New Game Start - A free play mode attempt

[bronze coyote]

Start a new game choosing location, loadout, faction, rank, money and more things from your election, reaching some kind of "free play" mode. Intro and tutorial will be skipped and main mission disabled.

This is intended to play a "new game" role-playing free play combined with overhaul mods like "Modular Hard Mode" or "Desolation", accompanied by A-Life mods like "Shay's Living Zone" or "A-Life Found A Way" and all the mods you want. As the game world is in the initial stage, you may encounter some closed doors/ways and some convenience tricks are used for being playable.

Depending on your faction relationship, you can play secondary (blue flag) missions, repeatable tasks/quests offered by some main NPCs and exploring The Zone and its many unrevealed secrets, mysteries and details. Main mission is disabled by default. Faction system in STALKER 2 is too underdone, don't have high expectations.

https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/1211

[unreal thistle]

This looks amazing

I wish I could play on my Xbox but it definitely won't work on there

[waxen condor]

Is this available on steam workshop?

[sinful cave]

i hope this comes to console too i hope, it would gain a lot of traction

[coarse vapor]

Will there be an option to toggle the main missions on or different variation of the mod with main missions active?

[bronze coyote]

Many changes needed for consoles, as for the moment, configuration is made with paks... But hope have time...

[bronze coyote]

Yes, there is an optional pak for that

[tribal hull]

Yeah this mod is fire from what I can see, I’ll spend so much time in this if comes to xbox

[sinful cave]

okkkkk

[wary blade]

Will it be on steam workshop ?

[bronze coyote]

Hi! The problem is that for now, the mods need to move various pak files to choose faction and so. With Steam Workshop you don't touch files, so a big and difficult development is needed to integrate all changes IN the game (only one file), not outside with pak files. And many things... I think I haven't knowledge to do it. I note many things like that in: https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/articles/197

[wary blade]

Ty for the response and understood ❤️

[bronze coyote]

Thanks @slender bear !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iXjk3Xi0Xg

[bronze coyote]

Thanks @south cradle !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuJf2HycqrQ

[prisma echo]

Man you should try and push this to Xbox it sounds fantastic

[tribal hull]

GSC should prioritize your mod

[slender bear]

Covered this i the channel amazing mod

[slender bear]

Only just seen this no problem amazing mod👏🏻👏🏻

[faint garden]

i downloaded this mod but i dont know what to do

[bronze coyote]

For installing it or when playing it?

[faint garden]

Playing it

[bronze coyote]

It's free-play, you must role-play some, as is advertised in the description 😉

[faint garden]

No missions or anythin? Apart from the bases one

[glossy orchid]

didnt find any technician or trader in kindergarten when attemted to play for monolith

[bronze coyote]

Most of the secondary / blue flag missions and the repeatable quests from traders

[bronze coyote]

If you choose the monolith or noon faction, they must be there in kidergarten... if not, something goes wrong placing the pak files

[unreal thistle]

This mod would be great when the modkit allows modders to create original quests

[faint garden]

I think with improvement in AI this mod will also improve our playing experience rn i feel purposeless like what do i even do , the crafting mod helps a little and side quest too , but it would be cool if u get purpose my idea (just idea not demanding anythin) like seeing trade patrol trade interaction , factions fighting over bases , over POI , some random modded side quest example the one where u help someone in tellin a joke , Setting ur own shop in a base and selling guns , working for a shop owner , hunting for artifact with a follower type of mod etc

Farming if possible haha

but gun fights get intense sometimes i saw a pseudogiant and had to run as fast as i could lol

[faint garden]

@bronze coyote hey man i am having a problem after installed ur mod yesterday it was working fine but .. today it crashes on SETTING Up profile idk why

could be nvidia drivers issue installing it rn

I mean updating

nah even after updating its crashing

[faint garden]

@bronze coyote magically made game launch but it show this to me

[bronze coyote]

I always used manual install, I'm gonna suggest the simplest: try to uninstall mod from modlist and install again

[faint garden]

hmm so mod io is broken then

[faint garden]

if anyone is reading this dont download this mod from in game mod section if u get same error as me? Why ? The game will keep crashing non stop on startup instead just download it manually because even if u remove it magically by not crashing for once the game still was crashing for me
Tldr- DOWNLOAD FROM NEXUS IF U GET SAME IMAGE AS I SENT ABOVE

[bronze coyote]

Maybe something like mod pak cache?

[faint garden]

i dont know what went wrong but my game was broken and i couldnt even start it , Downloaded from nexus and everything is working fine

[bronze coyote]

Hi. I've done a very fast test and mod seems is working ok. Also checked code and I've not encountered conflicts/problems. I will make a more stable test asap (opened doors, behavior, weather, time...) but, anyone has encountered problems or crashes?

Will try to make a very small update with some small things that I've finished time ago, but with "old modding way", I have no time to do in the correct SDK way at the moment.

[chrome jacinth]

the new bpatch system might not be necessary for your mod. I dont think you modify any big prototype or variable files

[pure juniper]

There is no news about the arrival of this mod to xbox?

[rugged marsh]

Are you able to publish this to the steam workshop?

[bronze coyote]

16 oct 2025

About version 1.6 of the game: The latest mod version, 1.11-beta, seems to work fine without changes. I’ve checked the files from 1.6 and found no conflicts, though with so many trigger points, bugs may appear. Please report any you find.

**About the mod’s future: **At the moment, I have very little free time to dedicate to the mod and to learning how to use the SDK as required, or fully integrate features in-game (like faction or location selection). This -and SDK- makes releasing it on Xbox or Steam difficult. I have a version with some small “half-finished” additions, but no time to complete it — though I might try to finish it sometime.

Therefore, If any modder sees like me the great value of free-play mode with factions for STALKER 2, feel free to contact me to share info or collaborate on the future of the mod.

[slender bear]

Best mod in the zone and seems to be working well with 1.7

[twin ruin]

@slender bear how do you know ?

[slender bear]

Patch testing 1.7 and using the mod

[hidden heron]

Is there any reason I can’t sprint when I load in?

[wraith scroll]

any idea if this might come to xbox?

[hidden heron]

It’s on

[bronze palm]

Do you mean Debug Start?
Because I think that’s a separate Author

[hidden heron]

Idk the one on box

[slender bear]

@bronze coyote I am planning to revisit this mod on the channel today. Will this mod come to console?

[slender bear]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 - Becoming The Monolith |The Enemy Of The Zone
https://youtu.be/HUSpsy2qfD4

[wraith scroll]

guh no xbox yet :(

[bronze coyote]

Hi! Not for the moment, hope anyone wanna collab with me, as I've not many free time to work with SDK properly 🙁

I'm watching your video right now!

[slender bear]

Thanks for watching such a great mod. Hopefully you can bring it to console one day.

[slender bear]

Would you advise using this mod for testing?

I like how you skip the start, but I'm not sure if it messes up A-life?

[bronze coyote]

From my tests, everything goes normally, but S2 could have some strange things - not caused by the mod. Anyway I always played/tested with Shay Living Zone or FaW.
The game is not made with "no main mission" in mind, but not launching the main mission triggers does not affect A-Life, only some mission hand-placed spawn or combats (as well zone maps and so).

Hope GSC team thinks about free play or faction mode for future roadmaps...

[slender bear]

I hope so really good ideas and hope you expand on your mod in the future in my top five I always use.

[sterile crane]

How do i add a mod into mod.io for xbox for example a money mod just set for example 1 million coupons on new game save with 1 file how do i do it? And can i use my phone to do it?

[bronze coyote]

New version 1.12-beta, updated for 1.7 and some small things and fixes.

https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/1211

[past osprey]

Hiii if I activate main mission as a spark
I should delete Journalist Stashes" and "In The Name of Science" quests in opt file righttt

[bronze coyote]

Yes, as these quests will be launched during main mission.

[past osprey]

Aight ! Thx

[terse jetty]

Mod.io link?

[bronze coyote]

It is on nexusmods: https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/1211

[terse jetty]

Will the other factions besides monolith be added to the mod.io port?

[bronze coyote]

If anytime, mod.io offers the PS/XBOX publishing, will upload more here. Not until then, as the same features are with nexusmods.

[terse jetty]

👍

[bronze coyote]

1.13-beta: https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/1211

[chrome jacinth]

one of my favorite mods

[cobalt ether]

Oh yes

[subtle star]

I was happy to see this come to Xbox, but it's advertised as the Monolit test mod, but you start as a Loner in Cordon. Is it not working properly, or have I missed something?

[terse jetty]

Might be a mod conflicting

[subtle star]

I mean, it does at least start you somewhere else

You just get an AK and a leather jacket

[terse jetty]

Maybe he's testing the loner faction (just a theory)

[wise perch]

The monolith free play doesn't work on Xbox has it says error which means u would basically start as a loner until they sort it out and fix it for Xbox and PlayStations

[wraith mauve]

Onward warriors of the Monolith, avenge your fallen brothers, blessed as they are in their eternal union with the Monolith.
Bring death to those who spurned the holy power of the Monolith.

[subtle star]

I find it interesting though that instead of just starting the game normally, you start in Cordon without the main quest. That tells me that something about it is working; it's just not starting you as advertised

[wise perch]

It says error but it would start has normal but not has the mod says which is sad since I wanted to play has monolith 😂

[wraith mauve]

Onward warriors of the Monolith, avenge your fallen brothers, blessed as they are in their eternal union with the Monolith.
Bring death to those who spurned the holy power of the Monolith.

[subtle star]

@bronze coyote Any chance on a possible fix for this?

[bronze coyote]

Hi! I don't know why this happens. The mod is a direct copy from a Monolith preset. I do not own an Xbox for testing, but maybe pak loading are different. I will try to merge all in one pak in some days

[wraith mauve]

Onward warriors of the Monolith, avenge your fallen brothers, blessed as they are in their eternal union with the Monolith.
Bring death to those who spurned the holy power of the Monolith.

[subtle star]

Alright. I will test the mod for you when an update comes to Mod.io

[bronze coyote]

Since some days ago, we must wait

[tawny quail]

@bronze coyote Hello! I heared that with zone kit phase two there will be possible to create new quests and stories through moding. I was curious if you would ever consider to turn this mod into something even bigger such as every faction to have their unique questlines and story to follow depending on who you choose. And also making an in game ui that after you select dificulty you can also select the faction you wish to start as

[bronze coyote]

Hello! I highly doubt it. I don't have much time, and for months I've basically just been doing maintenance. Even though there are ‘great ideas’ that could even be implemented for this mod (even right now), I don't have the motivation or the time. Maybe that could change, but I don't see it happening now. Or if there were collaboration, I could contribute with this year's experience and maybe get more motivation.

[tawny quail]

Thats understandable! Thanks for the reply

[bronze coyote]

@heavy trail is making a much proper system for factions and progression. The faction system is a bit strange in STALKER 2. But I preferred to keep it virtually unchanged to make the mod more understandable.

With "Faction and Relation System Overhaul" (https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/2009), the ecosystem and its mechanics are more logical and work much better. And with "Progression System Overhaul" (https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/2098), you have a way to start your free play game and progress in a more logical way. My intention is to propose to kloudwork that they integrate their great work into future versions.

[cobalt ether]

Wow nice

[acoustic shuttle]

Would love to see a colab with Kyne and the base building/temperature mod

[frigid falcon]

This is looking really nice

[flat scroll]

Has a fix been made or found yet for why it spawns you in cordon as a stalker when using Xbox?

[crisp brook]

i think its supposed to do that

[warm glen]

I put together a freeroam modpack for S2 using new game start. It’s built on Cinematic & Immersive ZONE modpack with some visual and balance addons.

I've tested it for about 8 hours and it's feeling solid, but I'd love some extra eyes on the balance/stability. Let me know what y'all think: https://www.nexusmods.com/games/stalker2heartofchornobyl/collections/7wzv78

[inner badger]

is there one for xbox

[rugged marsh]

Could u drop this on steam workshop?

[bronze harbor]

Mod is working beautifully. Couples this with new game start and lootable/craftable zone and I am
Having a great time just being a stalker with no real directive. True freedom. On console also

[inner badger]

still broke on my end

@bronze coyote does it work on consiles

[inner badger]

i cant get it to work

[inner badger]

how do i get to the monolith spawn

[bronze harbor]

The monolith start is a different mod from this one. It’s a stand alone mod I believe. This mod just takes the main mission and any of its correspondence out of the game. I’ve coupled this mod with lootable/craftable zone and new start up debug mod. The new start up debug mod just has you spawn outside the zone with a guide that will take you to any of the bases

[bronze harbor]

Waiting to get back home to see but is there any chance that certain armors/weapons that are locked in buildings due to story progression accessible?

[bronze coyote]

The Xbox version is from mod.io, but we can't compile for Xbox, so we must "wait" to be compiled from mod.io (since months, so I think it will not be). The problem is last version seems not to be working on Xbox, I pushed a "try" to get working, but not compiled

[bronze coyote]

I opened all the buildings I can, but I you locate some, post it!

[bronze harbor]

Spark bunker by Yaniv Station. Has exoskeleton in it.

[bronze coyote]

Ah, I think I tried to open and can't do it without enabling the mission, I will try again

[bronze harbor]

All good. Not a big deal. Was more out of curiosity because the exoskeleton used to be located on top of it but is now located inside.

[heavy trail]

Hey, I am working on a door opener mod. Ive seen your message and I added the bunker doors to it. They will open both inside & outside when you get close to them. https://www.nexusmods.com/stalker2heartofchornobyl/mods/2152

If you know other doors that are locked, pls let me know

[bronze harbor]

Will do. I want to say I’ve come across a few but none that really stood out and I believe may have been tied to a side quest rather than the main quest.