Stalker 2 devs reveal broken A-Life system caused by aggressive optimisation, but promise they’re trying to fix it

As a seasoned gamer with years of experiencing the highs and lows of gaming, I find myself both disappointed and intrigued by the release of Stalker 2. The game has been a rollercoaster ride, with some truly exceptional moments intertwined with frustrating glitches and broken features.

The reception for Stalker 2’s release has been quite diverse, ranging from exceptionally positive critiques, such as ours, to extremely unfavorable ones. Despite some impressive reviews and intriguing aspects, the game has faced significant backlash due to technical glitches, storyline flaws, and most notably, a malfunctioning A-Life system that was heavily promoted prior to its launch. This problematic A-Life feature seems to be the main source of controversy among critics and players alike.

Initially, developer GSC Game World assured that they would rectify the issues with their A-Life AI system in upcoming updates. Recently, they have disclosed why the game launched in a faulty state – excessive optimization before release inadvertently shattered the game’s AI, necessitating significant resources to restore it.

Stalker 2 devs reveal why A-Life is broken

In an interview with IGN following a London screening of the impressive documentary War Games: The Making of Stalker 2, CEO Ievgen Grygorovych and creative director Maria Grygorovych shared their insights on why the artificial intelligence system seems to be malfunctioning.

In a conversation with reporters, the developers acknowledged that overly aggressive optimization for both PC and console versions resulted in numerous glitches just prior to the game’s launch. Due to insufficient time to rectify these problems before the release date, the game was launched with a critical component functioning poorly or not at all.

Ievgen pointed out that this system functions effectively if we expand the available space for generating NPCs significantly, and it also demands more memory. We’ve been striving to optimize, which involves managing resources carefully by trimming various aspects to strike a balance and enhance the game efficiently,” he said.

“We[‘ve] committed to players to make it work.”

gsc game world CEO Ievgen Grygorovych

Ievgen clarified that this optimization led AI entities to appear both in mid-air and extremely near to fans. He acknowledged that the existing system is severely flawed and not functioning effectively, but assured everyone that additional resources will be dedicated towards rectifying the A-Life simulation issues in upcoming updates.

As a gamer myself, I’m excited to share that we’ve promised our players we’re fully committed to getting this feature to function smoothly. We’ll be focusing on optimization from multiple angles, pouring resources into the AI-life, squashing bugs, ensuring proper functionality, and then pushing even further for advanced features.

Why was A-Life was removed from the game’s Steam page?

Before its release, references to the A-Life AI system were taken off from the Stalker 2 Steam Page, causing many players to believe that the game’s AI was flawed. However, creative director Maria Grygorovych clarified that this assumption is not accurate.

Instead of adding the AI system’s name on the game’s Steam page, a member from the marketing team made this move without obtaining approval and without realizing that the system was malfunctioning. However, GSC Game World will not reinstate the AI system’s name until it is repaired. In conversation with IGN, Grygorovych provided evidence in the form of company chats to demonstrate that the situation had no connection to the broken system.

As a dedicated game creator, I understand the bond we share with our players. They’ve expressed their desires, and it’s our responsibility to fulfill them. So, that’s exactly what we’re doing.

Although Stalker 2 might currently be experiencing some technical issues, it’s undeniably an engaging survival game that offers a thrilling experience. For updates on the latest developments, explore the efforts of modders working on enhancing the A-Life feature or the mod designed to alleviate one of the game’s most notable inconveniences. Currently, you can dive into the world of Stalker 2 on PC and Xbox Series consoles.

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2024-12-03 15:40