Strategy Informer  

Readme File:
ATMOSFEAR mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky
by Cromm Cruac
http://atmosfear.crommcruac.com

ATMOSFEAR is a mod for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Clear Sky that
tweaks the vanilla weather system to be more realistic and various.
The vision distances for some weather cycles has been increased
(and reduced for other) so you on a clear day can now see almost
across the whole area. You need to use your binoculars though as
the distant objects are out of focus and blurry.
The in-game console settings has been carefully tweaked to
create a slightly hazy but atmospheric look.


+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| FEATURES |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

- Additional 24h weather cycle created (clear weather cycle has
been divided to clear and partly cloudy)
- Five (instead of 4) weather cycles (clear, partly cloudy,
cloudy, rainy and stormy)
- Increased vision distance for clear (x3), partly cloudy(x2)
and cloudy(x1.5) weathers.
- Reduced vision distance for storms (x0.6).
- 19 new rendered sky-cube textures.
- 37 retouched, edited and colour corrected textures from
vanilla version, StalkerSkies by Cambragol and Panoramic Mod
by Argus.
- The weather at Chernobyl Power Plant isn't fixed to the stormy
one anymore. It has now full weather cycle.
- Tweaked in-game console settings to use bloom, depth of field
and other features.


+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| INSTALLATION |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

This mod can be incompatible with other mods that change the
weather system. This may be the case if you were asked about
overwriting ltx files in gamedata/configs/environment/
Backup your gamedata folder just in case and install on your own
responsibility.

The mod has been designed and tested on version 1.5.010 but
should work on other CS versions.

1) In the main S.T.A.L.K.E.R. directory, locate file
"fsgame.ltx", open with Notepad and change both variables in
this line to "true":
$game_data$ = true | true | $fs_root$ | gamedata

2) Copy "gamedata" folder from the AtmosFear archive to main
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. directory.

3) Start the game. Load last save or start new game
(starting a new game is not required)

Steps 4 - 7 are optional but highly recommended.

4) Open game console (default key is '`')

5) Save backup of your settings by entering:
cfg_save user_bak.ltx

6) Load AtmosFear settings by entering:
cfg_load path/to/unzipped/AtmosFear/user_atmosfear.ltx
(e.g. cfg_load D:/Temp/AfmosFear_CP_1.0/user_atmosfear.ltx).
NOTE: This step will overwrite your graphic settings except
screen resolution, Other settings like key bindings will
stay the same. Renderer will be switched to DX9 (Enchanced
full dynamic lighting).

7) Restart the game to apply all setting changes (you can notice
instant change of look after step 7 but some of the tweaks
require the game to be restarted)

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| DEINSTALLATION |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

1) Delete AtmosFear files from gamedata directory
2) Start the game. Load last save or start new game.
3) Open game console (default key is '`')
4) Load the back-up of your settings by entering:
cfg_load user_bak.ltx
5) Restart the game.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| PERFORMANCE |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

This mod can seriously stress your graphic card as it is designed
for high-end graphic cards.
However, it has been tested on double SLi-ed 8800GTS with
lowered graphic settings with pretty decent results in
framerate. If you experience drop in framerate try to reduce
Object details, SSAO, Sun rays quality settings in advanced
graphics settings and/or resolution in basic settings.
Don't change in-game basic preset (low, medium, high).
I recommend DX9 renderer (Enchanced full dynamic lighting) for
this mod. Bloom won't work on DX10 renderer as it is not
supported.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| NOTES |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

This mod is also available for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Call Of Pripyat

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| CREDITS |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Special thanks to Argus and Cambragol for their fantastic sky
textures.

+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| LEGAL |
+--------------------------------------------------------------+

For all cases of modyfying and including this mod please
contact me at: info@crommcruac.com

Cromm Cruac.
January 2010.