Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase was a packed event, and though it did include an explosive new trailer for Starfield, right afterward, we also got a comprehensive deep dive into Bethesda’s space-faring RPG and what players can expect from it. In addition to talking about how space flight and space combat will function, the developers also talked about various aspects of ship-related gameplay.
Take customization, for instance, which is looking quite impressive in terms of the options it will afford to players. Everything from your ship’s HUD to what it looks like on the outside will be customizable, with Bethesda describing it as a home for the player. Your starting ship will be the Frontier, though over the course of he game, you’ll be able to build up your own fleet, by either buying ships or even claiming those that you have defeated in combat. You can also head to Star Yards to buy new luxury cruise ships, battleships, and more.
Players can upgrade individual systems, or go into the Ship Builder to change the look, its layout, its habitat modules to afford more room for your crew, an improved grav drive for long distance jumps, and paint jobs. What parts you’ve bolted onto your ship will always have an impact, from crafting modules and weapon storage to cargo holds and mess halls. You can even make your ship look like mechanized animals, if you so wish.
Different kinds of ships will also serve different purposes, so if you want to engage in space combat, fighters will be your best but, while for smuggling and cargo missions, a space freighter will be the way to go. Hiring and managing your crew will also be essential, and not just for for upkeep. Not only can you find new potential recruits at space ports, you can also recruit some members of Constellation. Recruits will provide various skills, questions, and even romances, and can be assigned to different ships and outposts, or even accompany you out in the field to aid you during combat.
Out in space, players will also be able to hail any ship they see, and what you do after that will be entirely your choice- you can swap information and news with them, you can choose to be a space pirate and steal their cargo (and their ship), and more. Plenty of random encounters and hand-crafted quests are also promised, while players can also expect to explore full start systems with plenty of native flora and fauna to discover.
About the flora and fauna in particular, Bethesda says it has tried to strike a balance between fun and realism, and studied data from NASA and other resources to make worlds, biomes, atmospheres, and more that were believable.
During the Starfield Direct, the RPG’s development team also spoke about character customization, progression mechanics, and much more. Read more on that through here.
Starfield launches on September 6 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.
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