And so, once again we emerge from the work and hand over another portion of information. Here it goes:
In patch 1.1 we are implementing Freeplay.
Here is how it will work:
After passing the game with one of the good endings, a Freeplay mode will become available in the menu, as well as the Extreme difficulty level.
What it will look like:
Usually, we start at the dealer's, but... no. We are no longer Strelok, and we are not going into the heart of the Zone. The player is now a newbie stalker and gets to live a regular stalker's life, without the past heroics.
Main innovations:
- The world of the game is completely under control of life simulation.
- Parameters of the simulation have been balanced for Freeplay.
- There will be no storyline missions in Freeplay.
- All levels up to and including Pripjat' will be available.
- All smart terrain has been unblocked! The simulation is no longer bound by any storyline scenes.
- The missions in the Freeplay mode are based on the mechanics of secondary quests from the regular game, but with new types of quests.
- Some new dialogs have been added.
- New types of quests are given by various factions - Stalkers, Freedom, Duty, Military, and characters - Dealer, Barman, Saharov.
- The game is for ratings, which are given out by the aforementioned factions and characters. There will be 7 ratings from each quest giver.
- Each new rating will be rewarded. Unique items will be among the rewards.
- New unique items and weapons have been added.
- The "top 100" rating has a new algorithm. Rating of all stalkers changes during the whole duration of the game. It is valuable now.
- PDA has expanded statistics - the number of enemies and monsters killed, weapons and ammo used, shooting efficiency, time spent in locations, artifacts found, items used, unique items found, and much more.
In other words, Freeplay mode is for those who wanted to walk around the Zone after passing the game once or twice. Not to run around, completing mission quests, but to just live inside the Zone. To get the rank of the rich man of the Zone from the dealer, to collect all artifacts for the scientists, or do some of many other possible things. Simulation will be different, more life-like, now that all limitations have been removed. It will be rebalanced specifically for Freeplay, and a number of shortcomings we learned about after the release will be fixed.
Freeplay in patch 1.1 is only the first step, the tip of the iceberg of changes we are making to the game for the next installment. But, more about that after E3.
Many changes in gameplay and fixes are not described here. In the next portion of news I will tell you about the new difficulty level - Extreme.