Starfield’s Native Planet Map Is Horrible

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 sport, out now in “early entry” on Xbox and PC, spans a number of photo voltaic techniques and a whole bunch of planets. And when exploring that huge digital galaxy, the in-game maps are high-quality. However when you land on a planet or land in a metropolis, the in-game map system goes from high-quality 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. Have 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 in addition 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 essential characteristic. With the ability to pop open a map and look across the space for a store or quest may be very useful 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 easy methods 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 device in Starfield. This characteristic enables you to pop open an augmented reality-like HUD that permits you to see the place retailers, quests, and different essential locations are on the earth by simply trying round. It additionally attracts a path on the bottom so that you can observe to succeed in your goal and allows you to fast-travel to areas you’ve visited just by aiming at them and clicking a button. It’s not a alternative for an area map, however contemplating the terrible blue void Starfield considers a map, it’s the most suitable choice in the meanwhile.

It’s odd as a result of I discover the sport’s galaxy and house maps fairly dang good, for probably 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 techniques in Starfield, the maps are good. They characteristic textured planets and recognizable recreations of the areas you need to go to. , like a map!

However land on a type 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 fighting the terrible excuse of an area map that at present exists within the sport.

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