More Live-Action S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Photos

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1) 25 Mar 2009 15:37

Andy Chalk

More Live-Action S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Photos

Remember those crazy Russians who dressed up in combat gear and headed out to Chernobyl to play some real-life S.T.A.L.K.E.R.? They're back!

Anyone familiar with Russian videogames knows there are a couple things that set them apart from their American counterparts: They're about as polished as 80-grade sandpaper and they're bitch-ass hard. That uniquely Russian style appears to extend to their live-action gaming habits as well: LARPers in the U.S. dress up like cartoon characters and go to conventions; in Russia, they dress up in full combat gear, dig up armored personnel carriers and go to frikkin' Chernobyl.

They first appeared in a series of photographs, many quite stunning, that popped up in May 2008. Several dozen die-hard gamers dressed up as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, soldiers and mutants, and trekked out into the Ukrainian forest surrounding Chernobyl, site of the world's most infamous nuclear accident and setting for one of its coolest FPSes. Once there, they went to work recreating the game's eerie environment, with smoke grenades, tents, bunkers and even supply caches and anomalies.

Apparently they had such a good time that they decided to go back for more. It's impossible to tell if it's actually the same group of fans at work but Reuters (via Kotaku) has a new series of live-action S.T.A.L.K.E.R. photographs, these taken near the village of Sengileyevskoe in Russia's southern Stavropol region. This latest session may lack the irradiated authenticity of Chernobyl but it looks fantastic - and there are knife fights!

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2) 25 Mar 2009 16:05

Keane Ng

Beautiful.

Also, get out of here S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

THERE'S A PATCH

So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

5) 25 Mar 2009 16:30

johnman

HAahh taht is awesome, really shows the world of warcraft hoes up.
These guys can visit the games actaul setting!

6) 25 Mar 2009 16:32

Aptspire

i'd love to join them
let me just put on my lead vest :S

7) 25 Mar 2009 16:35

Optimus Prime

Sounds a bit like airsofting. WITH NUCLEAR WASTE!....awsome

8) 25 Mar 2009 17:19

nova18

This is easily the best thing that I have seen this week.
I would pay good money to run around Chernobyl, tossing around smoke grenades and shooting out of delapidated buildings.

I wouldnt even need to play another game, I could just do that everyday to get my cheap thrills.

9) 25 Mar 2009 22:02

Tiamat666

Wow. Those guys are awesome.

Get out of here, STALKER!

10) 25 Mar 2009 22:06

edinflames

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

This Russian S.T.A.L.K.E.R crew are clearly, much tougher and better trained than their Western Halo playing counterparts.

11) 25 Mar 2009 22:09

Zephirius

edinflames:

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

This Russian S.T.A.L.K.E.R crew are clearly, much tougher and better trained than their Western Halo playing counterparts.

But the Halo crowd has massive numbers.

12) 25 Mar 2009 22:12

edinflames

Zephirius:

edinflames:

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

This Russian S.T.A.L.K.E.R crew are clearly, much tougher and better trained than their Western Halo playing counterparts.

But the Halo crowd has massive numbers.

True, but I wouldn't associate the majority of western gamers with outdoors-man skills, and the possession of LAVs or AK47/74's.

13) 25 Mar 2009 22:29

teisjm

edinflames:

Zephirius:

edinflames:

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

This Russian S.T.A.L.K.E.R crew are clearly, much tougher and better trained than their Western Halo playing counterparts.

But the Halo crowd has massive numbers.

True, but I wouldn't associate the majority of western gamers with outdoors-man skills, and the possession of LAVs or AK47/74's.

Still enough noobs (noobs at outdoor survival that is) will solve a problem. At the very least, ther'll be fewer noobs.

Like someone else said, it looks like hardball amped up a bit. Like those LARP'ers who fought with real fucking weapons.

I love hardball, and used to do LARP'ing when i was younger, but the LARp was mainly 100+ people dressing up and beating each other senseless with foam weapons. But there were lots of people with real metal plate and chainmail and stuff.

14) 25 Mar 2009 23:06

Epifols

"��. �� "

That just made me lol "Bullshit, do something useful" What a lamer

These are awesome pics, look like a ton of fun. More fun then the games themselves? No idea.

EDIT
Hmm, these forums don't support Russian I guess...

15) 26 Mar 2009 00:52

scotth266

Awesome. I have the game and will get to playing it soon. Hopefully I like it and this becomes that much more awesome.

16) 26 Mar 2009 01:28

Fineldar

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

Defiantly. Plus they have those cool fuzzy hats.

It makes me giggle that they use tennis balls for kneepads.

17) 26 Mar 2009 01:55

Andy Chalk

Be honest. Who would you rather play with?

18) 26 Mar 2009 02:10

runedeadthA

I hope this ends up with them releasing a patch to implement S.T.A.L.K.E.R in real life...that would be badass... Admittedly stupid but badass nonetheless

19) 26 Mar 2009 02:20

Musicfreak

Coolest thing I've heard all day, no all month, no all frickin year.
Damn I just can't get me enough STALKER.

20) 26 Mar 2009 02:41

Avatar Roku

Zephirius:

edinflames:

fix-the-spade:
So if the Fanboy wars ever kick off for real, side with the Russians yeah?

This Russian S.T.A.L.K.E.R crew are clearly, much tougher and better trained than their Western Halo playing counterparts.

But the Halo crowd has massive numbers.

I point you to The Law of Conservation of Ninjutsu. True, they aren't ninjas, but the same basic premise applies.

21) 26 Mar 2009 07:02

I III II X4

Malygris:
Be honest. Who would you rather play with?

The former, because they obviously have better photographers.

Also...check out dat gear, man!!

22) 26 Mar 2009 07:06

Yegargeburble

nova18:
This is easily the best thing that I have seen this week.
I would pay good money to run around Chernobyl, tossing around smoke grenades and shooting out of delapidated buildings.

I wouldnt even need to play another game, I could just do that everyday to get my cheap thrills.

This. I would give both of someone's lungs to be able to do something that fun daily.

23) 26 Mar 2009 08:37

Fire Daemon

This is great, almost worth the cancer.

Who am I kiding, that is worth whatever the radiation does to you. Third arms rock anyway.

24) 27 Mar 2009 01:55

Tiamat666