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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. actually getting released?
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl fell into a nice little category along the likes of Duke Nukem Forever in being an oft-delayed (yes, that does say 2004) game that many assumed would never see the light of day (as well as rumors of a full-on cancellation). Announced first in 2001 and sporting an original release date of 2003, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. suffered numerous delays, all without an end in sight. However, it takes a video found on YouTube to give us some hope that the game is actually going to be released; the release date is ever so soon. In the above video, we see a collage of Chernobyl video with a few hints of in-game play. At the end of the video, we see what appears to be "We opened the gates to hell" written in German followed by a tantalizing March 2007. Not only are we getting a release date, it is coming very soon. This is certainly a great Christmas present for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans ... assuming it isn't some cruel hoax. [Via ThatGameBlog, Thanks jake]
Sprint opens, closes data leak on customer service line
It sure feels like Sprint usually just can't buy a break when it comes to quality customer service. This time around, JD Power's sometimes basement-dwellers have been called out for an automated line that was just a little too ready and willing to dish out customer data to anyone who called in. Basically, you'd call the line, enter any Sprint customer's number of your choosing, and promptly be asked to verify the customer's compu-spoken name and home address --among other juicy details -- while calling another number would spit out their bill balance. Understandably, this raised a ruckus in the user community; to their credit, Sprint patched the system rather quickly and issued a statement to that effect -- but not without going into full CYA mode, pointing out that "this process operated well within the bounds of applicable federal and state privacy laws."
STALKER clip compares the game to reality
If this clip is any indication STALKER will be one hell of a looker. The 55 MB Xvid file shows off real footage of Chernobyl , and compares it to the in-game graphics. According to the site, Oblivion-Lost, the incredible effect is due to chroma keying. While we could see the transition take place, it's an impressive display. The server is getting hit really hard now. Hopefully some mirrors will go up soon. UPDATE: Try this link for alternate servers. [via Blues News]
STALKER beta test soon?
A little sketchy, but apparently a Russian games magazine has run a competition to win reserved spots in the beta for STALKER. This has led some folks to speculate that a public beta is going to happen very soon. STALKER is due in a couple of months. Plenty of time to iron out all the bugs. *cough* The site is worth a look round if you have any interest in this moderately disturbing game.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. shots wallpaper-worthy
Oblivion Lost as posted some high-rez shots of STALKER. They take a long time to view, but a couple of them are worth it. Which ones? Well, we'd check out #s 2 and 5. They're bright, outdoor shots that really show off the care to detail these guys are going for. The shots also continue to look a lot like Half-Life 2. This means while you're playing it, you can pretend your buddy Freeman is in the town over the hill taking out his own baddies.
Gawk at these STALKER shots
Some very nice screenshots of STALKER have been posted on Gamers Hell. The 35 pics lay out an eerie scene of dismay and decay. It reminds me of my neighborhood, actually. The impressive round-up just makes us hunger for the game more. It has a certain Half-Life 2 feel to it. Could it be as good? Doubtful, but we'd even settle for "almost as good" since that would ensure an excellent title.
Worthplaying gives us more STALKER
Worthplaying has posted the latest STALKER game clip. Now that Half-Life 2 is safely in the annals of history, we all look to the future for the games that want its crown. STALKER shows a lot of promise, with a great looking engine, a story that sounds freaky and a dedicated developer who has made some tough calls (i.e. delays) to get this title made. A nice combination, that could add up to a great experience for all of us. We shall see. Check out the clip. It shows off some multiplayer action. The same page also has a link to a Darkwatch snippet, another first person shooter with cinematic aspirations. It looks more old-fashioned, with a Van Helsig figure blowing away deformed baddies. Nice touch at the end, we must admit. Gross!
STALKER delayed again
STALKER, the first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Chernobyl, has just entered the long line of AAA titles that get delayed. The first delay was, allegedly, market-based, with the publisher wanting to avoid competing with holiday titles (sounds smart). Oddly, the second delay is due to quality assuarance. The developer wants some more time to make the game as perfect as they can. You won't get any complaints from us. We can wait for perfection.
STALKER screenshots are creepy as a King novel
I'm reading The Stand by Stephen King, and these screenshots remind me of the desolate, post-apocalyptic world he paints. The abandoned buildings, the vast landscapes, filled with nothing. Creepy stuff. It just looks like the kind of world you'd want to be armed in. Luckily, STALKER will arm you to the teeth, as a couple of pics show. Better to take on the zombies with. These are good shots - definitely wallpaper-worthy.
STALKER preview takes a look at multiplayer fun
Tom's Hardware claims to have been watching STALKER since its announcement in 2001, back when it was known as Oblivion Lost. We don't recall this, so we'll take his word for it - since he's good for his word. But now that the rest of the gaming world is keeping a close eye on the project, can Tom add anything new to the stew? The site's writer gets a hands-on run with the game's multiplayer feature and does a pretty good job of laying out the scene. The piece gets a little fanboy-ish at times, but, hey, we've all been there. One worrisome detail at the end of the preview mentions where the game stands with multiplayer. If they're planning on actually releasing this title in Q1 2005, it seems to us that they should be farther along than supporting 4 players in deathmatch.
STALKER clip filled with bullets
From the floors of the UK Gamestars Live show, come a couple of clips of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (the first-person shooter with the pain-in-the-ass-to-type name). The two clips show off some outdoor action and a couple of weapons. One of which is mighty impressive, in the size department. The format is thoroughly Shaky-Cam, but it's worth checking out. Especially if you're curious about which title you'll be drooling over once you've finished Half-Life 2.
STALKER hands-on preview gives us meat
IGN got some hands-on time with the upcoming first-person Half-Life-like shooter by THQ. They only got to touch the multiplayer aspects of the game, but it seems to have given them a good sense of the graphics and weapons. Some of the Counter-Strike "champions" are contributing to the game, so you have to assume the multiplayer will end up shiny. Unfortunately, the touted physics engine didn't make the cut for the demo. Apparently it wasn't ready to show. Overall, they seem impressed with their limited time with the title. It's due out in Q1 of 2005, and IGN agrees that could be possible from what they saw.
New STALKER shots will leave you bleeding
STALKER is slowly climbing our most-wanted list. The rumblings for the game began awhile ago, and not many of us paid too much attention. But as more shots emerge, and more details become clear, the title shines brighter. It would go too far to call it a Half-Life 2 contender, perhaps, but it's not too far by too much. Check out the latest shots and details over on Worthplaying and you'll see what we mean. That dog-thing probably reminds many of us of the terrifying walks home from grade school. Okay, it probably only reminds me of it...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. revisited at 30 fps
Our last post on S.T.A.L.K.E.R was a bit of a bloody mess, with yours truly doing a smashingly bad job researching the piece. Calling Chernobyl a part of Russia was mistake number one. We won't get into the others now. Well, having watched all 14 minutes of these clips, it's a pleasure to inform you that the game has potential. It doesn't sport the latest graphics, but the development team seems to understand that atmosphere can mean well-scripted events, not just brooding eye candy. Check it out - it's worth the 150 MB download. The file is the 11th from the top.
