Borovos

Hello,

So, you want to work on stalker. Why not. This is not source engine, Xray is a buggy one.

Tutorials/forum links:

Stalkerin.gameru.net, it"s in Russian, but it"s the better wiki about Xray engine

Another wiki, smaller, in english:

Sdk.stalker-game.com

In English (use the old forum, don"t follow the link to the new page):
Gsc-game.com ... ms&lang=en, The old thread "using the level editor" in SoC discussion and i think that you could too find informations in SDK0.7 thread in CoP discussion.

Dl.dropboxusercontent.com tuto sdk.mp4 my old tutorial about SDK 0.4, sorry it"s in french; SoC and CoP SDK are similar, only few steps are different during the compilation

Youtube.com ... Y9B9fMyp6A a complete youtube channel about Xray

Moddb.com (few tutorial about SDK0.3)

Rutracker.org (a torrent with around 11Go of video tutorial, all that you need for level mapping. It"s in russian, but you can see how do step by step)

Two nice threads about level design and stalker modding:

Ap-pro.ru

Ap-pro.ru

Tools:

There is a good section with all tools related to stalker modding in the stalkerin.gameru.net wiki. Just look this pages with a translator to understand them, and in Russian to have the original code...

If you want to work with 3DSMax, you need it (i"m working on Max2016, previously, i worked on Max v8 and Max2010) and this tools (Den Stash script)
Disk.yandex.com ... &locale=ru
You need too 3DS/xray plugins to import and export .object files (den stash scripts are not running for very old objects, you have to uptade them in LE before import in 3DS). Stalkerin.gameru.net

You need too the GSC Archive folder Gameru.net

Like this, you could have access to all original .object. It"s better than work with converted levels (it kill the LE).

Gameru.net this is another link for old GSC resources

First, you could make a small test:
- create a plan terrain in Max, add relief, apply texture and uvmap, export in .object
- open LE, import object and texture if necessary, open your object in library editor, add parameter as game mtl, shader...
- start a new scene, place your terrain, few decor objects, create aimap and sectors, add spawn, details and compile it.

With all this stuff, with time, with patience to understand all Russian"s resources, you can do everything.

advice about level size and polygon count. GSC created low poly levels. Don"t try to make giant scene.
It"ll not work ingame without a modified engine. Few team are working on giant levels as the Ray of Hope mod, but they doesn"t share their engine and knowledge.
So, do as GSC did, not too much. Something as Marsh is a good choice in size and polycount.

See you