So I've seen some people talk about how they don't think there's any reason to side with Spark.

When I say at the start, i do not mean the ISCRA group.

But when you engage with Spark early on. They're almost...freedom like. They're like a mix between ecologists / freedom. More rooted in their ISCRA origins. They help free/non-SIRCAA scientists learn about the zone and do those kind of missions for them. They also say one of the reasons they're fighting the Ward is to save the zone from being destroyed and/or being completely controlled by one party. "They want to extend the Institute up to its borders". "They want to turn the zone into a testing ground to meet mandkind's insatiable needs". The zone is "perfect as is". This idea that SIRCAA is playing with fire, not understanding, and we will end up worse than we are. And I think this is how they originally recruited many of their original members

They touch on the shinning zone early on. But how "cult like" like they actually are isn't really focused on early on. The shinning zone can literally be interpreted as an abstract thing. Releasing monolith, the duga, etc. All that crazy stuff starts happening post SIRCAA, which is when I think their cult side starts to really manifest itself. It further cements this distrust in their true intentions or how much they actually believe in their ISCRA origins.

I also think this is why Richter leans their way. As he sees similar ideals. And as you progress the story, you end up convincing him into believing in (to some degree) to believing into this new version of the shinning zone. Which we all know ends up being fake. But Richter seems like he becomes a "true believer" towards the end.

But my point is, it seems like the ideological progression of spark is this

Ecologist / Freedom Ideology -----Main story progression-----> Shining zone cultist faction. Care less about protecting the zone or understanding it. But rather accomplishing the shinning zone at all costs no matter what

This feels intentional in a lot of ways, imo. Because the ward also feel very "Duty like" at the start, and morph as you progress.

TL;DR - Just make this feature/failsafe available to all saves no matter what. Its a cool feature. People want it, there's a demand. Its a simple change. Look below to see why we want this feature and below that is how to do it on PC.

The background on this situation

Good Afternoon

If you've been paying attention to the CoH subreddit as of late, one of the reocurring topics has been this "lite new game plus". You see this in the picture above. I'll run you through what each of them does

• Cancel - Go back to previous page/don't load
• Rewind Story - Loads to a save before the point of no return
• New Save - Creates a new save file in your current existing save slot. Resetting Stashes, parts of the main story quest (but NOT who you side with), side quests that do not become locked /timed with your current story progression, faction reputations (unless its decided by the main story. I.E if you side against ward, they're still enemies in the new game+), and the Cost of Hope story line
• Continue - Continue loading the save to the point of no return

The major thing was the "New Save" option. This was viewed as the "Lite-New game plus". Why? First, it allowed you to reset side quest progress and CoH. Meaning you could take a different path on the same character. Secondly, it allowed you to keep the gear you acquire in the point of no return. In the PoNR, there's a total of 5 weapons and 1 armor set that you can only acquire in the PoNR area. The armor and the top pistol are the only ones guaranteed. The remaining weapons will be awarded depending on who you side with. There's only one story path that will grant you all the equipment (however, I wont go into that here to avoid spoilers).

So obviously, everyone was interested in this. However there was a problem. It was not consistent. Some people couldn't get the option to appear. Lots of confusion all around. People, including myself, made support tickets. And support is still investigating it.

However myself and other uses have been messing around with game files try to figure out how to get this appear. And we found the solution and what we think are the answers.

First big shoutout to u/Kyril_Malum for diving into the save files and figure out some really interesting information.

Basically to sum it up, save files have a PointOfNoReturn flag. Type 9 or a Type 1. There's logic that checks to see what type it is. If type 1 exists, then you get the "New Save/New Game Plus" option referenced above. And the consistent trigger for this was if you reached the PoNR before the release of 2.0/CoH. Console players also seemed to have a type 1 more often. But I'm not sure. In short, its some kind of failsafe in the save system that they setup.

So I've spent the past day messing with the save file structure trying to find a way to force a type 1 save flag failsafe without actually editing the file by decompressing it.

How to do it - disclaimer do at your own risk

Second, big shoutout to u/North-Animal2639 for figuring out how to force it.

You are doing file edits. Backup the entire \Stalker2\ folder into a safe location to be safe. In case something goes wrong. There is a risk with doing the following steps. Do them with caution and we are not responsible for any mistakes/issues. Again do the following at your own risk. This process requires one save file at the point of no return and one free open save slot

I tested this myself and got it to work (where the pictures are from).

1. Create a manual save from past the point of no return. This will be the save that will be carried over into lite-NG+. So you want to grab all the gear you can on this save file
2. Make note of the time that the save file is created. This time is how you will identify which of the data files corresponds to the PoNR file
3. Start a new playthrough ON A DIFFERENT SLOT. Do not overwrite the save slot referenced above in #1. Create a manual save on this new slot. Just like before, make note of the timestamp for identification
4. Do not exit your game through this process.
5. Again, recommend backing up the \Stalker2\ folder by copying it to a different location. Do not delete it, just copy it to the documents folder or something like that. Go to your save file located at %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Stalker2\Saved\STEAM\SaveGames\Data
   1. Example: C:\Users\Palwajoko\AppData\Local\Stalker2\Saved\STEAM\SaveGames\Data
6. Find the file name created in #3. Using the timeslot to identify it. Copy the name of this file. Just the name. Paste it onto notepad for safe keeping. Once you have the name, delete the new playthrough file only from within the file system. Not the game menu.
7. Take the name that you copied from #5. Find the point of no return save file from #1. Using timestamps to identify it. Rename this save file with the name you copied in #5.
8. Go to the main menu. Load the manual save file you created in #3. It will still be in there and look the same since you did all the changes on the file system.
9. Loading this will load you into the save file from #1, but on the new save slot. This forces it to become a Type 1 save file
10. Create a new manual save now. Go to the load options, go to the manual save you just created. You should see load options button. Push it, and you will now get the options you see in my first picture and can create the new save that preserves gear
11. Create the new save and boom, you've got yourself the "lite-NG+" save from on the new slot.

Why does this all work? What you're doing is you're creating a new save slot campaign. And then tricking the game into loading the point of no return save file by naming it the same as the save file that was tied to the campaign. Since the loading process only looks at file names, it think this renamed file is the one tied to its slot. Since it is not, it freaks out and flags it as a Type 1. Triggering the lite-ng+ option.

Suspiciously because they have a bit too much detail to be just background stuff. Potentially cut content or future content. Some of the names come from S1. Some of the names come from the previous leaked map (that is mainly out of date, but at least gives us a name). Some of it comes from me trying to translate signs in game

1. >!Limansk - Technically came back in CoH, but I'm still not positive we've closed the book on this location. Never know!!<
2. >!Ventilation Complex - From STALKER 1 CoP!<
3. >!Freight Yard - I think this was also in CoP in a way as an unmarked location!<
4. >!Jupiter Plant - Also in CoP!<
5. >!Record Sporting Goods Store!<
6. >!Bitumen Anomaly!<
7. >!Collapsing Soviet Highrise or Hotel (I say soviet because it looks like it has a decay soviet emblem on the roof like you see of real pictures online in Pripyat)!<
8. >!Avangard Sports Stadium - Was in SoC!<
9. >!Potentially another sports related store or general store!<
10. >!Debarkader Boat, Tuberculous Dispensary, Infectious Disease Ward, and Stroitel Sports Complex!<
11. >!Pripyat Bus Terminal/Station!<
12. >!Podlesny Waste Storage Facility - I think in one of the endings you can see it in the background!<
13. >!<
14. >!Lab-X12 !<

I can easily see #13 and #14 >!dealing with the rumored cold island DLC, given their relation to temperature. !<

Now you don't have to engage with Chatterbox to start the DLC. He is more of a guide post to point you on your way. But you can go straight to the DLC in a new save if you wanted to and ignore him. However, there's a fun little interaction you can have with him that I think many miss.

1. If you go find his friend goodbye and take his PDA. You can give his PDA to Chatterbox. Chatterbox will be sad/distraught/worried about the turn of events. He will thank you and give you the location of his stash. Which looks like contains static loot. 4 bandages, 2 medkits, 60 rounds of 5.56 ammo, and an 100% AR416.
2. Chatterbox will eventually disappear at this point
3. His body will appear at the location in the picture, next to where his stash was, just south of the slag heap in that crate area

I believe his body will only appear after you complete the "Distant Mirage" quest of the DLC. And as you continue the DLC, his body will eventually disappear. So if you've completed the DLC, I don't believe his body will be there anymore.

But yeah, good way to get some early loot and also you get the answer to the question "Whatever happened to the NPC that started the DLC?".

Edit: Confirmed that this still happens even if you don't give him the PDA

It has too much aura for it to be NPC only. Its the ultimate Loner suit. From a "faction armor" progression standpoint, its meant to take the same spot as the PSZ gear that the other factions use. Its why when you start seeing PSZ on other faction A-Life NPCs, you'll see Loners start using the Varan + loner SEVA.

If you're a bit of a loot hoarder like myself, a strategy you can use to save loot is by using stashes already in the world. When you put loot inside of a stash. It stays there. I haven't tested to see if it disappears during major map changes (like during the main story). But I have tested/used this strategy when I go out on expeditions.

Take the picture. You go from Rostok. You have a quest at the blue marker #3. On the way there, you clear #1 and loot it. Instead of carrying around all this loot that you will only be keeping to sell on your way to #3 or having to run back to rostok to sell; you can just put it inside of a stash at #2. Go do your quest and stuff at #3. Then on your way back to town, stop by your stash at #2 pick up your items then head home.

This makes it so you spend less time overburdened. Open up to using some other artifacts more often that don't have weight effects. Good way to mitigate frustration if you get annoyed at the inventory management aspect of the game.

Marked this as spoiler just in case someone didn't want to spoil finding this organically. But if you go SE of Kazkovyi Camp, you will see a stack of red containers. Figure out how to open them and in the bottom opened one, the SIC will be up against the shelf next to the safe. Its an old stash, not new to the game. But it has been updated to have a SIC on it, which is nice.

If you want to get one of these bad boys early, a potential place to go.

Watching some playthroughs and reactions to the new S2 content, I still occasionally see someone struggling with fighting erratic mutants like blind dogs. Those ones that are constantly running all over the place like they just chugged a non-stop.

Fighting these is a lot more simple than most make it out to be. Its all about timing and positioning. I know, simple it sounds and maybe obvious to those who are more experienced. But again, I see a surprisingly amount of trouble with this.

A lot of the mutants that try to dodge, they have a set "attack animation" where you can tell when they're in dodge mode/defensive mode vs when they're in offense mode. And when they're in offense, that means they're going in for an attack. This also is when they're at their most vulnerable.

I put a quick video showcasing this with blind dogs. Blind dogs like to tokyo drift in defense mode. Going in circles, making sharp turns, etc. The trick is to do two things. One is to avoid shooting at them during this mode unless you're a good shot. Two is to control your positioning so they don't easily surround you.

When they go into offense mode, they run straight at you. Making them much much easier to hit as you can see in the video. Easy shots and headshots.

A lot of mutants work this way. Rodents, Bloodsuckers, Blind Dogs, Snorks, Flesh, Boars, Bayuns, Psydogs, armored elk. I believe they all have that "defense/dodge mode" and offense mode routine. Obviously there's variations of it with each one. Like boars charge. Rodents are smaller and much harder to hit. Snorks jump at you. Bloodsuckers turn invisible, etc.

But once you stop wasting your shots at their defense modes and play defensively yourself until they go into attack mode, killing mutants becomes are much more profitable endeavor.

This isn't the ONLY strategy with killing mutants mind you. There are tons, some more cheesey than others. And some that aren't. That's for another post. But hopefully this may help those who are new to the community take on some of the simpler early mutants without burning a hole in your pocket.

For those who aren't aware of this class, the arbitrator gets a really interesting ranged weapon. Its a shotpistol (shoots pellets like a shotgun) that also has a shield. It has to be one of the most mechanically diverse ranged weapons I've seen in the game.

• Secondary Action/Aim Button - Doing this will aim the weapon, but will also put you into a blocking stance. Allowing you to block while firing
• Special - Doing the special attack allows you to bash with your shield, staggering enemies in front of you. No damage
• Special Hold - Holding the special button will allow you to do a heavy melee attack. It does damage

What's interesting is that these all trigger with the talents that reference what they do. If there's a talent based around blocking, the block will trigger off of it. If there's a talent based around staggering enemies, it will trigger off of the special. If there's a talent that requires a melee attack or a heavy attack, it will trigger off of the special hold. For example, we have a talent that says "Gain 15% damage for 5s after heavy attack". So doing the special hold will trigger this and give you that 15% damage increase.

But from what I've seen/played, there's not a lot of interactions with the special or the special hold that make it worth it. Many times because the use cases for when these would be good, its better to just swap to your melee weapon. The major thing from the above list that is utilized is just the blocking function. Especially against ranged squads or specials. Only time I've really utilized the special bash is to either buy time in a clutch situation to swap to melee or to interrupt a pox pounce. But watching people far better than me, they often just swap to melee.

I would love more interactions with the special. It feels very under utilized. I'm not saying the weapon is bad or anything. Just that the special feels like it has untapped potential.

Sample Size: 1,015

Havoc Sample Size: 408

Methodology - Over the past week I've been recording the player names, classes, and if they have a current havoc level in the Mourningstar along with the looking for group menu. Using said information to remove duplicates where able. Only players of level 30 (max) were recorded (or if they had a havoc level). So this would be a good view into the "endgame players". The Havoc sample size is taken from the original 1,1015. Not in addition. In other words, out of those 1,015 players I encountered; 408 of them had a Havoc level to display. Percentages are rounded. Server would be US-WEST. I swapped operatives to different classes (I have each one) after recording all I could, just in case my chosen class had some impact of matchmaking.

Total Results:

1. Skitarius - 23%
2. Psyker - 17%
3. Zealot - 15%
4. Veteran - 14%
5. Arbitrator - 11%
6. Ogryn - 11%
7. Hive Scum - 9%

Havoc Only Results

1. Skitarius - 23%
2. Psyker - 17%
3. Veteran - 13%
4. Zealot - 13%
5. Ogryn - 12%
6. Arbitrator - 12%
7. Hive Scum - 10%

Thoughts - Overall not surprising. Skitarius is the new one and is pretty good. So its no surprise it is taking the top spot. Psyker being 2nd is an interesting one. I think this could overall be an interesting insight into what previous class players are most interested in new classes. For example, is the theme/gameplay style of Psyker being so unique/not easily replacable in the new DLC classes one of the major reasons it has maintained its popularity? While a class like veteran had its players drawn towards the new DLC classes (especially Arbitrator and Skitarius) the reason its % of representation is down? Hive Scum being the least popular, I think, is heavily based on its class theme. That would be my first guess. If Skitarius ends up getting nerfed and when the novelty wears off, I wonder where it will end up. When the other DLC classes first came out they dominated the population too. Especially Arbitrator. So will it end up falling behind zealot or vet in a few months?