Starfield is the first Bethesda game to use extensive procedural generation. In many games, randomly generated content lacks the narrative punch and uniqueness for which the studio is known. So, fans wonder which content is hand-crafted and which is procedurally generated in Starfield when a player visits it.
What Starfield content is procedurally generated?
Any Starfield content on planets outside of named cities or quest locations is procedurally generated. When you visit a world, you’ll typically see one or two generic areas like (but not limited to) these:
- Abandoned Mining Platform
- Abandoned Outpost
- Civilian Outpost
- Industrial Outpost
- Mining Outpost
- Science Outpost
These are all procedurally generated locations. When you land on a planet, either at one of these places or in a random area, the game generates a tile with several procedurally generated points of interest. These can be outposts, geological features, crash sites, etc.,. However, this tile has boundaries; each time you touch down, the game will generate a new map that doesn’t interact with the others.
What Starfield content is hand-crafted?
All of the named locations are partially or entirely hand-crafted. If a place has narrative content or named NPCs, you can place a bet that it was made by hand.
For example:
- Akila City
- Cydonia
- Neon
- New Atlantis
- The Eye
Though the procedurally-generated content is entertaining, there is a marked difference in quality between it and the hand-crafted locations. Typically, you won’t find any story surrounding the randomly generated places, so it exists in a vacuum. So, you might find an outpost that’s been taken over by pirates, but no one in the game will acknowledge it, and there are no clues or notes that lead to a deeper narrative.
Fortunately, there’s a ton of hand-crafted content in Starfield, and the procedurally generated stuff helps fill out some of the vastness of space.
Starfield procedural generation FAQ
A: Most content on planets outside of named cities or quest locations is procedurally generated. This includes generic areas such as Abandoned Mining Platforms, Outposts, and other similar places. When you land on a planet, the game produces a tile with various procedurally generated points of interest, but these tiles don’t interact with each other.
A: All named locations in Starfield are either partially or entirely hand-crafted. If a location contains narrative content or named NPCs, it’s likely hand-made. Examples of such places are Akila City, Cydonia, and Neon.
A: Yes, while the procedurally-generated content offers variety and exploration, there is a distinct difference in quality and narrative depth compared to hand-crafted locations. The hand-crafted sites typically contain richer stories and narratives, whereas the procedurally generated areas exist without any deeper narrative context.
