While the behemoth of Bethesda has been very discreet since its presentation at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, Todd Howard plays a game and answers questions fans have regarding Starfield.
Starfield Inspiration
This small series of questions allows you to learn more regarding the studio’s next title, in particular what its influences are. Todd Howard quotes SunDog, a science fiction title from the Ultima games era. In particular, it offered the possibility of owning your own ship and exploring the universe.
The question also makes him evoke a certain Traveller, this time a hard science fiction title that is more akin to a paper role-playing game. It was Todd Howard who had programmed it on Apple II, an opportunity for him to realize that a computer can run out of memory.
Not really a hard sci-fi game
If it has already been confirmed that Starfield will be a more complex RPG than Skyrim, questions still arise as to the universe in which it is immersed. Indeed, some are wondering if Bethesda’s next mega-production will be a sci-fi or hard sci-fi title.
Todd Howard says the game won’t be a true hard sci-fi experience. If it did, we’d freeze to death in space. He also shares an anecdote regarding the management of the fuel and the starship of the protagonist’s ship.
Originally, the team looked to quantum physics books to make the ride feel true to life. Similarly, it was necessary to manage its fuel gauge. Unfortunately, this turned out to be far too punitive, so the studio opted for a solution that limited the distance that might be traveled, thus making it possible not to break down.
Character traits not final
RPG enthusiasts expect a lot from character customization. Thus, the director of the studio took stock of the traits that will be selected at the start of the game. If he specifies that he finds them very amusing, he also confirms that each of them will be accompanied by a penalty.
However, if you regret your choice of trait in the middle of the game, it would be a shame to delete your progress. This is why quests will be offered for each trait in order to remove them.
A new dialogue system
If there is indeed an element of dialogue anchored in Bethesda productions, it is the dialogues, in spite of a few failed attempts as in Fallout 4. For this new game, Todd Howard specifies that the studio has chosen a classic style where the player observes the reactions of the NPCs.
We can also see in the excerpt that several dialogue options are offered, each requiring a certain number of persuasion points to spend. Conversations are thus intended to be fluid and natural.
Finally, Todd Howard insists on the fact that Starfield is the most ambitious game of the studio on all points, and in particular on the level of the dialogues. Indeed, more than 250,000 lines of dialogue were recorded once morest 111,000 for Fallout 4 and 60,000 for Skyrim.
Although a few excerpts have been unveiled, it will once once more be necessary to be patient to see more. However, the studio director is eager to show more to the fans and will lend himself to the exercise once more before the release of Starfield in 2023 on Xbox Series X|S and PC. The title will arrive the day of its release in the Xbox Game Pass.
