Bots dominate Verdansk in Warzone, blurring borders with Stalker, causing an increasing fusion in one user's mind
In the world of gaming, the influence of classic titles can be felt in the most unexpected ways. Such is the case with Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, a game released over a decade ago, and its impact on the popular battle royale game, Warzone.
Jeremy Peel, a renowned freelance journalist, has been interviewing the designers behind some of the biggest names in gaming, including Fallout, Dishonored, and Deus Ex. His work includes the acclaimed article "Every type of Fall Guy, classified". Recently, he has turned his attention to Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, a game known for its unique approach to gameplay and AI.
One of Stalker's most notable features is its A-Life system, a pioneering AI design that created a dynamic, emergent world where NPCs and mutants roamed freely, interacted with each other, and reacted to player actions autonomously. This system, which has influenced modern games like Warzone, was designed to create surprising moments in gameplay and a living ecosystem of NPCs and mutants.
In Stalker, firefights often involve multiple adversaries, requiring quick reactions to survive. The game's central hub features a grotty warehouse where NPCs fight to the death for the entertainment of a jeering crowd. The battleground is a cramped hedgemaze of shipping containers, a far cry from the open-world environments of modern battle royale games.
Warzone, a battle royale game set in a large-scale map, appears to have borrowed from this philosophy. The map, Verdansk, features architecture that suggests it once belonged to the Soviet Union, with monuments resembling Spomeniks, built in the former Yugoslavia to commemorate soldiers from the Second World War. The AI bots and NPCs in Warzone's Casual mode have been designed to roam and interact semi-independently, reflecting Stalker's impact on AI design in open-world shooters.
In Warzone's Casual mode, a hefty and fascinating dose of NPC interplay has been introduced. Bots pursue their own goals and behaviors, similar to stalkers in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl. However, unlike their Stalker counterparts, these bots are clumsy and cannot shoot well, struggling to last in combat against a single NPC from Stalker.
The return of Verdansk has brought Warzone closer to the dream of A-Life, the dynamic world system introduced in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl. As we continue to play and explore Warzone, it's clear that the legacy of Stalker's A-Life system is alive and well, shaping the future of AI design in battle royale games.
Jeremy Peel, an award-nominated freelance journalist, continues to write about games like Stalker and Warzone. You can find his work on Patreon under The Peel Perspective.
- In his latest freelance work, Jeremy Peel delves into the impact of Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl's A-Life system on games like Warzone.
- Stalker's pioneering A-Life system, which created a dynamic game world, has left its mark on contemporary battle royale games such as Warzone.
- Warzone's designers have been influenced by the A-Life system's emphasis on emergent gameplay and interactive NPCs found in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl.
- Recent additions to Warzone's Casual mode showcase a hefty dose of NPC interplay, reminiscent of stalkers in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl.
- Warzone's in-game environment, Verdansk, seems to have borrowed elements from the Soviet Union, akin to the architectural details in Stalker.
- The struggle between AI bots and NPCs in Warzone's Casual mode reflects the AI design philosophies seen in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl.
- Despite their clumsiness and poor shooting skills in combat, Warzone's bots echo the autonomous NPC behaviors evident in Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl.
- The continuing influence of Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl's A-Life system can be seen shaping the future of AI design in battle royale games, including Warzone.
