4P: The game is described as "non-linear" but what does it really mean for the gameplay? Is it as linear as Outcast or are there many possibilites to solve a problem like in Splinter Cell?
Andrey: We rejected the linear play from level to level in favour of such freedom of actions and movement as was seen in "Elite", "Daggerfall" and "Fallout". The players will travel the vast territory of the Zone, occupying 30 sq. km. Exploring the Zone, earning money through tasks, and gaining experience by combating, stalkers will move along the unrestricted "non-stiff" story line towards the game end.
An entire world of the Zone will open up before the player. He will be able to make the planning of his development and travels deep inside. The story will develop independently of the player´s actions.
Every time on the game start the player will get a new Zone. These are only the important points (dealers´ locations, army posts, scientific camps and so on) which will remain unchanged. Anomalies, artefacts, monsters will be randomly generated at start.
4P: What about the weapons in the game? Can you tell us something about the exotic weapons, which we can only find in STALKER?
Andrey: We plan over 30 types of firearms, cold steel and artefact weaponry. Weapons will correspond the time stretch from the 1970s to the early 21 century. I.e. you will see both time-proven Kalashnikov submachine guns, and models of weapons just planned to be added to arsenals, such as FN 2000 assault rifle. Weapon types (excluding artefact ones) are going to be quite traditional for games: knives, pistols, shotguns, machinegun pistols, assault rifles, sniper rifles, machineguns, grenades, grenade launchers. As the game is set on the territory of CIS, in Ukraine, the weapon models will, accordingly, be those produced in USSR/Russia. Though the best western "pieces" will not be omitted too. All the weapons are close in looks to their real prototypes. We will try to maximally accurately render the parameters of weapon shooting and the comparative efficacy of various models. Though we do not target to become a virtual special forces simulator. I.e. certain simplifications will also take place. Talking about interesting peculiarities, we will have quite a worked out physical model of weapons, owing to which piercing of various surfaces, shock waves, splinter and pin-point explosions as well as other goodies will be implemented. Weapons will wear out through time.
What´s going to be the artefact weaponry is something for the players to experience as they play the game through.
4P: Can the player drive some vehicles?
Andrey: The player will find a variety of vehicles in the Zone - cars, trucks, jeeps, armoured personnel carriers and helicopters. The player will be able to control virtually any vehicle, but for APCs and helicopters. Mere buying a car will not be enough, as you are also to take care of fuel and protective equipment for your vehicle to go through dangerous zones.
4P: Will the player fight against hordes of "mutant monster" enemies? What other enemies can we expect in the game?
Andrey: Multitude of opponents are planned for the game, to start with army soldiers guarding the Zone border and up to uncanny mutated creatures frequently abnormally abled with such skills as telepathy or telekinesis. Underground dwarfs, telepathic controllers, senseless zombies, packs of blind dogs, hordes of rats and many other monsters can be expected in the gameJ. Controllers will take control over soldiers and stalkers, as well as coordinate the actions of zombies. Dwarfs and rats set up underground communications, while blind dogs will prowl about wastelands and dumps of radioactive trash.
