So I have been playing ... (146). [LADC] Out of X18!

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I squeezed my ass intoX18 area through the anomaly pit, and recklessly wasted ammo shooting at the lab poltergeists. This time It's all about getting out of the lab.

So I have been playing ... (145). [LADC] Squeezing into X-18.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I brought destruction to the Dark Valley bandit base, and walked away with their trader's inventory. This time I make some decisions regarding the main storyline.

So I have been playing ... (144). Bandit base massacre [LADC].

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I dozed off in the tiny Dolina village attic, unsure what to do next.
Upon awakening, I decided to tackle the bandit base head on. 

So I have been playing ... (142). Into Dark Valley [LADC].

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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(Once again, updating the playtime posts - as well as having wholesome playtime itself - has kinda slipped my mind, because I've been busy writing, then writing some more, then yet some more, even attending a contest as co-author.)

Last time I delivered a buttload of entrails to Sidorovitch and earned a bunch of rubles in the process. This time I head back to Garbage, with the plan to carry on towards Dark Valley. There are some obstacles on the way, starting with a blowout. I stay sheltered and stay alive. Others - not so much.

So I have been playing ... (141). Meat merchandise in LADC.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I took the decision to keep playing the few-notches-before-release version and, in true spirit of procrastination and dodging the main path, went on to explore the Forest map. After some artifact hunting and mutant parts collecting it became clear that my rad protection levels were inadequate for full-on forest-frolicking, so I took on some missions. "Wounded stalker" wrapped last time; this time I carried on with Paulie's rescue (having thinned the zombie population of both villages in advance).

So I have been playing ... (140). LADC, past the Agroprom curse.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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(I keep forgetting to add updates to this :P)
Last time, after achieving some early-game goals, I wondered if "the Agroprom Curse" would strike. And it did! Just as was resolving the tail-end of bigger Agroprom conflict, the devs announced a final update before 1.4007 release. Which brought the dilemma - keep going with the current build, or start new game once again?

So I have been playing ... (139). LADC, onward to Agroprom!

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I was awkwardly breaking off my speedrun-ish ways of Testing Era, and experienced some Full Frontal Garbage (with only a few personal twists). This time I push forward into Agroprom - with certain weariness because addressing things in Agroprom takes a fair amount of time, because having repeated it so many times has made that effort to feel like a chore, and finally because of what I call "the Agroprom Curse" during testing. Namely, that when going through a new build, you'd often just gotten through with Agro when a new build was ready for testing and you'd have to start all over again.

However, this time the Free AI mod made at least the Loner camp fight fairly easy, which I saw as a good start.

So I have been playing ... (137). More LADC warmup.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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First things first: LADC 1.4007 officially released! Yay! Grab it at MODDB. Meanwhile, I carry on playing and posting at my own inconsistent pace.

Last time I spent some time in Cordon, trying to break my speedrun-y habits. This time I stumble about a little bit, enfounter a possible glitch with shotgun reload mechanics, and pester some mutants.

Co-piloting ChaosNova: Special delivery!

Vaguely around Earth Occidental Standard Year 2014, the drift of interwebs lead my paths into collaboration course with Chaos Nova universe. I have since run a character in the forum-based space opera RPG (dispensing unsolicited advice about universe, life, and everything in the process), yapped along to countless online gaming sessions, and dug deep into the creative flow with editing, co-writing, and worldbuilding.


Last year we released the co-op novella "Seeker" as an e-book; this autumn I completed the arrangements for on-demand print copies, and now this:

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We had a special delivery this morning!! Mostly in preparation for an alleged booksigning in January.

One excited #author :)

Get your copy of Outrunners @ https://t.co/B5Miv0lQZB
And Seeker @ https://t.co/OmJhcJItGq pic.twitter.com/6dtOx7ospy

— David Noë (Knux) (@KnuxV1) December 20, 2018

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So I have been playing ... (136). Lost Alpha DC: proper long-play begins.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Other works permitting, I've been testing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Lost Alpha Developers' Cut (LADC) quite a bit in the last year-or-so. (Well, *technically* I've been testing LADC up to Yantar and Dead City storyline - that's the farthest I've reached before new builds have kicked in and required a new game.)

During that process I kept recording various random moments and here's a quick roundup:
posts leading up to 1.4005 build (one, two, three); posts of 1.4005 builds (one, two, three, four, five); early builds of 1.4007.


When starting with current, near-release build, I figured I'd attempt a proper playthrough. In the beginning I'd repeat my beta-moment routines with essentially speedrunning the first task.I found I'd have to un-learn some of my testing habits - this time (I keep telling myself) I stick to my choices, choices matter, NPC lives matter, and so on. Oh, and to add some visual variation, I added "Autumn vegetation" from the optional mods list, and I mostly try to keep the HUD off. 

So I have been playing ... (131). Lost Alpha DC - 1.4007 begins.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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As I'm posting this, we're standing by for the next DC 1.4007 build to test. (No, I don't now when the proper release of 1.4007 shall be because there is no set date, and to my best understanding, the dev-consensus is to go with "it's ready when it's ready". And I personally would caution against the "they are talking about it therefore it must be soon" wishful thinking I see spreading here and there. I mean, come on - there are new mechanics and new areas that we're only beginning to test, and  that's not even accounting for the re-iterations upon re-iterations when the scope of fixes requires a new game... Sorry, my observations veer into rant territory, I'll zip it.)
Anyhoo. Last time I posted my 1.4005 leftover footage and now it's time for new build (and by default, a new game - yay)!

One mechanic that I'm personally very fond of is the anomaly-meets-meat-produces-artifacts thing. Combined with the new (optional) Free Alife feature it adds a whole new layer of economic thinking and Zone-interaction. Zombies, meet Fruit Punch!

So I have been playing ... (129). Lost Alpha DC - to Dead City and back.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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After wrapping up the Yantar Expedition questline I still had a bunch of footage of me dicking around in Dead city, and more Yantar randomness (also quests & tasks). I managed to conjure up two coherent(ish) episodes out of that material, then got hit with volunteer spring events and the workload on some projects peaked all at once. With some of that work behind me, I'm about to carve out some play time again... buuuut, in Dezowave HW it is now testing time for build 1.4007. Which means that any new capture will again be test-themed and 1.4007-centric.
So I'll simply drop these 2 stray episodes here and carry on.






Regardless of the build or the play/test purpose, I'm collecting all episodes to one big playlist. 

So I have been playing ... (127). Lost Alpha DC - expedition business.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I ran through X-18 lab on a shoestring budget, and finally showed my face in the Bar.

This time I start off with another Twilight Zone tour - the one around Construction side map (it was on my way.

So I have been playing ... (125). Lost Alpha DC - deeper in the southern maps.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I was goofing off in Darkscape and the forest.

This time I continue my iffy-choices-before-Barkeep scenario with popping into X18. Another matter is that I'm entering the lab on the "was in the  neighbourhood" basis, i.e. I have not specifically geared up or done any other preparations - I'm entering the lab decidedly underequipped and am determined to keep going.

So I have been playing ... (123). Lost Alpha DC discoveries.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I crossed the Christmas release dateline, and my playthrough transformed from beta-run to dev-cut-run. From this point on, my recorded observations fall entirely to the "random stuff I find amusing" category (although, I still occasionally report issues on the way).


Speaking of amusing, first there's an episode I accidentally skipped over last time... 



...followed by a goofy interaction with a majestic beast.

So I have been playing ... (122). Lost Alpha - beta going DC.

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I made the break into Darkscape and dodged them choppers without a car.

This time I meander my way into the mines (with some mutant obstacles on the way; I also speculate whether the map has received a further redesigns since before the initial rushed release).
Then, moment of truth: have I managed to break the game with my non-standard Dark valley actions? I hand Veles the documents I already have and... the game continues! (With this kind of play there will be an issue acquiring the X18 code, because as-is the related message only triggers as Borov drops dead AFTER you've talked to Veles, but the rest of the triggers and elements align just fine. I wrote a report on the matter, and I personally would suggest solving it by adding a 2nd message from Veles ("are you there yet? Remember the code is...") that triggers when you've fulfilled the other pre-conditions and are approaching the lab. But it's such a fringe matter that probably won't make into the priority fix list any time soon.)

So I have been playing ... (120). Even more Lost Alpha beta!

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I moved beyond Cordon for the first time in this game; now it's time to poke at the nooks and crannies of other southern maps.

Let us begin with a grand tour of the Bar map Twilight Zone! (I actually had to re-record it because I'd lost all audio on the original footage.)

So I have been playing ... (119). More Lost Alpha beta!

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Last time I posted my first awkward batch of LA beta-snippets. Here's more!
After lots of detouring and side-tracking, I'm moving out ow Cordon. (I immediately fall into the old habit of trying to mess with the normal course of the game.)

So I have been playing ... (117). Lost Alpha beta moments!

I shall exploit the header space to boost the signal of our GM's Gofundme campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/blueberrycreekrecovery

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Ever since I'd first participated in testing Lost Alpha, I'd had the vague idea of recording some, but wasn't sure of what and how. With the Developer's Cut on the horizon, the idea solidified a little, and I began sniffing around the old crew meeting places. Next thing I know, the guys invited me to test the current build. I asked permission to record random bits of the process, and here we are.

We did it! "Seeker" is out!

The long hours harassing Knux as an editor and contorting my brain as a co-author have paid off. "Seeker", a standalone story in the ChaosNova setting is done and out for the public to see. This is where you'd inject a clever synopsis or throw some whimsical quotes in the air, but I'm far too lazy for that (plus, that's what twitter is for).


Instead, this image-link conveniently opens the free preview.