latenightnoir

Perimeter Defence Mech / Prototype Dreadnought.

Leaned heavily into the Spyrius theme (6889 was my first ever set), and building at Technic Minifig scale is always fun!

Additional shots (apologies for the quality, improvised set...):

Update - reworked the canopy while trying to maintain the Pyramid Head lurch:

So, I'm finally running through S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. I played a bit at launch but took a break to allow for some patches.

I knew from back then that I shouldn't expect roaming packs of stuff or persistent NPC AI across the map. Fine. Got ambushed by a lot of random Military, I bore witness to random Bandits getting wiped by a huge gang of Snorks with both having spawned directly behind a truck garage - it was really funny to watch, though, not as funny to mop up the dozen Snorks...

But the thing which stung the most happened just now. I've been cutting the South-Western corner of The Cage at the Cement Plant to get to the region's South-Eastern corner to explore it. I knew I had the Machine Tractor Station at my 2 o'clock, and that's where the aforementioned Snork bonanza occurred, after it greeted me with 6 Bandits and two Bloodsuckers when I first got there.

As I exited the building site perimeter, I ran into a group of Loners coming from the South-ish. My mind instantly thought: "oh, that means the Tractor Station's clear, otherwise these peeps would've been loot fodder for the return trip." And I immediately realised that, no, it only means that they may have spawned behind the perimeter wall, out of my sight line.

And now I have to sneak through a ditch because I don't want more Bloodsuckers.

Update: decided to double-back through the Tractor Station when returning to the Factory (no way I'm going in a train depot with a Seva-D, thanks!), and, of course, killed 6 Bandits, got my ass chased away by two Bloodsuckers as I finished looting, which were ambushed by a dozen Snorks as I was booking it toward The Cage. Of course!

I find myself alone now. Most of my family's dead, the ones who're alive are not the kind of people with whom I'd associate, my friends have turned out to be fool's gold, so all I have are my thoughts.

And I've realised that everyone I've ever met, except for two therapists, has tried to change me.

My family did their best to raise me as a soulless tool, existing solely for performance and to bolster my family's public image - I have been their greatest failure.

My friends have tried to shape me into what they wanted me to be, either a heartless dick, a thoughtless prick, or just a door mat. To them, I either feel too much, think too much, or just hold the wrong beliefs.

My exes have never tried to get to know the real me, not a single one. My latest ex started trying to change how I dress and see the world not even three months into dating.

And now I just can't bring myself to trust anyone. Every attempt at being open and vulnerable with people has ended up with them dragging mud all across my soul. I am terrified of people. I am terrified of even trying. And I'm terrified of this deep yearning for connection which has become a constant ache in my chest, because I've been around for thirty fucking years and I'm as alone as I've ever been.