*** Spoiler warning ***

I just finished STALKER for the first time, experiencing 3 of the 7
different endings by reloading savegames, and watching the other videoclips
on http://stalker.heroesradio.com/index.php , and am amazed at the quality
of these different endings, and the thought that went into them. At the same
time I see a huge opportunity missed, as few players will ever even be aware
they exist.

DeusEx is the game most people think of in the context of RPG/FPS hybrid
with multiple endings. If you've played this game to the end, even if long
ago, you'll still recall there were multiple endings resulting from choices
made in-game, involving allegiance to one of several factions or worldviews.
The need for the player to make a choice was clearly emphasized many times
in the course of the storyline, as it unfolded.

Now, the DeusEx developers themselves said, in postmortem interviews, that
the actual execution of this idea that 'player choices have consequences'
was very weak in the shipped game: It really didn't matter what you did or
who or how many you killed during the course of the game, you simply made a
menu choice in the final dialogue as to which ending you preferred to be a
part of. They also said they hoped to make the decision tree start branching
earlier in the game in sequels; I never finished DX2, so I don't know how
successful they were in this.

But STALKER actually carried out the DeusEx developer's dream: What you do
throughout the entire game determines what 'wish granter' ending you will
see. This in itself to me is quite remarkable. Which ending you see is
determined by several stats and specific actions that accumulate over the
course of the game, and I've never seen this before in any FPS. Quite
remarkable. So what's the problem?

The problem is that these different endings, while brilliant in themselves,
are never even hinted at during the game: this is a storyline, plot, and
continuity issue that demands constant developer attention in the course of
creating the game, and especially in writing the script for the game. The
writer should be preparing the player to think and make choices, coaxing her
along, dropping subtle hints, helping build a mental map in the player's
mind.

Instead what STALKER presents is a myriad of features, excellent in
themselves, but disconnected:

A superior FPS combat system, with lots of weapon choices, incorporating
some stealth aspects, time-of-day, superb AI, good player movement options
and weapon handling (though needing a prone position ala Vietcong).

A large and varied gameworld, with many regions, and things to do, with
dozens of missions, wonderful graphics, soundeffects and atmosphere.

Factions that are potentially at least as good as the ones presented in
DeusEx, that the player could align herself with.

A ratings system that can be used to determine the player's standing within
the gameworld.

The problem is a lack of integration of all these:

Having the player perform multiple minor or major missions, but let him be
blissfully unaware of what effect *how* (or whether) he performs the
missions has on his stats and ratings, and what ending he can expect to see.

Why it might matter what faction he aligns himself with in the overall
picture of playing the game. How would a developer convey this? DeusEx did
it with many diaries and memos to the player expounding on the different
faction philosophies, and dialog with NPCs. Much more of this sort of
communication with the player is needed in STALKER.

Anyway I'm tired of writing, but hopefully the idea is clear: constant
attention to storyline and plot progression is really needed in STALKER.
This does not mean I'm disappointed with the game; far from it. I am in awe
of how good this game is, and look forward to another playthrough, but it is
also very clear that opportunities were missed, opportunities that as a
player, I feel the developers never informed me about, opportunities that
would increase gameplay satisfaction and immersion, due partly perhaps to
not having sufficient resources or time to complete the necessary
programming, but just as importantly due to not communicating with the
player during the course of the game, which is a writing and gamedesign
issue.

rms