Psy-emission

Psy-emission
Overview
In-game code	zone_field_psychic
Type	Psionical/Permanent
Shadow of Chernobyl
Locations	Yantar Red Forest
Clear Sky
Locations	Swamps Garbage Dark Valley Agroprom Yantar Army Warehouses
Call of Pripyat
Locations	Scar anomaly Kindergarten

A Psy-emission or Psi-emission, also referred to as Psy-disruption, is a type of anomaly appearing in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat.

Overview

A mysterious type of radiation which, unlike the more common particle radiation, affects the psyche and brains of living beings. Psy-emissions are believed to be connected to the noosphere, and were incidentally discovered by scientists when studying the distortion of signals. Psy-emissions were studied extensively by the Group in their network of clandestine laboratories in what would later become the Zone. Lab X-18, for instance, was used to carry out psy-emission experiments on test subjects, which led to various mutations, while Lab X-16 was used to experiment the formation of psi-field by living beings. The research culminated with the development of the Brain Scorcher, a powerful network of antennas that was used by the Common Consciousness to perform mind control on unwilling subjects that are stalkers wandering too close to the center of the Zone, using them either to recruit them into the Monolith faction, or to use them as double agents to infiltrate stalker communities and carry out specific missions.

Following the emergence of the Zone in 2006, spontaneous psy-emissions also began to occur in various areas of the Zone. Emissions continued to be the subject of research by scientists in the Zone, namely Sakharov, in order to develop devices and techniques to increase human resilience to psy-fields.

General characteristics

Optical distortion caused by a psy-emission in Zaton

Psy-emissions are most notably noticed by distortion in the sky behind them, caused by interference in the electromagnetic spectrum that are caused by the noosphere, as indicated by the scientists' research in Laboratory X8. These distortions are only seen in Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat, however. In all games, being in the vicinity of a psy-field causes different visual effects, with the screen having a yellow tint in Shadow of Chernobyl and Clear Sky, while in Call of Pripyat the screen becomes blue instead. In addition of static psy-fields caused by devices or anomalies, controllers are also able to generate a psy-emission around them, and make use of directed psy-bursts towards their enemies.

Exposure to a psy-field causes a variety of symptoms, with the most frequent ones being dizziness, headaches and hallucinations. Prolonged exposure can also induce mental illness, and in terminal cases permanent brain damage which leads to death or zombification. One notable exception is the Brain Scorcher itself, which is used to control the minds of its victims and namely to bolster the Monolith faction's ranks.

There are various protective measures one can take to limit the consequences of exposure to a psy-field, with the most efficient one being shortening the duration of exposure, although certain protective outfits like the SEVA suit, or artifacts such as the Moonlight, can provide enhanced psy-protection.

Appearances

Shadow of Chernobyl

A snork apparition

In Shadow of Chernobyl, there are only two permanent psy-emission sources which are the Miracle Machine in Yantar and the Brain Scorcher in the Red Forest, both of which are to be shut down during the main story. With the absence of a psy-protection mechanic in the game, the only way for the player to withstand the effects of these emissions is to acquire a Psi-helmet from Sakharov, which enables the player to gain full immunity to psy-emissions for a limited duration. The psy-field in the Red Forest has the ability to generate mutant phantoms which disappear upon "attacking" the player, causing the loss of small amounts of health. Exposure of a controller's psy-field causes severe visual distortions which subside over time when the mutant is defeated or escaped from.

In Shadow of Chernobyl, psy-emissions do not affect the player's health directly but their mental strength, which is displayed in the inventory as an additional stat bar. Mental strength regenerates on its own when the player is not exposed to a psy-field, although there is no way to dampen the effects of a controller's attack on it. The player will drop dead instantly when their mental strength reaches zero.

Clear Sky

Psy-emission at the Production complex in Yantar

In Clear Sky, psy-emissions are now a more prominent aspect in gameplay. In addition of controllers, the player can come across psy-fields in various anomaly clusters across the Zone. The Miracle Machine in Yantar returns as a notable psy-field generator, while several, smaller psy-fields can be encountered in areas such as the Swamps, the Agroprom factory, or the Symbiont anomaly. Mutant phantoms from Clear Sky also appear, though only when fighting the controller in the Agroprom Underground or when in the Symbiont.

With the removal of the mental strength mechanic from the previous game, psy-radiation now induces health loss, with strong psy-fields draining the player's health at a faster rate. The game now introduces a psy-protection statistic which can be increased by wearing certain outfits or applying certain armor upgrades, or using the Stone Flower or Moonlight artifacts.

Though emissions can be seen as a form of particularly strong psy-emission, they ignore the player's psy-protection and will directly kill the player if not in shelter.

Call of Pripyat

Effects of a psy-emission in Call of Pripyat

In Call of Pripyat, only one permanent psy-field can be found, at the Scar anomaly in Zaton. There is also one surrounding the Kindergarten in Pripyat; this particular psy-emission is not of anomalous origin but due to a mysterious device located inside the building, most likely made by the Monolith faction, which also jams the military's radio signals. The device must be destroyed during the mission Radio interference, after what the psy-emission around the building permanently subsides. During the Evacuation, a strong burst of psy-radiation also affects the player and their squad on their way to the evacuation site; this psy-emission is temporary, but also bypasses the player's psy-protection completely. A temporary psy-field also appears during the mission Intermittent psy-emissions in the Northwestern tunnel, which disappears instantly once the origin of this field, the Altered Insulator, is retrieved.

In Call of Pripyat, the effects of psy-emissions have been overhauled. Mutant phantoms have been removed from the game completely, while the visual effects caused by exposure to a psy-field have been changed to a blue-colored tint applied to the screen, the intensity of which is proportional to the strength of the psy-field. As with Clear Sky, exposure to a psy-field drains the player's health, though one may boost their psy-protection by wearing certain outfits, applying specific outfit upgrades or equipping Stone Flower and/or Moonlight artifacts. In addition, the game also introduces a drug known as Psy-block which gives a large boost in psy-protection for a whole minute, making the player nearly immune to an exposure to a psy-field or the controller's attacks.

As with Clear Sky, the game features emissions which are particularly powerful psy-emissions which bypass the player's psy-protection completely, though survival in the open is now made possible with the introduction of the Anabiotics drugs.

Trivia

The psy-emission columns at the Military base

• In Shadow of Chernobyl, voices can be heard when exposed to a strong psy-field.
• What appear to be columns of psy-emission can be observed at the Military base in Clear Sky, in most of the watchtowers. Despite featuring the same optical distortions observed for actual psy-fields, the watchtowers only contain regular radiation.
• The EM1 Rifle is the only weapon in the series capable of dealing psychic damage, although due to engine limitations, NPCs are completely immune to it.
• In Call of Pripyat, Hermann claims that only a controller can survive in a psy-field. In spite of this however, all mutants in the series are shown as completely immune to it, as seen with the presence of snorks in the Production complex, or various mutants in the Red Forest in Shadow of Chernobyl.