S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Updated Impressions

Developer GSC GameWorld and publisher THQ were on hand at ECTS 2003 to show off the latest version of their upcoming PC game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost. Though the companies released a new trailer for public consumption as part of its press materials, they also gave behind-closed-doors presentations of the game's physics engine, as well as a brief demonstration of some of the in-game mechanics.

As we saw, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. will have a comprehensive physics model to complement its impressive-looking environments. We watched a brief demonstration in a test area that resembled an empty sports arena with raised benches on bleachers. These bleachers each had "dummy" models of characters, who, when shot down with a weapon, came tumbling downward with full rag-doll physics, either coming to rest on the ground or lolling off the edge of a bench. The level also had a small compact car with fully modeled suspension that bounced about on its axles as it rolled downward. As we saw, cars can be driven both from a behind-the-car third-person view as well as from a first-person cockpit view from which you can look peripherally out your driver-side and passenger-side windows. Interestingly, driving for long periods of time through muddy environments will cause realistic-looking dirt and grime to layer on your windshield and windows.

We then watched a brief on-foot demonstration of a test level, which featured the game's final interface. The game will feature a minimap in the upper-left corner of the screen that can be zoomed in and out. It will also feature a paper-doll model of your character in the upper-right corner of the screen that displays your character with whatever weapons and armor you're currently equipped with. Most importantly, the game's interface will show your character's three most vital attributes: blood, hunger, and fatigue. Though S.T.A.L.K.E.R. will have role-playing elements, your character won't have standard ability scores such as strength or dexterity, and you won't gain experience levels--but you will need to keep track of your various attributes. Fatigue decreases over time and does so more quickly if you're overburdened past your personal carrying limit of 40kg, while hunger must be sated by eating food (either from supplies your character purchases or animals your character catches and eats) lest your character faint from it. Finally, your character's blood meter measures not only your character's health, but also your character's actual blood levels, which deplete over time if you're severely wounded or become irradiated.

Since S.T.A.L.K.E.R. takes place around the remains of the Chernobyl reactor (and much of the game focuses on recovering irradiated materials, called "artifacts"), your character will be equipped with a handful of metal bolts that can be tossed into a nearby area to check for radiation (called "anomalous energy" in the game). If nothing happens to the bolt, the area is probably safe, but if, for example, it floats in the air, the area ahead of you may have an antigravity field generated by anomalous energy. If you happen to blunder into such an area, your vision will blur and the color will bleed out of it until the whole world around you turns black and white. If you don't back out of the irradiated area quickly, your character could suffer severe radiation poisoning, which, if not treated with proper drugs, could cause your character to die.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost is currently scheduled for release some time next year. We'll have more updates on this intriguing game as soon as they become available.