Will S.T.A.L.K.E.R. offer a non-linear game design?
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 quests, and gaining experience in combat, stalkers will move along the unconstrained “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 plan his development and travel deep inside. Every time the game starts, the player will get a new Zone. Only the important points (dealers’ locations, army posts, scientific camps and so on) will remain unchanged. Anomalies, artefacts, monsters will be randomly generated at start. Soldiers patrol the Zone perimeter. Stalkers traverse the Zone in parallel to the player to collect anomalous formations, trade, communicate and fight with each other. Mutants increase their population, migrate through the Zone, devour eac
