You’ve in all probability heard this earlier than, however Starfield, Bethesda’s newest open-world RPG, may be very, very massive. The brand new recreation, out now in “early entry” on Xbox and PC, spans a number of photo voltaic methods and a whole bunch of planets. And when exploring that huge digital galaxy, the in-game maps are positive. However when you land on a planet or land in a metropolis, the in-game map system goes from positive to terrible.
Bethesda’s Starfield launched early for deep-pocketed gamers on Thursday after years of hype and following some sneaky leaks. The huge house RPG lets gamers discover a digital galaxy crammed with a whole bunch of planets and quests. And early on, I solely used the maps in-game to fast-travel to new planets. However as soon as I landed within the first massive metropolis, New Atlantis, I opened up the floor map and set my eyes upon the horrible blue mess that’s Starfield’s native “map.”
Calling the blue-and-white grid of floating icons and featureless void a “map” feels beneficiant. Maps, even the worst of them, are helpful to some diploma. The native planet map in Starfield isn’t helpful in any respect. Not within the slightest. Take a look at this and take a look at to determine…something!
Followers leaping into the sport are complaining on Reddit concerning the map and likewise evaluating it unfavorably to previous Bethesda city maps, like those in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. And it’s true, evaluating them instantly, it’s irritating to see Bethesda take such a backward step on such an necessary characteristic. With the ability to pop open a map and look across the space for a store or quest may be very helpful in an enormous RPG. But, this horrible blue nightmare offers you no actual context—like hills, roads, and so on—for the place these locations really are, or the right way to get to them.
As a substitute of the native map, use the scanner
I’ve given up making an attempt to make use of this map and have primarily relied on the scanner software in Starfield. This characteristic permits you to pop open an augmented reality-like HUD that permits you to see the place outlets, quests, and different necessary locations are on this planet by simply wanting round. It additionally attracts a path on the bottom so that you can comply with to succeed in your goal and allows you to fast-travel to places you’ve visited just by aiming at them and clicking a button. It’s not a alternative for a neighborhood map, however contemplating the terrible blue void Starfield considers a map, it’s the best choice in the meanwhile.
It’s odd as a result of I discover the sport’s galaxy and house maps fairly dang good, for essentially the most half. Certain, I want house journey was a bit extra “touring” and fewer simply menu hopping, however after I want to have a look at planets and photo voltaic methods in Starfield, the maps are good. They characteristic textured planets and recognizable recreations of the areas you need to go to. You understand, like a map!
However land on a kind of planets or cities and also you’ll be caught utilizing that horrendous floating grid of icons.
I assume that within the subsequent few days and weeks, Starfield modders will rapidly add native city and planet maps, as that is rapidly turning into one of many greatest complaints I’ve seen from followers. Even people who find themselves having fun with the sport immensely, like myself, are scuffling with the terrible excuse of a neighborhood map that at present exists within the recreation.
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