Gamespy previews S.T.A.L.K.E.R (again)

then again i do like RO and that aint the newest of game engines but gfx or not it is very much superior to most FPS due to its gameplay.

GS: Tell us about the combat in the single-player game. How true to life are the weapons and damage models? Is the game intended to be highly realistic and punishing for less-skilled players?

AB: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is oriented around realism, so we are doing everything in such a way that the player will feel that everything is real, including graphics, atmosphere, and artificial intelligence. We used the same principle working on weapons in the game.

There are about 30 weapon types, most of them based on real prototypes. Many of these weapons are upgradeable with scopes, grenade launchers, and silencers, just as in real life. The same thing applies with the ballistics. Making apt use of the physics engine, we implemented a large number of interactive gameplay features, which makes the game more realistic and lively. Thus, true bullet ballistics were implemented in the game. To adjust the bullets, we used such parameters as mass, speed of flight, materials-piercing abilities, and environment resistance. As a result, our weapons act very realistically. For example, when you are shooting the Russian Vintorez rifle from long distances, you can see that the bullet is flying in a parabola. That is why while shooting at a target that is far away, you should aim a bit higher.

Real bullet speed makes it necessary to lead your target while shooting at a target that is moving and far away. The same goes for grenades; they use physics, creating physical waves and splinters after the explosion. We also created a ricochet that sometimes can be used to shoot a covered enemy, if you are able to calculate everything correctly, of course. You should remember the ricochet effect so you don't hit yourself accidentally.

Using iron sights is more accurate than shooting from the waist, and shooting while you are sitting is more accurate than shots made while running. You should also take into account the density of materials and the ability to shoot through them--concrete blocks are good cover, while thin metal and wood are not. In addition, we should say that nearly every weapon has different cartridge types (splinter, armor piercing, and so on), each of which has its own physical properties. And don't forget to change your weapons from time to time, as the weapons show realistic wear and tear over time.

We created a realistic damage system where the torso or headshot will be completely different from the hand or leg ones. You will see the proper animations of enemies hit in each body part. After a serious torso hit, the enemies will fall on the ground squirming in pain. The more injured a character is, the more that character's state will change--heavily injured characters will leave tracks of blood (which can be followed). Without dressing a wound, you can bleed to death.

By creating the combat system, we were trying to make it realistic, fun, and as efficient as possible, so we think that beginners will be able to get used to it very quickly. Having familiarized themselves with the weapons properties, players will be able to use them effectively in different combat conditions.