So I have been playing ... (102). Socializing in Call of Pripyat.

last time I ended the session waiting for a blowout. (I needed the blowout cover to get through the bandit-infested container yard because that is my know Twilight Zone access point; and I needed to pass through the Twilight Zone to easily access that chopper behind the minefield; and I needed to get to that chopper because I'd decided that I won't fully face the Yanov business until I'd poked at all the main-quest  points on the map, because I'm difficult like that.)

Between sessions I made countless attempts to complete the blowout-twilight-run in one smooth go. That didn't work so well, so once I picked up the challenge again, I went back an extra save, and made sure I'd at least have better gear going into the run.


The better gear did help ... marginally. I think the main benefit of being better prepared was the availability of more options (and hence more room to experiment without reloading). And I guess in the end I did technically complete the jump with a Groza.



Breaking out of the minefield is a pretty straightforward task. So of course I made it more complicated by involving a pair of Loners, and trying to keep them alive through the secondary mutant wave. While also exploiting the minefield itself for the flash and the bang. (With each iteration I somehow made the situation worse so in the end I stuck with a more safe and boring option of ambushing a tushkano swarm with grenades. They can go play on the minefield in their own time.



Now that I'd crossed that chopper off the list, I began making my way towards Yanov; as per usual digressing aplenty on the way.



After clearing my inventory of the heavy stuff, my real priority at Yanov was doing the hunting tasks. Reporting the completed tasks went smoothly, but the second chimera mission hit some snags.



And then the chimera landed for good.






After my great triumph, I took a break, and in the next session aimed to start slow.




I meant to keep on exploring slow, but wandered close to Danger Zone, and the usual ensued.




I also meant to play through the ingame nighttime unrecorded, but then a blowout brought on pretty visuals, and the usual ensued.




That whole "unlocking bigger mutants" agenda (i.e. my motivation to complete certain main story bits in the first place) had apparently worked, because chimeras started popping up just about everywhere. The usual ensued.




Upon the accumulation of all that Usual, I decided to conclude the session.




(I kept on experimenting on my own for a while, though.)