A story of perspective
Summary:
Stories still full of mysteries
There is a popular game called Starfield that has gained a lot of attention. Developed by Bethesda and Microsoft, this ambitious game has been the talk of the town since the Xbox Games Showcase in June. The showcase unveiled numerous features and details about the game created by Todd Howard. Despite a 45-minute Starfield Direct presentation discussing many aspects of the game, there are still very few details about the main campaign. We don’t really know where the narrative fits in and how it will be developed in relation to the objectives of the game.
The missions in Starfield will be categorized into main, secondary, and “random” quests. The game is set in the 2330s in a system called The Settled Systems, located in a small corner of the Milky Way. The story takes place after a war between two factions, The United Colonies and Freestar Collective, and now the universe is filled with pirates, mercenaries, religious fanatics, and violent groups. The player joins the organization “Constellation” to uncover the secrets of the universe and potentially change history.
The infinitely small at the service of the infinitely large
Similar to Skyrim or Fallout 4, the main quest in Starfield is expected to allow players to explore a vast open world and interact with various characters from different factions. According to Todd Howard, the game’s director, the main quest will last between 30 and 40 hours. The secondary missions will focus on earning experience points to improve characteristics and ships. These missions will involve NPCs, companions, and factions. The planets to be visited in Starfield are expected to have unique properties, and players will need to level up their resistance to survive in hostile territories. The game will offer multiple outcomes for missions and provide unique gear as rewards. Companions will also influence the player’s choices, similar to BioWare games like Mass Effect 2.
Todd Howard mentioned that only the four main Constellation companions can be romanced, emphasizing the focus on quality over quantity in terms of narrative. This decision has been positively received by David Gaider, a former narrative designer at BioWare.
Sublimate the void, rather than fill it
Bethesda has implemented a procedural quest system in Starfield to fill the “empty” feeling while exploring planets. These quests can occur randomly during exploration and involve tasks like liberating colonies or defeating creatures to assist scientists. This system gives players a goal even when they don’t have an active quest. The quests can be repeated and offer varied experiences to ensure each course is unique.
While some random quests in previous Bethesda games have been tedious, others have been fun and engaging. The algorithm generates objectives with random rewards in undiscovered locations. However, Bethesda has warned that some planets will be more active than others, creating a balance between bustling and calm locations. The planets themselves are procedurally generated, but content is manually created when players explore them. The goal is to maintain immersion and avoid a scripted feeling.
Starfield is expected to be a game filled with countless quests and activities. Although information about the specific content of the quests is limited, Bethesda’s reputation for creating immersive experiences gives hope for an engaging and well-designed mission structure. Starfield will be released on September 6, 2023, exclusively for Xbox Series X | S and PC, with early access available for those who purchase the Premium edition.
