Starfield's Triumph Marred by UI and Economy Woes

Politics, News Sept. 19, 2023, 11:51 p.m.

Starfield by Bethesda impresses with its content, but players are frustrated by issues like a poor UI, sparse in-game economy, and low vendor credits. Community calls for fixes in future updates.

Starfield has marked a triumphant return to form for Bethesda, garnering praise for its extensive content offerings, including a multitude of quests, captivating planets to explore, customizable spacecraft, and more, providing gamers with an immersive experience. However, like many of their previous titles, Starfield is not without its fair share of issues that have stirred frustration among the player base.

One prominent source of dissatisfaction lies in the game's user interface (UI) and the absence of city maps. Gamers have also expressed disappointment with the in-game economy system. A vocal critic of this aspect, Reddit user 'lordmainstream,' has highlighted the pitifully meager credits carried by Starfield's vendors, leading to complications when attempting to sell items.

Most vendors in the game typically only possess a few thousand credits, necessitating players to either seek out alternative vendors or endure a lengthy 48 in-game hour waiting period to unload their items. This mirrors a recurring problem observed in previous Bethesda titles like Skyrim and Fallout 4.

A succinct user comment aptly encapsulates the issue, "Ah, the same issue as Skyrim. When you start out, you get shortchanged on valuable loot prices. With higher speech skills, you practically clean out vendors by selling a greatsword."

The problem extends further to the valuation of items such as armor, weapons, and spacecraft. While acquiring a new spacecraft in Starfield demands a substantial investment, selling it back yields only a fraction of its original cost. The same holds true for weapons and armor.

Even contraband items suffer from this economic imbalance. Their entire premise centers on a risk-and-reward system, yet the rewards for engaging in contraband smuggling activities are disappointingly minimal.

These issues have not gone unnoticed within the Starfield community, with fans vocally calling for the developers to implement corrective measures. Whether these frustrations will be addressed in future updates remains uncertain.

In conclusion, Starfield has undeniably rejuvenated Bethesda's reputation with its rich content offerings, but it shares some of the pitfalls that have plagued their earlier games. The UI, absence of city maps, and the problematic in-game economy have soured the experience for some players, leaving them hopeful for forthcoming improvements.