Starfield Common Questions From Beginners

Starfield Common Questions from Beginners

So, you’ve just jumped into the vast world of Starfield, huh? It’s a big place, full of planets, spaceships, and lots of things to figure out. It’s totally normal to feel a little lost at first. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there! This guide will tackle some of the most common questions new players have, helping you get your bearings and start enjoying your space adventures.

Getting Started: Character Creation and Backgrounds

Before you even step onto your first planet, you get to make your own character. This is a really important first step, and it’s natural to have questions. Let’s dive in:

What are Backgrounds and Traits?

At the start of the game, you’ll pick a background for your character, like a Chef or a Cyber Runner. These are more than just titles; they give you starting skills. Think of it like picking a class in other games. For example, a Chef might start with some cooking skills, while a Cyber Runner might be good at stealth. You also choose three traits which give advantages but also have a downside. These can affect how you play the game in various different ways. It’s not something you can easily change, so choosing carefully here can help you craft the character you want.

Here is a small example:

• Chef: Starts with Gastronomy, a skill related to food and crafting recipes.
• Cyber Runner: Starts with Stealth, Security, and Theft.

Don’t stress too much about picking the “perfect” background right away. You can still develop skills outside of your starting set as you play. Just pick one that sounds fun and aligns with how you envision your character.

Can I change my appearance later?

Yes, you can! If you decide you don’t like your hairstyle or want to tweak your facial features, you can visit Enhance! locations in major cities. These clinics allow you to change your character’s appearance for a small fee, without affecting your skills or backgrounds, which is great. Don’t be afraid to experiment in character creation since you can change things later on.

Navigating the Starfield World: Travel and Exploration

Once you’re out in the universe, things can feel a bit overwhelming. Here are some basic tips to get you started:

How do I travel between planets and systems?

Starfield involves a system of fast travel and ship navigation to explore the different planets and star systems. You’ll need to use your ship’s navigation system to jump from planet to planet, and from system to system. Here’s how it works:

• Open your Starmap: You can access the starmap from the menu or by interacting with a console on your ship.
• Select a destination: In the Starmap, you can zoom in and out and select planets and star systems as destination.
• Fast Travel: If you have already been to a location, you can fast travel directly there, without needing to manually navigate.

Note that traveling to a new star system for the first time usually requires a jump using the Grav Drive in your ship, and it needs fuel, so be mindful of that.

What is scanning and why is it important?

Scanning is crucial for gathering data about planets, resources, and alien lifeforms. Here’s why it’s important:

• Resource Gathering: Scan planets to identify valuable resources that you can mine for crafting and building.
• Research: Scanning flora, fauna, and other features unlocks research opportunities and can give you bonuses and help you craft better items.
• Exploration Data: The more you scan, the more complete your star map becomes and the more you learn about locations.

Use your handheld scanner frequently by pressing the assigned button. The scanner lets you know which resources are located in an area. Scanning also helps you fill your planetary survey data and gain more knowledge.

How do I use my Ship and what are the basic controls?

Your ship is your main mode of transportation and you’ll spend a lot of time inside it. Here are the basic ship controls:

• Takeoff/Landing: Use the designated buttons to take off from or land at a location. You can choose landing locations from planet maps.
• Flying/Navigation: Use directional controls to fly and steer. In space, you can boost and use other special controls.
• Starmap access: As explained earlier, use your ship’s console to open the starmap and plot your course between planets and systems.
• Weapons: You will need to use ship weapons when you have to fight in space. Use the designated controls for firing your lasers, missiles and other ship-mounted weapons.

Understanding your ship’s controls is the key to traveling efficiently and participating in space combat effectively. Don’t forget to periodically make repairs on your ship to keep it in good condition.

Combat and Survival

Space isn’t always friendly! You’ll find yourself in combat, and it can be tough at first. Here’s some information to help you survive those intense moments:

What are the basics of combat?

Combat in Starfield can be complicated, here are some basics:

• Weapons: You’ll use various weapons, from pistols and rifles to melee tools. Experiment to find your favorites.
• Ammo: Keep an eye on your ammunition, and make sure to loot fallen enemies for extra supplies.
• Cover: Use the environment for cover when engaging in firefights. Crouching behind objects will protect you from enemy fire.
• Healing: Use healing items such as Med Packs to replenish your health, and remember that food can also provide small boosts and healing.
• Special Abilities: You might have abilities that can be triggered through your skills, and remember to make use of them.

Practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to engage in combat and learn as you go. Keep an eye on the enemy behavior, and learn to adapt your strategy to the situation.

How do I heal?

Staying alive in a space adventure is crucial. Here’s what you need to know:

• Med Packs: These are the most common way to heal during or after combat. Carry plenty of them.
• Food: Some foods provide a small amount of healing over time and can be good for passive recovery.
• Sleeping: You can also heal by sleeping in a bed. This can fully heal you, but it takes some time, and it’s not always an option in combat.

Always make sure you have a good supply of healing items before starting an exploration or a mission, as it can keep you alive in the toughest situation.

What are status effects and how do I deal with them?

Status effects can be a real pain, but understanding them is key. Here’s a breakdown:

• Injuries: These can be caused by taking damage and can reduce your abilities until healed.
• Radiation: This can occur in certain areas and damage your health over time.
• Environmental Hazards: Extreme temperatures or other conditions can hurt you.
• Afflictions: These can cause different negative effects, like coughing or limited visibility.

Use appropriate items such as aid packs to remove status effects. Always check the environmental hazards of an area and prepare yourself accordingly. For example, if there’s a radiation hazard, bring radiation-reducing items with you.

Inventory Management and Crafting

Managing your resources and crafting items is an important part of Starfield. It is helpful to learn the basics early on.

How does inventory work?

Inventory in Starfield is quite complex, with multiple layers. Here is a breakdown:

• Weight Limit: There is a weight limit to how much you can carry at one time, so be careful of picking up too many items.
• Ship Storage: Your ship has storage for you to store extra items if you become over encumbered.
• Resource Items: Resource items are essential for crafting, research and settlement building.
• Quest Items: These are usually important for your missions, and can’t be discarded easily.
• Weapons/Armor: You can collect various weapons and armor that can be used in combat.

You can use containers in your settlements and outposts to store items as well. Try to keep your inventory organized to quickly find what you need. Be sure to upgrade your carrying capacity when you can.

What is crafting and how does it work?

Crafting can be very useful for creating items, modifying equipment and building settlements. Here’s what you should know:

• Workbenches: You will use workbenches to craft different items and equipment.
• Resources: You need the correct resources to make items, which you gather while exploring.
• Recipes: Recipes unlock more complex items to craft, and you can unlock these through researching and looting.
• Modifications: You can use crafting to modify your weapons, armor and spacesuits, improving their stats and abilities.

Crafting is not just about making things, but also improving what you already have. Be sure to explore and collect every resource that you can, to keep up with your crafting needs.

What are Research Labs and how can I use them?

Research is a key part of Starfield that allows you to unlock new crafting recipes, build better outpost structures, and generally improve your gameplay experience. Here’s how to use them:

• Research Stations: In settlements or aboard your ship, you’ll find stations that allow you to do research.
• Research Projects: Choose from various projects, each with their own costs and benefits. These will improve your skills in different areas.
• Resource Investment: You will need to invest resources into these projects to gain progress.
• Unlock Rewards: Upon completion of research, you unlock new crafting recipes, tech, or other bonuses, which will help you advance further in the game.

Use research regularly to continuously improve your skills, gear and items, allowing you to better face the challenges you will encounter during your adventure.

Quests and Missions

The game is full of quests and missions, and it’s easy to feel lost. Let’s clarify some points:

How do I find quests?

Quests are available everywhere in the game, and they come from many different sources. Here are a few examples:

• Main Quest: The core story-related missions that advance your progress in the main campaign.
• Side Quests: Non-essential quests that you can explore at your leisure, often providing unique rewards.
• Faction Quests: These missions are available by joining one of the game’s factions, and provide unique storylines.
• Bounty Boards: These boards located across cities will give you missions to hunt down space pirates and criminals.
• Exploration Quests: These will be triggered while exploring planets, and can lead to important information, items, and new locations.

Talk to people in cities and other locations, and read the different notices posted on walls and boards, to find new quests. Make sure you check your mission log regularly to see if you’ve completed any missions, and collect the rewards.

How does the mission log work?

Your mission log is your best friend to keep track of all the quests you undertake in the game. Here’s how it works:

• Active Quests: Your mission log shows the currently active quests, and highlights the current objective you need to do.
• Completed Quests: All the quests that you have already completed are kept in the log, in case you need to consult them.
• Quest Details: You can select each individual quest to view details of the story, the steps and goals you need to complete, and the available rewards.
• Setting Markers: You can select a mission in your mission log and set a marker, which shows up on your in-game map, making it easier to reach the location.

Keep your mission log updated and check it frequently. This helps in keeping your priorities clear, so that you know exactly what you need to do, and where you need to go.

What are Factions and how do I join them?

Factions are powerful organizations you can ally with, which can provide different gameplay experiences. Here is some information about them:

• Joining Factions: You can typically join a faction by completing a mission or talking to a specific character. You might need to fulfill certain requirements before joining.
• Faction Quests: Each faction gives you access to unique story quests.
• Faction Rewards: Factions give various rewards for progressing through the storyline, including new weapons, armor, ship parts, and other items.
• Consequences: Some faction choices can have consequences and might make certain other factions or characters dislike you, so make sure you think carefully before you choose.

Joining factions not only adds new quests and rewards, but it can add an entirely new story arc to your playthrough, making it a fun experience.

Outposts and Settlements

Building outposts in Starfield is an important way to gather resources and create your own unique locations. Here is some information about outposts:

How do I build an outpost?

Outposts are a way for you to build settlements on the planets of Starfield, and are useful for generating resources and creating a base of operations. Here’s how to do it:

• Location: Find a suitable location on a planet to place an outpost. Look for areas with natural resources.
• Outpost Beacon: Place an outpost beacon in the desired spot, which will mark the location.
• Building Mode: Once the beacon is set, you can switch to the outpost building mode. This allows you to create structures by spending resources.
• Placement: Place down buildings like resource miners, containers, habitat and other essential facilities.

Outposts are highly customizable, and you can freely move and rotate elements and combine structures to create unique structures. It is recommended to build in locations with easily accessible resources.

What resources do I need for outposts?

Outposts require various resources to build and maintain. Here are the main resources you will need:

• Basic Resources: Items like iron, aluminum, and copper are necessary for basic buildings.
• Advanced Resources: These are essential for more advanced structures and crafting.
• Power: Outposts need power which is produced through generators or solar panels.
• Storage: Containers for resources are also needed to keep the output of your miners.

Make sure you have an ample supply of resources before starting construction. The better planned your outpost, the easier it will be to produce the resources you need.

How do I use my crew?

Crew members will have different skills, and this can be beneficial both in your ship and at your outposts. Here is a guide on how to use them:

• Assigning Crew: You can assign crew to specific roles such as manning outposts or crewing your ship.
• Crew Skills: The skills of crew members can boost your outpost output, and improve your ship’s performance.
• Morale: Crew morale can affect their performance, and it’s good to keep them happy by assigning them to suitable roles.
• Finding Crew: You will need to recruit crew in various locations, such as bars, cities, and other locations.

Pay attention to the skills of the crew that you recruit. Assign the crew to the roles that best suit their skills, and you will notice an improvement in performance.

Starting a space journey like Starfield can be a bit challenging at first, but it quickly becomes fun as you explore and learn the ropes. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. If you have some questions we didn’t cover here, feel free to use our FAQ for more information.