News archive
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-RealPlayer 2 or Why is it bad to be a game developer?
9 October 2007
Imagine a perfect game in an
interactive world, where nothing is repeated even twice, where the fun from the game can make even the most fastidious feel the childlike glee and
comprehend the atmosphere. The game when the snuffing discontents move to the background, while the foreground provides a deep immersion into the
process, love and hate to the surrounding characters emerge, the sparkling eyes and sleepless nights spent on its playthrough, – omit nothing, see
everything and everywhere. And now imagine that you’re not able to play this game! What will you feel towards those who, as opposed to you, are?
Valentine "Atem" Yeltishev and I do know that feeling. It’s called a vile envy. That’s what we felt during two days preparations of the firing ground for the role-airsoft game "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-RealPlayer 2". While driving through the surroundings of the picturesque game battlegrounds, where the yet unharmed nature was neighboring the industrial ruins and rusty frameworks of the warlike machinery, we placed stashes, dug stalker graves and scattered artifacts, anticipating an excellent game.
And when on Friday’s evening being run-down and hungry we entered the stalkers’ city, we were awe-inspired by the acting of "Mulder" – the outpost commander – who met us with the stream of invectives and face-aimed gun barrel, and instantly got imbued with the abhorrence towards the militaries that only grew stronger with time.
What was so special with that game of September 14-16? It would be absolutely honest to say: “Everything!”. Truly, even the hard-bitten airsoft fighters and mega-skilled role-players haven’t ever had the game of this kind. The nights near the campfire during the blowouts, valuables hidden in the stashes, defense of the Barrier, sallies through the outpost and the military patrols, haggling with the bandits and fights on the arena, slave-driving by the traders and hunt for the Monolithians’ passports, anomalies and artifacts, controllers and snorks, misinformation and treachery.
This is just a small list of what happened during those two days. The game was a sure success despite multiple setbacks and shortcomings. But as everyone knows, there’s no game without bugs. Especially in MMORPGs. And “S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-RealPlayer 2” was exactly a MMORPG with the action elements. With joint efforts about 300 participants have created a game, – a game where everyone could find a job to his liking and have a genuine pleasure from the time spent. Provided, of course, that there was a fair bit of desire.
Unambiguously, the most successful innovation was the presence of the faction – which is not present in the game, – mass media. The real journalists from printed and online press were invited to play… themselves. For this purpose, a stalkers’ press-center was established, where each of the journalists’ group (there was 4 of them with total of 25 persons) had to deliver their report on the topic given at the start. It’s worth mentioning that only two teams have coped with the task, and both during the first hour upon receiving the "legend".
Armed with anything available, the journalists were relying more on the accompanying documents and traveling expenses than on the brute force to obtain the necessary information. Two groups have almost simultaneously accomplished the diametrically opposed tasks: “the state-owned channel” described the heroic acts of the glorious militaries, who were keeping back the abnormal stalkership phenomenon; while the representatives of the “local TV”, to the contrary, were undermining the authority of the military force, describing the bribery and illegal actions of its personnel and the commanders.
Although the tasks were different, by the end of the game almost all of them felt the strong hate towards the legal agents for bribes, oppressions and executions. And virtually everyone has become a true stalker for the period of less than a day. The night sortie with the headlights off on the bandits’ base was amazing. At their base, the boozed representatives of the Zone’s criminality set up a disco, having shared the ammunition, strong drinks and hookah with us. And the fight of the journalist, sold by the military traders for the refusal to withdraw weapon in the city, on the Arena! And the Duty’s shooting in the back of neutral stalkers, who were going to help the Barrier assault following the misinformation tossed by the “well-wishers”! What about the captivation and tortures of Guide (the excision of fingers included, of course)! Generically speaking, it’s senseless to tell about it to those who haven’t seen it with their own eyes. The only consolation is that apparently there will be such a possibility for all comers in spring 2008, with "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.-RealPlayer 3" scheduled for that time.
Also I’d like to thank “TM Militarist” and Comandor personally for jointly organized event, all brothers-journalists we shared not only our dinner but all the burdens of the field life with, players in the authentic outfits, and all who made this game a fair play!
Check "TM Militarist" forum to read (and view) more about the game; also see the reports of the journalists, who came back from the perilous Zone.
The photos are kindly provided by Kseniya Ryzhkova (www.cnews.ru) and Maxim Donskih (www.dtf.ru).
