With the German Games Convention being made up of so many recycled demos from this summer's prior trade shows, it's particularly gratifying that GSC has taken the time to show us some of the new things they have in store for their STALKER prequel, STALKER: Clear Sky. We sat down with the developer to find out just what has changed since we last saw the title at E3.
To begin with, they're showing a brand new level that really highlights the graphical improvements to the 1.5 version of the STALKER engine. Normal mapping and parallax mapping add tremendous depth to even the flattest of textures. Small rusted out pits in sheet metal, intricate bark patterns on tree limbs, and weave patterns on uniforms that all respond realistically to light sources are just some of the small touches that the new mapping system allows for.
The light itself is particularly amazing. There are absolutely no light maps anywhere in the game. Every single light you see, including the sun, is a dynamic light source that functions exactly as you'd expect it to in real life. Better still, the game makes use of volumetric light effects to create shafts of light through clouds, window panes and even the dense and intricate foliage of trees. The still screenshots really don't do this feature justice.
Geared to run even on older DX8 machines, the game will have the same system requirements as the original STALKER. Still, players who have upgraded their system since then will be able to take full advantage of DX9 effects that look every bit as good as some of the DX10 effects we've seen on the show floor.
The new mission starts in a broad, marshy field. You're hiding in the tall grass from an attack helicopter when you suddenly get a message that some other nearby STALKERS are under attack from bandits. You, predictably, decide to help. The AI knows when to rush and when to sneak, when to hide and when to break cover. We saw the AI using cover very effectively in the first firefight. When you see both your friendly units and the enemy units doing it together as they shoot it out, you'll really feel like you've dropped down into the middle of a battle.
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