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[Atrus]

Starfield had poor storytelling with a lacklustre overarching narrative with little payoff, so they would really need to hit it out of the park with expansion content to maintain an audience for years. They could barely retain an audience for a year since most people bailed on the game.

Overall Bethesda needs new writers and they need to stop shovelling sterile, G rated stories of little consequence.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Any word on a complete package of this or is this a Fallout 76/No man's sky type of deal we are looking at here? Developers need to fucking finish their games instead of breaking it up in piece meals.

 

[Punished Miku]

Any word on a complete package of this or is this a Fallout 76/No man's sky type of deal we are looking at here? Developers need to fucking finish their games instead of breaking it up in piece meals.

If their plan is true, you may see some kind of complete package in like 5+ years. Similar to the Skyrim AE edition that had all the creation club stuff. No way to do a complete package if they're doing expansions for several years.

 

[Mr Hyde]

If their plan is true, you may see some kind of complete package in like 5+ years. Similar to the Skyrim AE edition that had all the creation club stuff. No way to do a complete package if they're doing expansions for several years.

Okay, I can live with that. I'm returning to the game now with Shattered Space and then returning to it again in 5 years when Todd has finished it completely to snag a possible physical copy. If it's any good that is. But Shattered Space looked pretty lit so

 

[Aguero9320]

I do not care what anyone says, Starfield is great - I wasn't sure at first, and dropped it to play other things, but now that it's been updated a couple of times, and the dust has settled, it's creeping up my own personal 'favourite games of all time' list. I hope they support it for a decade or more.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The real hurdle is the tech. They gotta either overhaul Creation or build their tech over another foundation.

If ES6 in 2030 still uses Creation Engine it will be literally laughed at by everyone. Your move, Todd.

 

[Saiyan-Rox]

Eh just give up and focus on elder scrolls

Because I'd like to play the next one before I die

 

[RavageX]

For fuck's sake. How about you get all hands on deck for Elder Scrolls.

Starfield was a little experiment that failed. Learn from it and move on.

So this is whats wrong with games now. Too quick to move on. How about they (companies) fix their shit, assign a team to add content to said game while others work on new titles.

You make it too easy for companies to try selling a game at $60-$70 or more for deluxe and other bullshit versions, throw their hands up and move on to releasing another poorly completed/optimized game.

Companies need to keep supporting their games after release. No if, ands or buts about it.

 

[MrRenegade]

[AAnderson sends his regards]

 

[Ashamam]

Apple IIc sitting in the background there. Bring your games to Mac!!!

 

[simpatico]

Just move on. Starfield is bad at the elevator pitch level. There's nothing to fix. Get TES VI out. Between 2006 and 2011 they released Oblivion, Fallout 3 and Skyrim. Get the hit factory running again Todd.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Awesome to hear! Keep it coming.

 

[Varteras]

Funny, but looking over at steamdb.....there are a good number of folks still playing the game.

https://steamdb.info/app/1716740/charts/

Half of them are just you...

 

[Topher]

Half of them are just you...

Well....the other half is Ass of Can Whooping buying/refunding so he can review bomb the damn game. What do you expect?

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Nice. Good news for Starfield fans.

I hope so. We already know this mans mouth has enough hot air to compete with the big balloons. I own the game, so I have stock in what he says, but I have to bat an eye when he says stuff. Especially about Starfield.

 

[Raven117]

Man. All 10 people who play this game must be thrilled

 

[Mister Wolf]

To think we could have got Fallout 5 instead of this slop.

 

[Bkdk]

How much is bethesda paying satanic baby inc. monthly?

 

[tmlDan]

no story DLC will save the story, it was so incredibly poorly done.

But if they keep adding fun non-story content that would be great

 

[Wolfpact1983]

Every annual story for only 69.99 $,
Oh boy what a steal

 

[coffinbirth]

I really didn't get this. I really enjoyed the game back before all the QoL improvements.

Same. I just ran into a brick wall of boredom after the first 80 or so hours, which sounds silly, but that game should had hundreds of hours of shit to do, given how large it is. I think I read that vehicles and/or mounts are being added, and that alone will dramatically improve the game loop and general feel of the game. It just needs more content.

Anything on top of the base game, IMO, is just more meat on decent bones. I plan on coming back to it at some point, once the mods start getting good, probably.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

I can't fucking wait for Shattered Space, I want to do a third playthrough but I will wait for the expansion.

Even if you're a Starfield hater, supporting games post-launch should be celebrated as the proper way to handle things. Think of how games like ME:Andromeda or FF16 could have become good eventually but will forever stay in their current state - tragic.

ME:A was pretty good when I picked it up for $5 … at least better than launch apparently

 

[Chukhopops]

ME:A was pretty good when I picked it up for $5 … at least better than launch apparently

I finished it at launch, it's not as bad as its reputation.

But with a bit more effort it could be considered a true part of the ME series, not just some forgotten spin-off. Fixing games post-launch is caring for the lasting legacy of a series and should be applauded.

 

[ahtlas7]

Many years you say?

Video Game Insights – Games industry data and analysis

VG Insights is for developers, publishers and anyone interested in video game market research. Providing 50+ datapoints per game for over 50,000 games!

vginsights.com

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

Instead we've got a payed quest with unedited placeholder text.

Sure, Todd.

 

[Fess]

Any word on a complete package of this or is this a Fallout 76/No man's sky type of deal we are looking at here? Developers need to fucking finish their games instead of breaking it up in piece meals.

Would you be okay with waiting 5+ extra years? Starfield in 2028? Elder Scrolls VI in 2038? Fallout 6 in 2048?

I wouldn't, I'm already gray.

Plus, what Hello Games has done with No Man's Sky can't be done through extra dev time, they've changed core mechanics several times and tweaked the whole universe equation based on what they've heard the community requesting.

Same thing in happening with Starfield now, several updates comes from gamer feedback and more are coming.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

I can't fucking wait for Shattered Space, I want to do a third playthrough but I will wait for the expansion.

Even if you're a Starfield hater, supporting games post-launch should be celebrated as the proper way to handle things. Think of how games like ME:Andromeda or FF16 could have become good eventually but will forever stay in their current state - tragic.

But this is exactly the problem - the notion that you don't need to make it great from the start, you can fix it afterwards. However post launch and lack of engagement you will get business pushback, and rightfully so - money spend on fixing the game is a known input, game getting better and generating extra revenue is an uncertain output.

So unless it's GAAS this is a tough financial proposition. Even with GAAS as we saw with the Justice League - you either get it right or it won't be fixed.

 

[Hudo]

So this is whats wrong with games now. Too quick to move on. How about they (companies) fix their shit, assign a team to add content to said game while others work on new titles.

You make it too easy for companies to try selling a game at $60-$70 or more for deluxe and other bullshit versions, throw their hands up and move on to releasing another poorly completed/optimized game.

Companies need to keep supporting their games after release. No if, ands or buts about it.

You can't fix Starfield. Its fundamentals are already flawed. Otherwise I would've suggested to fix their shit up.

You'd have to redo Starfield if you want to fix it. And I'd rather they take Starfield as a lesson and apply that on their next project, which is Elder Scrolls.

 

[Fess]

Many years you say?

Video Game Insights – Games industry data and analysis

VG Insights is for developers, publishers and anyone interested in video game market research. Providing 50+ datapoints per game for over 50,000 games!

vginsights.com

Why not? Look at No Man's Sky still getting several updates every year. It's not quite GAAS but it's somewhat similar. Every update trailer is like an ad and every big update brings in some new players and returning old ones, it gets people talking and sells more copies. Player stats has more or less flat lined for 7 years but peaks around updates, seems to work.

 

[Chukhopops]

But this is exactly the problem - the notion that you don't need to make it great from the start, you can fix it afterwards. However post launch and lack of engagement you will get business pushback, and rightfully so - money spend on fixing the game is a known input, game getting better and generating extra revenue is an uncertain output.

So unless it's GAAS this is a tough financial proposition. Even with GAAS as we saw with the Justice League - you either get it right or it won't be fixed.

Those story expansions will be sold so that's less of a problem, even GP players will have to pay to enjoy it.

The game has 14M players and the completion rate for the last story mission before the point of no return is 22% on Steam and 12% on GP so that's a couple million players who finished it and potentially want more content.

Add to that the people who will use paid mods and I don't see a big profitability problem.

 

[Jakk]

I give Bethesda credit for trying with a new IP, but at this point I think they should move on and focus on TES VI. One or two expansions for Starfield would be fine, but this is too much, come on.

 

[Impotaku]

What you'll end up actually getting.

 

[winjer]

 

[Fess]

I give Bethesda credit for trying with a new IP, but at this point I think they should move on and focus on TES VI. One or two expansions for Starfield would be fine, but this is too much, come on.

They've already moved on and has been working on The Elder Scrolls VI for some time, it's a big studio, the Starfield expansion is like FO76 content, smaller side stuff.

 

[bbeach123]

They had the worse engine possible to make a space game .

There are many way to make space exploration fun , but the engine limitations is real . You can just put the ship in a "worm hole load screen" while you load the new planet/system , like in no man sky or the starwar game, it feel seamless but its not - but the illusion was there .

But the creation engine cant do that shit . The engine cant stream new assets , it has to be load in at the start .

 

[Jakk]

Would you be okay with waiting 5+ extra years? Starfield in 2028? Elder Scrolls VI in 2038? Fallout 6 in 2048?

I wouldn't, I'm already gray.

Plus, what Hello Games has done with No Man's Sky can't be done through extra dev time, they've changed core mechanics several times and tweaked the whole universe equation based on what they've heard the community requesting.

Same thing in happening with Starfield now, several updates comes from gamer feedback and more are coming.

The comparison with No Man's Sky isn't good imo. Starfield is a singleplayer, story-driven game, majority of players will finish it once and never play it again. In such games, you have to make a good impression on release, not years after. Maybe Cyberpunk would be a better comparison, but even there I think the game has a lot of issues that can't just be fixed after release and in a lot of areas it still isn't the game they promised.

I struggle to find one area in Starfield that is really well executed. The story is bland, exploration boring, the engine is outdated and there are immersion-breaking loadings everywhere. Maybe the graphics are pretty nice sometimes and I also like the idea of building custom ships, but what's the point when spaceflight is terrible.

Given the fact they want to do annual expansions, I doubt they will have time to make big changes to the mechanics.

 

[Fess]

The comparison with No Man's Sky isn't good imo. Starfield is a singleplayer, story-driven game, majority of players will finish it once and never play it again. In such games, you have to make a good impression on release, not years after. Maybe Cyberpunk would be a better comparison, but even there I think the game has a lot of issues that can't just be fixed after release and in a lot of areas it still isn't the game they promised.

I struggle to find one area in Starfield that is really well executed. The story is bland, exploration boring, the engine is outdated and there are immersion-breaking loadings everywhere. Maybe the graphics are pretty nice sometimes and I also like the idea of building custom ships, but what's the point when spaceflight is terrible.

Given the fact they want to do annual expansions, I doubt they will have time to make big changes to the mechanics.

As a longtime No Man's Sky fan I think they're close enough in structure that I for real suspect that someone on either dev team has worked at both places and shared ideas.

Starfield is certainly more story-driven and a roleplaying game with a big focus on combat but they still share so much in the side mechanics that me as a NMS fan now use Starfield to get my space adventurer fix instead.

Already done several playthroughs but I go in playing the game around updates now just like I've done for almost a decade on NMS.

It won't hold me interested forever but Shatterad Space seems nice, smaller than I hoped but more hand-crafted, very excited about that tbh.
Not sure it'll be big enough to make lots of money from it but maybe enough to keep doing it.

 

[Roberts]

It is one of the best games I have played in the last few years but at the end of my 100 hour run I was exhausted from it (in the best kind of way) and needed a break. Knowing that I can get back to it once a year and get new stuff makes me happy.

 

[DenchDeckard]

I actually want it to be even more sterile. Like Andromeda Strain sterile. We have lots of Cyberpunk stuff already. I'd like stuff where you can use all the data you scan for scientific advancements, or a datalog of some kind. Expand on some of the abandoned NASA stuff. Starfield is the only outlet for that optimistic Star Trek Next Gen / Carl Sagan / NASA stuff. Explore a black hole or something where science is not yet caught up.

But yeah, if they want to go through with darker stuff on Neon too I wouldn't really complain.

Great point! - I think there is a balance they could build on. Have the sterile positive the Martian style fun with space science.

But somewhere like Neon needs to be gritty and feel like an underworld more.

 

[CSJ]

I think then maybe, in a few years it might actually get some decent changes/story I might return to having a handful of expansions to play.

 

[Dazraell]

If ES6 in 2030 still uses Creation Engine it will be literally laughed at by everyone. Your move, Todd.

16 times the loading screens

 

[ozz ex machina]

Seriously Todd, just work on TES 6 and delivery it.

I feel sorry for people pining for TES 6. You guys need to understand what you pine for no longer exists. You will not feel like you did when you first played skyrim, oblivion, morrowind. You are older now, games have evolved and so have your standards but the innovation and quality stopped at bethesda. At best you'll get a game very similar to skyrim which you won't enjoy half as much.

I don't see how people can't look at the track record and expect TES 6 to be anything other than average. There are fan mods out there which probably will be just as good as TES 6.

 

[JackMcGunns]

I hope we gonna see good ones because game is not so good as i thought it will be...

Shattered Space looks good.

 

[Diseased Yak]

Great news! Love me some Starfield, I've been playing it off and on again for the past few weeks.

 

[WhamBamThankYouMaam]

But do we really need expansions with all the paid mods we will all be investing in?

 

[SportsFan581]

I actually want it to be even more sterile. Like Andromeda Strain sterile. We have lots of Cyberpunk stuff already. I'd like stuff where you can use all the data you scan for scientific advancements, or a datalog of some kind. Expand on some of the abandoned NASA stuff. Starfield is the only outlet for that optimistic Star Trek Next Gen / Carl Sagan / NASA stuff. Explore a black hole or something where science is not yet caught up.

But yeah, if they want to go through with darker stuff on Neon too I wouldn't really complain.

I see what you are saying there. Since there is a lot of alone time in the game, maybe they could insensitivise that more by adding more unique discoveries and mysteries to the game. To give it more of a sense of wondering into the unknown and discovering something. I think they tried that with the temples, but since the temples were basically all the same it didn't hit after the first couple.

 

[REDRZA MWS]

Bought at launch and as many are, I'm disappointed. Hopefully they can pull a cp2077. I only played 4-5 hours so if they fix it, add to it, change some things, I'll gladly revisit.