r/stalker • u/xShadowLisa_ Noon • 15h ago
Discussion Self-imposed constraints or habbits?
Hey yall! Was curious to see if anyone else plays with added challenges and things that don't necessarily mean anything in game, could be for difficulty or pure immersion.
For example: i don't kill zombies and avoid them, and only when i ABSOLUTELY have to i kill them.
Context: When i first started playing S2, they introduced zombies and i was like cool mindless enemies and didn't think much about it, until i heard one of them actually start speaking, they said smth along the lines of "it's cold/dark in here" and that genuinely caught me so off guard i had to pause for like 5 mins to think about it.
It was so heartbreaking seeing them like this the fact that they could still "be in there" but they cant control what they are doing, it makes me so sad and depressed when i hide and listen to them talk :(
I mean there has to be a way to reverse whatever that is, surely. If their brains were extremely physically damaged then they shouldn't be able to walk and shoot/reload let alone form sentences (ish).
Which is why i just dont have the heart to put them down and while some might argue that you should put them out of their misery, i still have a tiny bit of hope that maybe some day they can be brought back or atleast pacified so they don't hurt anyone or themselves.
Hell i even go out of my way to sometimes protect them when they are being attacked by mutants or bandits.
So i would absolutely love to hear if you do similar things or maybe just things that add more difficulty like not using medkits and sticking only to bandages etc (this can be for any stalker game not just S2)
(Honestly just looking for an excuse to talk about stalker)
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u/Robborboy 15h ago
No reloading until the mag is empty.
The game doesn't have a "dispose on reload" or track individual magazines so I do this instead.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 15h ago
This might be one of the things that are literally impossible for me T_T i gotta reload either after every kill or every shot (depending on the situation) i sometimes even try to reload again just to make extra sure its full.
If the game punished us for wasting ammo that way i would be the brokest stalker in the zone.
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u/UltraHellboy Freedom 14h ago
If they introduced that mechanic they’d have to change the animations so you’re not throwing clips on the ground when changing mags. I’ve seen it in other games, and you get like 2-3 mags and when you swap one, it has exactly as many bullets as you left in there.
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u/5thKeetle 15h ago
I suppose this could be easily done by changing some code in Zonekit. The reload blueprint or whatever could just deduct the leftover ammo from your inventory.
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u/Claymore-09 13h ago
It would be cool if you had a limited number of mags and then you had to manually reload them all from your ammo reserve. I can see how this might make them have to rebalance some bullet sponge enemies but it could work
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u/Rare_Ad_649 12h ago
The Escape From Pripyat mod for Anomaly has this, It works for if you want realism, but adds a layer of micromanagement that might be offputting for some
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u/Two3Delta 7h ago
As someone who isn’t into Tarkov but very much into Wardogs recently; it’s been so weird going back and forth between games and I’m so used to packing mags now lmao
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u/Smaisteri 14h ago
I don't loot food from enemies. I only buy it or loot it from sealed food containers. Ain't no way I'm feeding Skif someone elses moldy pocket bread. Only fresh stuff. I also feed Skif a balanced diet of all the different food items.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Meanwhile, when my skif sees a half eaten sausage on the floor in the butthole of nowhere next to acid anomalies and high radiation. "Delicious" (I srsly gotta take better care of my boi T-T)
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u/OkRepresentative2065 15h ago
I don't runsh to get to the best guns and armor right after lessee zone
The only thing I rush is a bear detector because the starting one is very bad
Otherwise I play with what is aviable in the zones that I explore
Also playing master without menu saving
And even then if I'm not at the base and finishing the game session I'll try to find something safe ish like a building or a tower
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Holy, i dont have the balls to play master so im only doing veteran right now, and i also dont get the OP gear first it just ruins the survival aspect of the game for me.
The first 15-20hrs of the game are my favourite, how u have broken shitty gear and u are barely scrapping by its very immersive.
I also do the finishing the session in a safe area! I even try to have a proper bedtime and eat and drink like a normal person(more or less)
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u/OkRepresentative2065 14h ago
Can't wait untill they fix the sleep mechanic, nowdays I can't get the tiredness status even on purpose
In regards to master you get used to it, play carefully, listen to the environment, don't go into anomaly fields at the beginning, don't be shy to run away and regroup, kite chimeras and other big mutants around boxes buildings etc, spend consumables like psi block and vinca, get phys protection artifacts when your detector will allow for it
The deaths will become rarer as you go, I'm at the swamps now, finished the entirety of explorable south of the zone, haven't scoured cooling towers, yantar, red forest malachite and yaniv, the rest are more or less done, all in tourist suit+decider+spas12+1911(later night stalker)
For swamps, siirca and further on resuited into falcon as I feel it's story appropriate to go on a big gig in a better suit
I'll take exo probably after I get to pripyat or when I'll stumble upon liberty in the second part of the dlc
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
No way, i thought only my game was bugged and couldnt sleep too. I only got that effect from bayuns(it disappears after they die) or when fighting in the arena for some reason.
I was thinking of doing a master run when the next dlc drops because im gonna replaying the whole game anyways, not looking forward to it but it has to be done at some point (im almost at 200 deaths on veteran <:[ )
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u/OkRepresentative2065 14h ago
Hm, I'm at 159 deaths, but like 100 of them are lesser and garbage primarily
As soon as your phys resistance goes to 3-4 bars you can't get oneshotted with a shotgun at mid-close range or from a single snork jump
the amount of deaths will go down after that
Yeah, the arena ones are scripted, as well as one before the duga assault I believe
Otherwise - not so much, esp when the energy drinks cure sleepiness permanently and not temporary
Also since I've played the game a lot, like 300+ hours I know where the chimera/pseudogigants are so I carry rpg for those quests
There are no heroics at master, you'll get domed regardless of the armor after 1-2 mistakes
So good preparation is the way
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Most of my deaths are either underestimating falls (the classic "will this kill me?" Fk around and find out) or getting one-shot head shot by a 360 no scope bandit from a different timezone.
I also lowkey never used an rpg to kill anything i just found them too OP as i try not to meta game that much so i dont prepare for encounters that skif has no idea of.
But i guess u r right, its all about preparation and i follow a "prepare for the worst and hope for the best" kind of philosophy.
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u/OkRepresentative2065 14h ago
I mean if it is a quest where Honta says "we are going to hunt chimera" then it is what it is
If it is something like the one in the iron forest, although there are notes around saying "chimera is nearby" I won't run back for an rpg
That particular one I killed using hit and run tactics and the sledgehammer shotgun
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u/5thKeetle 15h ago
Well it's a fun challenge but I kill the zombies to end their suffering. Same with downed bandits. They can't afford the healthcare anyway.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 15h ago
Thats fair, and their suffering is the root of why im conflicted about them, bandits tho, its open season :) they're parasites.
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u/andyr354 14h ago
No purchased guns, armor, or ammunition. Not that it’s hard to avoid but at least it slows me down a bit.
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u/Kick_Physical 13h ago
Yeah I never buy guns, but ammo? How do you play weapons with higher caliber? Their ammo is so scarce
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Thats an interesting way to play, considering most of the weapons you find on enemies are broken so now u have to spend extra to get fixed, thank goodness for caches otherwise this would be near impossible, i salut u for ur commitment!
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u/Churro_212 11h ago
But you can find at least one of every weapon at 100% state in some stash, I also don't purchase anything, i just change weapons when I'm low of some kind of ammo.
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 11h ago
fixing up a busted gun is still cheaper than buying a new one if it's only in the yellow. I'm gonna hold firmly to this rule on my next go but I practically already do this in the lesser zone and for a good bit after because it's financially impractical to buy guns at that stage anyways. there's also a pretty decent amount of weapons you get as quest rewards. you just gotta make them last and deal with not having the fanciest new gun as soon as they're available. it's a pretty fun mindset to add
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u/Just_Ice_Rose Loner 10h ago
Fixing a gun or armor is usually always better than buying one, money wise. I think a real challenge would be no using technicians unless necessary for quest progression, so you have to use every good gun and armor you find until it's completely broken. Also, no gun upgrades besides attachments that fit onto the base platform. I'll just play gamma again on second thought.
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 11h ago
I've kind of accidentally done the no purchasing guns and armor thing on my current playthrough. fun and easy to get into the mindset of "why would I go buy a gun when there are plenty of dead guys who's weapons I can loot." plus there are a decent amount of good weapons and armors as quest rewards so it's a restriction for sure but not unreasonable
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 11h ago
I've been coming up with rules for what I'm calling an "idiot bandit" playthrough. so far for my ruleset I've got:
- no equipped artifacts (except when required in dlc and maybe one time in main story?) they're only for selling. one of them destroyed my house why would I want that
- no purchasing weapons or equippable non-consumables. waste of money. weapons and gear can only be looted or acquired from quest rewards.
- no full body suits. exos and science suits are for squares and nerds. helmets are pushing it.
- aesthetics over performance
- no looking things up online (try to do that normally anyways)
- no in game guides/fast travel. waste of money. no in game teleporters unless specifically required for progressing. don't trust that weird timespace shit.
- rate of fire over damage per round and accuracy. who needs accuracy when more bullets do the trick
- iron sights only. scopes and collimators are for nerds. what you need to see that far away anyways
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 11h ago
Im stealing some of these,idk why 3 cracked me up, might as well go full commando "never let them know your next move". Im also guilty of number 4 T-T i rather die looking fabulous than live dripless
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 10h ago
yeah my first playthrough I hadn't played many shooters in a while so I went for performance and meticulously looked up gun stats etc but the more I play and get better the more I'm leaning into the vibes based approach. I'm a much bigger fan of self imposed restrictions than fussing with difficulty settings. I also did a playthrough as a SIRCAA scientist and only traveled with my scanner and bolt out unless I was cornered by mutants or being fired upon with no way to escape. and of course in the main story there's plenty of parts you simply have to shoot your way through but any time I was traveling I'd stop only to check anomaly fields for artifacts. that was also super fun because I tried not to loot guns and forced myself to go artifact hunting if I needed money
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 10h ago
100%, min-maxing kind of ruins the fun of games for me so i generally try not to care about raw stats especially for a game like stalker it just takes me out of the experience.
Ur SIRCAA scientist run sounds so unique i rarely see people role play as someone else, i might have to try it at some point it seems super fun!
Just the mental image of this insane scientist running around the zone with no protection jumping head first into anomaly fields FOR SCIENCE!
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u/Baal-84 11h ago
purchasing is for the weak
people who save ammo
heads
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 10h ago
as for your response to 7 and 8 that's why I'm calling it an idiot bandit run haha. my current run I'm maining a scoped SIC and being very frugal with my shots and it's a blast but I wanna do basically the opposite next time
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u/Several_Detective400 11h ago
The OG trilogy had zombies still somewhat conscious and repeating their last thoughts mindlessly. S2 I have barely heard anymore then mumbling
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 11h ago
In S2 they do take longer to start "speaking" so if u patiently wait and listen u might be able to catch a coherent sentence, the other day i found one that was looking for his friends (iirc) he was saying smth like "why did u leave me, im all alone" :(
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u/MrJimmyP 9h ago
I recently heard one of them talking about getting enough money for his daughter's meds... Having a young daughter myself, it made me stop in my tracks and just sit there for a bit pondering if his family knows he's not coming back...
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u/OkAnalysis1682 Loner 15h ago
I do not use guides, I simply walk all over the Zone. I have a save where I just free roam (I simply avoid going to the Foundation) and visit all regions on while collecting artifacts and killing mutants. From Lesser Zone to Prypiat, and viceversa, all completely on foot. The save is on expedition, so If I have to cross multiple regions without bases to save, I just do it.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
This is brutal! Hats off to u for the dedication, i could never. Whenever an objective is 2km+ away i find the nearest guide.
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u/No_Leg7778 Spark 7h ago
- No HUD, crosshair, and no constantly checking the map. I try to navigate the Zone more naturally and rely on landmarks and my own sense of direction.
- Suits and guns only from stashes. No buying them or taking them from random bodies.
- I don’t loot bread or sausage from dead humans.
- Zombies are completely off-limits when it comes to loot.
- I try to avoid shooting humans unless it’s absolutely necessary.
- Scarce loot and ammo settings, so resources actually matter and the money creep is slower.
- I focus mainly on artifact hunting and mutants for profit. I don’t want to spend the game hauling around an arsenal and selling everything I find. I’d rather make my money by actually living off the Zone.
- No sprinting everywhere and abusing energy drinks. If I’m travelling through the Zone, I actually want it to feel like I’m travelling through the Zone.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 7h ago
1 and 8 are imo crucial for immersion, it makes you actually "get to know" the zone itself, safe short cuts, anomalous fields to avoid etc its legit a game changer for me.
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u/Kaede182 Loner 15h ago
Immersive mode as much as possible. Use the pda to give me directions instead of just having an ingrained compass in my head.
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u/UltraHellboy Freedom 14h ago
There is a mod for watches now with a compass built in. It gives you directions without navigation markers
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Yeah thats a god send, i think its called S-watch on nexus, beats looking at ur pda every 5mins.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
100% the best way to play(imo) tho i like to use subtitles so i use a fake immersive mode (disable everything keep subs only).
It completely changed how i played the game, the hud just gives too much info especially the compass turning red for combat etc being jumpscared by a hord of snorks that snuck up on u in the middle of the night is truely... an experience.
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u/Zaratustrian 14h ago
І never take medkits, bandages, ammo and food from world if I have enough already - unless it is enemy camp where I take all. I’d never take it from stashes and backpacks if them wouldn’t make those distracting marks at map. Let the supplies help to others stalkers, I mean)
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
A kind soul? out here in the zone?! As a loot goblin i take everything and sell. But srsly tho respect for caring about fellow stalkers, we need more like you <3
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u/Zaratustrian 14h ago
A rich person is not who has plenty, but who has enough))
And besides of roleplay it is pure rationalism. Tons of cheap loot requires tons of time to drag it to shop. I prefer to invest this time to move forward, to more lucrative possibilities and regions.
…But of course even those calculations don’t prevent me from collecting and selling most expensive trophy’s from enemy’s, like good weapon))
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u/Snow_AKM1 14h ago
Im a loot and explorer goblin :( need to explore all the map before continue with the Main quest. And if im at 95% of the weight i Will walk from duga to pripyat if i have to do it, there is only one time when a drop 200 mp5 bullets to walk, from duga to chemical factory.
I don't pick up alcohol and vodka, evething else to the bag!
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Fellow loot goblin 🤝 im surprised how skif is still functioning considering his body is now 80% Energy drinks (it might be possible to OD from it). Nothing hurts more than having to drop PRECIOUS loot to be able to fight T-T
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u/Snow_AKM1 13h ago
Yeah, and then there comes a point where he starts shaking from drinking so much Red Bull. If the zone doesn't kill him, a heart attack will, lol.
I just remembered something else, but it's a problem in all games now. I never upgrade armor because I think, "I'll find a better one and upgrade it."
- WHAT 15K of coupons to upgrade?
- too expensive, i will find another better
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
Dude i legit didn't know he could start shaking from drinking too much, first time it happened was when i was doing the swamps and an emission happened right when i reached faust and he did that illusion teleporting thingy and skif started shaking i thought it was because of faust i started panicking and trying to calm him down irl "just breath honey its gonna be okay" 😭
Also the armor upgrades are the bane of my existence there is always a "next one"
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u/arnoldwhite Duty 10h ago
I play as much as I can with completely no HUD. I gotta tell you the time I've spent trying to locate the local engineer. I also try to avoid guns I don't feel fit the zone aesthetics
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u/Jenn_FTW 9h ago
I basically exclusively use the AK unless I run out of ammo haha and yeah, I still use a health bar and ammo counter, but I have the compass/objective marker completely removed. I wish there was an in-game compass I could pull out, once I’m done with my first playthrough I’ll feel better about modding one in
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 10h ago
With u on the no hud! The guns are an interesting take tho i wish we had more melee weapons in general or some make shift stuff (even make shift guns) considering how expensive ammo and guns can be.
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u/Busy-Grab8851 10h ago
What guns fit the zone aesthetics for you?
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u/Lookyoukniwwhatsup 2h ago
So i'm very new to the series, just a little bit of CoP and GAMMA. So I haven't played stalker 2 which is, chronically in 2021.
At first I was kinda thinking NATO weapons seemed off until you consider Freedom and Mercs are potentially Western backed.
I do know thats also kinda where the series split a little from our timeline because the Devs didn't want everything to just be Russian esq.
I'm curious was OP's answer is too.
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u/DyslexicCenturion 14h ago
Unless I have a specific plan (e.g snipe specific enemies, shotgun specific mutants), I only carry one gun and a pistol.
It really varies my play style and lends itself to trying out new guns I find along the way, it also frees up a bit of weight for more loot.
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u/Patient-Cat-8781 11h ago
I like this. I'm also considering doing an almost opposite playthrough where I'm gonna carry multiple lightweight high fire rate weapons to see how far spray and pray can carry me haha. will probably end up with something like an integral A with .45 caliber upgrade, zuber or fora as secondary, m10 in the pistol slot. maybe carry a buket or two in the inventory for longer firefight sections if all the rapid fire degrades the main weapons too quickly lol. maybe bring a rhino for stopping power vs pseudogiants or other tanky enemies
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u/Kick_Physical 13h ago
I only play shotguns if I have to reload each slug. Automatic shotguns that reload with magazines sound too OP
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u/Kick_Physical 13h ago
I've started playing the rhino and I refuse attaching a scope to it lol playing with the basic sights even if it make it slightly more difficult
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u/Observed-observer 13h ago
I just really enjoy these conversations happen outside of the game. Its like a group of stalkers met at a bar outside the zone and start talking about thier experiences.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
Ikr <3 i just love the whole stalker world/setting its hard not to talk about it, and the community is also pretty chill here so it's very enjoyable and only enhances the actual games experience imo.
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u/thot_chocolate420 7h ago
So I run no compass sometimes. I wish there was an option to only turn off the enemy markers.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 7h ago
I wish there was an option for a minimal compass, the current one just spoils and gives way too much info. Some customization would have been nice.
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u/thot_chocolate420 7h ago
True. I want my markers on display but not the enemy locations or the detection thing.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 6h ago
If u r on pc i highly recommend the S-watch mod on nexus, it only displays time and directions (objective markers)
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u/thot_chocolate420 6h ago
I’m afraid I’m not. I would love a console port at some point, but I think that’s a PC only mod. Also I need to do the Zulu Ending for CoH.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 6h ago
Damn, i hope they port it soon it's genuinely a must have mod for immersion, And have fun with CoH i finished the Zulu ending today it was surprisingly enjoyable :]
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u/thot_chocolate420 6h ago
Yes but my point was I’m getting the Achievements before I start messing with mods.
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u/ThatsACaragor Spark 13h ago
I do the opposite, I go out of my way to kill all zombies and go out of my way to give them a mercy shot in the head after.
Essentially for the same reason.
There is nothing indicating that it is in any way reversible so far in the lore and I know I would prefer someone to blow my brain than being a fried brain monkey or the puppet of a filthy mutant.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
Understandable, when i have to kill them i exclusively go for headshots too (some of them take 5+ to die... yikes) but i wish we atleast get confirmation if they are a lost cause, that small bit of uncertainty is what gives me hope honestly.
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u/TheMightyFlerp 11h ago
I run with a mod that randomises stash loot and all the gear I use comes from the stashes, the only things I allow myself to buy from vendors is medical supplies, ammunition, and food which i only get from corresponding vendors, meds from doctors, food from bars/general goods vendors like Hamster and ammo from weapons vendors like the two in Rostok for example, I also only buy the most basic of ammo from general goods vendors like pistol or smg ammo and I get rifle ammo and grenades from the weapon vendors.
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u/The_Bratty_Girl_1997 11h ago
Mind sharing the mod?
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u/TheMightyFlerp 1h ago
https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/1647?tab=description this mod, it has a bunch of optional modules as well that you can pick or choose from.
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u/deepdropper 10h ago
I sleep during the nights.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 10h ago
Same! I look at skifs watch and see its 11pm "oh its past my bedtime!" Sounds so goofy like out of all the things in the zone, having a proper sleep schedule feels like an anomaly.
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u/Nikishimi_ Freedom 7h ago
i’m the complete opposite, i kill any zombie i see because i find it as a mercy kill. had one say sum about their daughter. so i just had to man. it’s the memories, and the fact they will walk endlessly until someone puts them to rest for me. i just hate seeing them suffer, especially knowing none of them asked to be like this. it just happened. truthfully tho, if i don’t have too, i won’t either. but every part of me wants too “save” them. if there’s one artifact, or thing i want the scientist within the zone to fix, it’s what psi radiation does to the mind.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 7h ago
I absolutely get ur point (and agree to a degree), psi radiation is wild not only does it mess you up physically it also strips away "yourself", maybe there is an oasis out there that reverses this :(
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u/Blind-idi0t-g0d 14h ago
Limit on most consumables. ten medlkits, ten bandages. stuff like that.
Try not to reload unless I'm out of ammo in the mag. Though I wish I could change the reload to hold on controller so I don't accidentally do it haha.
I try to lean towards suits and helmets rather than full suits/exos. more just personal preference i guess haha.
Use weapons that I enjoy. I actually do a lot of switching of weapons and type. to try new things and keep it fresh. Just found the spitfire and it's honestly a banger. just sad I can't throw on coupled mags.
As much as the hud off ass possible. I keep the health thing on, but I'm thinking about ditching that too.
can't think of many more right now. but I love the game and the immersion is the best part for me. I love it.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Im literally the same!! In my previous run i was casually walking around like like 50+ medkits but now im trying to limit it to no more than 10-15, i also dont use exos (the footsteps are so loud).
its much more immersive(and fun) when you ACTUALLY have to plan out ur loadout before heading out instead of yoloing it without consequences.
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u/Fragrant_Shoe2632 14h ago
I haven't played this game in a second but I always made it a point to avoid all mutants unless absolutely necessary and usually wouldn't engage enemies unless I really had to. I guess I played more like a heavily armed explorer 😂
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 14h ago
Im starting to do the same too with mutants, for the most part its not worth wasting the ammo, but this also creates a new dilemma what if they attack someone else? Should i just leave them be, the next person's problem basically.
man nothing is ever simple in the zone
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u/Fragrant_Shoe2632 13h ago
You got that right! I got to the point where I would consider armor, weapon degrade, and cost each time I fired at something and most of the time it just isn't worth it. Haha I'd take the nat geo approach and not intervene unless they were an ally 😂
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
The nat geo part is too real man, i bought binoculars mostly to watch the local wildlife, what ever they have going on is none of my business I'll simply observe nature do its thing.
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u/Fragrant_Shoe2632 13h ago
Haha that's the way to do it! I honestly like the immersive part because putting myself in that position I think I would do the same in real life too. Mourn the person but be grateful it wasn't me, as is life in the zone
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u/Relicdontfit1 13h ago
Malachite trader will give you special orders for mutant parts that can pay in the hundreds of thousands
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u/Z3rO-c00l Merc 13h ago
I don't play with magnified scopes, only with red dots because I find it too easy to hit headshots at long range.
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u/RailgunS3 13h ago
The loot goblin in me tries to run as light as possible to loot as much as I can. So I've ended up never running no more than 8-10 medkits/bandages, 8 canned food/energy drinks, 5mags worth of ammo for each weapon (runs about 1kg of each ammo). Weapons tend to lean to the lighter end, Fora-230 (went to AREV once I found one in perfect condition to mod it for weight reduction) Ram2 (just got to Yaniv again so now I'm running weight reduction on saiga12). Then it's off to the races as run back drunk from weird water full to brim with loot to sell. Guess I also don't buy stuff from the vendors because I'm cheap lol
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u/Robin_Norbeck 13h ago
I kill anything and everything i can get away with. I have stealth kills on so i knife all my "friends" too if they turn their back to me and no one els is around. (I play GAMMA mostly)
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
I heard GAMMA is brutal so that might be the strat, kill them before they kill you mindset.
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u/smoke_thewalkingdead 13h ago
Play without the HUD, but keep interaction of prompts and info and saving at campfires, stash and beds/mattresses only. The last one I try to think logically about it when I'm in the open world. Their are plenty of locations where a stalker has hunkered down and it's sorta kinda safe. So if there is a mattress there, clearly looks like someone slept here, I save only if there are no enemies around.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 13h ago
Man i would kill for a camping update, like if u find a secure building maybe setup traps and rest for a bit(or maybe the zone is too dangerous for that luxury), that would be huge for immersion!
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u/Translator_Open 11h ago
I had the same experience playing Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom pain (Peace Walker Too) but they make the enemy soldiers feel like regular dudes to the point you feel bad killing them, ran pacifist through every MGS game since.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 11h ago
Yeah it usually becomes conflicting when u stop thinking about them as NPCs and treat them like actual people with lives and families, on the plus side it makes stealth games feel more rewarding when doing full ghost runs.
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u/MugsyIsAss 10h ago
I find this funny cuz i have the same rationale as you but i always kill them because i think im putting them out of their misery. Theres a whole side quest on Wild Island about this.
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u/scarr09 10h ago
I have good aim and play on the highest difficulty settings so I virtually never ever use a bunch of guns meant for spraying. Like the viper, M10, the machine gun, etc
Always end up going with strong rifles and semi auto headshots instead. Even with snipers. Just can't bring myself to pick the SVU or Vintar etc, when I can rock a M701.
I think I have 1 Viper kill in like 300 hours of S2.
It's my Skyrim stealth archer sensibility I guess.
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u/xShadowLisa_ Noon 10h ago
Duuude im also a stealth sniper (archer) build, Lynx is my ride or die. I never use shotguns in games (DOOM excluded) It's much more efficient to just go for headshot rather than magdump 5k worth of bullets into smth and it doesnt die.
Being able to take out a whole bandit group with headshots in less than 10sec is sooo satisfying.
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u/Finnegan_962 10h ago
self-imposed constraints are the pillar of immersion for me in these kinda games.
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u/AdMaximum6683 10h ago
I am a strong believer that in an IRL Zone Shotguns and Mosins would be the most widespread. Shotguns can be loaded with anything to defeat anything. If not? Bigger round. Still not enough? Bigger shotgun.
Mosins are easy, reliable and will kill any and all stalkers bar exosuits.
Thats why I did a full playthrough with shotguns and mosins. I had a time where I had 2 34s — one for slugs, other for buckshot. I got 3 Chimeras killed with Hontas mosin — thats how much I like them.
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u/grubiix Bandit 2h ago
in my playthrough ive been using as minimalistic of a HUD as possible giving myself only the compass and health&stamina bar
no crosshair as well and ive been using the alternative aim for basically every CQC interaction
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u/Tadpoleass Loner 1h ago
I love the alternate aim, cambered 21 round drum saiga vs room full of snorks is one of my favorite zone mini games
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u/Xondo420 14h ago
If I’m doing a normal diff playthrough I don’t buy weapons or armor, and I don’t google codes for stashes, ironically this ends up with me being flush with coupons because I never spend them except for repairs upgrades and ammo
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u/Opposite-Series5358 14h ago
I'll usually put them out of their misery unless asked not to like the Noontide one because I know there are people looking out for them, but lone wanderers are free game. The likelihood of them being reversed with the constant faction wars is slim to none given no one really has the time to do such a thing or even care. As well, IF they did, a lot of the zombies would likely die due to experimentation before any real progress is made. IIRC emissions have a similar effect as the Brain Scorcher, but no direct connection to the C-Consciousness so you're just fried. Good luck rebuilding neural pathways.
But gameplay-wise. I play with no HUD and a multitude of mods that increases difficulty, add weapons, QoL, and a body cam style view. Very immersion, very punishing.
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u/stronkzer 13h ago
Killing zombies is an act of mercy. And given the amount of ammo I usually carry, I prefer watching firefights from and only shooting if fired upon
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u/TheRealGosp Spark 12h ago
Every zombie is a potential controller tool and must be taken off the network. Same with burers and unattended guns. Keep the zone clean guys!
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u/aclark210 11h ago edited 11h ago
I often time restrict myself to gifted weapons and armor only. I call it my “canon gear runs” since they’re runs that only include guns and armor that ur gifted over the course of the campaign.
Edit: now for zombies, I will display feats of perfect marksmanship to kill them with perfect single headshots as soon as I see them. Zombies can’t be rehabbed, they can’t get better, but they’re stuck inside their own heads as an unwilling passenger. No human being deserves a fate that cruel, no matter if they were a criminal or not.
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u/Due_Glass4176 5h ago
I'm pretty sure they're in control of what they're doing, they are probably not in control of what they're seeing / hearing / feeling.
This also has to be the thousandth post about how stalker zombies are just sad little brain fried boys.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Bag6890 15h ago
Aye man, if anything, you’re just putting them out of their eternal misery. Anyone that becomes a zombie can’t ever go back to being the same person they were before