GamePro Q&A: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- December 08, 2006 14:42 PM PST
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GamePro editor LongHairedOffender talks with S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl lead designer Anton Bolshakov:
GP: How does the X-Ray engine the game uses affect the gameplay?
The X-Ray engine S.T.A.L.K.E.R. uses has extremely powerful rendering technology, which made it possible for us to build the massive are very detailed levels. There can be up to one million polygons displayed. In the game there is fully dynamic lighting and shadows. Everything in the game casts a shadow. Day and night cycles have also been included in S.T.A.L.K.E.R., so as the sun moves over objects in the world we've created, what you see is accurate.
GP: Will the game support Direct-X 10 effects?
The game will be released very soon, and we found that it made more sense to use Direct-X 9. This turned out to work out quite well.
GP: What system requirements are recommended for gamers to play S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
To play the game the way it was intended to be played, you'll need 2 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM. GeForce 6800 is also recommended.
GP: Are you worried about being compared to Duke Nukem Forever due to its numerous delays?
The players will forgive us for any delays once they get their hands on it and experience what the game has to offer. We are not afraid of being compared to Duke Nukem Forever. They should be afraid of us.
GP: What led to the repeated development delays?
The thing that took the most amount of time while making the game is the life simulation system. If we were to just create a linear game, like many other FPS games, we would have already been done with the game long ago. The extra time spent really makes a difference in the gameplay. The world in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is huge and extremely detailed, and it took time to do it just right.
GP: It has been said that elements from the science fiction novel Roadside Picnic have been incorporated into the game. Is this true?
We are not making a game based on that book. We are making a game based on the history of the Chernobyl zone. Nothing is based on the book. It might have confused some people because some terms like the Zone, and Stalker are used in both the game and that book, but these are real things.
GP: What role-playing elements are in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
The player ultimately has the choice of being the type of Stalker they want to be. They can be either a good Stalker, or a slayer who just goes around killing everyone. It's really up to the player how to play the game, and how they play determines the ending of the game. There are also 7 different endings in the game, 5 of which are false.
GP: Is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. a game the FPS fans will be able to pick up and play? How's the difficulty?
Another thing about the game is that we've made it so that expert FPS gamers, for instance someone who's skilled at Counter Strike, will also be skilled at Stalker, while novices can pick up the feel of the game simply by playing. Their hands will adjust gradually. It's a game that anyone can play.
GP: Was there a reason behind the name change from Oblivion Lost to Shadow of Chernobyl?
It was the decision of our publisher THQ to change the name. They had done some marketing research and Shadow of Chernobyl was a more appealing title.
GP: Can you talk about the mutants that players will encounter?
The mutants in the game are not fictional, but based on mutated versions of real life animals. An example of one of the mutants is a dog that can cast a phantom version of itself. At times you won't know what you are shooting at. Sometimes it will be the actual dog, sometimes not. Sea monsters are also in the game.
GP: How will players interact with other Stalkers in the game?
There are various Stalker factions in the game that the player decides how to interact with. The groups of Stalkers will interact with the player in different ways at first, but the player has the ability to change the relationship they have with other Stalkers by either completing quests for them or by killing their members.
GP: Are there any future plans for porting S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360?
We have such plans to port the game to next-gen consoles, but everything depends on our publisher.
GP: Are the in-game environments are based on real locations?
All of the structures in the game are based on things that really exist. Things that are straight out of Chernobyl are the sarcophagus, which has been accurately recreated, and the even the town of Prypiat. Virtually everything you see is real, with a few exceptions, which were added to make the environments more interesting.
GP: Even though the events in the game take place in an alternate reality, the nuclear disaster is virtually identical to the real Chernobyl tragedy. Were there any second thoughts about choosing such a sensitive subject for the game's premise?
You know, there was a guy here earlier today who was a real Stalker after the tragedy and he told us that he likes the game because it will remind people of what happened. It has been 20 years, and people are starting to forget. The game questions what the purpose is of such dangerous technology.
GP: When can fans expect to see S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in stores?
The official release is the first quarter of 2007.
GP: What different multiplayer modes are in the game?
There are three, team deathmatch, deathmatch, and artifact collecting. The multiplayer in the game is unique because many of the things you see in single player trickle into multiplayer matches. Weapons in multiplayer matches can be upgraded, as well as armor. This is sort of a secret, but we are planning making a level creator available. Players would be able to use their custom levels online. This would happen after the game's release though.
GP: Can a player say "screw it" to the RPG side of the game, and simply run around blasting everyone in sight?
The player starts out in the game with literally no protection. They have nothing other than a pistol. The more the play you game, the dangerous it will become, and trading is a necessity for survival.
