Speaking as a punter rather than someone with any knowledge of game dev work, the current console generation has ruined loading screens for me. I know it's unreasonable to groan at any loading that takes more than three seconds but I can't help it anymore. The idea of a whole game of it like this is wearying to even think about. I'm spoiled and aware of it, but it's still the truth
It’s not just the loading screens: so much of Starfield feels like it’s the world’s prettiest last-gen game.
I love Skyrim and I am perfectly fine with Skyrim in Space, thank you very much. But it still feels like Skyrim in ways that it shouldn’t, given how much time has passed -- like the awkward dialogue, both in script and delivery. Being limited to set landing zones around a small slice of a planet makes the game feel a hell of a lot smaller than it should.
A few of the Starfield reviews mentioned a lack of wonder. And that really surprised me: how on Earth (no pun intended) can a gorgeous wide-open space game lack WONDER? And then I waded through a bunch of menus to make a grav drive jump. Ah, right, that’s how.
Again, I’m enjoying it just fine. But the thing is, and I don’t want to sound entitled here, I think it’s okay to have expected more than an 8/10-ish game? Disappointment is a weird thing; I’m not disappointed per se, because it is a perfectly fine game. But I don’t feel like it’s something I’m compelled to play for 200+ hours like Skyrim, and I think it’s okay to feel a bit down that it (so far) isn’t hitting that bar.
Said in the discord but aspects of it like those you highlight have put me firmly in the camp of those waiting for a while before playing. Especially because at the moment there are so, so many other games to play. Happy to wait and see what Starfield becomes.
Sep 8, 2023·edited Sep 8, 2023Liked by Nathan Brown
I dunno the ins and outs of it, but Bethesda are targeting a very different level of immersion than eg Witcher. Objects have physics and their position is tracked and stored (within limits). Objects can be stolen. They can be used to cover heads. The simulation is much more detailed. Bethesda I’m sure have a fantastic tech team who make compromises to deliver the vision, one such compromise is probably loading screens.
Eg the train arm. They needed a train for like one scene. They can no doubt support a fantastic train system, but why not just hack it in in a couple days for one scene?
Now you can definitely argue they should compromise their vision to make a game fitting modern sensibilities, but I don’t think aging tech is the issue here. Every game engine is standing on the shoulders of old giants.
That's a fair point and I appreciate the insight. I think most players would get far more out of a seamless world than the game remembering that you put a toilet seat on a guard's head four hours ago etc, but I do appreciate that it's about vision, priorities and the compromises that are necessary along the way. Ta!
I think you might be right! Also I eagerly await the Bloomberg piece full of Bethesda heads saying it is indeed their decrepit old engine holding them back
This is not a criticism of Bethesda to be clear because as noted in Hit Points they are NOT doing anything predatory here. But I gotta admit I shuddered the first time I got a Rare weapon out of an instinctive reflex to think “ah shit, it’s a gacha game?”
Again, no criticism of Bethesda because it’s absolutely not! Just a commentary on how widespread and awful that particular trend is!
Speaking as a punter rather than someone with any knowledge of game dev work, the current console generation has ruined loading screens for me. I know it's unreasonable to groan at any loading that takes more than three seconds but I can't help it anymore. The idea of a whole game of it like this is wearying to even think about. I'm spoiled and aware of it, but it's still the truth
It’s not just the loading screens: so much of Starfield feels like it’s the world’s prettiest last-gen game.
I love Skyrim and I am perfectly fine with Skyrim in Space, thank you very much. But it still feels like Skyrim in ways that it shouldn’t, given how much time has passed -- like the awkward dialogue, both in script and delivery. Being limited to set landing zones around a small slice of a planet makes the game feel a hell of a lot smaller than it should.
A few of the Starfield reviews mentioned a lack of wonder. And that really surprised me: how on Earth (no pun intended) can a gorgeous wide-open space game lack WONDER? And then I waded through a bunch of menus to make a grav drive jump. Ah, right, that’s how.
Again, I’m enjoying it just fine. But the thing is, and I don’t want to sound entitled here, I think it’s okay to have expected more than an 8/10-ish game? Disappointment is a weird thing; I’m not disappointed per se, because it is a perfectly fine game. But I don’t feel like it’s something I’m compelled to play for 200+ hours like Skyrim, and I think it’s okay to feel a bit down that it (so far) isn’t hitting that bar.
Said in the discord but aspects of it like those you highlight have put me firmly in the camp of those waiting for a while before playing. Especially because at the moment there are so, so many other games to play. Happy to wait and see what Starfield becomes.
Even as a (mostly) PC player, I still feel this when any loading screen takes more than about 5 or so seconds.
I dunno the ins and outs of it, but Bethesda are targeting a very different level of immersion than eg Witcher. Objects have physics and their position is tracked and stored (within limits). Objects can be stolen. They can be used to cover heads. The simulation is much more detailed. Bethesda I’m sure have a fantastic tech team who make compromises to deliver the vision, one such compromise is probably loading screens.
Eg the train arm. They needed a train for like one scene. They can no doubt support a fantastic train system, but why not just hack it in in a couple days for one scene?
Now you can definitely argue they should compromise their vision to make a game fitting modern sensibilities, but I don’t think aging tech is the issue here. Every game engine is standing on the shoulders of old giants.
Glad you’re enjoying it tho!
That's a fair point and I appreciate the insight. I think most players would get far more out of a seamless world than the game remembering that you put a toilet seat on a guard's head four hours ago etc, but I do appreciate that it's about vision, priorities and the compromises that are necessary along the way. Ta!
I think you might be right! Also I eagerly await the Bloomberg piece full of Bethesda heads saying it is indeed their decrepit old engine holding them back
Will Google ever give up trying to make this game streaming thing happen? Eeeeeeeeesh.
This is not a criticism of Bethesda to be clear because as noted in Hit Points they are NOT doing anything predatory here. But I gotta admit I shuddered the first time I got a Rare weapon out of an instinctive reflex to think “ah shit, it’s a gacha game?”
Again, no criticism of Bethesda because it’s absolutely not! Just a commentary on how widespread and awful that particular trend is!