S.t.a.l.k.e.r.

[Nick Kay]

Am I the only one finfing this game difficult?

[freddy326]

I agree, it's not easy, but it is bl**dy good!

[Matt-75]

Nah, its easy enuff if you play these sorts of games a lot.

Tips for you Nick.

1. Get the headshots. One shot kills, if you cant get it going, then head back to quake 3 and railgun practice.
2. Dont follow all the side missions. You will get way laid. Just choose missions where you can get money.
3. Explore all the stash boxes, and learn to stick stuff in them. Carry no more than 30kg of weight on you. I carry some food, anti radiation stuff, a silenced pistol, an AK74U with scope, plus about 300 rounds for the pistol, 300-400 rounds for the AK, and stalker armor. On occasion i might add an artifact to it as well, but i havent really got the hang of the artifacts.

Im currently at the point where i can head to Pripyat, but i havent touched the game in a week or two due to exams. It will be finished by June.

[Nick Kay]

Finished it - last two stages bit of a let down

But, what a great game - playing it again on a higher level...

[Stesh]

Originally Posted by Matt-75

2. Dont follow all the side missions.

Agreed! Also it gets better once you get a descent gun that'll hit something

[Matt-75]

Currently playing it on the one above stalker setting (not the easy one). But its reasonable.

Did you all sneak over the rail tracks at the start or assassinate the army guys under the bridge? I did the army guys, and got some AK74 rifles and ammo. Stashed all but one gun and kept the ammo. I can get a head shot almost everytime without the scope on the AK. I use the MP5 lookalike with silencer for some missions, because i can sneak around levels and get in really close, then if its one guy knife in the back of the head, or if its more go for a set of headshots with the MP5 set on 2 shot semi auto.

Generally with most auto rifles, if you aim at the neck the kick back will create a headshot on the guy with the third or fourth shot.

I got bored of roaming around getting medkits and bandages together, so im now doing most of the side missions, just for the hell of it, and building up massive stashes of weapons and ammo, so when i do go for the finish, it will be fairly easy. Also i just love to explore, and find secrets that not many others know about.

I also didnt take any of the kill fellow stalker missions, for some reason or other. I guess im more of an ethical stalker.

[Nick Kay]

Originally Posted by Matt-75

Did you all sneak over the rail tracks at the start or assassinate the army guys under the bridge?

Went under the railtrack - with the electrical stuff, got armed up & went back and killed them all

Originally Posted by Matt-75

I got bored of roaming around getting medkits and bandages together, so im now doing most of the side missions, just for the hell of it, and building up massive stashes of weapons and ammo, so when i do go for the finish, it will be fairly easy. Also i just love to explore, and find secrets that not many others know about.

Agreed - the side missions can be fun, though finding the hunting rifle was a b****r - never saw it the 1st time hidden in the container - drove me potty for a while!

Originally Posted by Matt-75

I also didnt take any of the kill fellow stalker missions, for some reason or other. I guess im more of an ethical stalker.

Have tried it both ways (oo err)

Beat all of the opponents in the Arena - none left!

As far as I can work out, the two most difficult levels are:
1. Pripyat - the one where you go over the break in the wall with the massive radiation - or at least, its difficult until you work out where to go
2. getting into the sarcophagus - all those baddies after you AND the choppers having a go AND the time limit!

[Nick Kay]

OK, so I thought I'd finished the game...

Into the sarcophagus, found the wish granter - ending
Played again - different cut scene at the end but essentially the same

Played again, this time did the sub-mission to find the doctor

Wowwwww.... Whole new game!
Once you fight your way to the area under the sarcophagus and destroy the mechanism, you're faced with two options - looks like two huge new areas open up???

[Nick Kay]

If you get this far:
1. Don't take the "yes - I'll help out " option - game ends there & then
2. Take this "p*** off I'm not into that option" - huge new area opens up!