Summary
- Starfield Shattered Space has been the subject of much speculation and discussion since its announcement, but there is some cut content from the base game that would have been interesting.
- Hidden in the game files are several NPCs who reference a faction that does not appear in Starfield.
- One of the three major factions in Starfield, House Va'ruun, is notably missing many features to make it a full faction, though they will get more content in Shattered Space.
Starfield is a gigantic game that allows players to explore every corner of the Settled Systems. It is one of Bethesda's most ambitious projects and one that will soon receive a major DLC, Shattered Space. Despite the hundreds of planets, dozens of weapons, and a plethora of factions to choose from, the game also lacks many features that were cut during development.
While these were not present in the game's ultimate release, there is a chance they could make a return in future content. Some will likely appear in Shattered Space, while others may be sold in DLCs with smaller scopes, like Fallout 4's workshop DLCs. Luckily, Bethesda has the chance to add significant amounts of content to the game without starting from scratch.
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10 Ship-fighting Arena Would Add A New Game Mode
Hidden in the game files are several NPCs who reference a faction that does not appear in Starfield - the C.E.C. Based on recorded dialogue that does not appear in-game, this group was planned to be a ship-based arena that rewarded the player for success in a televised spaceship free-for-all. One NPC, Samara Qasim, has dialogue lines that make her similar to the commentator from another Bethesda title, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
There are several opportunities for the player to participate in ship combat, but none that have a setup like this. The C.E.C. presents an opportunity to make money for pilots who prefer to avoid the ground as much as possible. This faction could even serve as the framework for PVP ship combat in future versions of Starfield.
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9 House Va'ruun Could Have Been More Present In The Base Game
The Settled Systems of Starfield are home to 3 major factions: the United Colonies (UC), the Freestar Collective (FC), and House Va'ruun. However, one of these factions, House Va'ruun, is notably missing many features to make it a full faction. Unlike the UC and FC, House Va'ruun does not have a questline, settled planets, or many NPC representatives. The character who acts as the truest voice of House Va'ruun, Mir'za, only appears in a single mission in the main questline before becoming irrelevant.
While the exclusion of Va'ruun content may have been intentional, it was an obvious missing element from the base game.
Based on what is known about it, House Va'ruun offers the possibility of an evil option for players who reject the UC or FC. It could be Starfield's version of Oblivion's Dark Brotherhood, especially since its main writer, Emil Pagliarulo, loved House Va'ruun enough to get a tattoo of their symbol. Luckily, Bethesda is poised to reintroduce the galaxy's most dangerous snake cult with its upcoming Shattered Space DLC.
8 Swimming Underwater & Sea Creatures
There are well over 1,000 planets in Starfield, many of which are habitable. From space, the player can see that these planets have large oceans and other bodies of water. Despite this, coastlines are hard to find, and even when they can be located, there is not much to do with them. Unlike Bethesda's other titles like Skyrim, there is no way to go underwater, instead forcing the player to skip over the water with a jump pack or swim above the surface.
Starfield's many aquatic creatures suggest this was not always the case. It is common for an explorer to learn they are missing a creature scan only to discover it is restricted to the water. It would be much easier to access these animals if the player were able to swim underwater themselves. Other game mechanics like high pressure and low temperature could add additional depth to this system. Starfield could even spawn one of its temples deep below the waves, offering the chance for emergent Lovecraftian horror stories.
7 More In-Depth Survival Mechanics Could Change The Game
It does not take long for the player to run into one of Starfield's many environmental hazards. While the gas vents, radiation, and acid can be harmful to the health of any Starborn, Todd Howard suggested that these were supposed to be much deadlier in an interview with the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences on YouTube. In fact, they were meant to be so dangerous that players would be encouraged to swap between specialized spacesuits just to survive.
It is possible that players could find the system needlessly complex and punishing, which is why Bethesda nerfed it. However, it offers glimpses of a potential hardcore mode for explorers who want the hostile planets they visit to be even more harmful. Items that cure afflictions would become a necessity rather than another item to clutter inventories and get sold to vendors. Reintroducing more in-depth survival mechanics in Starfield would also make it more rewarding to find specialized spacesuits instead of just the spacesuit with the highest armor.
6 Player-Owned Space Stations Would Be An Amazing Addition
From smaller ports like the Wolf's Den to massive installations like the Key, Starfield is full of space stations. Considering the game's customization options for spaceships and outposts, it is strange that the player is not able to build their own space stations. However, according to game files, this may have once been an intended feature. It was even far enough in development that several mods exist which re-add player-owned space stations to the game.
Players are currently able to establish outposts on any planet they come across. The ability to build and customize space stations would add another layer to the outpost system. These could be hubs for the player's transportation system, resupply stations, or habitats for the player to appreciate the vast emptiness of space. The new Shattered Space DLC may be officially adding custom space stations back to Starfield.
5 Massive Ships Without The Help Of Mods
Aspiring pilots in Starfield are able to fly A, B, and eventually, C-class ships. However, those are not the only classes of ships in the game's files. Inaccessible to the player are M-class ships, which are absolutely massive. Individual parts are often larger than entire C-class ships. The existence of these parts, including vendor-specific ones, suggests that it may have been possible to fly M-class ships at one time.
Landing zones only allow ships that are up to 80 meters in length, so these ships would likely not be able to land on planets. To address this issue, they could act as motherships containing smaller shuttles for visiting the ground. The larger size of the M-class would also allow for the ultimate cargo vehicle, and any pirate would be foolish to assault such a dreadnought of a ship. Adding these ships as possible enemies would also make space combat more dangerous and encourage lesser-used systems like ship stealth.
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4 More Melee Options Could Have Been Planned
Despite the existence of more in-depth melee systems in its other games, like Skyrim and Fallout 4, Starfield has a fairly shallow melee system. Its melee weapons are all one-handed, and the majority of its 9 options are knives or similar items. They also share the same swing speed, animations, and even reach. Some skills, like Martial Arts and Concealment, support melee playstyles, but even with these skills, the damage output is far exceeded by normal guns. Melee weapons are also unmoddable and lack advanced, refined, and calibrated varieties.
While ranged weapons are great for other humans wielding guns, melee weapons would be helpful for the player who is forced to fight in close quarters. Most hostile animals fight up close and personal, so explorers could greatly benefit from a non-shotgun option for those scenarios. Improved melee fights would also be able to utilize Starfield's mobility, allowing the player to fly across the battlefield and slice up their enemies.
3 Greater Outpost Importance
Until fairly late into development, outposts were supposed to play a larger role in exploring the Settled Systems. This is evidenced by the loading screens and tutorial messages, which emphasize the importance of refueling your ship or spreading Helium-3 outposts around the galaxy. Instead, the player's ship automatically refuels whenever they move between systems, which makes it pointless to build fueling station outposts.
Reintroducing the fuel requirement would make the player's outposts more important. This would encourage finding places to set up roots, making the decision to move on to a new game more difficult. A greater emphasis on outposts could also create a better feeling of progression throughout the game.
2 Flamethrowers Would Be A Fun Weapon Option
Starfield includes many futuristic weapons to destroy pirates and terrormorphs. The player can end their enemies with lasers, machine guns, and even advanced particle beam weapons. However, the game is missing one weapon even though it dots in-game magazines: the humble flamethrower. Starfield's version of the Flamer exists as a 3D model in game files, but it is not accessible in-game.
The potential lack of oxygen on planets does pose a potential problem for regular flamethrower use, but Bethesda could create a sci-fi reason for why it works, much like the Firestorm of Mass Effect 2. The Combatech specialty would be especially useful on one of the game's jungle planets. It could also serve as the finishing touch to the bug-hunting UC players who are a fans of Starship Troopers.
1 Clothing Crafting Could Add Visual Flair
Starfield has many crafting systems including cooking, medicine making, spacesuit modification, and weapon modification. Some of these options create new items while others upgrade existing ones, but there is one type of crafting that is entirely absent: clothing crafting. One unused skill indicates this was not supposed to be the case. The Textiles skill would have allowed the player to create and modify the game's many outfits.
Clothing crafting could work in tandem with an improved environmental hazard system. Warm jackets could provide additional protection on colder planets and bulletproof vests could be worn under the spacesuit in combat-heavy zones. This system would provide greater utility to Starfield's many outfit options.
