The character creation in Bethesda’s next big space-based RPG,Starfield, will incorporate a lot of elements that have made its past hit games, like those fromThe Elder ScrollsandFallout, so immersive and successful, but there will also be some new elements on the table.
Revealed Sunday at the Starfield Direct showcase, Lead Animator Rick Vicens walked us through the character creation model used in Starfield. “I’m the type of person that spends hours in character creation, and I think people are going to be really excited when they see all of the improvements we’ve made,” he said.
One of those improvements will be the use of backgrounds — all of which comes with its own set of three basic starter skills, as well as providing a narrative for who your character was before the game’s opening. There are 40 preset builds for you to use, but you’ll be able to tweak them as you see fit.
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Though the reveal flipped through a few of them in quick succession, character backgrounds for Explorer, Diplomat, Cyberneticist, Cyber Runner, Combat Medic, and Chef appeared onscreen, showing a wide variety of skills and potential character builds. For example, the Explorer will find laser weapons more effective and will come prepared with knowledge of astrodynamics and data deciphering while on foot. The Chef, meanwhile, will be deadly with melee weapons, skilled with scavenging, and, of course, able to create “delicious foods and drinks.”
Additionally, your specific skills will play into the storyline, as it seems there will be particular missions that have background bonuses. For example, Vicens pointed to one instance in a restaurant where the player character comes across a patron looking for a Beast Hunter to deal with a specific problem. While it looks like it won’t be essential to have that background, the dialogue pop-up includes a [Beast Hunter] dialogue option that allows the player to ask for double the pay.
In addition to skills, you’ll also have the option of choosing up to three traits. While this had been revealed last year (including the Adoring Fanripped right out of Oblivion), Vicens and the team expounded on the trait system a bit, showing off several more options. Senior UI Programmer Dana Christo revealed the trait Kid Stuff, which adds in your parents as part of the game, and while you’re paying a bit to support them, “they’re very sweet and it’s really fun to go visit them.” you may also assign yourself a religion, which will keep “hostile zealots” of the same religion from attacking you.
Of course, not all traits will come with positives alone. One mentioned during the direct will buff the player’s damage at low health, but it can also cause violent mercenaries to come looking for you. “No matter what you choose, there will be plenty of ways for you to tell your story,” Vicens said.
Of course, that says nothing of the visuals, and Lead Tech Artist Filipe Nogueira has promised a wide variety of diversity though the facial captures the team has put into the game. That technology has been applied to both character creation and every single NPC, “So any character you see almost always is a character you could make yourself,” Vicens noted.
“Starfield is our first new universe in over 25 years, but it’s still a Bethesda RPG through and through, where you step into a new world, and you get that feeling of unlimited possibilities,” Todd Howard, Executive Producer at Bethesda Games Studios, said near the start of the showcase, and the character customization aspects on display certainly seems to reflect that.
