Summary
Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi action RPGStarfieldwill feature a jail system that is similar to the one inSkyrim.The long-awaited IP has often been dubbed “Skyrimin space,” and it seems that the developer did implement some mechanics that will be familiar to fans of that game.And now thatStarfieldhas officially gone goldand pre-loading has begun, gamers are even more eager to learn more details about the space-faring RPG.
Perfectly timed to coincide with the surge of excitement caused by the game going gold, the developers atBethesda held aStarfieldQ&A sessionon August 16. Anybody who’s a member of the game’s free Constellation group could join the Bethesda Game Studios Discord server and throw out questions, and a range of information was revealed by Lead Game Designer Emil Pagliarulo and Lead Quest Designer Will Shen.
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Some interesting tidbits were shared aboutStarfield’s legal system, namely that it somewhat resembles the one used inSkyrim.In the game’s Settled Systems, there are laws that must be abided by, and if the player is caught committing a crime, they will have the option to surrender and then either be tossed in jail or pay a fine. Of course, those who are a bit more sure about their ability to escape can certainly resist arrest and make a run for it. Pagliarulo says, “The Settled Systems is more likeSkyrimthanFallout 4’s Commonwealth in that regard.”
In Bethesda’s high-fantasy RPG,wasting away in jail can gradually take a toll on a character’s morale and, after a while, they will lose progress in some skills. It’s unclear if this aspect ofSkryim’s jail systemalso made its way intoStarfieldor whether there will be means to sneakily break out of jail. But in a game that “explore[s] the themes of crime and punishment in our futuristic universe,” it’s likely that players will have the option to serve out their sentence or attempt a jailbreak.
There is also a Contraband system inStarfieldin which certain items are illegal to purchase or own. These include harvested organs, though the developers didn’t clarify when or why the player might be hauling such unsavory cargo. To avoid detection, there are special ship modules that can be used to smuggle contraband and keep it from being detected by patrolling security ships.
Many of the people participating in the Discord Q&A session were excited by the prospect of possibly being a double agent by joining two opposing factions. Also similar toSkyrim,players inStarfieldwill be able to join all factionsat once, eventually leading to a choice between betrayal or loyalty. Pagliarulo and Shen give the example of a sidequest that tasks players with infiltrating the Crimson Fleet to gather information for the UC SysDef faction, and then it will be up to the player to decide which side to ultimately get behind. Either way, according to Bethesda, all of the playable factions in the game can be “completed independently,” so players should be kept very busy trying out all their options.
Starfieldlaunches September 6 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
