STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl - Faiakes Mod v1.9

STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl - Faiakes Mod v1.9

This gameplay mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. tries to bring the game closer to the FPS genre. Expect much more action, explosions, non-degrading armor and weapons, and more violence with gameplay more focused on action and less on the RPG elements. The mod includes major changes to weapons and armor stats. The mod also has minor graphical improvesments to weapons, weather, and darker nights

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---------- Major features ----------

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- Buy almost EVERYTHING from any trader.

- Have rifles fit the handgun slot!

- Be able to buy and use explosives.

- Have non-degrading Armour and Weapons.

- Have reliable (non-misfiring) weapons.

- Have side-quests without a time limit.

- Be able to carry more (300kg instead of 50kg).

- More gruesome blood effects.

- Add scopes, silencers and grenade launchers to more weapons.

- Better English text dialogues and descriptions.

- New, better looking skins for weapons and items.

- New music for your ears.

- Drive yourself around in vehicles

- Darker, more realistic nights and weather.

- Have text on the map to know where everything is.

- More info and accurate weapon stats.

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---------- Changelog ----------

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1.8 -> 1.9

- Added new Gaus Rifle skin (thanks Digital Junkie)

- Added new scope skin (thanks Digital Junkie)

- Added giv_em_hell's Real World Weapon Reskins mod v1.0 (modified)

- Added KnifeInFace's High-res Cola Wars pack (Coke)

- Added KnifeInFace's High-res Food mod (modified)

- Added Warpig's Sign Bar 100 mod

- Added Pseudoant's Hud & Blood mod v1.3 (Layout B)

- Added tharawdeal & onionradish's Revamp mod v1.03

- Fixed: Lexx's Antigas Armour mod 4.1 not showing up in traders (modified)

- Fixed: Lexx's Antigas armour degrading

- ALL weapon prices increased

- ALL weapon damage increased by 0.1

- Gauss rifle range doubled to 2000m

- Gauss rifle impact tripled

- Gauss rifle handling improved

- SEVA suit price increased to 70000

- PSO-1 scope price increased to 2500

- SUSAT scope price increased to 2500

- Silencer price increased to 1500

- Reduced accuracy of silenced Mp5 to 0.18

- Weight of all explosives increased

- Corrected original game error labelling Gauss ammo as 2mm. It is 9mm (look closely at the Gauss rifle clip)

- Corrected various weapon description errors

- Added info to the 'Starting A Game' section of the guide (crucial new info for when starting a new game)

- Cleaned up the rest of the guide

- Corrected omissions in the credits

- Improved notes on installation

- Past logs removed from guide and now come as a separate file

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---------- Installation ----------

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Extract and place the ' gamedata ' folder to:

...\Program Files\THQ\S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Shadow of Chernobyl

======= NOTE =======

1. Do not expect that your old saved games will work with this mod. Just to be safe, keep my old gamedata folder somewhere before you try the new one. If the game crashes to the desktop either continue to use the old one or start a new game.

2. The Stalker Faiakes mod is meant for Veteran and Master level, otherwise it'll make the game too easy.

3. Requires patch 1.0001 to enable all features.

4. Some mods (e.g. Transport mod) need some tweaking to be activated. Please read the respecitve ReadMe file of that mod, which is in the All Other ReadMe folder.

5. If you can't get this (or any other mod) to work, you just need to modify the file fsgame.ltx, which is in the same folder where you placed the gamedata folder of this mod.

Simply, right-click on fsgame.ltx, choose 'open with', click the bottom option 'Choose Program...', select Notepad from the list, check the option below to always open that type of file with Notepad and then click 'OK'.

Open the file and the second line will look like this (a bit more spread apart but ignore that):

$game_data$ = false| true| $fs_root$| gamedata\

Replace the first 'false' with a 'true' and the whole thing should look like:

$game_data$ = true| true| $fs_root$| gamedata\

Save, close and you'll find that all your mods work fine now.

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---------- Credits ----------

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In alphabetical order

174@2ch for: Jin-Roh Mod v1.0

Balnazzar for: Trader Mod v1.1

Balnazzar for: Retexture Mod v1.0

Balnazzar for: Transport Mod v1.0 + Patch

Breda for: l86 blood texture mod

broken181 for: Silent Silencers, and Green Tracer Mod

Cryomerk for: Reskin Pack #1 (G36/Sig550/AKM74)

dDefinder for: Improve Sound Effects v0.8 mod

Digital Junkie for: new Gaus Rifle skin

FacTor-X for: Re-Skinned Hands/Gloves mod

Giv_em_hell for: Real World Weapon Reskins mod v1.07

Gohda for: Retextured AK-74u and AK-74 mod

Gohda for: Retextured USP - Stainless Steel Slide

Gohda for: Retextured Winchester 1300 - Wood Parts

Gohda for: Retextured PM and PB (1.0)

Gohda for: Retextured Groza (1.0)

gordon-X for: Harmonica mod

gullgotha for: No1DegradeUniqueWeapons Mod Version v1.0

gullgotha for: NoDegradeNormalWeapons Mod Version v1.0

gullgotha for: Endurance Mod Version v1.1

Heru for: Girl TV mod

Heru for: Fullmetal FM mod

KnifeInFace for: High-res Smirnoff Vodka mod

KnifeInFace for: High-res Cola Wars pack

KnifeInFace for: High-res Food mod

Kyodan for: Real Gun Names mod v.3

Lexx for: Antigas Armour Mod v4.1

Lokbomb for: Viper to Pistol Slot Mod

Mattressi for: Gritty Chrome Desert Eagle re-skin v1.0

NAMAYU for: Multicam style Stalker suit skin mod

Ozne for: Cigarettes mod

PiIsARational for: No time limit on quests Mod v0.01

PiIsARational for: Armour Decay Mod v.01

Pseudoant for: HUD & Blood MOD v1.3

Save for: Carry mod v3.0

SGHi_app for: miniPDA replacement mod

Superfly for: Items skin pack mod

Swifty Magee for: Additional Add-ons Mod v1.0

tharawdeal/onionradish for: Raw Onion Revamp Mod (1.03

TheVoodoo for: Weather Overhaul Mod 1.01

Underwhelmed for: Weapon Damage Mod

Warpig for: Mp5/Viper upgrade mod

Warpig for: Sign Bar 100 mod

YourMessageHere for: STALKER Realistic-looking Weapon Pack

ZanderArch for: Advanced mapping system v1.5 mod

All changes, beyond what the credited mods originally offered, are mine.

All changes, not credited to a specific modder, are mine.

======= Special thanks =======

>>> niphty

From the FileFront forums, who showed me how to add & edit icons, for the Double-mini-Weapons mod.

>>> ZanderArch

For discovering where those stupid weapon icons were in the first place.

>>> FacTor-X

For reworking all the skins and bumps to add more detail and tune them to my liking (extra thanks man).

>>> Broken181

For fixing the blood textures not working with past, scripted blood marks.

>>> madmax17

For suggesting new mods to add to mine which I didn't know even existed.

>>> Digital Junkie

For working patiently with me to make a new Gauss & scope skin.

>>> lokitos420

For noticing the wrong placement if the sound folder.

>>> GSC

For their support to the modding community.

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---------- Contents ----------

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1. Folder: gamedata -> the mod folder (see Installation)

2. Folder: All Other ReadMe -> The ReadMe files of each mod used in mine

3. Pictures: various -> screenshots showcasing features of the mod.

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---------- Guidance ----------

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======= Weapons and Armour =======

1. Save your money and make the first thing you buy the mini-H+K MP5A5 Silenced. Then start saving for a proper assault rifle.

2. Beware. All mp5s are useless for long distance shooting. Don't waste your ammo. Their firing range is only 200m. Either get close or get away.

3. When you find the stash with armour at the far right of the train tracks in Cordon, don't bother keeping one for yourself. Sell it. There is a Merc suit in the starting village (read Starting A Game).

4. Don't buy absolutely anything (other than bullets) until you can afford the mini-Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini-Abakan sniper). If you get mini-Groza OC-14 5.45mm, buy the PSO-1 scope so you can use it as a mid range rifle too (single shots). Also, buy a silencer for it. It will actually reduce your presence in some occasions and allow you to surprise more enemies.

5. Use the mini-H+K MP5A5 Silenced for close combat for as long as you can get away with it (eventually enemies will be strong for it) as it will save you money.

6. After getting the mini-Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini Abakan sniper) start saving for armour. You desperately need something with good night vision as soon as possible, so the SEVA suit has to be your first armour purchase. You'll find yourself using the SEVA suit most of the time until the very end of the game. It is the best non-combat suit.

8. Once you have these (mini-Groza OC-14 5.45mm or mini-Abakan sniper and SEVA suit) it's time to upgrade your main rifle. The best is the FN F2000. More accurate, slightly more powerful and faster than the Groza, with longer range, a better scope and an intergrated grenade launcher!

7. The SEVA will only be sufficient until you reach the Wearhouses and the Brain Scorcher quest. Now it's time to buy the Exoskeleton PNB-4UZ. It will be needed only on few but crucial occasions of close combat with heavily armed and armoured enemies.

8. Also, before venturing into the Brain Scorcher quest you have to upgrade your sniper rifle. The best sniper rifle is obviously the Gauss gun. Don't bother buying more than 50 rounds, unless you like using it. The FN F2000 will suffice for most situations.

9. Whatever weapon you like to use add a silencer to it! It will in fact make enemies less aware of you and thus allow to surprise or avoid more of them.

10. Use single shot firing mode as often as you can. You'll be surprised how few, well placed bullets, it takes to bring down any enemy. You need to conserve ammo, especially when you start the game.

11. The RGD-5 (offensive) grenade is not that crucial. I never keep more than 5 on me (even on Master Level), I sell the rest. It's the F1 (defensive) grenade that can do some real damage.

======= Starting A Game =======

Before doing any missions earn (safely) some much needed cash for crucial supplies:

1) As soon as you exit the bunker talk to Wolf to get your pistol but only do the killing the boars mission. When you do kill the (2) boars break the boxes and get the artefact(s). You won't get into trouble, easy cash.

2) As you exit the bunker, go directly left. It looks like a trash site. Go through the pipe into the centre of it and pick up (usually) 2 Wrenched and break the crates for a Med kit. To get out, hop your way to the big tank to the left, sprint and jump away without any harm!

3) Search all the houses in your little village, they have some goodies and occasionally even a side-quest item. Keep coming back to check the box near the fire where everyone sits. It gets replenished with some valuable supplies if you've just started a game.

Free Merc Suit: Cimp up the ladder behind Wolf. Enter the loft then walk out again but crouch and turn right, walk on the edge and get on the roof. Sprint and jump on the next house (the one towards the road, small falling damage there), stay on the roof, go right and peak inside (towards the road) where there is hole at the other end. Below it lies a crate. Before you shoot it save. The crate needs to be pushed a bit to the left (as you look at it) in order for you to be able to reach the armour, so aim at the top left corner of the crate. Then go diagonally across (lower right corner as you look away from the road) and you can pick up the armor from there.

4) Head towards the bandits. See that trailer on the left? There are 2 stalkers down next to it (on the side away from the road). Clean up the corpse of the dead stalker. That'll get you at least a med kit. Go to the injured stalker and sacrifice that med kit to help him. It'll benefit you more than simply ignoring him. Now go into the trailer. See a metallic box? Use your knife to break it because it has goodies inside, otherwise you can't get them. Also break the big wooden crates to get a silenced pistol and some essential supplies.

5) Don't go for the bandits just yet. See those 2 dogs munching a stalker just below? Make sure you kill them both and search their bodies as (most of the times) they will net you a dog tail worth 1000 each (if not go forward and to the left and kill some more until you have at least 2 dog tails)! While you're here check those 2 buildings ahead to the left of the road. The first has a dead bandit with a few things on him and under the boxes in the corner there is bandit suit. The next building enter it through the entrance to the right, walk straight towards the door that is blocked by the fallen metal silo thing and under it there is a stone flower glowing (you may have to double crouch to get it). You just raised enough money to buy the mini-silenced H+K mp5 and enough rounds BEFORE dealing with the bandits! That's the way to go, Stalker! Return to the trader, sell all the useless or excess artefacts (see guide below) and spend the rest on bullets.

6) You have to help with killing the bandits now. Do it. Then immediately ask Nimble for the item and after that for a job. When that is done you can clean up all the bodies. You should have enough bullets to complete Nimble's job/side quest mission immediately. Follow that dirt road to its end (a tunnel). Beware of the dogs, stick to the right next to the barbed wire (but kill them of you have enough bulltes, their tails will pay off many times over the cost of your bullets).

7) You'll also get messages about hidden stashes from searching the bodies. Tend to them before going back to the trader if they're not dangerous or if you have enough bullets and med kits.

8) Now you can go back to the village but don't deal with the trader just yet. First find Nimble (he's sleeping in the house behind Wolf). As a reward he will give you a Stone Flower. Don't sell it. It is the artefact required for one of the quests the trader will give you now. Easy money.

9) Go to the trader and sell everything apart from: 9x18mm rounds, food, med kit and the artefacts I recommend always keeping. EVERYTHING else must go to save for the Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini-Abakan sniper) and extra rounds. Ask the trader for more jobs. Take them all on but start with those which are close and slowly work your way further and further away from the trader.

10) To get past the tracks don't bother with the tunnel (or pay!). Simply head to the right side and there 2 gaps: one just to the right of the bridge (don't come close to the soldiers though as they will start shooting you) and the other one quite further to the right. Hunt all dogs down and all the bandits you can see. You can make enough money to buy the Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini-Abakan sniper) BEFORE you leave Cordon.

11) If you've taken all the jobs available, hunted down all animals and banidts but still can't afford the Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini-Abakan sniper), climb on to the bridge, switch the mini-silenced-mp5 to single shots and from up there sniper all the soldiers. That way you'll get enough money to buy the Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or the mini-Abakan sniper) and gain easier access across the bridge.

12) DO NOT leave Cordon before you get a message about the hidden stash in the train wreck hanging right over the bridge. Once you get the message immediately look it up as it has a better armour than the Merc one, with basic night vision, too.

13) After you first set foot at Agroprom, help the Stalkers and save the Mole but don't go down the tunnel. In fact, for game purposes, you don't have to go down the tunnel at all. Only do the tunnel if you want to find artefacts and raise more money (which you won't need to, read below).

14) You don't have to go now to the other complex to get the documents. Besides the tunnel brings you in a very unfavourable position in the second complex. If you have the scope on the Groza OC-14 5.45mm (or have the mini-Abakan sniper), you could just walk to it and circle it while you snipe anyone you can see from a distance. Afterwards head in to finish the few people left and complete the mission with minimum cost.

15) If your skills are not up to it, explore the entire area instead. This place is a goldmine. The hills are littered with artefacts! Clean out the tunnel (the one on your right as you arrived, with the train tracks leading to it) too and you'll have enough money to buy the FN F2000, rounds for it and have some left to start saving for the SEVA suit! After this place is cleaned up you'll have most of the equipment you need to complete the game.

======= Quests & Tactics =======

1. You won't be allowed into Rostok before you get the documents from Agroprom. In case you were wondering just why they don't like you :-)

2. At Master level, helping Freedom take out the Duty extremists means you cannot return to Rostok nor to Cordon, which also means you'll lose any rewards pending for completed quests there (as well as access to the traders). In other words, don't take on the mission, it's probably not worth it.

3. However, I discovered a way into Rostok without permission. If you are coming from Garbage as soon as you enter the Rostok map head left to meet the fence. You can actually walk onto the earth wall where the fence starts and hop into the left outside part of town. Find your way to the bar and you'll see a window that allows you to look in the town. Jump on it, double crouch and you're in! To get out, head towards the Yantar-Wearhouses junction. Just after the guard, to the right are a pile of pipes/Air vents, climb them, hop to the roof and go right, drop down, go all the way to the right, meet the fence which was on your right as you came into town, try to go to the start of it and you'll end up with the leaving the map message! (if you click 'No' you'll end up on the road into Rostok again).

4. If you're despearate to steal from allies then use the explosives. Place them among friendly forces and fire at them. Since you're not firing at someone in particular you won't be blamed for any deaths. It's also a good way to kill a target within a populated area.

======= Artefacts & Items =======

1. Unless you're desperate for bullets never completely sell certain artefacts. Keep at least one of a kind as side-quests tend to repeatedly ask for them. These are: Jellyfish, Meat chunk, Night Star, Moonlight, and Gravi.

2. However, you can sell the following as you won't find them any useful or even have to use them at all: Wrenched, Stone Blood, Goldfish (only needed once), Slime, Thorn, Battery, Slugg, and Pellicle. You'll never need more than 2 of the Flash artefact for yourself (and it is only requested once in a quest). Also Stone Flower is also only requested once in a quest.

3. As long as you are low on money make sure you slay all dogs, fleshes, boars, bloodsuckers, etc., and search their bodies for any tails, hoofs , eyes, etc. Keep 2-3 of each as side-quests will often request one or you can actually sell them for good cash too! Prices vary from trader to trader and from level to level but all moster parts sell between 500 - 3000 each.

4. NEVER sell your med kits. Unless you like reloading your game often.

5. Remember: giving an artefact as part of a quest will get you more money plus extra items.

6. The Crystal Thorn artefact is on top of the Scientist's lab in Yantar.

7. Selling your items in Yantar, after you do the mission there, will net you more money.

8. Don't bother with energy drinks, cans of food, vodka (you need no more than 4 for getting that chef drunk, in the Freedom camp) and that salami looking thing, selling them is more valuable. You can get trhough the entire game (even on Master level) just on bread.

9. When you have to eat, ALWAYS consume your bread first, as the canned food and the salami can actually be sold for some valuable cash.

======= Financial =======

1. ALWAYS ask and take ALL the jobs traders can offer you. Finding what could have been an side-quest item and simply selling means you lost money and/or precious artefacts you could have earned.

2. ONLY attempt to take out a person within city or town with the use of explosives. Without explosives it will make everyone hostile towards you. Otherwise, wait until that NPC is outside and alone and then take them out.

3. If you get messages about hidden stashes find them quickly, otherwise they'll be empty by the time you get there.

4. Hunt down and search every animal/mutant you come across and search their bodies. Monster parts will make you good money.

5. Be constantly checking your PDA. You don't want to be passing by hidden stashes you could have looted or NPCs/items which are part of a quest.

6. Having enough money is possible if you scavenge every single body, take every little quest and pursue every single hidden stash and animal. Do this consistently and you'll always be well equipped before getting into difficult situations.

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---------- Changing this mod ----------

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======= Altering load capacity =======

Go to: gamedata\config\

Open file: system.ltx

Find line: max_weight = 300

Change to the number you prefer then, go to: gamedata\config\creatures

Open file: Actors.ltx

Find lines:

max_item_mass = 300

max_walk_weight = 300

and apply the same number as with max_weight.

======= Weapon Add-ons =======

These are the weapons altered so that with silencers attached they still have the same bullet damage, speed, and accuracy as when non-silenced.

w_abakan.ltx

w_ak74.ltx

w_ak74u.ltx

w_beretta.ltx

w_colt1911.ltx

w_desert_eagle.ltx

w_fort.ltx

w_g36.ltx

w_groza.ltx

w_hpsa.ltx

w_l85.ltx

w_lr300.ltx

w_mac10.ltx

w_mp5.ltx

w_pm.ltx

w_sig220.ltx

w_sig550.ltx

w_ups.ltx

w_walther.ltx

Open with notepad to undo or apply different values to:

silencer_hit_power = x.xx, x.xx, x.xx, x.xx,

======= Skins =======

If you don't like Weapon skins, just go to: ...\gamedata\textures\wpn

and delete accordingly.

======= Weapon Reliability =======

1. Go to: gamedata\config\weapons

2. Open any weapon file with Notepad

3. Find parameter: misfire_probability = 0.0000

4. Change back to original figure (see list below)

Original misfire data:

abakan = 0.0050

ak74 = 0.0030

ak74 = 0.0030

beretta = 0.0050

binoc = 0.0001

bm16 = 0.0030

colt911 = 0.0030

desert eagle = 0.0030

fn2000 = 0.0050

fort = 0.0030

g36 = 0.0030

gauss = 0.0001

groza = 0.0030

hpsa = 0.0050

knife = 0.0000

l85 = 0.0030

lr300 = 0.0030

mounted = 0.0001

mp5 = 0.0030

pb = 0.0050

pm = 0.0030

rg6 = 0.0030

rg7 = 0.0001

sig220 = 0.0050

sig550 = 0.0030

spas12 = 0.0050

svd = 0.0050

svu = 0.0050

toz = 0.0050

ups = 0.0050

val = 0.0030

vintorez = 0.0050

walther = 0.0050

wincheaster1300 = 0.0050

======= Armour Degrading =======

1. Go to: gamedata\config\misc

2. Open files 'outfit' and 'unique_items' with Notepad

3. Find parameters:

[sect_novice_outfit_immunities]

burn_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

strike_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

shock_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

wound_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

radiation_immunity = 0.00

telepatic_immunity = 0.00

chemical_burn_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

explosion_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

fire_wound_immunity = 0 ;0.xxx

and change the zeros to whatever values follow the ';'

======= Weapon Dispersion =======

To my knowledge I have not changed that.

======= Other Mods =======

The best way to do that is for you to download that mod, see the files it has and try to remove them from my mod. I say 'try' because you should only do that after you have read the ReadMe of that mod and you can be certain that they don't use common files which I merged. Otherwise the mod will crash.

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---------- Bugs, Issues ----------

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1. If you die and are imediately pressing any button the game crashes to the desktop.

2. Saved games will not necessarily work. The changes in some versions simply require new game to be started.

3. Some people report excessive spawning of explosives inside traders. Me and the Carry mod creater are looking into it.

4. Some people simply can't use this mod. Their game crashes even before reaching the menu. I never had any such problem. For a first wave of defense check: http://www.tweakguides.com/STALKER_6.html

If anyone has any idea why these issues occur or how to fix them, please e-mail me ASAP (e-mail below).

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---------- Copyright ----------

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1) You may modify it.

2) You may distribute it.

3) You may NOT include it into your mod(s) unless you get my permission (for my part on this mod) or that of the modder whose part you wish to use.

4) If you have included it in your mod you HAVE to credit me & the respective modders (see credits).

5) You may NOT charge money for it (apart from minimum shipping costs & format (e.g. CD).

Failure to comply with (3), (4) or (5) will result in either a request to FileFront that you be banned or to legal action against you, should you have engaged in a profit making activity.

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---------- Contact ----------

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Faiakes

[email protected]