Starfield Pre-Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

[Just Locus]

Most of the Story leaks I've seen contradict each other, the ones that turned out to be true were VERY vague and broad.

Quick Update: Apparently those very same Story leaks were something this Nintendo shill channel "Dreamcast guy" was spreading, for what reason? I don't know.

 

[racofer]

You see that mech? You can't pilot it.

 

[TheCumGuzzler]

Most of the Story leaks I've seen contradict each other, the ones that turned out to be true were VERY vague and broad.

Quick Update: Apparently those very same Story leaks were something this Nintendo shill channel "Dreamcast guy" was spreading, for what reason? I don't know.

Because he worships Sony, does it for the console wars.

 

[Just Locus]

Because he worships Sony

Yeah, I watched a portion of a couple of his videos and most of them consist of him paying lip service to whichever company he loves.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

You see that mech? You can't pilot it.
snip

Let me guess. Originally the player was suppose to be able to pilot mechs but Bethesda's people could not get it to work or there was no time to get that part of the game finished. But of course fans will fix it.

 

[Butter]

You see that mech? You can't pilot it.
snip

Let me guess. Originally the player was suppose to be able to pilot mechs but Bethesda's people could not get it to work or there was no time to get that part of the game finished. But of course fans will fix it.

That or a DLC hook.

 

[Crispy]

Mechs will fix it.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

First they'll give you mechs, then they'll give you mech armor DLC.

 

[Crispy]

I'D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Mechs outlawed? Good thing the player can't be an outlaw and join a space pirate faction, that would be even harder to explain than no levitation in Oblivion because the mages guild doesn't allow it.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

You see that mech? You can't pilot it.
snip

Let me guess. Originally the player was suppose to be able to pilot mechs but Bethesda's people could not get it to work or there was no time to get that part of the game finished. But of course fans will fix it.

That or a DLC hook.

Ah yes, making gamers pay extra for what should have been in the base game.

 

[Elthosian]

Mechs outlawed? Good thing the player can't be an outlaw and join a space pirate faction, that would be even harder to explain than no levitation in Oblivion because the mages guild doesn't allow it.

You actually can join one, but of course, they made it so that it doesn't matter in terms of doing quests for other factions.

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints. I'm 90% sure that the only reason vehicles aren't part of the game is to prevent the game from becoming a popping festival like NMS (that or ground vehicle physics were above their capacities), but we will see when the first vehicle mods arrive.

 

[Zombra]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

I'm confused. You'd rather they deliberately make a game that doesn't function?

 

[Crispy]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

But we're talking about mechs here, which can't really be as fast as more traditional vehicles. So your "popping" (I'm assuming you mean assets, textures, etc.) probably wouldn't be a major problem.

And, the technology in Gamebryo already exists for "mechs"; they actually did a p. damned decent job of it with power armor in Fallout 4.

My guess is those images are just teasers and mechs will be a $19.99 DLC item. WE FOUND THE MECH TECHNOLOGY AGAIN! SAVE THE GALAXY!

 

[racofer]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

I'm confused. You'd rather they deliberately make a game that doesn't function?

So all this time Bethesda was doing that by accident?

 

[Gargaune]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

But we're talking about mechs here, which can't really be as fast as more traditional vehicles. So your "popping" (I'm assuming you mean assets, textures, etc.) probably wouldn't be a major problem.

And, the technology in Gamebryo already exists for "mechs"; they actually did a p. damned decent job of it with power armor in Fallout 4.

My guess is those images are just teasers and mechs will be a $19.99 DLC item. WE FOUND THE MECH TECHNOLOGY AGAIN! SAVE THE GALAXY!

Guys, there's an actual mod that adds "mechs" to Fallout 4. There's no tech reason for them not being in Starfield and we've all had a long discussion about vehicles in Gamebryo a couple of dozen pages ago. All of that is even more applicable in this case since, indeed, mechs are stereotypically "slow" vehicles.

It's possible that Todd's saving them for DLC, but I think the far more likely explanation is that Bethesda just couldn't handle the scope. Once you add a major gameplay element like terrestrial mechs, you need to start designing whole gameplay loops around them - mech combat, mech upgrades, mech enemies, mech level design etc. etc. Even Todd can't do an "everything" game. And if he did, he'd probably lose sales since certain customers would have nothing to fix.

 

[Elthosian]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

I'm confused. You'd rather they deliberately make a game that doesn't function?

I wrote that under the assumption vehicles were an issue for the engine, but the replies by King Crispy and Gargaune now make me think it's probably going to be DLC material which... is kinda sad, because it would mean they made up that in-universe excuse just to later introduce them with DLC.

 

[Zombra]

I'd prefer it if they didn't build their universe around what obviously are engine constraints.

I'm confused. You'd rather they deliberately make a game that doesn't function?

I wrote that under the assumption vehicles were an issue for the engine, but the replies by King Crispy and Gargaune now make me think it's probably going to be DLC material which... is kinda sad, because it would mean they made up that in-universe excuse just to later introduce them with DLC.

Oh! You meant "engine constraints" like car engines!

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

SSI had made a couple of Goldbox games with these but I would love to have seen the FNV approach on this setting. Just completely remove the Buck Rogers IP as it barely mattered anyway, even the original designers of the setting wondered why they had to use it as it was barely known any more.

The designers of the Buck Rogers RPG published by TSR were surely aware that Lorraine Williams, who acquired control of TSR in October 1985, was one of the heirs to the Buck Rogers fortune and interested in revitalizing the IP, though she ultimately failed.

It's likely that Buck Rogers was the reason TSR abruptly cancelled its Star Frontiers RPG series, which seems to have been doing fairly well in terms of sales when Lorraine Williams acquired TSR.

 

[Moink]

Multiple gamebyro games have cars etc, I doubt it's an engine limitation but rather a gameplay choice, moving a-to-b on foot is likely the focus and they don't want to balance the exploration around having a car to do so. I'm 100% sure we'll see mechs in an expansion though, hopefully they let you bring them into space so I can finally have a good Gundam game.

 

[Avarize]

SSI had made a couple of Goldbox games with these but I would love to have seen the FNV approach on this setting. Just completely remove the Buck Rogers IP as it barely mattered anyway, even the original designers of the setting wondered why they had to use it as it was barely known any more.

The designers of the Buck Rogers RPG published by TSR were surely aware that Lorraine Williams, who acquired control of TSR in October 1985, was one of the heirs to the Buck Rogers fortune and interested in revitalizing the IP, though she ultimately failed.

It's likely that Buck Rogers was the reason TSR abruptly cancelled its Star Frontiers RPG series, which seems to have been doing fairly well in terms of sales when Lorraine Williams acquired TSR.

But reddit told me Lorraine Williams is only hated because of misogyny and she was actually a great leader that saved tabletop RPGs!

 

[ropetight]

Space exploration via maths and hard work à la Heinlein isn't sexy enough, everyone wants to write in the monoliths from 2001.

Remove FTL, put full featured Newtonian physics with braking maneuvers, and you loose 90% of the player base.
People love their power fantasies, especially in RPG's and Bethesda knows it must cater to that to sell millions.
Member the dragons from Skyrim?

I wish the Buck Rogers in the XXVc setting had not been forgotten even if it had been made to milk TSR. The ideas and concepts in it were a lot better than what I have seen so far in Starfield and its all within our solar system, eliminating the need for a FTL plot device.

SSI had made a couple of Goldbox games with these but I would love to have seen the FNV approach on this setting. Just completely remove the Buck Rogers IP as it barely mattered anyway, even the original designers of the setting wondered why they had to use it as it was barely known any more.

Buck Rogers is one of my old favorites, would love to see something newer in that universe/system.

Solar system is great setting for getting rid of FTL nonsense (if you have enough energy for FTL drive - your civilization must be post-scarcity utopia like Star Trek, not some ragtag band of frontier men).
Planets and their numeroous moons have enough locations to make game.
If that is not enough - asteroid belt, Kuiper belt and Oort cloud have enough space and to make it look enourmous and mysterious for exploration.

 

[Grauken]

Martin: As your president, I would demand a science-fiction library, featuring an ABC of the overlords of the genre. Asimov, Bester, Clarke!
Student: What about Ray Bradbury?
Martin: [dismissive] I'm aware of his work...

Slander, the big three were always Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

The designers of the Buck Rogers RPG published by TSR were surely aware that Lorraine Williams, who acquired control of TSR in October 1985, was one of the heirs to the Buck Rogers fortune and interested in revitalizing the IP, though she ultimately failed.

It's likely that Buck Rogers was the reason TSR abruptly cancelled its Star Frontiers RPG series, which seems to have been doing fairly well in terms of sales when Lorraine Williams acquired TSR.

I didn't know that TSR had a science fiction RPG IP before the Buck Rogers one. The issue regarding Lorraine Williams and the Buck Rogers IP and its impact on TSR is a bit complicated. Yes there was an interest in revitalizing the Buck Rogers but from articles about what happened behind the scene at TSR, more was going on and the Buck Rogers RPG sadly was used to transfer money away from TSR. I can't give you all the details as I would have to dig for these.

Buck Rogers is one of my old favorites, would love to see something newer in that universe/system.

Solar system is great setting for getting rid of FTL nonsense (if you have enough energy for FTL drive - your civilization must be post-scarcity utopia like Star Trek, not some ragtag band of frontier men).
Planets and their numerous moons have enough locations to make a game.
If that is not enough - asteroid belt, Kuiper belt and Oort cloud have enough space and to make it look enormous and mysterious for exploration.

Yes, a lot of people seem to forget that our own solar system is quite a big place that will keep humanity busy with exploring and colonizing for centuries if we work out how to get there and find ways of settling on these worlds. Somehow popular sci fi shows have created this idea for the audience and Hollywood writers that the solar system would be running out of room and resources in a matter of a couple of generation.
Space settings, especially ones that focus on humanity don't require dozens and dozens of star systems when the general theme is about exploration and taming the new frontiers.

And if aliens are really that necessary, throw in alien probes or some sleeper or seed ship.

(if you have enough energy for FTL drive - your civilization must be post-scarcity utopia like Star Trek, not some ragtag band of frontier men).

Good point. Usually writers/designers resort to using mega corporations to explain the scarcity of resources, technology, etc in a universe where FTL exists and is relatively common. Or the financial costs. But I have to think that this would fit only when the setting is one solar system and reaching other star systems is really difficult because there is not FTL, and instead generation ships, sleepers ships, or seed ships. But these kind of missions would have to be completely self sufficient, able to to set up its own infrastructure and economies as corporations back on Earth would never see any return in their investments. Shipping resources and products back would be pointless.

Slander, the big three were always Asimov, Heinlein and Clarke

I read quite some Heinlein when I was a late teen. Might sound dumb but Heinlein is or was probably one of the best introduction to science fiction for teens who wanted something more than just Star Wars, Star Trek, and generic sci-fi movies.
Clarke I have only started recently checking out again though I did read "Rendezvous with Rama" years ago (I never bothered with the sequels). I got this collection of his short stories now I want to get through. Some of his earlier work aged poorly though.
Asimov I genuinely tried but I just could not get through Foundation (I really loved the Del Rey covers pained by Michael Whelan. I want posters from those).

I also have read a lot of Niven. I rather like the Known Space books even if they are outdated content wise. They have this sort of pseudo Star Trek shared universe feeling. I do hate it though that the man resorted to explaining that his characters lied in some of his stories to explain retcons in books like the Ringworld series.

 

[GamingConnoisseur]