Bethesda's Starfield

[Madmarcus]

Last night I realized that I am at an out of game choice. I need to decide if I am going to push the main quest line with the idea of going to NG+ or if I want to treat this as Skyrim and wander off into side quests and exploration. I lean towards the exploration idea but this is the first Bethesda game that has made me even contemplate rushing the main quest.

[jztemple2]

From PC Gamer

There's lots of little mechanics that Starfield doesn't bother to explain. While this is sometimes neat, leading to interesting discoveries from mucking around and finding out, some of it has me tilting my head as to why there wasn't even like a note or something. Initially spotted on the Starfield Reddit by Gamesradar, user raging_pastafarian gave a helpful rundown of the game's interstellar map.

I'm level 34 and I JUST realized this about the star map, while trying to visit every star. from r/Starfield

To sum it up—if a star's glowing, you've visited it. If it's lit up but not glowing, you can jump there, but you haven't visited it. If it's red, it's outside of your normal grav jump range.

[Smoove_B]

Did anyone have that play out differently?

Yes, I saw something different - there was a different impact (trying to keep it general). I'm confident there are reasons you saw what you saw and why mine was different. As you progress further in the story I think you'll understand why (and how).

This is going to sound strange for a Bethesda game, but I'm actually *enjoying* the main story - I'm starting to see where it's going and what I suspect is going to happen. For whatever reason, it's actually interesting to me and I want to finish.

I also want to do my 37 side quests, so it's been a little stressful.

[coopasonic]

Main story spoiler and question, DO NOT read unless you've gone fairly far into the main story. (If you played the Unity main quest then you are past where I'm talking about in the spoiler)

Spoiler:

I got to the part where the Eye gets attacked and I chose to stay at the Lodge and defend it. At the time, Andreja was my companion and Sam was on the Eye. After the dust settled Sam was dead. I wonder if this plays out the same way for everyone or if there is a way to save everyone or if other Constellation members can die. Sam was one of my favorites and I definitely had the highest favorability rating with him, so I feel like that had some impact with why he died in my play through.

Did anyone have that play out differently?

I took the other choice and...

Spoiler:

I went to the eye because Andreja was there and my main squeeze and Sam stayed behind. Guess what, Sam dies either way!

[coopasonic]

End fame question. It's specifically about the end game rewards so don't click if you don't want to know.

Spoiler:

I know you get a special ship for your NG+ game. My question is do you only get it to use for NG+ or do you get it before the end game so you can pause the end game mission and fly around in it for side missions and whatnot?

I'm pretty sure the choice that gives that reward is also what sends you to NG+ so no keeping it in NG. Also that reward can't be modified/upgraded so it's not as good as it seems.

[coopasonic]

Last night I realized that I am at an out of game choice. I need to decide if I am going to push the main quest line with the idea of going to NG+ or if I want to treat this as Skyrim and wander off into side quests and exploration. I lean towards the exploration idea but this is the first Bethesda game that has made me even contemplate rushing the main quest.

Don't rush it... or do rush it. There is no value in doing in between because you lose everything but character specific progression in NG+. If you already have a good amount of time spent. Continue to invest and enjoy that time. The only reason to rush it is if you want to keep rushing it and never invest. Basically pick one playthrough to do all the things. It's not significantly different if it is NG or NG+ or NG+2 etc.

[Scraper]

Main story spoiler and question, DO NOT read unless you've gone fairly far into the main story. (If you played the Unity main quest then you are past where I'm talking about in the spoiler)

Spoiler:

I got to the part where the Eye gets attacked and I chose to stay at the Lodge and defend it. At the time, Andreja was my companion and Sam was on the Eye. After the dust settled Sam was dead. I wonder if this plays out the same way for everyone or if there is a way to save everyone or if other Constellation members can die. Sam was one of my favorites and I definitely had the highest favorability rating with him, so I feel like that had some impact with why he died in my play through.

Did anyone have that play out differently?

I took the other choice and...

Spoiler:

I went to the eye because Andreja was there and my main squeeze and Sam stayed behind. Guess what, Sam dies either way!

Spoiler:

In my play through you get chased through New Atlantis and the bad guy ends up fighting with UC security, as a result days later there are still dead UC guys laying around New Atlantis. I looted their bodies but the janitors refuse to remove the dead bodies.

[Punisher]

Last night I realized that I am at an out of game choice. I need to decide if I am going to push the main quest line with the idea of going to NG+ or if I want to treat this as Skyrim and wander off into side quests and exploration. I lean towards the exploration idea but this is the first Bethesda game that has made me even contemplate rushing the main quest.

Don't rush it... or do rush it. There is no value in doing in between because you lose everything but character specific progression in NG+. If you already have a good amount of time spent. Continue to invest and enjoy that time. The only reason to rush it is if you want to keep rushing it and never invest. Basically pick one playthrough to do all the things. It's not significantly different if it is NG or NG+ or NG+2 etc.

I read that it does get significantly different over multiple playthroughs.
IIRC

Spoiler:

Things like Constellation makeup and politics are one such change but apparently it's a subtle change over multiple games. Similar to some time travel and dimension travel stories where you see something small, like a gate no longer squeaks but eventually you come into a world that's mostly ocean. Just a bunch of small changes over time that add up.

[coopasonic]

Also hit level 85 this morning. I should 100% the game tonight and then I will finish NG+ and see what comes after.

[Smoove_B]

It's not significantly different if it is NG or NG+ or NG+2 etc.

So...you're of the opinion that focusing on the main story for the first play and then doing all the various faction stories as part of NG+, NG++, etc... isn't as ideal as doing everything as part of a single game and then focusing on random side quests, crafting, exploring, etc...as part of NG+, NG++, etc...

[Unagi]

I should 100% the game tonight

I wonder just how absolutely maddening it would be for you to watch me play.

[naednek]

FYI, doing some quick reading on safe storage containers...

Apparently the Captain's Locker (the safe in your ship) is not safe storage. The container can reset, and the items will poof (and not into the cargo hold.) Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a visit to my ship...

Well that explains that. I thought I just sold it to a vendor. That's a stupid decision

[Blackhawk]

Well that explains that. I thought I just sold it to a vendor. That's a stupid decision

If it was a decision. Knowing Bethesda, it was just as likely an oversight.

One of the first post-construction set mods I expect to see is one that combines all cargo/personal storage boxes into a single unified 'inventory' that you can craft out of. The second will be the one that gives you manual storage in your cargo modules (so that you can have a container of meds, a container of raw materials, etc.) that also counts all of it for crafting.

[Punisher]

Article explaining junk in the truck from PC Gamer

https://www.pcgamer.com/ive-finally-fig ... isc-items/

[coopasonic]

It's not significantly different if it is NG or NG+ or NG+2 etc.

So...you're of the opinion that focusing on the main story for the first play and then doing all the various faction stories as part of NG+, NG++, etc... isn't as ideal as doing everything as part of a single game and then focusing on random side quests, crafting, exploring, etc...as part of NG+, NG++, etc...

You can spread it out, but I think that building up and fully experiencing it all once would be better. I did it half in NG and half in NG+ and I am sure I will continue with NG+2 and +3 at least. but I feel if you spread it all out you'll end up with needing to do more extra work to be ready for all the different things you'll have to handle. Having done everything in the first two plays I have a better idea of what I want to do in the next run and how it will benefit me, ignoring any variances due to NG+ stuff (ignoring them because I am blissfully unaware of them).

[Smoove_B]

Interesting. Ok, I'll take that into consideration!

I am currently just focused on the main story quest (which as I'd mentioned I'm really enjoying), but I am also in 4 of the 5 (?) factions, though I've only done just enough to join them. I guess I was figuring the faction quests were long and complicated so I skipped them.

[coopasonic]

I should 100% the game tonight

I wonder just how absolutely maddening it would be for you to watch me play.

I am not a gatekeeper or terribly judgmental. You do what you enjoy and I will do what I enjoy. On occasion I will spend an hour in the shipbuilder just playing around, but generally I always have a goal in mind when I am playing a game.

Also to be fair, I have put over 90 hours into the game at this point so my available time for gaming is different than it is for most of you.

[coopasonic]

Interesting. Ok, I'll take that into consideration!

I am currently just focused on the main story quest (which as I'd mentioned I'm really enjoying), but I am also in 4 of the 5 (?) factions, though I've only done just enough to join them. I guess I was figuring the faction quests were long and complicated so I skipped them.

Some (most?) of the faction quest lines are absolutely massive and could practically be games on their own.

[Smoove_B]

Some (most?) of the faction quest lines are absolutely massive and could practically be games on their own.

That's why I was questioning the mentality of focusing on all of them for a single play through vs using the separate faction quest chains on various NG+ attempts.

I'd presume then it's because of the "overhead" needed to accomplish the various faction goals (gear, access to *stuff*) that comes as you complete a play through - things you'd need to do over and over again with each NG+ iteration?

[Unagi]

So, I understand that NG+ lets you keep your skill and research, but otherwise starts you over with no possession, property -etc.
Is that about right?
(And maybe some super-secret endgame thing...?)

So, what I'm wondering is, what is the point of doing the NG+, if you can also just go and do all the quests in the first run-through? I thought one could simply not do that (and I don't mean just failing or missing some) - but I had thought that if you invoked one of the factions you may be locked out of one (or more) of the others.

[coopasonic]

So, what I'm wondering is, what is the point of doing the NG+, if you can also just go and do all the quests in the first run-through? I thought one could simply not do that (and I don't mean just failing or missing some) - but I had thought that if you invoked one of the factions you may be locked out of one (or more) of the others.

I don't think there are any unresolvable conflicts, but I didn't do everything in one run through.

The point of NG+ is story related and that's all I can say. Go far enough in the story and you will know, until then you can't know.

[Unagi]

[Blackhawk]

Article explaining junk in the truck from PC Gamer

https://www.pcgamer.com/ive-finally-fig ... isc-items/

I figured that one out a while ago. It is a very, very Bethesda thing, giving you a space of your own, but not letting you decorate it. I'm guessing that they never figured out how to handle loose items when the ship changed, so they just put in a function to strip everything and put it on the 'Low priority - solve last' list. As soon as the construction set releases, there will probably be a mod that fixes it (possibly by turning items you specify into static decorations rather than 'items', and then letting you change them back to items if you want to move them. Oblivion, I believe, had some similar problem solved that way.)

[Punisher]

IRL Chunks!

https://reddit.com/r/Starfield/s/ufBQG65WRX

[Grifman]

Well, I’ll be d*****. Been sick all week so I havent been playing the game, just watching some videos and reading about it. Felt better today and started playing - or trying to play. I can’t get past the opening sequence, tried 4 times. Sometime I get to the mining laser and start to enter the new chamber, just now didn’t even get to the mining laser. Sometimes the game crashes, sometime it crashes my whole PC.

Updated my drivers, verified my Steam files, did system scan on Windows. Looked to see what other people are saying, I don’t seem to have the issues that others are having - solutions posted are applicable to me. System is less that 2 years old, with a GTX3070. Game should run fine. So I’m stumped, have no idea what to do. It’s been forever since I’ve run into a problem like this. The only thing I know to do is just wait and see what patches Bethesda might come up with.

So, my PC has done nothing but randomly crash, even when not trying Starfield. Went out of town for Labor Day, PC worked fine before that, the didn’t play anything for about a week because I had Covid and didn’t feel like doing anything. Then after installing Starfield, the PC started crashing even when it was just sitting there doing nothing. Did a system check, hard drive check and memory check, no issues turned up. Since it was so sudden, wondering if it is another piece of hardware. But for now I am in the process of resetting this windows on PC, so well if that works. If not, then it’s a complete reinstall of windows. If that doesn’t work, then it has to be hardware, maybe a power supply since the memory and drive check out? Very frustrating, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Update: The windows reset stopped with a message that the process was unable to complete because PC stopped. That’s got yo be a power supply right? Doesn’t sound like a windows problem to me. Probably taking it to a shop tomorrow to get that specific issue looked at. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Sorry to cloud this thread with my PC problems.

[Punisher]

Are you low on space on any drive?

[Grifman]

Are you low on space on any drive?

Nope have 150 gigs on the most crowded drive.

[Punisher]

Have you tried something like CCLEANER or UVK Portable?
I bought a technician license for UVK a long time ago and it fixed so many things for me.
Just make a save point in Windows before using them just in case.

[Smoove_B]

Sorry to cloud this thread with my PC problems.

All I can add is that when I had issues like you're reporting it was bad capacitors on the motherboard. I hope you can get someone to check it out and it's an easy fix. Busted computer stinks.

[Grifman]

Sorry to cloud this thread with my PC problems.

All I can add is that when I had issues like you're reporting it was bad capacitors on the motherboard. I hope you can get someone to check it out and it's an easy fix. Busted computer stinks.

Thanks, I'll just see if they can do an overall hardware check. I don't think it is a software problem at this point.

[coopasonic]

All achievements obtained.

Also, you thought you carried a lot of stuff?

https://steamcommunity.com/id/coopasoni ... 530952463/

[jztemple2]

I found a weird bug, or maybe it's a feature, in the Crimson Fleet faction mission. The question about it is in the spoiler tags below.

Story mission spoiler! If you haven't completed the Crimson Fleet faction mission to the Key, don't read.

Spoiler:

OK, I continued the "Rook Meets King" mission at the point where I go to The Key. I actually docked with the station, since I'm part of the Crimson Fleet. I have a 90K bounty from them on me. I go aboard to speak to Naeva but before I can some neanderthal tells me to pay my bounty or else. I say I refuse. So two pirates start shooting at me. I shoot at them but I can't damage them . So I'm in this endless fight except I'm losing health and ammo and they keep shooting at me.

So I figure that this is perhaps really a feature to prevent me from messing up the Rook Meets King mission by killing the crew of The Key. Does that sound legit?

[jztemple2]

All achievements obtained.

Also, you thought you carried a lot of stuff?

https://steamcommunity.com/id/coopasoni ... 530952463/

Ouch! My knees hurt just looking at those numbers

[Grifman]

Main story spoiler and question, DO NOT read unless you've gone fairly far into the main story. (If you played the Unity main quest then you are past where I'm talking about in the spoiler)

Spoiler:

I got to the part where the Eye gets attacked and I chose to stay at the Lodge and defend it. At the time, Andreja was my companion and Sam was on the Eye. After the dust settled Sam was dead. I wonder if this plays out the same way for everyone or if there is a way to save everyone or if other Constellation members can die. Sam was one of my favorites and I definitely had the highest favorability rating with him, so I feel like that had some impact with why he died in my play through.

Did anyone have that play out differently?

I took the other choice and...

Spoiler:

I went to the eye because Andreja was there and my main squeeze and Sam stayed behind. Guess what, Sam dies either way!

Spoiler:

In my play through you get chased through New Atlantis and the bad guy ends up fighting with UC security, as a result days later there are still dead UC guys laying around New Atlantis. I looted their bodies but the janitors refuse to remove the dead bodies.

The answer:

Spoiler:

Whoever you don't go to rescue dies.

[Grifman]

Have you tried something like CCLEANER or UVK Portable?
I bought a technician license for UVK a long time ago and it fixed so many things for me.
Just make a save point in Windows before using them just in case.

I've always read that stuff like CCLEANER are junk but maybe that is elitism on the part of those who made those comments. But looking at UVK it intrigues me.

[Punisher]

Sorry to cloud this thread with my PC problems.

All I can add is that when I had issues like you're reporting it was bad capacitors on the motherboard. I hope you can get someone to check it out and it's an easy fix. Busted computer stinks.

Thanks, I'll just see if they can do an overall hardware check. I don't think it is a software problem at this point.

You should be able to a basic inspection of your capacitors. Turn off pc, then unplug it, then push the power button a few tomes to discharge it.
Get flashlight and look at all the capacitors you can find. You are looking for any that are bulging or the cross at the top is cracked open.
IIRC, busted capacitor neans replacing the part. So 1 busted capacitor on your motherboard means you replace the whole thing.
I could be misremembering but after 30 years in IT I don't recall if hearing anyone who replaced individual capacitors . I know in my 1st job we had a few people try it for the heck of it and it never worked out.

[Punisher]

Have you tried something like CCLEANER or UVK Portable?
I bought a technician license for UVK a long time ago and it fixed so many things for me.
Just make a save point in Windows before using them just in case.

I've always read that stuff like CCLEANER are junk but maybe that is elitism on the part of those who made those comments.

It depends on how you use them. I always backed up the registry and made a windows save point (can't remember the name of them). I also had to go digging through my Dropbox to find the new of the main one I used, UVK. I definitely remember using that 1st then followed up with CCleaner. I only used that to clean temp/junk files and rarely used their reg cleaner unless the system was already hosed and UVKs reg cleaner didn't help.
Keep in mind that I lost 30+ years of IT knowledge but still remember some things like using UVK a TON.
Just backup everything you can just in case. Maybe use them right before you decide to wipe and reinstall since if they dont work then you were going to reinstall anyway.

[Blackhawk]

Have you tried something like CCLEANER or UVK Portable?
I bought a technician license for UVK a long time ago and it fixed so many things for me.
Just make a save point in Windows before using them just in case.

I've always read that stuff like CCLEANER are junk but maybe that is elitism on the part of those who made those comments.

It's not so much that they're junk, it's that one-size-fits-all doesn't always work well on something as variable as PCs, especially gaming PCs that tend to be customized and tweaked, and it's that while light cleaners can work just fine, some of the more aggressive tools (and registry cleaners) can cause real problems.

And of all of the programs out there, I trust CCleaner the least.

I used it clear back when it was still called 'Crap Cleaner' (yes, that's what the extra 'C' is for), and for a long time afterward, but in the last six years or so (ever since Avast bought them), they've had huge numbers of breaches, security issues, data collection issues, started installing other software alongside it without permission, and it has even been used to actively spread viruses. Now, a lot of those issues were supposedly addressed (like making the extra software optional), but it's kind of like LastPass. They may not be having issues today, but they've had so many in the past that there's no way I'm going to trust them.

For a generic junk cleaner, look at BleachBit.

[jztemple2]

Nvidia driver update should improve Starfield performance for many

Released today, Nvidia driver 537.34 adds optimizations for Lies of P and Mortal Kombat 1, but more urgently includes some Starfield-related performance notes. The biggest is the addition of a resizable BAR profile that Nvidia says will improve Starfield performance on RTX 30-series and 40-series GPUs.

Before this update dropped, we explained how to enable Resizable BAR manually for Starfield. You can find more details in that article, but the short of it is that BAR stands for "Base Address Register," and the feature has to do with improving the game's access your graphics card's memory. According to Nvidia, this update improves Starfield performance by an average of 5% on RTX 40-series desktop GPUs.

The Resizable BAR profile will be "automatically applied for gamers running the latest Game Ready Driver (537.34) or the previous release (537.17)," Nvidia said. The new 537.34 driver also adds Starfield to the "optimal settings" GeForce Experience feature, which tweaks the game's graphics settings based on your hardware config.

[Scraper]

I'm still working on the undercover UC investigation against The Crimson Fleet. I would say I'm at least 8 hours into that quest line. It's honestly got me more invested than the main storyline at this point.