Getting Started with S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Modding
Game version 1.0006, OGSE/Stalker Complete/AMK, and addon compatibility
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl modding is one of the oldest active scenes in PC gaming. The toolchain is showing its age, but the catalogue is well-curated and the failure modes are documented. This guide walks the standard install.
Step 1 — Confirm game version 1.0006
Most major SoC mods require the 1.0006 patch (or the equivalent Steam release that includes it). Newer versions may not work with older mods.
Check via the main menu's version readout.
Step 2 — Pick one major overhaul
SoC modding is dominated by all-or-nothing overhauls. Mixing them isn't viable. Pick one:
- OGSE (Old Good STALKER Evolution) — long-running balance and visual overhaul. Mature.
- STALKER Complete 2009 — older overhaul, focused on visual quality.
- AMK — Russian-language-origin overhaul, heavy gameplay changes.
Each ships with its own installer. Apply over a clean SoC install.
Step 3 — Add compatible addons
After installing your base overhaul, browse moddb.com for compatible addons:
- Weapon packs.
- Texture replacements.
- Quality-of-life tweaks.
Compatibility with major overhauls is mod-specific. Read each addon's notes.
Step 4 — Launch
SoC loads with mods applied. The intro and main menu often reflect the overhaul's branding.
Step 5 — Save game discipline
SoC saves embed the active mod state. Switching overhauls means starting fresh.
Back up saves before installing new addons on top of an existing playthrough.
Common gotchas
- Game crashes after specific in-game action. Often an overhaul-specific bug. Check the overhaul's known issues.
- Texture mod incompatible with overhaul. Most major overhauls bundle their own texture changes. Adding more textures can produce conflicts.
- Performance terrible. SoC's X-Ray engine isn't great on modern hardware with heavy mods. Lower settings.
- Mod requires older SoC version. Some legacy mods predate 1.0006. Hard to satisfy in 2026.
If you want a modern S.T.A.L.K.E.R. modding experience, Anomaly (standalone, free) is a much more polished platform. See the Anomaly guide.