Players are wondering if you can explore an entire planet’s surfaces in Starfield. After all, a dream space exploration game would let you traverse every inch of a world if you so chose. But, when it comes to planetary exploration in Starfield, how limitless is it really?
Can you explore a planet’s entire surface in Starfield?
Contrary to what you might expect from a space exploration game, in Starfield, the planets aren’t fully explorable. Instead of offering vast, traversable terrains on each celestial body, Starfield employs a unique mechanism to create an illusion of descent onto a planet’s surface.
Every time you decide to land your ship on a planet, Starfield generates a tile. This tile is populated with terrain features, points of interest, and various other elements that make your landing area unique and immersive. However, this tile does not represent the planet’s whole surface. Instead, it’s an abstract section designed to create the feeling of a new environment. If you travel long enough in one direction, you’ll run into a boundary and see a message you can go no further.
If you decide to revisit a previously explored area on the same planet, you can select the “Landing Area” waypoint and touch down in the same place. This will take you back to the previously generated tile, allowing for a limited sense of continuity. But, if you land on a different point on the same planet, the game will generate an entirely new tile. This new map won’t interact or connect with any previously generated tile. In essence, each landing crafts a new and distinct pocket of the planet.
This might come as a surprise, especially if you were anticipating complete planetary exploration in Starfield. From our experience, this system still provides a fun experience, but it’ll disappoint those who had hoped for something more revolutionary.
Starfield planet exploration FAQ
A: No, in Starfield, planets aren’t fully explorable. Instead, when you land your ship on a planet, the game generates a tile, which is a distinct section of the planet, not its entire surface. This tile is populated with terrain and points of interest, but it’s an abstract representation designed to give the feeling of a new environment.
A: If you decide to return to a previously explored location on a planet, you can select the “Landing Area” waypoint, which will let you land in the same generated tile. This allows for some continuity in your exploration. However, landing in a different spot will create a new, unrelated tile.
A: No, each generated tile on a planet is distinct and doesn’t connect or interact with previously generated tiles. Essentially, every time you land in a new spot on the same planet, a separate and unique section of the planet is created.
