Extract from a Stalker’s diary: STALKERSOUP Level 0
My earliest memories are of death...
Now, with a total loss of identity and past, it has taken another lifetime to progress from being unwelcome and destitute - lacking even a decent weapon to protect myself in this unforgiving and desolate place - to learning who I was, where I’d been, and where I needed to be. To get there I had to search for clues, in addition to weapons, medicine, and protection from literally everything in the Exclusion Zone - that natural hell born from arrogance, hubris and fear that will forever be remembered as 'Chernobyl'…
Level 0 of STALKERSOUP is simply massive, with quests ranging from basic to complex and far-reaching. I have been testing this initial level of the much larger game for over a year and, though I've taken on the same quests many, many times, I still have to think about what I’m doing to survive and prevail. It is that varied and involved.
There are NPCs whom I hate, some I consider trusted friends, mutants I enjoy hunting, and those I get very nervous about hunting me. The quests and storylines have been carefully adopted from a diverse number of writers, and it shows. There is great variety even in the smallest things. I have played countless games in real life, but can honestly say that STALKERSOUP will always be in my top five. I look forward to every regular upgrade, to the multitude of new experiences that I know will come and, each time, I feel the call…
I take a shot of vodka, put on my old leather coat, and break out my timeworn semi-accurate pistol. I check the action briefly, throw sixty rounds and a handful of medkits into my battered rucksack and, after a cursory glance behind me, head back once more into my adopted home, the Zone...
Psy Dog
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STALKERSOUP Features
"This independent game by TecnoBacon is widely considered to be one of the best and most stable adaptations of the STALKER trilogy..." (quote by Dan)
Used to adding total conversions to your current STALKER game? How do you feel about one total conversion naturally leading into another? And another?
Welcome to STALKERSOUP...
A custom 56-level all.spawn, incorporating the original conversion and storyline of Narodnaya Solyanka (People's Soup) with the Large Zone Mod, Arsenal Mod, and AMK/DMX enhancements, is the base for a unique level-up system that continues the storyline over many more levels
The result of over five years relentless coding to merge all these mods with additional content, the complete game has a dedicated worldwide team of testers, ongoing English translation from the original Russian (steve2000, Sword2012), further translation to other languages, and regular monthly updates (TecnoBacon, aleks1970)
The game has benefited from a major refit before going Alpha, providing a more substantial and robust gameplay experience than ever before. Level 0 (the base game) and Level-up 1 (The Collector) are fully working, while Level-ups 2 (Desolation) and 3 (Reclamation) are partially complete but working within the game, with new level-ups to be provided via downloadable content in the future
Containing over 230,000 objects, the 12Gb download unpacks a game weighing in at just over 19Gb, and covers a legion of quests over every map from Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat, plus many new areas, creating several hundred hours of freeform gameplay
Now with a dedicated Installer/Auto-updater (Author: aleks1970), the new game content includes:
Over 250 weapons - from fists, knives, katana, and night-vision crossbow - to a computerized sniper rifle, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and anti-tank weapons...
(Authors: Zenobian Mod, Arsenal Mod, Simbion Mod, TIREX, giAdolf, Aahz, jgar, Alwen, eNdimiOn, ZEN, Kolyny, Death, Sm0kE, Sin!, Zeka1996, Korneev, Kirag) (Authors’ models: Aahz, Gosuke, Bender, Purke62, Bak and others) (Weapon and artefact stats rationalisation: GlowWormToo)
28 types of mutant, including female zombies, wild cats, cockroaches, and rats (Authors: Wawka, kalinin11)
53 different maps (with 3 more being developed for future DLC)
Over 4,000 NPCs, including unique female Stalker models
16 independent Factions
20 types of Anomaly
45 types of Artefact
8 models of detector - the top end models accurately depicting the locations of artefacts and anomalies on the player’s maps
Numerous drivable vehicles, including models imported specially into the Zone…
Extensive faction-dependent choice of upgradable body armor. Upgrades include 8 types of night vision
AMK artefact cooking (Recipes) - now with an electronic Artefact Transmutator (Basis: Refresh. Kordinalnaya modifications: Sapsan and others)
Corpses now become carrion, effectively disappearing from maps over time (Authors: Shadowman, Sapsan)
Major improvements to functionality and icons in the Inventory (Authors: Rusya, stalker69, aleks1970, and others)
Improved trading across the entire Zone, with mobile traders making periodic ‘flying’ visits
Traders now sell smoke grenades, and some traders run a lottery...
Change your reputation to a faction, and literally buy your way out of trouble...
Earnable ‘shortcut trails’, enabling fast and safe passage between maps
‘Hell Hour’ – the night-time phenomenon of sustained massed Zombie attacks (Author: Spot-shooter)
Professional weapon upgrades from technicians in the backroom of the Bar (Author: Ray)
Purchasable Bioradar for the HUD, displaying every nearby lifeform (Authors: xStream, BAC9-FLCL, tolusha, Z-Vertoz, Nekt, Rusya)
Upgradable 'Predator detection' for the minimap, customizable to all your favourite mutants…
Personal mp3 player, with custom music flash drives from in-game traders
The Wish Granter is now a random portal to treasures unknown…
Blowouts and ‘Hell Hour’ become weaker the further you are from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the source of the emissions
The types of mutant, artefact, and anomaly you encounter are affected by where you are in the Zone, and your distance from the NPP
Improved AI for NPC behaviour and their use of weapons (Author: xStream)
Improved NPC faces, which appear accurately in new storyline videos
Incorporated and adapted Mods include:
'Terrorizm Demo v0.2 Mod' adds explosives with detonators, unexploded land mines across the Zone, and a combined portal/mine detector (Author: 4ufak)
'Intellectual Marauder Mod 1.5.1' allows the looting of body armor from corpses (Author: DEXXX)
'Arena Extension Mod' enables playing and betting against multiple human and mutant opponents (Authors: kstn, IG-2007. Adaptation: Wawka, Kto)
'Embryos' to spawn mutants, and 'Capsules' to create anomalies anywhere. Guaranteed to break the ice at parties! (Sources - Simbion Mod)
'Repair Kit Mod' for body armor and weapons (Author: DEXXX), the masterly maintenance mod that paved the way for its recent replacement...
'Repair Kit Revamped Mod' to strip down other weapons and armor for spares to repair your own gear (Author: barak1001. Rewritten: aleks1970)
‘Half Life’ style gravity gun, and 'Doom 3' style Soul Cube... (Authors: Malandrinus, Kirag)
New sounds for all weapons (Author: MulleR)
New silencers and optics (Arsenal Mod)
All fires now create smoke (OGSE Mod)
'RagDoll Mod' (Author: LexMalin)
GPS tagging for stashes and locations (Author: idler)
Looting of money from corpses (Author: Babuin 119)
Locks for stashes to prevent theft - Yes, NPCs now nick your stuff... (Author: Ferrari314)
'Linspiro Addon v1.1 Mod' lets you buy info on stashes from friendly NPCs (Author: Linspiro)
'Nocturne Mod 1.0' adds new dreams (Authors: Khorn, malandrinus, nemnogonado)
New HUDs with dynamic effects (Authors: ABC Mod, Redux Mod, Vergas, zayaz)
'Doc Viewer' makes documents readable on your HUD (Author: 7.9)
Other features include:
The Game Launcher (Author:TecnoBacon) provides graphics options, FOV adjustment, automatic log cleaning, savegame management, 'cheats', and launch options. No more adding command lines to your shortcut!
A personalised Modders’ Script (text file) allows you to fine tune every aspect of the game to your preference
Optional increase in difficulty with experience (Author: Sapsan)
Selectable graphics options include DX9, DX11, and SweetFX DX11
Shader options made easy with a simple text file
New Advanced Options Menu available in-game
In-game Spawn Menu allows the instant creation of any item, weapon, mutant, or even anomaly…
In-game Teleportation Menu allows judicious instant travel between maps
In-game Infoportion Menu allows the automatic completion of a task or event - just in case you're really, really stuck...
Game support guides, walkthroughs, directories, and documentation (Authors: KoRn0509, Plesskyn, kd6dm, Sword2012)
The game is spread over several freeplayable levels:
Level 0 - The highly upgraded Narodnaya Solyanka mod, which now leads into…
Level 1 - ‘The Collector’ (Author: TecnoBacon), an original storyline with a new chain of quests (Author: dAVROs). This level also incorporates the ZEP (Zone Expansion Project), the Gold Bars quest, and the Treasure Hunt (created exclusively for STALKERSOUP by DKZ). It includes new maps, characters, and a strange device which brings about…
Level 2 - ‘Desolation’ (Author: TecnoBacon) - the onset of the Storm, the continuation of the treasure hunt, and a search for gold bullion, until…
Level 3 - ‘Reclamation’ (Author: TecnoBacon) - the radiation storm recedes, mutants repopulate the Zone, and the race to the centre, for every faction, begins. You’ll be extremely grateful that other Stalkers have your back…
Levels 4-10 (Author: TecnoBacon and possibly others) are ongoing works in progress, but will become available as DLC
Further works in progress include:
A 64 bit X-Ray engine supporting 16Gb RAM
In-game networking using the game’s SMS messaging system
Improvements to the geometry of new levels and mini-maps
Further weapon rebalancing and effectiveness
Continuous repair and optimization of the X-Ray engine, including the removal of rogue original code and memory hogs (the source of most CTD’s), making the game more stable with every new patch
For more details, please visit
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Subject: Introduction to STALKERSOUP 
