GamesRPGStarfieldTodd Howard said Starfield was a much harder RPG pre-release, and this early Starmap reportedly found in the game files makes that even clearerWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesRPGStarfieldTodd Howard said Starfield was a much harder RPG pre-release, and this early Starmap reportedly found in the game files makes that even clearerWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Bethesda Game Studios)
On the heels of Starfield’s launch, Bethesda boss Todd Howard explained that exploring space and dealing with planetary hazards used to be a lot more dangerousbefore the team “nerfed the hell out of it.“AStarfieldsleuth now claims to have uncovered an old version of the RPG’s Starmap, and it seems to have shed some light on the more punishing game that might’ve been.
The standout to me (and GamesRadar+’s resident Starfield-heads) is the list of hazards on the far right – in this case, “solar radiation” which can cause “light hull damage,” and “micrometeoroids” which “can cause catastrophic stop.” These hazards are notably listed below a fuel consumption meter, seemingly outlining the added risks imposed on Starfield players back when you risked running out of fuel mid-excursion.
Howard actually discussed ship fuel in a separate commentback in October 2022. “We were playing that and it became very punitive to the player. Your ship would run out of fuel and the game would just stop,” he said. “You just want to get back to what you’re doing. So we recently changed it where the fuel in your ship and your ship and the grav drive limits how far you can go at once, but it doesn’t run out of fuel. Maybe there will be an update or mod that allows that, but that’s what we’re doing now.”
Just to the left of this Starmap’s hazards tab is what looks like route or map filters for “systems,” “planets,” or “economy.” How these may have functioned is anyone’s guess, but the “economy” option in particular raises the possibility of a more involved trading or networking system.
It’s unclear when and how these features were cut, nor do we know how far along they were before seemingly getting axed. Theresponseto these breadcrumbs has been mixed, with some Starfield players hungry for a more dangerous, hardcore survival experience, and others actually preferring the look and functionality of the final map we ended up with. Speculating optimistically, perhaps polished versions of some of these ideas will be folded back into the game in some way through future updates, as Howard previously suggested regarding ship fuel.
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Bethesda’s Starfield roadmap for early 2024has the space RPG’s community feeling optimistic for the future.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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2
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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2
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3
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4
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5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”