When Bethesda announced Starfield, the excitement surrounding the game was electric. Billed by the developers as the ultimate space RPG with multiple thousands of explorable planets, it promised to be an evolution in gaming, offering an unprecedented scope. But with such grand ambitions, questions arose: would the enormity of the game result in diluted quality? Could the sheer scale lead to a lack of depth? If you believe the Steam reviews, this is one of the many things that Starfield has failed at – it’s too big for its own good.
Interestingly, these concerns weren’t just among fans but also within the very walls of Bethesda. Bruce Nesmith, an ex-Bethesda dev and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s lead designer, who was involved in Starfield’s early stages, brought up an intriguing proposition: what if Starfield was smaller, limited to about two dozen solar systems?
This wasn’t a mere suggestion pulled out of thin air. Nesmith believed that a more concentrated approach could lead to a richer and more immersive experience for players. “There was a lot of discussion about the scope of the game… at one point, I said ‘I bet this game would be a lot better if we restricted ourselves to about two dozen solar systems’,” he mentioned during his interview with MinnMax. The rationale was that by focusing on fewer planets, the developers will have a chance to go into greater detail, ensuring each was unique and meaningful to explore.
However, the counter-argument, which eventually shaped the game’s direction, was based on a mix of both efficiency as well as ambition. The idea was that once you’ve crafted a single solar system, expanding it to a hundred or more isn’t all that more demanding. “Once you’ve done one solar system, doing a hundred is not really adding to your work all that much,” Nesmith elaborated. This, coupled with the allure of procedural generation, allowed Bethesda to envisage a vast universe teeming with exploration opportunities.
Of course, this approach comes with inherent risks. The vastness of space is best characterized by its idiosyncrasy. But, a decision to put scope over precision saw Starfield miss opportunities to include peculiar set pieces that could have added an extra layer of awe and wonder to the gameplay.
Furthermore, there’s the concern of repetitiveness. Procedural generation, while efficient, can inadvertently introduce an unwelcome feeling of uniformity. It doesn’t take long for players to start noticing recurring elements, diluting the freshness of exploration. As a result, Starfield’s massive universe occasionally feels bland and repetitive.
Drawing a comparison, the hit indie game Outer Wilds captured the essence of space exploration with a fraction of the planets featured in Starfield. It masterfully wove in extreme environmental conditions, intriguing narratives, and tight gameplay mechanics, all within a much smaller sandbox. This begs the question: could Starfield have achieved a similar depth with a focused approach?
Historical evidence suggests that the answer is a definite “yes”. Don’t forget, one of the main factors behind the success of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind compared to The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall – Bethesda replaced the latter’s massive but procedurally generation world with a relatively intimate setting filled with hand crafted areas. It’s one of the things that made Bethesda’s subsequent titles since then until Starfield was so good as well.
Ultimately, Bethesda’s former design director’s insights provide valuable introspection. The game’s exploration aspect became controversial when it was revealed that only 10% of the planets would harbor life. Yet, Starfield’s initial success is undeniable, with over a million concurrent players on release day and 10 million players in the subsequent three weeks.
To date, Starfield is the most successful Xbox exclusive in a while if not forever, nearly topping sales charts the month it launched and resulting in a surge of Xbox Series S/X sales.
While some believe that a more focused Starfield could result in a richer experience, others celebrate its sprawling universe. It’s a testament to the challenges and triumphs of game development, where every choice is a double-edged sword. The conversations it has sparked, both internally at Bethesda and among fans, will likely influence the design philosophies of future titles, guiding developers as they continue to push boundaries and explore the vast potential of the gaming universe.
Here’s to hoping that Bethesda has learned the right lessons as it works hard on The Elder Scrolls VI, which will fly under the radar until we’re much closer to its release.
