NEWSA+SIMBION_tweaked Support and Gameplay

[3040Krag]

Hello everyone! New to NEWSA but not to STALKER. I've been through vanilla several times, OL twice and Priboi once. I recently installed NEWSA and have completed every level save for Prypiat and beyond.

System Specs (don't laugh or gag!):

DFI NF2 board
Onboard sound
Mobile Athlon XP OC'd to 2.2 Ghz
1 gig RAM
Radeon 9600, not generally OC'd as it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Playing Horror Lite 3.0 on a completely new install of SoC, on medium settings with textures and grass sliders all the way left. 1024x768 on a 1400x900 display, fullscreen. I'm using Horror Lite as HT doesn't fit *my* vision of the game yet I want the full game story experience.

Yes, I deal with a LOT of CTD and some strange issues with my rig (inherited it from Moses himself when he upgraded), but the gameplay is worth it. Thanks to nightwatch, eggchen and all who have contributed!

A question, though. This is a screenshot of a stash in the bar, playing NEWSA
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/ ... 05_bar.jpg

This is a screenshot of an inventory, playing OL
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a228/ ... 05_bar.jpg

Inventory or stash, the items in NEWSA all look blurred like in the first picture. They're also blurred in the HUD. They aren't blurred in OL. I've reinstalled SoC and NEWSA multiple times and have added nothing else but the issue remains. Is there any fix or change I might make to regain normal representations?

Also, even though I'm wearing the nano suit, I only have five slots for artifacts. I'm only up to about page 25 of this thread, but have seen several SS where the player has more than five. Is this something I can change?

Thanks for looking!

[Nightwatch]

Thanks for posting 3040Krag. First I should note that, while you've put your PC specs, the 1 gig RAM is far too below the required level of RAM in order to play not only NEWSA but also the STALKER. In fact, GSC recommends in vanilla that 1.5 Gig RAM should be sought for. While it might've been somewhat possible to play STALKER and some other mods n this RAM levels (many mods change many things in the game -story, sequence of the things and add some additional stuff- but make little change on the "resource demand" aspect of the game) and when playing -NEWSA.SIMBION (SIMBION original is itself too massive in its right, and NEWSA adds significant more) 1 Gig RAM is a big "No." I hate to recommend people to buy more RAM, particularly in this economic situation in the world, but if you can get hold of more "compatible RAM with your system" you will see the difference. I'm positive that the issues you're having are mainly arising from the low level of RAM.

Like that: as the HUD and the inventory is Crystal clear in NEWSA, and the blurred vision that you're having almost certainly is due to the low RAM and the info relay processing problems that it would cause , also I'm sorry to say it but (though I'm well-knowledgeable on ATI cards) your graphics card is below the required level and would also need replacing.

When it's said that the (any) game/mod does not play below "any given level of specifications," as you would agree, it doesn't actually mean that the game will not start at all when the player clicks on it. It may well start and play of course, but in situations where the system is below the recommended/minimum levels, it means that the player will start the experience many problems with the game, and many functions -in varying proportions- will suffer.
I'm sorry, but as we all know, that is the reality. You may continue to play the game with these specs, it would not totally black out of course, but then it's inevitable that you will see many unforeseen problems.

--On the matter of artifact slots: after the version 2.4 (which offered 10 slots) , since version 3.0 slots number changed. That's the way the game has been planned, it's not for to change on personal basis. In fact, on Xtreme mode slot numbers are only 3. I do not want to give away ( in order to keep the mystery) the number of slots in the coming Xtreme++ mode.

PS: as I also said on Journal from the Zone section, thanks again for those brilliant stories from the Zone, playing the mod.

[3040Krag]

Agreed! My system is well below your minimum requirement. As I'm unemployed for over six months now after finishing a technical school education it is all I have. It's an unfortunate economic climate. I can live with the blurriness. Heck, it's been there since Cordon and all the way to turn off the BS and back. I'm used to it, and have no reason to believe it's a bug. I just wondered if I missed something in configuration or installation. And I did, I didn't buy a new system.

Thank you for the answer about the artifact slots. I'm up to around page thirty in this thread, so probably haven't read all the announcements I need to read.

Kudos again on a great modification of SoC, the AI is simply amazing compared to others.

[Balious]

Okay where can I get my hands on a weapon that will destroy helicopters. I am currently in Cordon but I got an angry one in Garbage waiting for me. So I could use some kind of rocket launcher or something. I have a bad feeling I won't get any until I get to Bar.

[Nightwatch]

3040Krag
Thanks for your valuable feedback and for your praises for the mod, it makes all the efforts given to it worthwhile.

Having a technical education is highly regarded and allows very strong (and long term) employability prospects, and although in this economic turbulence it may not be surprising to wait for some time until a good job becomes available like all jobs are concerned, I'm sure that you will find the job you deserve soon enough and you will have opportunity to built your rig as you want, too. Still, it's very nice to see that you're enjoying the game with your current rig, as that say: "that's the spirit!" -getting the best entertainment possible out of the game.


Balious
Thanks for the update As you don't seem to have received the FN2000NW-SPX from Seriy, I take that you're playing the Extreme mode. So, in this mode, you only get the Groza-NT and a couple of rocket-propelled grenades for the weapon. Do not forget to save before and after the Seriy mission, as you may need to reload several times against that chopper while trying different tactics to reach to reach the Level Exchange. This is the absolute survival aspect in this part of the game, as those grenades (though not fully impossible) will unlikely shoot the chopper down; all you need to do, deter it temporarily and escape from one place to another to safety during its attack maneuvers; don't forget the APC and the bandits, either. Good luck... you'll need it.

(you will get heavier weapons later, after doing some missions)

[Balious]

About those greandes. I no longer have them
And yes I am on extreme mode.

I had legged it to Cordon and after a while there I am coming back into Garbage. Soon as I loaded it the chopper was right by me gunning me down.

A question. Is there anyway to get to bar while avoiding agro for the time being? So I can get more prepared as if I remenber properly I can get a rocket launcher from there.

Edit:
FATAL ERROR

[error]Expression : fatal error
[error]Function : CScriptEngine::lua_error
[error]File : E:\stalker\patch_1_0004\xr_3da\xrGame\script_engine.cpp
[error]Line : 73
[error]Description : <no expression>
[error]Arguments : LUA error: ...w of chernobyl\gamedata\scripts\amk_heli_func.script:861: attempt to index local 'tmp' (a nil value)


stack trace:

It seems I broke the helicopter

[Nightwatch]

You can try to make a big detour around the Zone if you really want to go to Bar before clearing Agrohom, but keep in mind that this is the Extreme Zone and "weapons/armors, in fact many stuff" have been reassigned to different locations. missions and different stages to the game. You will not find what you expect to find in the Bar (at least not all of them, depends what you expect) even after you've completed Agro; and the all traders' lists/prices changes after the completion of various missions, so if you go to "any" trader without completing some certain missions, you will not find the updated trader list there.

[Balious]

Thanks Nightwatch for replying. This mod as usual with Extreme Mode lives up to its name of being intense.

After many times of dying and getting a crash (error above) I had thought of a brilliant plan. I didn't need to speak to Seriy or Mole straight away and get the stash about Strelok. I just went into Agro stole the documents headed through the cordon entrance (I admit I totally forgot about this until after getting the documents) went around gathering a few more supplies and then headed north all the way to bar.

Will try and update tomorrow or Tuesday on my situation

[Nightwatch]

Interesting planning Balious Let's see how things will develop.

-------------------------------------------
(PS: that crash you mentioned, as you haven't altered any files, can be nothing other than an engine glitch, as amk_heli.script is rock solid. But does not respond well at all to changes or additions. Its original authors had prepared it rather tricky and full of traps, moreover not all of the "visible end result functions" are governed from that file only )

[3040Krag]

Anyone else have this "feature"? Barkeep has some insane pricing!

I could quickly play a boring 30 minutes trading with Barkeep and become the richest STALKER ever! It happens EVERY time I make this particular trade. This on my return from the Skinflint repair kit mission.

[Nightwatch]

The ABC repair Kit, that you point and refer to, is very very expensive item to buy, very rare in the game, and depending on the "mode" you've chosen to play, it is available to buy only in a few locations/traders at the later stages of the game and on Extreme mode this ratio even goes much further down, to the requirement that you need to fight your way through a bloody battle in order to get it. So, very expensive and rare item, and when you've got it and want to sell it, it would of course reflect its value in selling price as well. You should've surely noticed that traders do not pay that much money for all items.

[Ultradad]

Hello there

The Repair Kit is the most expensive item in the game at 700k on Extreme mode, not sure about pricing on other modes, but you save so much on repairs to your Armour and Weapons that it is a good investment

[3040Krag]

Gentlemen,

Please note that I have placed my ABC kit in offer to sell to Barkeep, while at the same time have placed an ABC kit from Barkeep into my want to buy list.

Barkeep is saying that he'll pay me 110000 RU for MY kit but only wants 65780 RU for his. I gain 44220 RU every time I sell him mine and buy his. If I sell him my ABC kit and buy his at the same time, neither of us every runs "out" of the ABC kit and I will tell you, he'll keep trading kits with me all night long.

It doesn't take long, at Marked One's net gain of 44220 RU per trade to amass millions of RU in profit. Is this "feature" how the game is supposed to be played? I'm thinking, no, and that my trader dialog with Barkeep has the values reversed. There's no way a sane Barkeep would pay me more for the same merchandise than the price he would demand to sell it TO me.

This behavior is either inherent in the NEWSA mod or built into my game saves, it survives a complete and very thorough removal and reinstall of STALKER and NEWSA mod. The only retained files were the game saves.

Horror-Lite installed BTW.

[rockingmtranch]

LOL....yes, I'd say you found a small glitch so, your choice whether to exploit it or not. Just use it if you're in need of cash. And welcome to the board by the way

[3040Krag]

Thanks for the welcome, rockingmtranch. OT, if I could get Linux to reliably play any game I use through a simple install, I'd never use Windows again. Been a Linux user since the second or third Slackware release, back in the early 1990's. I downloaded each tarball 3.5 inch floppy (yes, a Linux floppy install) at the rate of two or three per evening over a 28kbps dial-up. I was so happy when it became available as an ISO!

[rockingmtranch]

I'm with you there. Someday we'll play Stalker on our Linux box.

[troppo32]

Dealing with "cracks and hacks" is like dealing with a whore. You might get what you paid for, but you might get a little "extra" too.

Well, which is better? a crack whore or a hack whore? Like the game, they both have had their executable files altered (money vs romance), may contain bugs, worms and viruses (yuck!) and usually don't get along too well with legitimate sources (mods and the law).

[troppo32]

Really? Something is wrong there. I ran SoC on a single core A64 and a C2D E4400 for a long time absolutely fine. Going to a quad made no difference of course, but the Quad is for the future

While Quad may be the future, it probably has zero to do with this game. I believe the game is designed to support dual core processors. There are dual core patches out there to balance the CPU load.

One of the major PC magazines (or was it TomsHardware.com?) ran a dual vs quad test and found that quad had, in 95% of the cases, no effect; sometimes it returned worse results!! When they explained "why" it was so simple that it was a head slapper. Most all software is written to execute in a linear fashion; "A" must occur before "B" or "C" may execute. You cannot load or fire a weapon before you obtain it and the ammo. This means that while processor "A" is active, "B","C" and "D" are idling.

Simply put, the game will not run better on a Quad machine than it will on a Dual unless your video card is a cheapie that is offloading some of the heavy duty work to the CPU.

My two cents.

[Balious]

Havent reported what I done for a while now. Well I just put NEWSA back on after having a quick run on Zone Wars.

One feature I noticed on Zone Wars that im sure NEWSA doesn't have is that Bandits, Military, Mercs and so on appear in the STALKER rankings instead of Loners, Freedom and Duty. I asked Jamie if he knew how he actually did that and he didn't know. This happening actually surprised him. I can try and get a picture of the rankings to help if you need it. I wouldn't think it cause problems with NEWSA as it shouldn't affect much but I leave that to you smart modders

I havent got far still right now just wondering the Bar. A few Military appear now and then fighting Duty and Loners while I loot everything hoping for some kind of weapon to use against the helicopters that wonder around. Also I checked my PDA and Seriy appears to be at Agro with Mole (I am sure this happened in my last game when I ignored him and went to Agro first. It also spawns the Garbage helicopter into Agro).

Also a question. Is there any new news on NEWSA? Seeing missing or russian text in the news section that appears bothers me. I like having complete english. But this is only minor and no need to be worried about.

Back into the Zone I go and hope for no more body looting crashes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edit

Well I didnt get a corpse crash. But I will explain what happened.

After many intense battles of fighting all over the Bar against Military, Bandits, Zombies and Monolith I finally found a rocket launcher but not loaded. But as more battles happened there were more and more casulities for the Duty and Loners making Bar a much unfriendly place. After my latest victory against some great Monolith that ran into an ambush set by the surviving Duty I decided to take a break and go to the 100 Rads Bar to see what I can get a good deal on with the Barkeep.

I had my equipment ready for sale and as I was looking at what he had to offer I heard more shooting outside. I didnt think much of it and thought the guys outside could take care of it. I was sadly mistaken as the next moment everyone in the Bar went crazy and everything happened so fast I couldnt tell what was going on. I saw some Loners quickly run into the back area of the Bar and I quickly followed. I had no idea who was attacking but I knew I had to put a bullet in them fast. The Loners stood no chance as i had failed tasks come up from the quest givers dying. With Snitch leading a counter-attack we slowly moved to the front killing the enemy that ventured to the other side to see what he could find. The others took cover on the front door while I went over to check who was attacking. But as soon as I get to the corpse I get another task failed of killing another master stalker. Realising that was Snitch's quest I quickly turn around to see the Loners retreating back to the back of the Bar and more enemies appearing at the front. I quickly took cover by the counter as it was the only thing I could do. It was no good as I was shot in the head and I went down. As I watched in horror at the game over I watched the action to see if the Loners could stand any chance at all. Well I saw another Loner get shot in the face and it appeared to be another quest giver. But as soon as that happened my game crashed with no fatal error.

This was at the bottom of the log:
! Missing ogg-comment, file: c:\program files\thq\s.t.a.l.k.e.r. - shadow of chernobyl\gamedata\sounds\characters_voice\human_01\monolith\states\breath\breath_1.ogg
* Saving spawns...
* Saving objects...
* 18027 objects are successfully saved
* Game Edward_quicksave.sav is successfully saved to file 'c:\documents and settings\all users\documents\stalker-shoc\savedgames\edward_quicksave.sav'
! error in stalker with visual actors\bandit\stalker_bandit_master
stack trace:

001B:043BB0FD xrGame.dll

I was a fool to think the surviving Duty could take care of the problem. As soon as I find out who did this to the Bar I will hunt every single member down!
But that be an exciting story to look forward to later

P.S: I think it could be Bandits as they seemed to sort of look like them and the visual error at bottom of the log makes me think it was them too.