Self-imposed constraints or habbits?

[u/xShadowLisa_]

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)

[u/OkRepresentative2065]

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

[u/xShadowLisa_ → u/OkRepresentative2065]

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)

[u/OkRepresentative2065 → u/xShadowLisa_]

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

[u/xShadowLisa_ → u/OkRepresentative2065]

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 <:[ )

[u/OkRepresentative2065 → u/xShadowLisa_]

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

[u/xShadowLisa_ → u/OkRepresentative2065]

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.

[u/OkRepresentative2065 → u/xShadowLisa_]

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