ABR MOD 2.0 is released news - ABR COP MOD 2.1.8 for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat

Summary

2.0 version (5 years of development counting the previous versions) was reassembled almost from the scratch and based on Unofficial patch to fix any mod related bugs and bugs of the mods ABR MOD used in the first place. Unfortunately, some vanilla bugs can't be avoided and you will have to re-upload a save from earlier point, the same you would do in vanilla if something goes wrong. Probably you will witness some quirks of the Zone, but that's unavoidable. Some potentionally dangerous quests were marked with asap, so you didn't encounter even more problems. X-Ray engine still has its limitations, and out of memory crashes may occur. This mod is the compromise between a decent picture and performace stability. Also it supports all vanilla localizations.

ABR MOD keeps classic stalker gameplay as much as possible, while updating game visuals and audio. This is not a hardcore or a realism mod. It was made to allure and meet new players with S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat and save their time on finding mods or modding the game on their own, since for some it's a hard task.

Graphics

ABR MOD has its own weather versions of AF3 providing stunning weather tuned to each location nature style:

Zaton is the starting location which represents a grim foggy swamp emphasizing your struggle on the first stages of the game.

Yanov is a breath of fresh air. A flamboyant location, which will provide you a bunch of interesting quests, stories and packs of enemies.

Pripyat is like an epilogue to the whole game. It's a bit darker version of Yanov, where you can say your goodbyes to the Zone.

All textures of vanilla NPC's and creatures were darkened to avoid effect of static pseudo-lighting (looks worse on DX8 though). Some alternative skins of stalkers and mutants were added. Also, overbright metal and concrete textures were tweaked to eliminate glossy effect where it's not needed at all.

Audio

Each location has extended music ambients to provide you a nice background soundtrack on your playthrough. Jupiter Underground and Lab X-8 now have a background music too. Menu’s track was splitted on 4 different half a minute parts played randomly. Weapon sounds are manually corrected to sound cinematic and be pleasant, isntead of being head bursting, also there is a 3 minute loop of atmospheric rain. Guitar sound distance is increaded, while mutant screams are not heard for insane far distances.

Inventory

All addons are provided as icons with text, so you could navigate easily while your inventory is kept clean. Inventory textures and menus were upscaled. High quality scope and mask overlay textures were made. Weapons description have info about attachable addons. All addons can be added without any upgrade. Outfit descriptions provide info about initial amount containers and upgrade potential, same as helmets have info about the night vision devices.

Nimble

While such guns like Desert Eagle .50AE, G36 and SG 550 became the unique ones. Same as other uniques like APB, HK USP9 Match, Saiga-12, KS23, Bizon, HK UMP45, FN SCAR-H, FN SCAR SSR, AWM, Sako TRG42, which can be ordered from Nimble on Zaton. Now you actually can select what weapon you want to order and Nimble will provide detailed info about a weapon, and will inform can you get ammo for it from nearby traders or will you have to buy it from him only. Some weapons come with unique bonus addon.

Added weapons

ABR MOD adds a number of weapons to the game world beside Nimble.

Pistols: PMM, Fort-17, TT and unique MP-443.

Shotguns: Toz-66, Toz-34 Saw Off, MP-133, MP-133 Saw Off, Toz-194, Toz-194 Saw Off, Fort500. Striker-12 and Gonta’s Spas-12 are uniques.

SMGs: MP5SD

Assault Rifles: Stockless AK, AK, AKS, AKM, AKMS, AKS74. AKSU74 modified and AK74M 6L31 are uniques.

Rifles: SKS, Mosing Nagant. SVD 1P59 and Strelok’s SVU-A are uniques.

Machine Guns: unique Zulu’s PKM.

Grenade Launchers: unique M79.

Weapons are balanced to own class, so there are no super guns (except for the one from the late game, obviously). Also you will find a couple of unique weapons during the quests, some will be acquired as a reward. Number of stashes in the world is greatly reduced, valuable ones will be given as a reward.

Excluding sniper\marksman rifles with integrated zoomable sights or other unique weapons, every rifle and 2 shotguns can have attached PSO\KOBRA or ACOG\C-MORE scopes.

A number of addons and ammos were added. All weapons, ammos and addons have their real names.

Added outfits

There are 2 skins for the Coat, Sunrise, Beril, Exo, Light Duty and Freedom outfits with updated vanilla sleeves. Also there have been added: Duty\Freedom exo outfits, Duty battle helmet and Freedom tactic helmet skins. Duty\Freedom stuff is available if you help their factions.

Gameplay changes

Artefacts and outfits were rebalanced. Now every outfit can have artefact slots, but before the Pripyat you can't have more than 2\3. May be it's better to upgrade your outfit to +20kgs of carry weight and use pills, which now are really useful instead of switching the artefacts? Who knows.

There are no health and bleeding restore outfit upgrades anymore. Weapons can’t be rechambered. If you turn your pistol to full auto, it’s unable to use single shots. All shotguns can be upgraded to shot slugs only with much bigger accuracy before the Pripyat.

ABR MOD uses vanilla ballistics, while pisols have a bit better rpm and bullet speed. Weapons deal doubled damage, so there are no bullet sponge enemies. While you can lose health very quickly without using the cover.

You can't sell looted weapons, you can sell a bought\reward\found in the stash weapon or outfit in any condition. You can hunter mutants and sell their parts.

You can’t leave Zaton before checking all three helicopters.

Since center of the Zone is barely invistigated, you will encounter numeours mutant packs and the monolith forces. But towards the gameplay stalkers will take the situation in their hands and on returning to the previous locations you will find them more desolate.

Only 2 quests were removed. Beard's repeating quest on finding the artefact due to exploit of infinte selling the same artefact via dialog menu glitch, and because you couldn't sell top artefacts since he could take them only via this quest. Though, you can unlock it in the mid game in certain circumstances. The second removed quest is the search of Snag's container, since some people couldn't start the reputation quest without it, which is more interesting (but that doesn’t mean there is no container at all).

Game difficulty impacts number of loot on dead bodies, accuracy of enemy NPC's and the damage you receive. Story difficulty is good for new comers. Action difficulty forces you to play more careful. Challenge difficulty is pretty hard. While Survival difficulty grants you regular oneshots from enemies, deadly anomalies, minimal ammount of the ammo on dead bodies and you will have to play safe, especially on the start of the game. The fun thing is on harder difficulties you will have to reload more often, while on easier difficulties you will have to repair your armour more often.

There are dozens of other small tweaks which were made to make everything work better.

It was a hard, but a nice ride.

Thanks to PYP for making 2.0 come true.

Thanks to SAMmy for testing.

Thanks to Joe Donnelly for featuring previous version in PCGamer.

Thanks to everyone who waited for 2.0.

Have a good one.