Shadow of Chernobyl Steam version (what mods/patches to install?)

[june gloom]

Make no mistake, SoC is a very raw game, and without mods it's pretty much a 7/10 game due to a number of unfixed bugs, missing features (like the inability to repair your equipment) and other issues. Complete fixes those problems. It also has a mod of mine in it, actually -- I re-edited another mod that was written by someone who was clearly an ESL speaker. Consequently I'm in the localization credits

If the game is made easier, it's because it works in a few new features that should've been in the game to begin with and were subsequently included in the other two.

[FatSpy]

Make no mistake, SoC is a very raw game, and without mods it's pretty much a 7/10 game due to a number of unfixed bugs, missing features (like the inability to repair your equipment) and other issues. Complete fixes those problems. It also has a mod of mine in it, actually -- I re-edited another mod that was written by someone who was clearly an ESL speaker. Consequently I'm in the localization credits

If the game is made easier, it's because it works in a few new features that should've been in the game to begin with and were subsequently included in the other two.

I guess. I beat the game vanilla with no problem and I got through the story without any unique guns I liked breaking on me or getting any less than 85% condition, anything else you can just find another one of.

I honestly think it's best to play the game vanilla just for the experience, and then replay it with mods for your long term profile if you really like it and will go around doing shit. The whole rawness of it kinda is what appealed to me though it made it way more immersive (well not the bugs, but I don't recall running into any of those really)

I think the only stalker game you should mod your first run through is clear skies because the vanilla version is absolutely awful almost unplayable. It took some serious patience to beat that on the hardest difficulty.

[june gloom]

Dude, I played through the game over the course of a week (it was my first pre-order too and I picked it up the day of release) and a patch came out for it while I was finishing the game. The first release version 1.000whatever that's on my disc? It's finishable. But it's an absolute mess. And it stays a mess even with patches. Complete really helps the game.

[FatSpy]

Dude, I played through the game over the course of a week (it was my first pre-order too and I picked it up the day of release) and a patch came out for it while I was finishing the game. The first release version 1.000whatever that's on my disc? It's finishable. But it's an absolute mess. And it stays a mess even with patches. Complete really helps the game.

I guess it would but I liked the game the way it was to be honest (except clear skies), which is why I say play through it once without the mod (unless you find it unbearable) then do a second playthrough with the mod. I can't really comment on Complete as I've never done any mods in any of the stalkers games but I'm guessing complete makes it more like Call of Pripyat in some ways and honestly I preferred the unrefined grittyness of Shadow of Chernobyle. It just felt like it wasn't going to do anything to hold your hand and that combined with the amazing atmosphere is what got me really sucked into the game.

[Muzman]

Last time I played SoC Complete it was quite solid and I'd say good for a first play (if your machine can handle it).
The changes were mostly pretty subtle and helpful (to things like AIs and scripting being more stable).

It incorporates a mod that just addresses bugs and things though, which might be something better if anyone really just want to see it as close to what it was.
I can't remember the name of it off hand though.

[Gothik]

Last time I played SoC Complete it was quite solid and I'd say good for a first play (if your machine can handle it).
The changes were mostly pretty subtle and helpful (to things like AIs and scripting being more stable).

It incorporates a mod that just addresses bugs and things though, which might be something better if anyone really just want to see it as close to what it was.
I can't remember the name of it off hand though.

Zone Reclamation Project. ZRP.

[sNeaksieGarrett]

Alright, I'm going to give Complete a try. If I don't like it, I can just remove it or reinstall STALKER. Thanks for the input guys.

FYI, I also found a download for a Starter Pack from a youtube video's description. It compiles some mods together, but avoids gameplay changes.

[Neb]

The deal breaker which had me playing with Complete is reduced head bob. Besides that, I have no other way to compare them.

[skacky]

Complete sucks balls, though. It's terribly outdated and way too easy. You're better off playing with ZRP (a new version got released recently) and the usual eye candy mods that are way better than Complete's stuff.

[Tomi]

I've only played the game with the Complete mod, so I can't comment on vanilla SoC, but I did really enjoy my play through with Complete. I'd definitely recommend it. From what I've read, there are some pretty essential (bug) fixes and graphical updates.

I didn't find the game "way too easy" either. It's been a while since I played it, but I remember there being some fairly tricky parts actually... Towards the end you get all sorts of powerful weapons and upgrades and stuff and maybe then the game may seem a bit easy at some points (especially revisiting some old areas), but then again that's not exactly uncommon in FPS games. But I must admit that I was at least half way through the game until I realised that my radiation suit has got a flashlight in it... I actually enjoyed the game a bit less after that discovery, wandering around during the night really felt dangerous and scary in total darkness.

But yeah, that ZRP mod/patch/thing doesn't sound bad either.

[june gloom]

Complete sucks balls, though. It's terribly outdated and way too easy. You're better off playing with ZRP (a new version got released recently) and the usual eye candy mods that are way better than Complete's stuff.

It's a little outdated, but it does not suck balls. You are the one who is the ball sucker.

[skacky]

Oh, no, it's not a little outdated, believe me. Almost all the bugs that got fixed with ZRP are still in Complete, like the infamous permanent radiation. Concerning difficulty, enemies all have their view distance reduced a ton and all the weapons have their accuracy dramatically increased, which means that you almost always see them first and can kill them with ease.

[june gloom]

That does not refute the majority of my post.

[yxlplig]

Using Complete to fix a dodgy old disc based copy of the game is not a very good reason to say Complete is a good mod. What would your argument be if you had a properly installed v1.00000000000004+ copy of the game like virtually everyone but you does? Complete's gameplay does indeed suck balls.

[june gloom]

Congratulations. You don't know how to read.

[FatSpy]

Oh, no, it's not a little outdated, believe me. Almost all the bugs that got fixed with ZRP are still in Complete, like the infamous permanent radiation. Concerning difficulty, enemies all have their view distance reduced a ton and all the weapons have their accuracy dramatically increased, which means that you almost always see them first and can kill them with ease.

This makes me glad I just played vanilla.

[Muzman]

I need to figure out what happened when I played it, if it was a different version or what ever - because it was basically 'vanilla but neater, and with better graphics'. There was no dramatic change to gameplay at all. In fact the AI was smarter and less buggy.

At some point it seems something changed and it went in a more shootery direction. Lots of complaints these days that I never had.