Revisiting Stalker: Some progress.

[benevolentdevil]

I've done a few things:

1- For my own use, I got Real Survival Pack to work with STALKER MOD.  Now hunger/thirst ( actual dehydration) is a thing.  
2- I cracked open an older Stalker Mod Mission thats very well done, not perfect but decent.  I don't quite like how everything is set up in it, but it's neat and gives lots of examples for me to use.
3- Got a mod where it adds flashlights to several weapons , so aren't stuck with just a handful that work.
( Nights are dark, no NVGs to be had. ) I just need to edit the list to remove the thermal and NVG scoped rifles now.
4- Anomalies, Detector, radiation all work and tested. Bolts do trigger the anomalies.  Only "bugs" I found with it, if you run the detector doesn't fire fast enough to beep at anomalies. It will in radiation though.
Of course , any vehicles used you can not detect anomalies and it will blow you up.  ( I do not plan on adding any working vehicles in the mission file though, I only had one for testing ATM. )
- tested all the above, and it all works.

Things not accomplished:
- Trader - Still unsuccessful. I don't know why.  This really is a huge set back ATM.
- Money system also a no go. Also a huge set back.
- I've not decided on a Map to use yet. I do not want to use Namalsk, Chernarus is too large.
- I've not got money to work , or a trader, so discovering Artefacts doesn't do anything yet. Also I wanted a bounty system on Mutants to add funds to accounts, also a no go.
- backpacks have default Arma2OA capacities, I'd like to find out how to make larger capacity bags.
- Respawn seems broken, i don't know why. Should be easy fix.
- I hadn't figured out how to make the MP version "persistent" between resets. It'd suck for players to earn up and lose their stuff after resets or mission breaks. ( Single Player can simply "save progress" as always though. )

 MY Vision:  

 I'm basically making a Multi-player Stalker "sandbox" , but keeping in mind not everyone enjoys a Multi-Player environment, so it will be 100% Single Player compatible as well.
 Play will depend on players themselves ... as it stands I plan on about 10 slots Neutral Stalkers to choose from for players, and 4 slots of Duty.  Duty is set on OPFOR and Hostile to everyone.  But I wanted small groups of Co-Op and possibly some RP and PvP included. (Limited slots available, so the map isn't flooded with pure PvP KOS always. Still gives some "isolation" feeling, sparse population means player-action/interactions aren't super common. )  

 -Neutral Stalkers can be friendly , or choose to go rogue and be "bandits" too.
 -Duty Stalkers Can Co-Op together , their main "objective" is to rid the Zones of all mutants, anomalies, and the pesky profit seeking Neutral stalkers that menace up this Operation. They Directly Oppose any and all Freedom Stalker faction as well.
 -Any Freedom Stalkers ( bluefor) I think I will keep as NPC/AI.  I could add a few playable units for players, but I figured Freedom would make some good NPCs to oppose DUTY at least.
 ( With MCC , I hadn't tested yet... a game Master could "possess" Freedom Units to enhance RP.)
 Freedom opposes Duty's Operation in the Zone. Where Duty wishes to end the threats and cover up the strange occurrences, Freedom wants the opposite. To collect and study the zone, and open it up for all. )
 
 Other NPC/AI units -  Undecided.   I am thinking of including some Bandit looking AI spawns for interest.
 I have yet to decide if any factional Army is still operating in the Zone.  It's possible.  
 After-all a Zone is supposed to be a "Quarantined Area" off limits to non-military personnel.  Some Units and factions have legal passes to enter and operate , Like DUTY does for sure. Some Neutral Stalkers got passes, but most did not ... most entered illegally.  Of course Bandits did not enter legit.
 Freedom started out as Neutral Stalkers and formed while inside the zones, but they oppose any and all restriction so their passes are invalid and are now Illegals too.

 My "Vision" is to offer a bit of something for everyone:
1- Non linear play.
2- "some Survival elements" included, but not super extensive like DAYZ code is. I'd call it , "survival light", but it is important to keep up with and deal with those simple "logistics".
3- Players will have to search far and wide, and face many Dangers to "operate" in a Zone in order to get good pay offs. The best, high end Artefacts are deep in the most dangerous areas, or well guarded by Duty... or other horrors like Bloodsuckers.
4- Basic gear, starting stuff is easy to find or buy. Earning Money takes effort.  A few Stashes -might- yield up some nicer stuff. Sometimes taking out AI will yield more ammo, gear, better weapons ...ect. Usually these will have more common things though.
( Though there are many weapons to get and chose from, but not all work with the "tactical flashlight" addon.  Players will need to decide if they want to use those and face ultra dark , or keep lighted weapons so they can see.  With no road flares or chemlights , it gets very dark and very nasty at night.)
5- Unlike DAYz ... things aren't quite as easy to "find" for sustaiment.  There are no canteens , as all water sources in a Zone are polluted.  Stalkers are dependent on finding water bottles for safe drinking water. Some stashes of water can be found sometimes. Food the same, but you can hunt and cook food to eat. Non-contaminated animals , or non mutated animals are very rare though. Some forms of food are also found in stashes, on dead AI , ect you don't have to cook. ( though I did discover you can eat dog meat cooked in RSP addon included. ..So why not? lol.)
6- Ambiance and Immersion - It's usually foggy, limiting vision and distance viewing. Storms are common, blowouts and radiation storms possibilities randomly anytime. Seeking shelter ( going inside certain structures) is the only way to escape certain death in these "storms". ) If "alone" out in the Zone, there is an intense feeling of isolation, and literally one step the wrong way can be deadly. Careful movement  and paying attention to surroundings a must. Danger everywhere, even if avoiding anomalies that WILL kill you, surviving exposure from radiated areas isn't enough ... there are others that do want to kill you. Some are other stalkers, they came in just like you for profit and seeking fortune, but found it easier to prey on others doing the hard work for them.  Duty is rarely ever in the mood to talk first, shoot later ... most will try to end you on sight.  Some are just unlucky, down on their luck robbers and murderers , grouped in as Bandits.  And there's the Mutants ... Stalkers that got Lost to the Zone, rise back up sometimes as a slow moving shambling mass that simply wants to end you and eat your flesh.
Packs of roaming mutated dogs are common threats.  In the most isolated areas ( and usually where the best goods/aretfacts are) , the near invisible super deadly Bloodsuckers lurk. ( a Single Bloodsucker can wipe out a whole squad , and are possibly most feared by all Stalkers.)
( Still undecided, but possibly this: - Roadways are generally "safer paths" to move about the Zones. Most are free from Anomalies at least. This grants the possibility of faster, more careless movement from one area to another... but road ways are also targeted by roaming bandits, rogue stalkers to ambush others. Plus there's the possibility of some faction army patrolling the zone, and setting up checkpoints and outpost to catch Stalkers in the zone Illegally.)

 Thats all I've got so far.  Still in development of course.

[benevolentdevil]

Update - Minor :
 There is scripts/codes that should use artefacts to "protect" from certain Anomalies.  
Like for example :
If carrying a MEAT Artefact, It should protect you from wandering into the deadly GRAVITY anomaly.
  If the Artefact is in your backpack though, it will not. Only in direct inventory.

 I hadn't tested this yet fully to see if it works as intended, but if not gives me a base to work with and tweak.
 
 So, Artefacts aren't just expensive collectable items after-all, they have a real use if found.

 Still trying to get a working trader and money script to work properly.

[benevolentdevil]

Update:  
Got money to work ( i totally had screwed up my variable!)
and got a rather simple trader in, I just have to edit the many weapons, gear, ect and prices. ( will take a day or two ).

[benevolentdevil]

UPDATE-  
 Minor working on the Stalker Sandbox ...

 Discovered Multi-player , factions are a tad not as I wish them to be.  

 My "goal" was to have like DayZ is set up, "survivors" can kill each other , with no faction repercussions... as in NPCs wouldn't go "hostile" because you shot your buddy down.  
  I have no idea how to rectify this, and puts a limitation on my " player Stalker- Turned- bandit" idea.

Progress halted.  

 I can add a form of "base building" to the Stalker Mission, but it requires more downloads. I think I already have enough in as far as required downloads , so probably will not use the MGB building mod for this one.
 Plus, it seems "out of place" a bit as far as STALKER goes.
I'd rather have something like, "deployable camps" , or deployable camp pieces beyond just a tent.

 So far, I kind stopped working on it ... I got to playing some daiZy mods from here , and am at the point of the tedious "work" of extra scripting ... placing triggers and markers ( so things spawn in correctly) ( and I have no idea if my "respawn of items" is working or not.  
  Example- lets say I place a medusa artefact by trigger/marker somewhere on the map. Player A comes along and picks it up ... after a while, I need that artefact to "spawn" again so other players can pick it up too.  I have a script/code for it ( looks to be included in the DAP StALKER scripts ) , but have no idea if it works as I never see a respawn option.  
 If I set the trigger to "fire when anybody enters, all the time" , a player can leave the trigger , enter again and the artefact will continously spawn on the marker.  That could be "abused" and get a Stalker wealthy quick.
 
this setVariable [""DAP_ARTEFACT_RESPAWN"",[1800,5],true]   is the "respawn script" included.   (I think the 1800 is in minutes?  Thats like 12 hours+ right?  )

 Anyways ... i'm not looking forward to doing all that "needs" to be done.  
 I have to edit the trader list ... basically rework it so Stalker Items can be bought, and remove unnecessary weapons/gear I do not want in the mission to be bought.
 
 I have to create and edit random spawns of gear, items, survival stuff ...

 Then Populate the map with anomalies ( via triggers ) , and get my NPCS/AI to work properly too.
The modules work fine, AI ( Zombies/Blind Dogs modules) work properly, but if I place a single "unit" in the editor, they just stand in one spot ... don't attack or do anything.

 I MIGHT rethink the mod/mission to exclude the PvP for Multi-Player, and cut back on the number of avaliable PLAYER units ... make it SP or Small group Co-Op only.  It'd save alot of work that way.  

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 I did get another form of "STALKER" ( I think I got from here, or maybe followed a link on facebook)
I think the Mission was called " oth@64_project-sr-stalker-revival.namalsk "  ... which I had to remove quite a few things in order for me to run it/edit it.  It works ... mostly.  It's on Namalsk ... which is laggy for me.  I don't think it's "completed" either, but most of it "works" ...
 I still like my "idea" better.

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 Next ... I do believe I could merge Stalker-files into SP Daizy code , my only set back is ... I do not know how to "switch" survivor units playable, to Stalker units ...
 But it'd allow for "stalkers" to use DayZ "survival system" , dmage/health,ect and all the DayZ stuff ... fairly sure I could remove Zombies too ... I dunno.  Might be more interesting with zombies, dunno.

 I could .. dunno why I'd do it, plus would be stuck with a map like Chernarus , which I do not quite like myself.  
 But I think I could do it , if I can ever figure out the unit "switching" that daiZy/DayZ does.
Not sure if I will or not.  

[benevolentdevil]

Update -  

 I am seriously wondering is adding RSP is "worth it" or not to add food/drink into STalker Arma2 play?  

 unlike DayZ code/system ... there's no health benefits for eating, and more or less RSP just adds in more things to do and keep track of.

Medkits and Antirads are about the only real "health regen" in the Stalker mods already.  

 real Survival Pack, adds in basically things like, eating, drinking of course, but also hunting and cooking/making fires.  
  But will that ... distract from actual play, or add to it?  I'm not 100% sold on it yet.  

 I keep wondering if I should do a MGB ( base building) included?  
  If so, it's just kind of "novelty" to do ... it would take a long time ( after I edit the scripts varibles) for players to actually build even a small base , because they'd have to generate some income first.

 I think, visiting a Stalker camp or Neutral area ... , besides merchants/traders ... would render such places null and void if players built their own base, and outfitted it to.  

 However, ... we all know base building is fun in itself ...  so I dunno.

 The Trader I have , is aggravatingly all action menu based , outdated and old ...
But i can't find a better one available to plug and play and use.  

 I'm seriously thinking about maybe, about putting weapon/supply stashes around the map, and removing trader capability ...  this would also mean, base building wouldn't work, as you couldn't really get money with-out buy/sell feature of a trader.  
 But my reasoning is as follows:
1- arms, guns/ammo ext ... are NOT hard to find or come across in Stalker Games.  Maybe, the "best gear/guns" are gotten through quest or late game play ... , but honestly ... it's not hard to find any weapons in Stalker CoP that are decent.  
2- Much easier to find/use stashes , than it is to fix the trader/menu to reflect and use the STALKER items.

 I dunno though ...  I'm at one of those crossroads of indecision.