Todd Howard, the director and executive producer of Bethesda Game Studios, recently offered advice to Starfield players who find themselves consistently over-encumbered. This issue has been prevalent in the newly-released game, affecting gameplay and player experience. The problem is not new to Bethesda titles, given their deep RPG mechanics that offer a plethora of items for players to collect. This article delves into Howard’s suggestions, the mechanics of Starfield related to crafting and resource gathering, and how players have tried to mitigate these issues.

The Encumbrance Issue: A Recurring Theme in Bethesda Games

In Starfield, similar to other Bethesda titles like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, players can engage in a wide range of activities. They can be a guardian of justice or perhaps someone operating in the moral gray area. These games feature deep-rooted RPG elements, including crafting and base-building, which typically require various resources. This has led players to pick up not only essential crafting materials but also commonplace items like pencils and notepads, contributing to over-encumbrance.

Crafting and Base Building: The Double-Edged Sword

Recent Bethesda games like Fallout 4 have put significant emphasis on crafting and base-building mechanics. Starfield follows this pattern, allowing players to set up outposts on different worlds across the galaxy. While this enriches the gaming experience, it also encourages players to collect as many items as possible. Unfortunately, this leads to players being burdened with too much weight, affecting their mobility and overall gameplay experience.

Todd Howard’s Take: Prioritizing Player Freedom

During an appearance on the AIAS Game Maker’s Notebook Podcast, hosted by Ted Price of Insomniac Games, Todd Howard discussed the studio’s focus on player freedom. According to Howard, the freedom to explore and the choices that players can make in the game are major selling points of Starfield. However, he also acknowledged the issue of over-encumbrance, stating that players do not necessarily need to pick up every low-value item like trays and pencils.

The Hoarding Debate: Player Community Divided

While Howard’s advice highlights a prevalent issue, the debate among players continues. Some believe in collecting everything “just in case,” while others are more selective. Interestingly, PC players have managed to address the encumbrance issue through mods, offering some relief from this gameplay challenge. Console players, on the other hand, will have to wait for the release of the Creation Club, expected in early 2024, to utilize similar solutions.

Final Thoughts

Todd Howard’s insights into the problem of over-encumbrance in Starfield bring attention to a long-standing issue prevalent in many Bethesda games. While his advice serves as a guideline for players, it remains to be seen how the gaming community will adapt, especially with the expected introduction of mods for console players in the near future.

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