S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Lost Alpha

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1 - Download v1.3000 - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4
2 - Download v1.3003 Patch
3 - LA Mod Pack by Boredgunner [optional] - [get Patch 1 also! install after/over]

For those that might be unaware: The first thing I will say is that "Lost Alpha is a stand-alone FREE game!" GO GET IT RIGHT NOW! That's right, you do not need to own any other Stalker games to play Lost Alpha.

I have been a massive fan of the entire Stalker series of games since their inception. Excellent atmosphere in each that makes my heart skip beats and end up pounding while fighting some of the irradiated denizens of the Zone.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the inventory management, and it is better than ever. Very detailed information on everything you can pick up [you can edit these descriptions yourself with notepad], weapons are varied, detailed and fun to use. Enemies rag-doll on death, drop weapons and have interesting and varied loot.

The firearms ballistics simulation is also top notch, armor-piercing means armor-piercing. If you aren't wearing solid armor - you're dead. Conversely, using hollow points against heavy armor is as useless as tits on a bull, you might as well call that bandit a douchebag and hope his feelings get hurt enough that he decides not to kill you then rob your corpse.

There is lore galore in this game also, lots of reading into the past about the Zone and how it came to exist. Stories of stalkers' adventures in the Zone that come across your in-game PDA like text messages, sometimes with a joking punch-line, sometimes with the sad death of a friend.

Anomalies make a return also, so does artifact transmutation, that is combining two artifacts with other specific ingredients all thrown into a combining box for a specified amount of time to make a new, more powerful artifact, get back too late and the new artifact is a useless hunk of irradiated flesh. NPCs will also navigate around any anomalies throwing bolts into them and also using their detectors to find them, because immersion is immersive.

UNLIKE Failout 4, you CAN decide whether or not you actually want to be diplomatic in your dealings with other factions quests [faction relations are graded from -5000 to +5000, enemies and friends], or you can just shoot the shit out of them and make EVERYONE hate you, which is INSANELY difficult to live through.

The game also has a hunger, thirst and sleep system which works quite well. Also implements a firearm and armor upgrading/enhancement system. You can also buy vehicles to zoom around the maps in.

There are about twice as many maps/levels as there was in Shadow of Chernobyl. Some are completely new, some are GSC originals that have been enhanced.

In the coming few months [hopefully] the development team will release the Developers Cut of Lost Alpha - here is a current change log for the DC.

Current version is 1.3003 which is very stable and you can finish the game [if you're good enough ;) ]. Keep in mind that this is not a AAA game with massive financial backing, this is just a few devoted Stalker fans that use their own time to create this [above and beyond modern AAA standards].

From FAQ:
Lost Alpha is based on a beta patch, called 1.0007. This was never released to the public, but we had the opportunity to get it, and fix it up. The engine is now totally upgraded, runs better than ever.
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If you have not played this, you are absolutely missing out on a gem of a free game.

Update 1: Tarkovsky's Stalker film [which this game series is loosely based on] [itself being based loosely on the novel Roadside Picnic] has been released in high definition Blu Ray.

Update 2: I'm running the game on an old GTX660 2GB, everything maxed out except I turned off sun shadows and sun rays [FPS hogs], getting 50-60fps. The two images however are taken in DX9 render mode, which apparently gives better visuals [see comments in description].

Update 3: Boredgunner made an awesome mod pack for LA 1.3003 - links at top of page.
Here is what the mod compilation includes:
About 50 new guns from various SoC mods, which are sold by traders and carried by NPCs.
About a dozen new outfits, which are sold by traders.
New, enhanced night vision that's no longer useless.
Improved flashlight so that it's more effective.
Removed minimap since it's intrusive. A game like Lost Alpha or any S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game should have a minimalistic HUD.
Rebalanced the whole game to make it a bit more hardcore and realistic. This includes changing bullet/anomaly resistances, weapon damage, prices, and more.
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never played stalker before, is this the first game mod?

why not just mod the latest game, it could benefit from better graphic and smooth animation
 
So, does this have the same story as the original, just enhanced with new levels and gameplay additions (it seems so from the youtube videos)?
 
eissa said:
never played stalker before, is this the first game mod?

why not just mod the latest game, it could benefit from better graphic and smooth animation
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They considered using Call of Pripyat engine, but decided the SHoC engine would work better [more atmosphere].

AskWazzup said:
So, does this have the same story as the original, just enhanced with new levels and gameplay additions (it seems so from the youtube videos)?
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Same basic story, enhanced [filled out] with more quests, levels and lore.
 
Cool, i loved the first game. Will have to try to run this on linux wine compatability layer, maybe it will even start.
 
This looks very interesting. And not just because it's free. I might try and get over my aversion for first person games and just go with it. Always been pretty interested in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, especially after seeing both the film and reading the book Roadside Picnic.

EDIT: installing that bitch right now.

EDIT 2: I suck so bad. I can't even clear the warehouse of bandits. Even with support from the assault team. Makes me want to use VATS. ;')
 
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dopezilla, run and gun in this game just won't work, try crouching [2 crouch settings in this game, low and lower] and leaning out from corners with Q + E.

Your character 'jogs' by default, hold X to walk. Movement speed affects firing accuracy.

Finding cover from gunfire before a firefight is essential - strategy before strongarming. Try scouting areas from afar with your binoculars to pinpoint locations and patrol routes of enemies [they are highlighted by binos and audible 'blip'].

Head shots help! So does aiming down the sights of a firearm rather than firing from the hip [crouching also affects accuracy]. Just like IRL, lead projectiles flying into you at 2600 feet per second is likely to kill you with one or two hits, same goes for enemies. Use the right ammunition for the enemy type, light armored use HP or FMJ, heavy armored use AP or FMJ.

Be sure to pick up dropped loot before the NPCs do! Yes, NPCs will take that awesome rifle from the dead bandit YOU killed, which I think is pretty shitty, but hey, that's life in the Zone baby!
 
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Haha, I'll keep trying. It'd be nice if I got this under control, because the game seems very, very cool. Other stalkers sitting down, playing the guitar and singing depressing songs is a nice touch.

I'm going to try the mission again without the assault team and see if I can knife them from behind. I am terrible at aiming by the way, so headshots are going to be hard, but I guess practice makes perfect. I hope I can get into it, because I'd really love to explore the zone. :D
 
dopezilla said:
Haha, I'll keep trying. It'd be nice if I got this under control, because the game seems very, very cool. Other stalkers sitting down, playing the guitar and singing depressing songs is a nice touch.

I'm going to try the mission again without the assault team and see if I can knife them from behind. I am terrible at aiming by the way, so headshots are going to be hard, but I guess practice makes perfect. I hope I can get into it, because I'd really love to explore the zone. :D
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Shooting is kinda hard in Stalker when you are new to the game imo. You gotta take into account bullet drop and speed when you are aiming. Takes a bit of practice, but its very cool when you git gud at it.

Headshots will save your life man, you die with very few bullets in the first part of the game, sometimes you won't even have enough time to kill everyone before they kill you if you don't land some headshots, especially in cqc.

You can make bullet ricochet and hit people in the face with it, its amazing! Use shotguns until you get the hang of it, shotguns are easier to use imo, just gotta amush your opponents. Call their attention, run somewhere safe and camp there until they start to get close. Blow their heads off, run from this place and find another to do the same thing while you reload. Just don't go get cornered you see, mobility is key in this game
 
dopezilla said:
Kind of a bummer I spent my monies on special ammunition. I might just restart, though. :P
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Special ammo is gud! Find a AK kinda weapon, buy a lot of armor piercing bullets and you can kill things easily left and right, no problemo.

Gotta find a good gun though, in the Military Cordon the best weapon I could get was that AK that the military uses you know? These guys needs like 2 or maybe even 3 headshots with those shitty pistols you find!

Game gets a lot easier once you find better weapon. Especially since you can upgrade your shit in Lost Alpha! A advice, find one of those viper submachineguns and upgrade it to use that other ammo, that is more common.
 
What I'd love to see in this game is hand loading of ammunition, collecting spent brass, different gun powder types, primers, projectiles, finding a reloading bench or buying a field kit to load with [the former giving better quality ammo]. That would be sweet - and quite possible on the Xray game engine. Hmmm, I might go grab that LA SDK and see how hard it is to use ;)
 
As a fan of stalker, I suggest beginners to start with stalker shoc, skip clear sky, then play call of pripyat. Lost Alpha? It's free, but it's far from finish. Try as you wish. The maps are good, but the rest......

Tbh, LA story is even worse than Fallout 3 story. It's not true to the lore. LA did some small tricks right(the belt ammunition, underground tunnels), but it's lost in the big picture.
 
Is it finally playable? The last time I tried it it barely worked. I think they added a lot of features and maps from the officially released beta build, right?
Anyway, yeah, gonna install it again.
 
Well yes from my experience, not only it is playable, but its a quite enjoyable experience as well. I'm finally at the Bar, I didn't even remembered that this existed, very nice music imo!



I'm not really paying too much attention to the lore tbh, what makes me like this game is mostly the gunplay, exploration and atmosphere. Although I really enjoyed the Shadows of Chernobyl lore.

Lost Alpha I'm playing more to see some new content on this universe, that I find amazing and with great potential.
 
Still, I wish people can pay their time to read mod db reviews before they download Lost Alpha.
You will like Lost Alpha if you love walking simulators.
 
Its been a couple of years since I've thought of Lost Alpha.

As a free game its amazing and if you have any interest in STALKER its a great way to test the waters.

However as a huge STALKER fan there are things I really hate about this interpretation, the focus on vehicles and how many of the maps are adjusted or designed around their use just sucks and takes away from the legendary atmosphere of these games for just an example.

I would highly suggest waiting for a sale, buying STALKER Shadows of Chernobyl, beating that game, then trying this or some of the sequels. You'll have both an appreciation for the changes made in Lost Alpha and you wont have a skewed perspective on what a STALKER game is vs. what this fan project tried to be.
 
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