Misery Mod 2.0 released for S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat

shifty68 said:
Blood suckers are easy to kill in the open. just keep moving backwards in a straight line, this gives you a sec or two before its on you an generally insures that it will be coming at you from the way your facing. When they commit to attacking you they turn semi transparent, so just hit it with some buck shot. they seem rather weak to it. 2-3 decent hits usually does it.
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Hmmm, that didn't work for me. I tried that, but the thing just kept sideswiping me. Since I STILL don't have a suit, his claw attack was always one-hit death.

I dunno, maybe this was some super-bloodsucker, as I could only see his eyes for a fraction of a second before it disappeared completely again. Its growls seemed to be coming from every direction, so I had no useful audible cues as to where it was. Its attack was incredibly swift. To compound matters, its movement was very herky-jerky because of how much of a system hog the X-Ray engine is on systems. I get all kinds of frame-rate drops on my 3 gig 550 on medium settings.

oh and after about 30 f*cking hours i finally got the upd or what ever that thing is that powers the pda is called so thank god for that.
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If you know the area, you can get by without the UPD for awhile, but it will eventually become essential. Not only does it power your PDA, but also your headlamp, which you HAVE to have if you plan on engaging in night raids, otherwise you're limited to your wind-up flashlight and one-handed weapons.

You should also buy at least one battery pack if you haven't found one via stashes or corpse ransacking.
 
Ya getting around wasn't a problem without pda. but i couldn't find the stashes. and since i use the scientists armor, it has nightvision so that needs the power thingy as well.

hmm weird i usually see bloodsuckers about 1-2 sec before they hit me. not sure why you aren't.
 
Ugh. Trying to get into this but it is a complete crashfest. Misery + patch 2.02 + QF = instant CTD every time I load a game.
Misery + patch 2.02 without QF = I can start a game, but immediate crash if I try to go into Configuration.

I'll check back in a month to see if they have it playable. So frustrating.
 
I'm starting to get fairly regular crashes, too. Fortunately, I can reload my last save and continue playing for awhile, but the crashes themselves have increased significantly. Nothing has really changed (I'm still suit-less in Zaton), so I don't know why the crashing has become much worse.

NukeDukem, you should try a vanilla install. If you're using Steam, just delete the CoP directory entirely and let Steam redownload the game files, then install Misery. That's what I do whenever I've applied a patch.
 
Just an update. I had my first corrupted save a couple days ago. Game would crash when trying to load the file. Note that this is not the same as the "ticking time bomb" crash that would happen before the 2.0.2 patch. Fortunately, I had another save that I could use. I had to play some catch-up, but it was bearable.

Crashes are on the rise. However, unlike before, I'm able to recover from the crash and keep playing for some time before experiencing another. While nowhere near perfect, I think 2.0.2 + QF is MUCH more stable than the previous releases. I would still save often, but the chance of recovering from a crash is far more likely.

Regarding my own progress, I'm still cruising around Zaton, still suit-less, but my firepower has increased dramatically. I'm no longer having to rely on half-corroded junk that jams 4 out of 5 trigger pulls. I've also found all the tools for that shyster, Cardan, so he can now do everything in the upgrade tree provided his liver is pickled enough.

I have an exo on order from Nimble. I'm not entirely sure that was a wise idea, but I've got enough stashed away to afford one, though it would clean me out. I've noticed that, as soon as your gear suffers damage, get Cardan to fix it. If you wait, the cost begins to skyrocket such that it actually becomes to cheaper to buy a new firearm or suit from Owl. I try not to let my firearms get below 90%. One "pip" of damage is usually only around 1,000 RU to repair. Beyond three pips you're talking serious money.

Unfortunately, you're stuck with Cardan's ridiculous price for batteries for the Gauss rifle, if you choose to use it. Not only is the price absurd, but you also only get a handful of shots per battery. I haven't yet had a need for its firepower, but admit it would be nice for critters like psuedogiants, controllers, and burers.

I'm getting sick of being beset by dogs. Even a pack of cats are almost always fatal. And bloodsuckers are just nasty bastards. I'm still not sure how shifty68 puts them down, as all I can see are the whites of their eyes a moment before having my torso gouged-out from under me.

I ALMOST got caught by an emission, but managed to hobble to the waste processing station while overloaded with gear. This is another reason why the PDA is vital to have operating, as it will mark the location of shelters when emissions occur.

I had to perform Stalkercide on the mercs roosting in the substation workshop. Even though I brought them a ton of food earlier, they still started shooting at me when I returned while I mistakenly had my gun out. I didn't even get a warning. So, that, the fueiling station, and the ranger station are usually occupied by hostile zoners just waiting to be pumped full of lead. The Iron Forest, once cleared of critters, is also a nesting spot for unsavories. Just about everyone in Zaton now thinks I'm public enemy #1 and I can't remember the last time I ran across a group of friendlies. Which is fine, really, as it just means more for me and bullets for them.

I still haven't spoken to Sultan. His crony keeps yelling at me every time I enter the canteen in Skadovsk. I know what the guy wants, but either I take the job or rat him out to Beard. Either option is going to land me on someone's bad side, so I'll probably just continue ignoring him unless the game forces my hand at some point.

I can see my time in Zaton winding-down. Once I get the exo, I'll investigate the remaining downed choppers, grab a few artifacts, and pay Pilot the outlandish 6000 RU he demands as chaperone to Jupiter. Christ, the prices these people want are blasphemous. I can't wait to see what the P.T. Barnums in Jupiter are charging.

Stay tuned for more updates.
 
Alright, since I said I would post my results in general in this thread, here are my opinions on Misery 2.0:

Graphics:
For the most part, graphics have been overhauled fairly well, but high resolution textures in the environment, or entire texture rebuilds (such as I have seen from other mods) would have been a nice touch. The Zone is still a good 'ol bland as hell wasteland, and that's normal I suppose. :p The enemies WERE touched up, however. Better skins and obvious polygon seams have been largely mitigated, though they still often lack visual beauty. The most major improvement is actually the same as its weakness, the darkness. The game is now just DARKER than before. The dark of night is pitch black, and that both helps, and hurts a bit. :)
Sound:
The new music definitely helps the world feel more alive, and all the new sounds add a lot to the ambience and straight up FEAR the mod helps you feel. I definitely enjoyed every change made in the sound category.
Gameplay:
I feel like a lot of things were meant well when it came to the inventory system, but not all of it is as convenient as it is obviously meant to be. The AI is way too "smart" now. "Smart" being that they always know where you are at absolutely every possible moment. I don't think I've been able to successfully hide nearby an enemy the entire 19.5 hours I've been playing Misery, unfortunately. That part seems a little broken. The guns are slightly more realistically reworked as far as lethality and damage, but the new mechanics for bleeding and physical damage are a bit rough. Yes the entire game is meant to be harder but these changes make it downright brutal sometimes.
Overall: I'm a bit underwhelmed with Misery. The fact the the quickfix for the broken flashlight just bandaids the situation with a different hotkey doesn't help either. There's a lot of things that are going RIGHT for Misery 2.0, but there's also just too many things going WRONG with it as well for it to be truly what I need S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to be. Sorry guys, I'd stick to current favorites that AREN'T Misery right now.
 
irishtea said:
The AI is way too "smart" now. "Smart" being that they always know where you are at absolutely every possible moment. I don't think I've been able to successfully hide nearby an enemy the entire 19.5 hours I've been playing Misery, unfortunately. That part seems a little broken
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Yea that'd be a deal breaker for me. Completely ruins any attempt at trying to play stealthy.
 
There's basically no way to hide from enemies. The AI 1) spots you almost immediately, even if you're a football field away and 2) once it spots you, it nails you, either with gunfire or grenades. The grenades are the worst. Trying to use objects like trees as cover is actually a liability, as it partially blocks your own view while hostiles shuck grenades at the very spot you're standing. I can't tell you how many times I've hidden behind all sorts of so-called obstructions (vehicles, rocks, trees, etc.) only to be blown to pieces by a grenade that explodes not a foot away.

If you plan to go into Misery - or any of the Stalker games, for that matter - as a ninja assassin, it just won't work. I will, on rare occasions, get the drop on bandits, but the rule of thumb is that, if you can see them, they've probably already seen you ten seconds ago and are moving in for the kill.

This also applies to mutants, particularly snorks. I've had snorks ferret me out when they were just a pixel on my monitor. They are relentless and, unlike boars and some other critters, will not stop until you're ground beneath their heels.

irishtea, I'm not quite sure what your problem is with the flashlight fix. The flashlight quickfix was incorporated into the 2.0.2 release. Remember that you have two lighting options - the wind-up flashlight which doesn't need a UPD and the headlamp which does. The mechanism for equipping them are different, hence the different hotkey assignments.

In the dead of night with no moonlight, the game does go completely dark. This is mitigated somewhat by the flashlight, but it only provides minimal illumination. You really need the headlamp or, even better, a suit with night-vision if you're caught outside the ship, train station, or laundromat at night. The game has a greatly accelerated day/night cycle, so it's advisable to return to your home base when it turns dusk. Having to navigate in the dark with only the flashlight or headlamp is a teeth-chattering experience.
 
fleggett said:
There's basically no way to hide from enemies. The AI 1) spots you almost immediately, even if you're a football field away and 2) once it spots you, it nails you, either with gunfire or grenades. The grenades are the worst. Trying to use objects like trees as cover is actually a liability, as it partially blocks your own view while hostiles shuck grenades at the very spot you're standing. I can't tell you how many times I've hidden behind all sorts of so-called obstructions (vehicles, rocks, trees, etc.) only to be blown to pieces by a grenade that explodes not a foot away.

If you plan to go into Misery - or any of the Stalker games, for that matter - as a ninja assassin, it just won't work. I will, on rare occasions, get the drop on bandits, but the rule of thumb is that, if you can see them, they've probably already seen you ten seconds ago and are moving in for the kill..
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Yeah, I've never had luck with being stealthy or sneaky in any of the games, so I stopped trying. You can sometimes sneak to within 50m or so without being seen, but no closer.

The only times I ever get right on someone before being seen - is just hauling ass across the world and run into a group of someones just walking along, sometime they dont register you fast enough.


I've decided it's easier to just be a sniper in Stalker, and Misery makes that a little easier :p There are drawbacks, namely having to have a second weapon set for close in fighting (shotgun/smg/assault rifle). A nice pistol is alright, and you can use a sniper rifle up close if you're accurate when whipping around at close targets.. but I prefer to carry a pump shotgun and 20-30 rounds as backup for when a mutant rampages at me.
 
I haven't had much luck with close-quarters combat. Admittedly, I don't yet have a suit (probably tonight), but if you thought long-distance firefights were bad, just wait until a bandit or snork is right in your personal space. There's nothing like having half a clip emptied into your intestines in just a second or two or having your face ripped off in one claw swipe.

The only plus I've experienced with close-quarters combat is the "narrow hallway" advantage, which is particularly useful when dealing with bloodsuckers.

Sniping in all the Stalker games should be your primary mode of attack, though the game still cheats like mad, especially at distance. The problem with firearms like shotguns is that it probably won't be your primary weapon and switching between two-handed weapons is a time-consuming process. There's no mechanism for binding hotkeys to weapons, so you've got to 1) hit the inventory key, 2) find the shotgun, 3) hover your mouse over it, 4) double-click to equip it, and 5) wait until the equip action is complete before you can do anything with it. This is assuming you've remembered to preload it. If not, the reload process in and of itself is pretty laborious.

You've really got to plan your routes and attacks in Stalker. If you just go in willy-nilly with guns blazing, you're gonna get quickly cut down, either by other Stalkers, mutants, or by just falling into a crevasse, running into an anomaly, or getting microwaved, gassed, or electrocuted.
 
Speaking of close-quarters combat, after I FINALLY got an exo, I took on Owl's side-mission at the ranger station. Good God, what a cluster. For the first, oh, 10 reloads I had no clue whatsoever what was happening. In this quest, you rendezvous with three imposing Duty guys looking to trade with a group of bandits (artifacts for weapons and equipment). Except, of course, it's a setup. Two stalkers sneak up from the rear for an ambush and the whole scene goes way, way south.

So, in a group of three Duty thugs, five bandits, and two assassin-stalkers, plus yourself, everyone starts shooting a la a Peckinpah flick. I THOUGHT I knew what was going on until the Duty guys start tearing into me. WTF? I'm suppose to be protecting the head Duty trader and his cronies are making mincemeat of me?

Turns out the entire damn scene is one big setup for the Duty trader, who wanted the entire party massacred, including his own men. Why? Because he's a greedy, backstabbing asshole. To put the cherry on top, NONE of the bandits had any weird artifacts on them, but just the typical low-rent junk.

This whole mission kinda pissed me off, as I had no idea I'd be making deals with devils. I know Sultan is pretty scummy, but Owl's treachery took me completely off-guard. Remember this the next time you think about joining Duty.

So, let this be a warning - if you value preserving your good name, don't take on just any old side-quest, even from supposedly upstanding merchants.

Blech.
 
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After trekking innumerable hours in Zaton, both with and without a suit, here are my observations and tips for new people trying to survive the harsh and lonely world of Misery. These are in no particular order (wall o' text vision - activate!).
If you’re beset by a mutant or group of mutants and don’t have the protection or firepower to take them down, go climb a rock. Literally. Except for poltergeists, none of the critters in Stalker can clamber onto things like rock outcroppings, trees, vehicles, etc. You can then either camp out until they get distracted and wander off or you can try picking them off in your spot of relative safety. Note that this will NOT work for mutants with ranged attacks, like controllers and burers, but they’re pretty rare and don’t normally appear in the open (at least, not in Zaton).

If you already know of a favorite weapon you’d like to eventually obtain and that weapon has almost no ammo drops (like 7.62), you can start stocking-up from vendors until you obtain said weapon. This is an extremely good idea, as storekeepers will typically only have a tiny stock of more exotic ammo types, so you want to clear out their inventory upon each visit. Remember to set aside a good chunk of RU for these transactions, as rare ammo is expensive.

At the earliest opportunity, you should buy a suit of some sort. When you’re first dumped into CoP, all you have is the shirt on your back, which provides zero protection from attacks of any kind. As such, even slight grazes from bullets or claws can incur tremendous damage. Indeed, the vast majority of bullet strikes or mutant attacks are one-hit kills. While an overcoat may not afford much protection, it’s far better than being clothed with just a turtleneck.

Even with a suit, artifact hunting is damn dangerous. An unmodified exoskeleton only provides a few seconds worth of thermal or psy protection, so get in and get out. If you spot another artifact in the vicinity, but your suit has begun to suffer damage, leave it until you can return with everything at 100%.

In Zaton, don’t rely on Cardan to repair severe damage to your gear. He’s fine for nicks and dents, but charges monstrous fees after the third tick of damage. Instead, try to do your own repairs by buying the appropriate kits from Beard or Owl and using supporting material. You’ll be amazed by how much you’ll save. You can then use those savings towards weapon upgrades and suit mods.

Don’t forget the groceries. When you start to get hungry, a grey, round icon with the symbol of a stomach will appear. When you’re famished, it’ll turn yellow. And when you’re starving, it’ll signal a dire red. You can literally starve to death in CoP (I’ve bought the farm not ten feet away from Beard). Remember that, the more you’re carrying, the faster your hunger will consume you. You do NOT want to be caught in a far-flung section of the map while being grossly overloaded with loot with nothing to snack on. Chomping on unprepared free range food is not recommended, as it’ll be irradiated. If you have no other choice, then you’ll need to smoke some cigs, drink vodka, chew on pills, or inject yourself with anti-rad meds to help flush the radiation. Be aware that the injection shocks your system, so you’ll take several ticks of damage in the process.

You’ll discover this (much to you chagrin) the first time you die, but your minimum amount of health is actually two ticks. If you drop below two ticks, you’re dead. I’m not sure if this was the way it was in vanilla CoP or if Misery introduced this, but if you’re in a firefight or struggling with radiation poisoning, keep a sharp eye out. The ticks themselves seem to be divided into two or three sub-ticks, which helps a little, but not a lot. I always carry with me two first-aid kits whenever I venture out from the Skadovsk. The survival kit is also extremely handy from pulling you from the brink of death.

Practically everything is absurdly expensive in Misery. The economy is in shambles, with scarcity and hyperinflation causing just a loaf of bread or can of beans to be well over 1000 RU. The trick to advancing in the game is to not get caught in a zero-sum cycle. IOW, don’t just fight to eat and eat to fight. You have to collect enough loot so that it exceeds your basic necessities in sales. This is tough, especially in the beginning, but doable. There are many stashes hidden throughout Zaton and Yanov which can be a tremendous assist. Some stashes will be in highly irradiated areas, but most are in clear spots just waiting to be found. Pay particular attention to vehicles, corners of buildings, pipes, rock clusters, and behind containers. If you witness any firefights, hang around until there’s a victor and raid the dead before anyone else does. You can also go mutant hunting, but that can be extremely dangerous. Don’t even think about looking for artifacts until you have a suit to protect you from lethal elements.

Related to the above, when you’ve obtained a decent weapon, the fastest and surest way towards financial solidarity is by murdering. Everything. Your conscience may bother you, but skinning boars and chopping-off dog and cat tails won’t pay the bills. Only by gathering goods from rotting corpses will you get anywhere. In short, if it moves, kill and loot it.

Be very, VERY careful when accepting side-quests. Almost all of them are intensely hazardous and some won’t be achievable without a suit for protection against anomalies. Side-missions are entirely optional and some won’t net you much versus the grief you’ll have to endure. If you do accept a dangerous assignment without first having the proper gear, be prepared to reload, reload, and reload some more. It took me around thirty tries before I finally succeeded in getting the laptop from the mercs at the waste processing station. Misery is a game where you gain ground only in inches and often just in millimeters. The odds of you overcoming the first time in any mission are infinitesimal, so resign yourself to trying again. And again. And again. And again. And again.

Misery will crash. It is inevitable. And it will dump you at the worst of times. The mantra, “save and save often” cannot be understated. When you do save, make sure to give the file a different name, as you might have to backtrack in order to bypass a corrupted save. Or, you might’ve painted yourself into a corner with no way out. Quicksaves can get a little weird, so it’s best to go through the menu, which will give you the opportunity to name the file. Remember – save, save, save, save, save, and save some more. It will be a lifesaver.

At the earliest opportunity, purchase a UPD, battery pack, and a headlamp from Beard. You won’t be able to use the PDA without a UPD. And a headlamp is critical for allowing the use of far more accurate and powerful two-handed weapons while being able to illuminate your surroundings. While the UPDs that Beard sells are pre-charged, you’ll nevertheless go through the juice quick if you like sneaking around at night, so spare batteries are critical. I personally only buy the military-grade units since they’ll fully charge a completely drained UPD.

Be fiscally careful when dealing with Beard and Owl. Beard will pay more for some items than Owl and vice-versa. For example, Owl will buy back grenades for around 400 RU while Beard will offer you significantly more. The same is true for items you buy, as there’s some overlap in their respective inventories. There was an exploit where you could sell something to one vendor for more than it cost to purchase from the other, but that might’ve been fixed.

Get some occasional sleep. Sleep deprivation will distort your vision, which, in turn, will cause you to miss targets. Even just a few hours is better than nothing. Sleep will also help in healing. Whatever you do, though, do NOT count sheep while in the open, as that’s just begging for a nasty outcome. The Skadovsk has a group cabin adjacent to your foot locker specifically for this purpose.

Remember the location of emission shelters. Emissions occur suddenly with almost no warning. If you’re close to the Skadovsk, you can chill out there, but odds are you won’t be near enough to make it back to the ship. There are shelters at the ranger station, waste station, and the Iron Forest, amongst others. Your PDA will mark the location of shelters, but only when one starts. If the sky starts to darken ominously and you begin hearing a low-frequency roar, an emission is imminent.

The game cheats, pure and simple. If you’re in a firefight, don’t count on cover. Enemies will either shoot you through supposed cover or shuck a grenade right at your toes. Cover is actually a magnet for grenade-based kills. You can be half a mile away and the AI will still know exactly how to toss a grenade so that it explodes right in your face, even in complete darkness. It’s maddening, unfair, and preposterous, but you’ll have to slog your way through it. As stated above, steel yourself to reload, reload, and reload.
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That’s about it for now. See you in the EZ!
 
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Sure, Pringle. Here're two more that I just remembered:
If you kill a mutant or see a dead one that has earlier been put down, if you're in the clear, make a beeline for it. This will increase the probability of being to scavenge a section of the animal. A fresh kill will usually net something and the freshest kills will sometimes allow a choice of cuts. It only takes a few minutes for the EZ to start reclaiming the dead, so don't procrastinate.

If possible, invest your RU in "modern" weaponry. Modern firearms have additional upgrade trees that Cardan can utilize.​
 
Does the 2.0.2 patch require a new character?

I'm about 30 hours in to my current one from the release in August and I had finally scrounged together enough to get into a nice scientist suit and buy a fancy rifle that Owl had been hoarding - I've got a trunk full of weapons, many of them unique it seems (but costing more RU than I can spare to repair) and I really don't want to start over. I've pretty much cleared Zaton but was having some major stability issues in Yanov. We're talking almost a constant crashfest. I eventually returned to Zaton just so I could play without crashing every other minute. I'm hoping the fix would reduce this and make it possible to continue, but I don't know.

I'm running with the scientist suit which has protection from all the nasty stuff, and the best armor upgrades I can put on the thing. Since one seems to die so easily from combat, I figure an exo is not worth it, and I'd have to turn Nimble upside down and shake him to get one since he wants to sell me crappier suits first (does one have to buy the other suits from him to get the exo? when I bought the armor from him, it was a sunrise and some nice headgear, but no exo).

Overall, I'm with shifty on the bloodsuckers. Hunting them is rewarding, and if one keeps moving and has a nice double barrel shotgun, then they go down without too much fuss. It requires some keen eyes, but you can generally see them and if you have good reactions, take them out with a double-barrel shotty just about the time they try to rake you with their claws. Giants and other mutants haven't been as much of an issue, though controllers can be pesky. Pretty much what others have said. However, I did run into a pair or Burers and they chased me until I found some other stalkers who helped join in the fight and took them out for me. Of course, I looted their bodies first and reaped all of the rewards. I'm a dick like that. But at least all the humans came away alive. By far, they are the ones I am most fearful of that I have encountered. Humans are a close second. Haven't met a Chimera yet. Really don't want to either.

I'm running with the DMR which is a sexy, sexy weapon. Problem is that the accuracy is really finicky. It's really hit or miss (sorry for the pun). I've had to edit the game files to get it to where I think a DMR should be performing. It was missing about 1/2 to 1/3 of shots against a target the size of a Psuedogiant at about 100 meters - tip top condition, upgraded weapon - that doesn't fly with me. Not when I am spending 6000 RU for about 45 shots with the damn thing. I'm still not sure it's working up to par, but at least it can consistently take things down quickly. Shotgun always for close quarters. Never leave home without it.

My biggest problems are the crashes, "marksman" weapon accuracy, and player fragility - in that order.

Also, I'm happy to share save files. (provided they are of any use) May need to borrow some if I don't want to start over :(
 
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The 2.0.2 release MIGHT require a new character. There is the option to carry over characters from the previous version, but given how unstable Misery is to begin with, I wouldn't. I was on the verge of purchasing a suit when 2.0.2 came out. I pounded my fist and screamed at the heavens, but finally deleted the entire CoP directory and started from scratch. If 2.0.3 requires a wipe, I really don't know what I'll do (maybe kill some kittens and put the video up on YouTube).

I just had another crash, but this time it took my last save with it. I don't mind the "clean" crashes, but the ones that corrupt your savefiles are the absolute worst. This was after a good two hours of stable playing. I swear, Misery and probably CoP in general is as bad as a lobotomized squirrel - you never know when it's going to climb or run into the tree head-first.

The exo is and isn't worth it. I've had enemies kill me with one or two shots with a 100% exo and 100% helmet, but I've also survived a machine gun at point-blank range with minimal damage. It just depends on the whims of the game.

It seems you only get one chance to buy an exo from Nimble. If you go back and want a second one (for whatever reason), he says they're no longer available. Kinda weird. I'm not quite sure why the game would care if you had two suits.

I was able to buy the exo upon first game launch. He's wanting you to buy inferior suits first? If so, that's also bizarre.

I still can't track bloodsuckers. I can kinda/sorta see where they'd be bearable with a shotgun, but I hate shotguns, so I never have one on me at the time. I've found controllers to be FAR easier since they don't turn invisible on you and don't rush you. You just have to time your leans and pop off a few shots, then repeat until the controller is flat on its back.

I ran into a threesome of burers once and it was not a pleasant experience. Their shield can be difficult to penetrate and you have to time your shots.

I saw am amazing sequence yesterday with a psuedogiant. I watched him shamble up the road to the substation and just tear that place a new asshole. No one survived and the psuedogiant was so wounded at that point that it was hobbling and easy to put down. Corpse looting was never easier and I got a psuedogiant eye in the process.

Sometimes, just sometimes, the game does provide (hallelujah!).

I recently came across an OTs-03 SVU, which is superior to the SVD. It's in rough shape, but I've never seen one before until now, so I'm playing around with the idea of paying Cardan his absurd fee to fix it. I've been stocking-up on 7.62 and am anxious to see how well it performs.

I suspect the accuracy of just about any firearm in the game is wishy-washy. I can't tell you how many times I've had someone's head clear in my sights only to hit his torso or miss altogether. You can probably chalk it up to Cardan's constant boozing. How the hell can he even sit up straight after downing two entire bottles of high-proof vodka, much less work on machinery? That guy is a hero, a crook, a lifesaver, and a loser all at the same time. He should donate his liver to the science guys in Yanov when he finally croaks.

I hear you about the crashes. By far the game's biggest problem, but I don't think anyone can blame the Misery devs. Vanilla CoP had its share of sudden dumps, too. You never knew how much uninterrupted gameplay you'd enjoy when playing any of the three Stalker games. At this point, I think players have elevated the phenomenon from "bug" to "game feature".

If you want a from-the-ground-up 2.0.2 character with an exo, scientist helmet, a trunk full of goodies, and some decent coin, PM me. The only core missions I've undertaken have been the surveying of all but one of the Zaton helicopters. I also successfully girly screamed through the ranger station battle royale, so now Sultan's lackey, Knuckles, is dead and buried and doesn't bellow in my ear every time I enter the canteen.
 
What class fleggett?

I'd presume sniper, but dunno for sure. I've done all but one Zaton mission and only one Yanov mission (with Uncle Whatshisface).

I'll try again with the suit and Nimble, for me though, being able to brave anomalies whenever I damn well feel like it is a good deal, and perfect when I run into a pack of mutants that I need to run from. Yeah, last time I ran into a trio of bloodsuckers, I just ran nearly into the electrical anomaly at Iron Forest and two of the suckers got themselves zapped to death.

The controllers aren't so bad, but that psy attach is brutal if they catch you with it. The psuedogiants are not bad either now that I've found the Saiga 12k (that's a shotgun even you would appreciate), but the Burers worry me and I haven't run into any for a long time, so I know I'm past due. The whole ripping my weapon from my hands bit is a really sad affair as I'm likely to lose it in the unkept grasses of the zone.

I want to head back to Yanov, but I am just beyond worried that the game will go back to the massive crashing fits that it had there.

I'm going to stick with the DMR for now - I have an SVD but I really want to adore the DMR (it's all that time in Arma/DayZ) - that said, if I ever find the elusive Green Dragon (unique M24), I will be using that. If it has the accuracy problems that the DMR does though, then I'm going to be upset. I'm a bit annoyed that there's nothing between the 2x and the 6x scope for the weapons. The 2x is just not enough magnification to be that useful, and the 6x is FAR TOO MUCH magnification at the engagement ranges one generally fights at in Stalker. :( Need 4x.

Someone was complaining about the impending crashes one might have when they load certain save games. I recall I was near the scar in Zaton and had gotten killed by some bandits (likely from a grenade thrown from the black road) and after loading my save from a minute or two before, my game would crash after about 30 seconds, no matter what I did. It was right after a particularly gainful psuedogiant kill though, so I tried to find a way to avoid the crash. I think I ended up making this work by running the heck back to the ship and saving once or twice along the way for good measure - then immediately using the sleep feature to hopefully sort out whatever event was causing the crash. It seemed to work. My guess is that something that was happening nearby me was causing the crash and that getting out of range of it saved me from it, while the sleep feature hopefully moved the zone along to the point where it wouldn't be an issue.

However, the crashing situation I described above is pretty much how Yanov has been for me no matter what I do (not quite as bad, but every 5-10m is a crash there it seems).

Damn, was really looking forward to seeing the rest of that area again.

Being a Stalker vet, I understand that crashing is just a way of life in the zone - this is beyond ridiculous though.
 
I’m at work now, but I’m pretty sure I picked the assault class. I originally chose sniper, but changed when the 2.0.2 patch streeted. I prefer balance over specialization, so the assault class seemed a better fit.

It’s possible your class might affect interactions with people, like Nimble. I haven’t read through the Misery changelist, but I know some scripts were altered. Someone debugged one having to do with offering wounded NPCs health kits that was a really nasty game crasher. I think he was given a Misery dev “friend for life”-like title as a reward.

I’m learning the hard way that an unmodified exo doesn’t hold up very well against anomalies, especially thermal-based. I’ve tried chasing artifacts in the farmstead and boiler, but the suit starts taking damage quickly and you’ll die immediately in an eruption. Since four ticks of abuse can easily cost over 20,000 RU to repair and the artifacts themselves average around 3,000 RU, there’s just no point in chasing them. I take it the scientist suit offers much better protection?

I’ll be on the lookout for the Saiga. I really loathe having to resort to shotguns to get things done, though. A shotgun in Stalker just strikes me as a weapon at odds with the sniper-centric tone of the game. I used them to great effect in the older Doom and Unreal titles, but Stalker is a very distance-oriented shooter. If you thought the AI was lethal at 1000 paces, it’s magnitudes worse at 10 paces.

Yeah, having your weapon stripped from you during melees is maddening. I got so frustrated once while tussling with a bloodsucker that I almost shattered my trackball in anger. The game can be such a cheesefest on many levels and seems designed to throw as many curveballs as it can against the player. I remember I had just returned from the Gauss lab after God-knows how many reloads trying to clear the Iron Forest when three burers came gliding in from out of nowhere. It was like a Three Stooges episode, but they were intent on skinning me alive. And they did, again and again and again. After the fifth reload, I finally just said screw it and sprinted in the opposite direction (this was while I was without a suit).

I’ve only been to Yanov once so far due to Pilot’s steep guide fee. I wasn’t there long and didn’t save, as I had other things pending in Zaton. I talked a little with the scientists and wandered a bit, but that was about it. It didn’t crash in that time, but I never really felt comfortable. I can’t wait until I start experiencing frequent crashing there (as if Zaton wasn’t bad enough).

There are scopes out there that offer variable zooms. I had one on an SSG. But yeah, most are annoyingly fixed.

I don’t think I’ve ever stumbled across a unique weapon. Is the Green Dragon endemic to Zaton, Yanov, or Pripyat?

You were EXTREMELY lucky to find a workaround to the dreaded “ticking time-bomb” crash. I kept getting TTBs in the previous release and was a hair’s breath away from abandoning the game entirely. All of my recent and semi-recent saves would eventually dump and I didn’t want to deal with having to redo hours of gameplay just to hit the same or another brick wall. The devs managed to locate what they think was a prime culprit causing these types of crashes and implemented it into 2.0.2. I think they were pretty successful with their workaround, as I haven’t experienced a similar incident since.

I’m not sure what to suggest regarding the constant Yanov dumps. Are you interacting with anyone or collecting any loot? Does it happen everywhere or primarily in a particular map section?
 
Matthew, if you can deal with the crashes and don't mind slow (VERY slow) advancement while not having to worry about skill trees or other complications, Stalker might be extremely rewarding. Just don't go in expecting to conquer the EZ overnight. It'll take several nights of gameplay before things start to fall into place.
 
fleggett said:
I’m at work now, but I’m pretty sure I picked the assault class. I originally chose sniper, but changed when the 2.0.2 patch streeted. I prefer balance over specialization, so the assault class seemed a better fit.

It’s possible your class might affect interactions with people, like Nimble. I haven’t read through the Misery changelist, but I know some scripts were altered. Someone debugged one having to do with offering wounded NPCs health kits that was a really nasty game crasher. I think he was given a Misery dev “friend for life”-like title as a reward.
Click to expand...

I wonder if that might be it. I am pretty sure you can change classes without too much of a hassle. I need my shotguns and rifles, so I need my sniper class. It's true, they're not great with the high-powered assault rifles, but most of the not-too-fancy ones are quite usable.

I found a nice Paratrooper rifle that I have NO affinity for though :( I want to use it, or at least try it out, but since it's clearly not for my class, I'm dissuaded from it.

fleggett said:
I’m learning the hard way that an unmodified exo doesn’t hold up very well against anomalies, especially thermal-based. I’ve tried chasing artifacts in the farmstead and boiler, but the suit starts taking damage quickly and you’ll die immediately in an eruption. Since four ticks of abuse can easily cost over 20,000 RU to repair and the artifacts themselves average around 3,000 RU, there’s just no point in chasing them. I take it the scientist suit offers much better protection?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the scientist suit from Beard doesn't seem to cost that much in upkeep and it shrugs off anomaly and psy damage. I mean, sure, stepping right into an anomaly will likely get you killed or at least severely wounded, but hanging around in radiation, toxic slime, electrical fields, burners, etc. does not seem to present any short-term danger. With this suit and the Tier II detector, I've had no problems collecting artifacts. In the slots, I generally just keep the best armor plates I can find, so allow it to offer at least some infinitesimal degree of protection in a firefight. Also, the built in night vision is really handy, but I will *never* go out at night in Misery if it can be avoided.

fleggett said:
I’ll be on the lookout for the Saiga. I really loathe having to resort to shotguns to get things done, though. A shotgun in Stalker just strikes me as a weapon at odds with the sniper-centric tone of the game. I used them to great effect in the older Doom and Unreal titles, but Stalker is a very distance-oriented shooter. If you thought the AI was lethal at 1000 paces, it’s magnitudes worse at 10 paces.
Click to expand...

Against mutants, or when finding oneself in CQB, a shotgun can make all the difference. I can't live without it when I run into a pack of dogs or anything that likes to get up close and personal. The very first weapon I found that was in good condition was a sawn-off double-barrel - and I pretty much used this in close quarters until I found the Saiga. The pistol only does so much. Great against humans in close combat - but not so much against those mutant bullet sponges.

fleggett said:
Yeah, having your weapon stripped from you during melees is maddening. I got so frustrated once while tussling with a bloodsucker that I almost shattered my trackball in anger. The game can be such a cheesefest on many levels and seems designed to throw as many curveballs as it can against the player. I remember I had just returned from the Gauss lab after God-knows how many reloads trying to clear the Iron Forest when three burers came gliding in from out of nowhere. It was like a Three Stooges episode, but they were intent on skinning me alive. And they did, again and again and again. After the fifth reload, I finally just said screw it and sprinted in the opposite direction (this was while I was without a suit).
Click to expand...

Again, I never have had the problem with the bloodsuckers. I've run into a pack of three of them on more than one occasion and they always drop quickly with two, sometimes three shotty blasts. When one drops, the other two seem to back off long enough for you to reload and draw a bead on the next one. I mean, yeah, I've had to reload a few times, but nothing like hopelessness of a situation when getting cornered by a burer or psuedogiant. I think for at least the bloodsuckers, pumping maximum damage at close range in minimum time is what makes this easy (as well as keen eyes and sharp reflexes so they don't get in behind you) - but the shotgun really does make a difference here. I hear people also have good results with .45 hydro-shock rounds and anything that fires them.

The one of the things I haven''t done in Zaton is the bloodsucker lair mission. I've been saving up IEDs, mines and grenades for this and I think I'm about ready to clear the lair out. Just drop a few along the way through the sleeping mutants and toss a grenade in after climbing the stairs and finish off those lucky enough to survive. :D

We'll see how this plays out...

fleggett said:
I’ve only been to Yanov once so far due to Pilot’s steep guide fee. I wasn’t there long and didn’t save, as I had other things pending in Zaton. I talked a little with the scientists and wandered a bit, but that was about it. It didn’t crash in that time, but I never really felt comfortable. I can’t wait until I start experiencing frequent crashing there (as if Zaton wasn’t bad enough).
Click to expand...

My crashing experience in Zaton was mostly localized around Jupiter station and the surrounding area. The further away from it I got, the better it seemed. Then again, that area is kind of critical, and fairly central. So, shit....

fleggett said:
There are scopes out there that offer variable zooms. I had one on an SSG. But yeah, most are annoyingly fixed.

I don’t think I’ve ever stumbled across a unique weapon. Is the Green Dragon endemic to Zaton, Yanov, or Pripyat?
Click to expand...

The DMR has a fixed scope, so no luck changing it out... although I could change that in the game files too... It's not worth the crash risk though. :rolleyes: It used to be in Yanov in Misery 1, but it's moved now, so who knows where it ended up.

fleggett said:
You were EXTREMELY lucky to find a workaround to the dreaded “ticking time-bomb” crash. I kept getting TTBs in the previous release and was a hair’s breath away from abandoning the game entirely. All of my recent and semi-recent saves would eventually dump and I didn’t want to deal with having to redo hours of gameplay just to hit the same or another brick wall. The devs managed to locate what they think was a prime culprit causing these types of crashes and implemented it into 2.0.2. I think they were pretty successful with their workaround, as I haven’t experienced a similar incident since.

I’m not sure what to suggest regarding the constant Yanov dumps. Are you interacting with anyone or collecting any loot? Does it happen everywhere or primarily in a particular map section?
Click to expand...

TBH, it's been 3 weeks or so since that happened, so I don't know how accurate my account of that may be. The Yanov dumps are pretty damn random. I *can* cause them by talking with specific people inside Jupiter station (namely, the repair dude - if I accept his mission to find tools, then the game *will* crash shortly thereafter. If I just use him for the odd repair, it seems 'fine'.) Again, it's been a while since I took a trip up there, and I will have to fire up the game again and give it another go. Still, Yanov was crash-fest for me in a way the likes of Zaton could never compare. It was consistent. Every 5-10 minutes of gameplay, seemingly random. I got so sick of it that I just had to go back to Zaton. It was nearly unplayable - the frustration of having to restart the game multiple times each hour really destroyed any immersion I would have otherwise felt.

Like I said, it's probably time for another try.
 
fleggett said:
Matthew, if you can deal with the crashes and don't mind slow (VERY slow) advancement while not having to worry about skill trees or other complications, Stalker might be extremely rewarding. Just don't go in expecting to conquer the EZ overnight. It'll take several nights of gameplay before things start to fall into place.
Click to expand...

Misery loves company... :cool:
 
i really want to try this mod, but i'm hoping to wait until more fixes are made. I don't have very much patience for a crashing game, especially this one because of how immersed i like to get.
 
You might be waiting for a very long time, then. While the Misery devs can stamp out some bugs, the core ones will probably never be fixed.

Yanov is apparently still pretty bad, but with the latest patches, Zaton is remarkably playable. Admittedly, I haven't completed all the main and secondary quests, but I'm guardedly satisfied with Zaton's current level of stability.

Also, given how slow you'll advance within Misery, another patch will likely appear by the time you're ready to tackle Yanov. And you might see yet another patch when you're prepared to take on Pripyat itself. There's also the Jupiter factory and underground to consider. I'm 100% certain you'll see at least a few more quickfixes from various sources if not a full-fledged revision.
 
fleggett said:
You might be waiting for a very long time, then. While the Misery devs can stamp out some bugs, the core ones will probably never be fixed.

Yanov is apparently still pretty bad, but with the latest patches, Zaton is remarkably playable. Admittedly, I haven't completed all the main and secondary quests, but I'm guardedly satisfied with Zaton's current level of stability.

Also, given how slow you'll advance within Misery, another patch will likely appear by the time you're ready to tackle Yanov. And you might see yet another patch when you're prepared to take on Pripyat itself. There's also the Jupiter factory and underground to consider. I'm 100% certain you'll see at least a few more quickfixes from various sources if not a full-fledged revision.
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yea you talked me into it.

I gotta get CoP installed again and try out this mod. It sounds right up my alley.

It's either this, or Dark Souls. HMMMMM

Does anyone know if CoP benefits from being on an SSD?
 
BTW, I don't know its rarity, but by sheer coincidence I made Swiss cheese out of a bandit that had a Saiga on him last night. I suppose I should get it fixed and try it out on a horde of dogs.

I also fully repaired the OTs-03 SVU and took it for a spin. Very, very effective. Normal bandits usually take only one shot while suited faction members can't typically endure more than three. Unfortunately, it only has a fixed scope, but other than that I think it's a keeper.
 
An SSD should do WONDERS for any of the Stalker series. On even fast HDs, load hitching is widespread and ever present. For example, when you walk across the marshland in CoP, the game is constantly preloading terrain, and the other areas of the map aren't much better. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear there was something seriously wrong with all the Stalker titles.

There are some settings which directly affect this super-aggressive preloading, but I hear it only mitigates the issue somewhat. The best fix is giving the game the fastest access possible to the data for which it's continually searching.
 
Well, I found an exploit. A BIG exploit. I can't believe no one is talking about it. I did several searches on this exploit's keywords and nothing came up. I can only surmise this is Misery-centric and wasn't part of vanilla CoP.

This exploit has almost ruined the game for me. Almost. I don't know if it exists in Yanov or Pripyat, but it's definitely there in Zaton.

If you really want to know the specifics of this exploit, shoot me a PM, as I don't want to spoil the game for others. I'll probably email the Misery devs about it tonight.
 
fleggett said:
Well, I found an exploit. A BIG exploit. I can't believe no one is talking about it. I did several searches on this exploit's keywords and nothing came up. I can only surmise this is Misery-centric and wasn't part of vanilla CoP.

This exploit has almost ruined the game for me. Almost. I don't know if it exists in Yanov or Pripyat, but it's definitely there in Zaton.

If you really want to know the specifics of this exploit, shoot me a PM, as I don't want to spoil the game for others. I'll probably email the Misery devs about it tonight.
Click to expand...

Shoot me a pm, I'm curious ;)
 
I tried playing this last night but just got a crash on trying to enter the zone.

As i type this though, i realize i didn't apply any of the patches. I'll try that first. Hopefully i can play

edit: Still couldn't get it working. I can get in the game now, but it is pitch black. I'm on DX11 lighting, maybe that's the problem. The flash light doesn't seem to work (i'm on patch 2.02, where apparently the flashlight fix is already included), and my muzzle flare doesn't create any light either. I can see all the hud elements though.

Anyone experience this?
 
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chockomonkey said:
I tried playing this last night but just got a crash on trying to enter the zone.

As i type this though, i realize i didn't apply any of the patches. I'll try that first. Hopefully i can play

edit: Still couldn't get it working. I can get in the game now, but it is pitch black. I'm on DX11 lighting, maybe that's the problem. The flash light doesn't seem to work (i'm on patch 2.02, where apparently the flashlight fix is already included), and my muzzle flare doesn't create any light either. I can see all the hud elements though.

Anyone experience this?
Click to expand...


well it starts off in pitch black. and i think the button you need to hit to bring out your flash light is o but im at work right now so i am not sure. if you hit the original flashlight button it will just flick on and off. Took me a while to figure that out.
 
shifty68 is correct. You start off in complete darkness. Only your wind-up flashlight works for illumination at this point. Once you equip it, "O" is the toggle. When you get a headlamp, "L" is the toggle (presuming you have a powered UPD). This confused the hell out of me when I first fired-up Misery, too.
 
Well, apparently something really bad has happened around the area of the Iron Forest, as every time I try to enter that general vicinity, the game crashes. Arrggh. The game also just crashed on me as I was selling stuff to Beard, which has never occurred before. This was after a fairly long trek from the refueling station overloaded with gear. I knew I should've saved as I approached the Skadovsk....

Not much else to report. I've investigated all the Stingray crash sites in Zaton, so there's nothing really keeping me here. Once I sell my current crop of ill-gotten goods, I'll probably head over to Yanov and see what sort of trouble I can get into there.

The Misery devs are working on 2.0.3, which should contain a wealth of bugfixes. I just hope the next patch doesn't require a character wipe, as that might send me over the edge given the absurd number of hours I've invested in 2.0.2. I also hope it fixes that Godawful exploit I mentioned earlier.
 
Yeah, apparently it's a known bug that's on the fixlist for 2.0.3. I did multiple searches on the problem, but didn't get any relevant hits, so I (foolishly) thought it was something new that had crept in, possibly with the crashfix.

It really messes with the economy of the game. I'm a little surprised a quickfix wasn't issued to specifically address this exploit given Misery's overall theme based on scarcity of goods and the associated hyperinflation. IMO, this makes 2.0.3 even more urgent.
 
This is mainly directed to FrozenLiquidity, but I finally made it to Yanov/Jupiter. After five hours worth of playing while scouring the countryside, I've only had one crash. As it is now, Jupiter is more stable than Zaton. I'm sure I've now jinxed myself, but I did want to make the observation.

I'd strongly suggest moving your favorite savefile somewhere and starting from scratch, as in delete the entire directory and let Steam redownload the package, then apply Misery, the 2.0.2 patch, the quickfix (might already be included), and the latest save corruption fix. Lemme know how it goes.

EDIT - after playing a bit more, I've experienced two or three additional crashes, but other than that, Jupiter has been pretty stable. I'm in the process of transferring the majority of my goods from Zaton. At 12,000 RU per move, I'm trying to cram as much as possible into the trips. Because of the stash exploit, I've cheated a bit and already turned in the calibration tools.

I really, REALLY need to get an ecologist suit. Exos are just awful at dealing with thermal anomalies, even with cooling modules and mutant hides. I can't tell you how many times I've been roasted while rooting around for a relatively worthless artifact. Grabbing something that's worth perhaps 3,500 RU while suffering 18,000 RU of damage to my exo is the very definition of insanity. Ugh.
 
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For those of you either playing Misery right now or considering taking a stroll in the EZ, be very, very, VERY aware of the "million dollar bug" that, when activated, will put the game into a non-completion state.

More information can be found here:

http://www.moddb.com/mods/stalker-misery/forum/thread/bugs/page/96

It begins in the third post down from the top.

This is an incredibly serious bug that was a leftover from vanilla CoP and has persisted into Misery. I'm currently trying to find out if the Misery devs can either implement a workaround or fix the bug altogether.

It goes something like this (spoiler territory) - underneath the Iron Forest is an underground testing facility. One of the doors leading to a sub-basement is open when it should be closed and locked. Since it is open, though, you can continue exploring, where you'll eventually find the Gauss rifle and a secret document.

Once you pick up that document without first having been to Pripyat to trigger the appropriate quest, the game becomes unfinishable. You'll still be able to play up until the Pripyat quest tries to trigger, at which point the game literally goes black. A cut scene is suppose to activate, but never does, which hangs the game.

There is currently no patch or workaround for this issue. If you've done what I did and grabbed the Gauss and document before the Pripyat quest, you may as well just throw in the towel and wait for 2.0.3 to street.

Which is what I'm going to do. To that end, I'm steering clear of the EZ until the next patch is made available for general download.

This could be a really bad day for some Stalkers in here. If it makes y'all feel any better, your misery does have company.

Blech.
 
This is most well known as the Kovalsky "a quiet word" bug. You may be able to work around it:

http://www.gsc-game.com/index.php?t...ame_type=xr3&thm_page=1&thm_id=4281&sec_id=20

The PRP bugfix they talk about, which was only ever released in beta form, is in this thread; the last page has a download link that works as I type this, here.

Using the pri_a16_kovalski_start.ltx file from there, along with the other workarounds mentioned, might get you past that black screen to the next Kovalsky quest.
 
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