operate differently and are more tactical.

I also love the slurs they yell as they kill each other.

They were better in Russian.

Everytime I hear "TAKE THIS YOU NAZI!" or "LET'S PLAY CATCH THE GRENADE" I cringe.

Ew...even the thought of such dialogue makes me cringe

i laughed at the TAKE THIS YOU NAZI.

and the whole HERE TRY MY GRENADE THERAPY.

THEY DONT SPEAK RUSSIAN ANY MORE? Do not want if so.