Igromir 2007 - Clear Sky report:
As you all know, the Igromir 2007 convention (2-4th of November) is currently being held in Moscow. GSC have their own booth there, dedicated purely to STALKER: Clear Sky.
Here is what the booth looks like:
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_1.jpg
It's located under a guard-tower armed with a light machine-gun.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_6.jpg
From the other side, behind the fence, the computers have been set up along with the latest demo build of Clear Sky.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_2.jpg
GSC's Stalkers, as well as fan-Stalkers are gathered in front of the booth.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_5.jpg
And they don't pay any attention to the warning signs (whole sign is in Ukrainian, warning aganst radiation and that the area is off-limits).
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_3.jpg
And it's a good thing, too, because the warning sign lies.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_4.jpg
Instead, you have another thing to worry about...
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_7.jpg
This aggressive monster ferociously attacks the innocent people occupying the stand.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_8.jpg
He was trying to penetrate past the defenses to the computers with the game, so his aggressiveness is understandable.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/stend_gsc_9.jpg
The demo-version of the game was an arena-type map, except it was outdoors. The people living in the booth were the most eager to playtest it (of course they were! This version of the demo was made AFTER they departed for Moscow!).
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_1.jpg
The graphics in the demo were not bad at all. (too bad they didn't allow people to take proper screencaps)
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_2.jpg
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_4.jpg
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_6.jpg
The game has a new very interesting effect; when you reload, your viewpoint focuses on the weapon, and the objects in the distance become blurred to simulate you being focused on the reloading of your weapon. I hope you can see it well in this screen.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_8.jpg
The enemies learned how to throw grenades. Despite there being a yellow warning icon that warns you, it's still very unpleasant.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_3.jpg
And it's pretty apparent that the intellect of the AI has risen significantly. On this arena level, we had to kill just four bandits.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_5.jpg
Still, no one was able to kill more than two. Not me, not Oleg Yavorskiy, no one else.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky_igra_7.jpg
In the talks between us, Oleg Yavosrkiy also revealed the following:
-Like Clear Sky, patch 1.1 will be released Q1 Spring 2008 (although that does not mean they won't be released at the same time). The developers do not want to mention any particular dates, from fear of making the same mistake as with the realease of the original Stalker.
-There will be many more areas and locations, and there will be many paths to and through them.
-Female characters are not officially planned, although it is possible that they might appear over the course of the developement.
-There will be several new weapons, the old weapons will be finished with the experiences of modders in mind.
-There will be more new unique weapons. It will be possible to upgrade them very deeply in all categories by the player. Finding such weapons will be much more difficult.
-The devs will consider seperating different rounds' effects on the armor and body. (it seems the presented 7.62x39mm rounds in FMJ and Hollow-Point impressed some people)
-The devs are considering adding vehicles into multiplayer.
-Stalker-Attributes are being worked on.
-Beside the aforementioned use of grenades, NPC's have become much more intelligent; they coordinate and work very well in groups, interact in groups, and with the player.
By the way, here is the official poster of Clear Sky:
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/igromir_2007/clear_sky.jpg
Since Thrusday, the following has been added:
-Patch 1.0005 is in the final testing stages. If no major problems with it are discovered, it will be available very soon.
-One of the new locations, the Swamp, will be absolutely huge.
-The engine has had a mass of modifications, almost to the point of being completely overhauled. The lighting has been almost completely overhauled, and volumetric light has been added. The engine will support DX9 and DX10. The graphics really do look great.
-The AI now has day and night routines.
-The nights will be darker.
-The second trailer for Clear Sky will soon become availabe. It really is a great trailer, I recommend it for everyone.
-It seems that the game will finally have normal textures for the weapons. In other words, the Kalashnikov won't be green anymore.
-The variety of animations has been greatly expanded.
-Since smart terrain for the AI has been expanded, now the world can be physically interacted with.
-You can't kill Strelok! But we will be able to see him in the game, and the storyline is directly tied to him (again).
-The anomalies, artifacts, and their detectors will be greatly varied. For example, the detector will be a device that is held in one hand, while the other holds a small firearm, like a handgun. Long-barreled weapons such as rifles cannot be held at the same time as the detector.
-The developers have also recieved the following materials and suggestions.
http://sony.iiteco.ru/http/ftpfolder/stalker/to_gsc.zip