Starfield Xbox PC Gaming

[Tom]

Bethesda's space opera Starfield is officially delayed. The game was supposed to appear on November 11, 2022. Instead, it will appear in Q1 2023.

Bethesda didn't offer any detailed explanation for the Starfield delay, beyond citing quality control thoughts.

In a statement released via Twitter, the publisher noted that Bethesda Game Studios require more time on their project to make it the "best, most polished" title it can be.

"We can't wait to share our first deep dive into the gameplay for Starfield soon" says Bethesda. Expect that at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase, which will take place on June 12.

Starfield needs no introduction. The game sells itself as an entertaining space expedition to "answer humanity's greatest mystery" and marks Bethesda's first new IP in 25 years. To help kill time and make the wait for the game more bearable, why not watch the video below for things we know so far about the Xbox-exclusive Bethesda RPG.

 

[Ginger Ted]

Got a day off today so will be putting some more hours in.

Still having an awful lot of fun. Going to focus on the Rangers faction quest as I'm really digging Akila city.

 

[Black Sheep]

Been reading a lot of comments elsewhere about how players are approaching the game.

I'm about 25 hours in and have no intention of crafting or building outposts. I already have a legendary space suit, helmet and booster pack along with legendary weapons from completing various side quests, not to mention a new spaceship from completing the Mantis quest. I'm probably ready to start the main storyline at this stage.

 

[David76]

Bethesda has released the patch notes for the next Starfield update, to be tested in Beta form through Steam before it's rolled out to the masses. This update will include

• The next Starfield update adds official Nvidia DLSS support for PC players, including DLSS Super Resolution and DLAA.
• Players can now eat and drink items found in the environment, fulfilling a popular fan request.
• The update also includes various fixes and improvements to address bugs, improve performance and stability.

The full patch notes can be viewed below.

Spoiler: Starfield November 2023 Update Patch Notes

NVIDIA DLSS SUPPORT
This update introduces Nvidia DLSS support for our PC players. Compatible Nvidia graphic cards can now use DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame generation. Please note: While DLSS Frame Generation is active, VSync needs to be toggled OFF to see the benefit. We are working to automatically adjust this setting in a future update.

LET THEM EAT!
By popular request, we have added the ability to ingest food and drink items upon finding them in the environment. You can enjoy those Chunks immediately or save them for later. The choice is yours.

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

• Addressed a number of memory related issues and leaks.
• [PC Only] Add some GPU performance optimizations, which will be more impactful on higher end cards.
• [PC Only] Improved renderer threading model, improving CPU usage most notably on higher end systems.
• Various stability and performance improvements.

GAMEPLAY

• Added the ability to eat the food placed in the world
• Adjusted stealth to be a bit more forgiving.
• Fixed an issue where Andreja's head would stay permanently cloaked.
• Fixed an issue that could prevent players from firing their weapons.
• Fixed issues where some NPC could be seen not wearing clothes.
• Fixed an issue where already in-progress skill challenges could stop progressing after reaching the Unity and starting a new game.
• Fixed an issue that could temporarily prevent opening the inventory or saving after entering the Unity.
• PC: Fixed an issue where mouse movement could be choppy.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause the home ship to be lost.
• Fixed an issue where the ship services technician might be missing.

GRAPHICS

• Addressed an issue with how ambient occlusion appeared in ultrawide resolutions.
• Optimized initial shader compilation that occurs on start-up.
• Added the ability to adjust Brightness and Contrast in the Display Settings menu.
• Added the ability to adjust HDR Brightness provided that the system supports it. (Xbox & Windows 11 only).
• Addressed a number of materials that could sometimes present an unintended pattern under certain conditions.
• Fixed various visual issues related to the new FOV slider options.
• Improved the appearance of the eyes on crowd characters.
• Addressed a number of minor visual issues related to lighting, shadows, terrain, and vegetation.

QUESTS

• All That Money Can Buy: Fixed a rare issue where players couldn't sit during the negotiation with Musgrove.
• Blast Zone: Fixed an issue where the hard rocks that need to be cleared out by players will not appear on Ngodup Tate's land.
• Echoes of the Past: Fixed an issue where the Grylloba Queen could sometimes not be reachable during the objective "Secure the Shuttle Bay".
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where players' quest progression could potentially be blocked due to a missing docking prompt.
• Grunt Work: Addressed an issue where progress could appear blocked if "Supra et Ultra" was completed while returning to the Lodge during "High Price to Pay".
• No Sudden Moves: Fixed an issue the that could prevent the entrance door to the Scow ship from being opened again.
• Operation Starseed: Fixed an issue where the key that is needed to exit the facility could sometimes not be present.
• Sabotage: Fixed an issue where David Barron could potentially not be found by players.
• Short Sighted: Fixed an issue where players could rarely become control-locked while speaking with Vladimir.
• The Heart of Mars: Fixed an issue where players might not be able to mine the "The Heart of Mars"

 

[David76]

Bethesda has released the patch notes for the next Starfield update, to be tested in Beta form through Steam before it's rolled out to the masses. This update will include

• The next Starfield update adds official Nvidia DLSS support for PC players, including DLSS Super Resolution and DLAA.
• Players can now eat and drink items found in the environment, fulfilling a popular fan request.
• The update also includes various fixes and improvements to address bugs, improve performance and stability.

The full patch notes can be viewed below.

Spoiler: Starfield November 2023 Update Patch Notes

NVIDIA DLSS SUPPORT
This update introduces Nvidia DLSS support for our PC players. Compatible Nvidia graphic cards can now use DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame generation. Please note: While DLSS Frame Generation is active, VSync needs to be toggled OFF to see the benefit. We are working to automatically adjust this setting in a future update.

LET THEM EAT!
By popular request, we have added the ability to ingest food and drink items upon finding them in the environment. You can enjoy those Chunks immediately or save them for later. The choice is yours.

FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

• Addressed a number of memory related issues and leaks.
• [PC Only] Add some GPU performance optimizations, which will be more impactful on higher end cards.
• [PC Only] Improved renderer threading model, improving CPU usage most notably on higher end systems.
• Various stability and performance improvements.

GAMEPLAY

• Added the ability to eat the food placed in the world
• Adjusted stealth to be a bit more forgiving.
• Fixed an issue where Andreja's head would stay permanently cloaked.
• Fixed an issue that could prevent players from firing their weapons.
• Fixed issues where some NPC could be seen not wearing clothes.
• Fixed an issue where already in-progress skill challenges could stop progressing after reaching the Unity and starting a new game.
• Fixed an issue that could temporarily prevent opening the inventory or saving after entering the Unity.
• PC: Fixed an issue where mouse movement could be choppy.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause the home ship to be lost.
• Fixed an issue where the ship services technician might be missing.

GRAPHICS

• Addressed an issue with how ambient occlusion appeared in ultrawide resolutions.
• Optimized initial shader compilation that occurs on start-up.
• Added the ability to adjust Brightness and Contrast in the Display Settings menu.
• Added the ability to adjust HDR Brightness provided that the system supports it. (Xbox & Windows 11 only).
• Addressed a number of materials that could sometimes present an unintended pattern under certain conditions.
• Fixed various visual issues related to the new FOV slider options.
• Improved the appearance of the eyes on crowd characters.
• Addressed a number of minor visual issues related to lighting, shadows, terrain, and vegetation.

QUESTS

• All That Money Can Buy: Fixed a rare issue where players couldn't sit during the negotiation with Musgrove.
• Blast Zone: Fixed an issue where the hard rocks that need to be cleared out by players will not appear on Ngodup Tate's land.
• Echoes of the Past: Fixed an issue where the Grylloba Queen could sometimes not be reachable during the objective "Secure the Shuttle Bay".
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where players' quest progression could potentially be blocked due to a missing docking prompt.
• Grunt Work: Addressed an issue where progress could appear blocked if "Supra et Ultra" was completed while returning to the Lodge during "High Price to Pay".
• No Sudden Moves: Fixed an issue the that could prevent the entrance door to the Scow ship from being opened again.
• Operation Starseed: Fixed an issue where the key that is needed to exit the facility could sometimes not be present.
• Sabotage: Fixed an issue where David Barron could potentially not be found by players.
• Short Sighted: Fixed an issue where players could rarely become control-locked while speaking with Vladimir.
• The Heart of Mars: Fixed an issue where players might not be able to mine the "The Heart of Mars"

Bethesda Game Studios have announced that the latest update for "Starfield" is now available.

 

[David76]

Another update for Starfield has just dropped, bringing with it a wide range of bug fixes, gameplay enhancements, and some much needed improvements to the game's graphics.

In the coming months, the developer also plans to roll out official mod support for the game via Creation Club 2.0, but right now a new update has been released that works wonders on the game's graphics.

Don't let the boring name Update 1.9.51.0 fool you, this is a solid update for the game that brings a lot of much-needed improvements and upgrades.

For starters, the graphics have been significantly overhauled. This is especially true for the lighting, shadows and reflections. Despite exclusively running on the Xbox Series X/S and PC, Starfield wasn't considered a technical marvel when it was released, which meant the 30fps lock felt like an insult to injury.

While this update hasn't messed with the framerate or resolution, it's at least made planets more presentable to the player. Not really enough to make them worth exploring since the majority of them are empty but if you're a player who loves a good photo opportunity, you'll likely benefit from this update.

Alongside the boost in graphics the update also fixes some common bugs and glitches regarding gameplay, outpost building and quests. Since it's a Bethesda game, there'll likely always be bugs present but this update at least irons out some of the more annoying ones.

Spoiler: Patch Notes 1.9.51.0 - FIXES AND IMPROVEMENTS

ANIMATION

• Fixed player character's eyes remaining closed instead of blinking in third person view.
• Addressed rare cases where small animation pops could be seen in third person.

CREATURES AND ENEMIES

• Fixed incorrectly invisible creatures on some planets.
• Fixed an issue that could occur on some enemies causing them to stand instead of falling to the ground.

CREW AND COMPANIONS

• Fixed crew members and companions positioning near the cockpit after fast traveling to the ship.
• Companions: Fixed a possible control-lock when talking to a companion without entering a dialogue while simultaneously trying to exit the ship.

GENERAL

• [ADDED TO 1.9.51] Addressed a crash that could occur when changing from Fullscreen to Windowed mode. (PC)
• Fixed an issue that prevented Windows users saving if their username featured certain characters (PC).
• Fixed rare save game corruptions on PC (MSS and Steam).
• Fixed an issue that could lead to a control lock or a crash after loading a quicksave while in the targeting mode.
• Fixed player marker following the camera on the surface map.
• Fixed a rare issue that could prevent access to the main menu on when prompted to "Press any button to Start" (Xbox).
• Body type should no longer reset to default when loading a Starborn save from the main menu.
• Fixed flickering on Neon's Trade Tower elevator panel.
• Improved the appearance of the Ryujin Kiosk material during nighttime.
• Fixed rare issue with how Cydonia's panel could display the hours without incident.
• Added Optimizations to cloud syncing of save games (MSS/Xbox).
• Improved how crowds behave when desired target is reserved.
• Fixed an issue that could cause airlock doors to sometimes appear floating in sky when arriving at locations.
• Fixed unintended text appearing on the shipbuilder's UI.
• Fixed game session not properly resuming from shutdown in Energy Save mode (Xbox).
• Various stability improvements.

GRAPHICS

• Improved widescreen support (32:9, 21:9 and 16:10).
• Added support for stars displaying sun disk geometry.
• Shadows can now be seen on planet rings from planet surface.
• Improved eyes and skin on crowd characters.
• Improved reflection on water.
• Improved contact shadows on character skin (Xbox and PC Medium/High/Ultra).
• Improved contact shadows on character cloth (PC High/Ultra).
• Improved contact shadows on first person (PC Ultra).
• Improved lighting in character generation menu.
• Reduced the appearance of some minor artifacts during cutscene camera transitions.
• Fixed flickering on a number of VFX (Sandstorm, corrosive liquid pools, waterfall).
• Fixed a rare issue where the camera would lock while in handscanner mode whenever watching flying fauna (Xbox).
• Fixed potential control lock when opening a game menu a moment before triggering a dialogue with another character.
• Addressed various shadow popping, flickering and artifact issues.
• Improved the visibility of the sun's lens flare during sunrise and sunset.
• Fixed a rare issue where foam or grime would not show up.
• Fixed rare flickering VFX that could occur in space (Xbox Series S).
• Fixed rare hair flickering (Xbox Series X/S).
• Fixed occasional flicker on digiframes and TV screens.
• Adjusted the appearance of bloom when activating the handscanner.
• Improved the appearance of clouds during weather transitions.
• Fixed rare cases where alignment of grass and wind could appear disconnected.
• Reduced bloom intensity effect while motion blur is active (PC).
• Addressed issues with concealment effect not always applying when using the handscanner.
• Fixed visible edge of the ocean in the distance when seen from a very high point of view.
• Fixed rare white flickering dots around characters' hair during cut scenes.
• Fixed a readability issue in the Starmap when using large menu font mode.
• Fixed inventory menu occasionally failing to generate previews when using a mouse (PC).
• Fixed a brief Depth of Field issue that sometimes occurred when aiming, alt-tabbing or leaving a dialogue screen.
• Fixed occasional lighting transition issues after loading or exiting a location.
• Fixed an issue that could cause intermittent bands to appear in distance fog.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause fog color to appear inconsistent.
• Fixed a rare issue that could cause rocks to disappear near the player on the surface of a planet.
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching to DLSS with dynamic resolution active (PC).
• Fixed flickering and delayed shadows sometimes occurring after unpausing the game.
• Fixed various FSR2 and DLSS artifacts (noise, black dots, ghosting).
• Fixed flickering when using the handscanner with DLSS enabled.
• Fixed initial lighting conditions when landing on a planet.
• Improved lighting at 73 locations.
• Fixed various geometry, texture, and ghosting issues.

OUTPOSTS

• Fixed a rare missing terrain issue that could occur after fast traveling to an outpost near New Atlantis.
• Fixed an issue that could cause bulldozed objects to reappear when returning to an outpost.
• Fixed an issue that caused hazard damage to remain even when the hazard was removed by bulldozing in outposts.
• Fixed an issue where outpost's cargo links would be removed from the terminal list if connected, disconnected, then reconnected to another cargo link during the cargo ship landing sequence.
• Fixed an issue where weapon cases built by the player in an Outpost would populate with weapons and ammo after reloading the game.

POWERS

• Fixed a rare issue that could cause the Phased Time power to remain enabled.
• Fixed the extreme speed that could occur in zero G when using the Phased Time power.
• Solar Flare Power now accounts for critical hits.

QUESTS AND RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

• Absolute Power: Fixed missing slate in the safe preventing from completing the optional objective "Locate Evidence to Extort Ayumi Komiko".
• Background Checks: Fixed possible control-lock that could occur if caught by security.
• Derelict Ship: Fixed an issue preventing the player from reaching the pilot seat if they did not have access to advanced locks.
• Drinks on the House: Fixed rare occurrence where the door to Sub 12 could remain locked.
• Echoes of the Past: Fixed Delgado getting stuck at bottom of stairs during "Continue Exploring the Lock" that could occur if The Lock was left during Delgado's history dialogue.
• Echoes of the Past: Resolved an issue that could cause Mathis' and Delgado's guns to be invisible.
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue that could cause data transfer to not start after placing the Data Core.
• Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where the docking prompt would be missing on the Legacy ship if the player undocked with the Legacy and then reloaded a save before having started the mission.
• Executive Level: Fixed an issue where players could get stuck on a chair in the Ryujin Industries HQ conference room.
• Failure to Communicate: Fixed an issue that prevented the player from finishing the quest if they downed all the members of the defense pact (Alban Lopez, Jacquelyn Lemaire, and Chanda Banda).
• Further Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare crash that could occur when trying to dock with The Eye.
• Groundpounder: Fixed an issue where the door to Lezama could sometimes be locked if the player left the location during the quest and came back later.
• Hostile Intelligence: Fixed blocked doors in the Steam Tunnels room where the Terrormorph transformation occurs.
• Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare issue that could prevent the quest from starting after completing The Old Neighborhood.
• Into the Unknown: Fixed a rare issue where a Temple location might not populate when receiving the "Go to" objective.
• Legacy's End: Fixed an issue that could prevent interacting with Delgado when he was behind the glass inside in the command center of The Key.
• Legacy's End: Fixed a debris pile where to player could become stuck while trying to reach the Mess Hall.
• Missed Beyond Measure: Fixed a dialogue between Sarah and Walter not playing at The Lodge.
• No Sudden Moves: Fixed companions not following player during personal quests.
• On The Run: Fixed various issues related to Mei Devine becoming inaccessible the objective updated to "Listen to Mei Devine's Introduction".
• On The Run: Fixed a possible control lock when sitting at the table to talk to Jade MacMillan.
• One Small Step: Fixed a rare issue that could prevent Lin / Heller from exiting the airlock.
• Operation Starseed: Fixed a bad view that could occur if the Beagle was boarded after a long idle.
• Power From Beyond: Fixed an issue that caused missing Starborn temples and scanner disturbances that could prevent obtaining all Starborn powers from that universe.
• Rough Landings: Resolved an issue that could occur during the "Meet up with Milena Axelrod" objective that could prevent ships from appearing at the desired location.
• Shadows in Neon: Fixed an issue that could occur when repeatedly using the door to Jaylen Pryce's office before he progressed to Neon Core.
• Supra et Ultra: Fixed a control lock that could occur when entering the Flight Simulator while a guard is attempting arrest.
• Tapping the Grid: Fixed inaccessible junction boxes that could occur after the Hunter attacks the Lodge.
• The Best There Is: Fixed an issue that could prevent objective from advancing when talking to Naeva and Jasmine in the engineering room.
• The Empty Nest: Fixed and issue that could cause Sam Coe's gun to be invisible when inside Jacob's house.
• The Heart of Mars: Fixed another location that could potentially prevent recovering The Heart of Mars.
• The Pale Lady: Fixed rare case of inaccessible ship crew log data slate making it impossible to complete the encounter.
• Top of the L.I.S.T.: Phil Hill should now accept survey data for Sumati.
• War Relics: Resolved an issue that could prevent Kaiser from moving to the mission site.
• Where Hope is Built: Fixed a crash that could occur with a specific set of player behaviors.

SHIPS AND SHIP CUSTOMIZATION

• Fixed another case that could cause an asteroid to follow a ship in space.
• Fixed ship hatch being marked inaccessible after swapping to a new home ship.
• Fixed an issue where the ship could end up in an unintended state by simultaneously attempting fast travel during a grav jump.
• Fixed a view issue that could occur when fast traveling during ship targeting mode.
• Fixed an issue that could occur when entering Ship Targeting mode immediately after selecting a Grav Jump.
• Fixed an issue that caused non-functional ladders to appear when the player modified their ship with a Taiyo All-In-One Berth Top A and a Deimos 1x1.
• Fixed an issue where the Legendary ship could take too long to resume firing after the weapons were repaired.
• Space combat should now match ground combat difficulty increase with successive trips through the Unity.
• Fixed an issue where loading an exit save made while docked to a space station could cause names of ships to change.
• Fixed marker not pointing to the current home ship after performing a save/load between different ships.
• Fixed in issue that could cause the Frontier to incorrectly appear if a non-home ship was removed from a landing pad.

SKILLS

• REJUVENATION: Rejuvenation skill VFX no longer replay whenever the handscanner is opened in third person.
• SURVEYING: Fixed surveying challenge progress issue with mineral resource.
• TARGETING CONTROL SYSTEMS: Fixed inconsistencies with level 3 and 4.

WEAPONS AND ITEMS

• Fixed incorrect reload amounts that could occur when consuming a Trauma Pack.
• Fixed FOV and zoom issues with weapon scopes.
• Fixed weapon sound effects occasionally continuing to play after killing an enemy.
• Fixed turret state not being restored properly after and save and load.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the helmet light to not reappear in third person after a save and load.

 

[Tom]

Anyone still playing? I'm dipping in and out of it from time to time. Updates haven't really added/fixed much yet (I'm on Xbox) but I am looking forward to DLC whenever that comes. Honestly the game would be much better if there wasn't so much load screens. That's a big immersion breaker for me.

 

[Micro Dave]

Looked great. Unfortunately it was boring. One or two excellent missions in a sea of mediocrity. Ending is stupid and doesn't encourage you into new game plus.

It's the arse end of the last generation of gaming, I think. Interactions with characters are excruciating when compared with something like Cyberpunk 2077.

 

[Scotty G]

I really couldn't get into it. I can see people obsessing over that kind of game but I don't have the time or the patience these days.

 

[David76]

Bethesda has finally addressed concerns regarding the future of Starfield, promising updates and "exciting things" in the coming months. The announcement follows significant player discontent over a lack of communication, especially after Starfield's absence from the June Xbox Games Showcase, where other titles like The Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76 were highlighted.

In a recent statement, Bethesda reassured fans that they are actively working on future updates, including a second expansion for Starfield. This comes after the game's mixed reception since its launch in September 2023, which has led some to question whether Bethesda would shift focus to other franchises.

Bethesda's acknowledgement is a positive step for the community, which is eager for more content and potential developments, such as a PlayStation 5 release. Despite facing challenges, including layoffs within the company, Bethesda remains committed to supporting Starfield with plans for annual expansions.

The latest patch, Update 1.15.222, offers minor improvements and stability fixes, though it has not significantly altered gameplay.

Key points:

• Bethesda promises future updates and content for Starfield.
• Community dissatisfaction stems from a lack of communication.
• The game will receive at least one more expansion.
• Bethesda remains committed despite recent layoffs.
• The current patch includes minor improvements and fixes.

Spoiler: Patch Notes: 1.15.222

General

• Minor improvements to format and display in Creations menus.
• Addressed an issue that could cause the Extreme Temperature gear to appear incorrectly.
• Minor improvements to sorting in the Missions Menu.
• General crash and stability fixes.

This update is currently in Steam Beta. If you would like to opt in to the Starfield Beta update, please follow these instructions:

• Open your Steam Library and navigate to Starfield
• Right-click on "Starfield" and select "Properties"
• In the new properties pop-up window, select "Betas"
• In the beta drop down to opt into, select "[beta]"
• Wait for the app to download the new build and launch

 

[David76]

In a recent Bethesda Game Studios Developer Spotlight, lead creative producer Tim Lamb revealed exciting news for Starfield fans: a significant amount of new content is in the works. This includes free updates, a new DLC story, and features that the community has long been requesting.



Lamb emphasised that the team is particularly focused on enhancing space gameplay to make interplanetary travel more rewarding. This hints at the potential inclusion of interplanetary travel, which has been a topic of speculation among fans. The anticipation is further stirred by rumours that a new expansion might coincide with a PS5 port of Starfield, potentially launching in early 2026.

"We have some cool stuff coming, including free updates and features players have been asking for, as well as a new DLC story. I can't go into all the details just yet, but I will say part of the team has been focused on space gameplay to make the travels there more rewarding. We're also adding some new game systems and a few other smaller delights."

While the specifics and timing of these updates remain under wraps, the confirmation of ongoing development shows that Bethesda is committed to enriching the Starfield experience.

Key points to consider:

Upcoming Content for Starfield:

• Free updates and new DLC story confirmed.
• New features based on player requests are in development.
• Focus on enhancing space gameplay and travel rewards.
• Rumoured expansion may align with a PS5 port in early 2026.