How Many Starfield Planets Are Real? Exploring the Cosmos of Bethesda’s Epic
The vast universe of Starfield, Bethesda’s ambitious space RPG, has captured the imagination of gamers worldwide. With promises of over 1000 planets across 100 star systems, one of the burning questions on everyone’s mind is: how many of these planets are actually based on real celestial bodies? The answer is: while Starfield draws inspiration from real astronomical data, including planet textures and geological features, most of its planets are not replicas of specific real-world planets. The game features a blend of handcrafted and procedurally generated worlds, resulting in a fascinating mix of the familiar and the entirely new. This means that while you might see planets that look like they could be real, with familiar geological traits based on observations from spacecraft like Cassini and Juno, they are largely fictional creations within the Starfield universe.
Starfield’s Universe: A Blend of Realism and Imagination
Starfield masterfully blends real-world astrophysics with creative license. The game’s developers aimed to create a believable yet exciting setting, taking inspiration from what we know about the Milky Way galaxy and extrapolating from there. While the game’s representation of space isn’t a 1:1 recreation, Bethesda has clearly gone to great lengths to incorporate real-world geological features and textures.
Procedural Generation and RNG
The majority of Starfield’s 1000+ planets are created using a procedural generation system, meaning that a large amount of the content is generated by algorithms. This includes terrain features and even the distribution of resources. The game uses a random number generator (RNG) to create these landscapes as players approach a planet. This keeps the exploration fresh and ensures that no two planets are exactly alike. However, it also means that many of the planets are unique creations rather than exact replicas of real-life celestial bodies.
Handcrafted Worlds
While procedural generation handles the heavy lifting, Starfield also includes handcrafted planets and locations. These areas are meticulously designed by the developers, offering richer narratives and more detailed environments. These handcrafted locations usually feature key settlements, story-driven locations, or particularly unique environments. They are often a focal point of the main story or other major questlines. The combination of handcrafted and procedurally generated worlds means that players will encounter a great variety of experiences and environments.
Fictional Elements in a Realistic Setting
Although Starfield strives for a sense of realism, it’s important to remember it is, ultimately, a work of fiction. The game does include elements that are not necessarily based on our current scientific understanding:
- Renamed Stars: Some stars in the game have been renamed, indicating an element of creative license within the Starfield universe. This allows the developers to fit the game’s narrative and lore.
- Habitable Planets: Out of the 1000+ planets, only around 100 are habitable, which is a fictional premise aimed at creating a compelling gameplay experience. In reality, the likelihood of finding this many habitable planets in such a small space is unlikely.
- The Sol System: While our own Sol system is featured in the game, complete with Earth and Luna (the Moon), they exist within a fictional timeline and context.
The use of fictional elements allows the developers to create an engaging story and to design gameplay elements that are not restricted by the strict rules of real-world astrophysics.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Starfield Planets
Here are some frequently asked questions to provide even more clarity on Starfield’s planets:
1. Does Earth exist in Starfield?
Yes, Earth exists in Starfield as the third planet of the Sol system and the original home of humanity. However, it’s not what you might expect.
2. What happened to Earth in Starfield?
Earth’s atmosphere was destroyed due to an experimental Grav Drive prototype causing it to become uninhabitable. Humanity was forced to abandon the planet between the years 2149 and 2199.
3. How many star systems are in Starfield?
There are a total of 120 star systems that players can travel to in Starfield.
4. Are all Starfield planets fully explorable?
Yes, Starfield features fully explorable planets. Players are free to explore the entire surface of the planet, with some caveats such as restricted areas and terrain boundaries.
5. Do moons count as planets in Starfield?
No, moons in Starfield are secondary planetary-mass objects that orbit a planet. They are still explorable and have resources, locations, and alien life to discover.
6. What is the furthest star system in Starfield?
The furthest explorable star system is Alpha Andraste, located in the top left corner of the star map.
7. Can you walk around an entire planet in Starfield?
While you can’t walk around an entire planet seamlessly due to load times and technical constraints, you can traverse large areas of a planet by walking. These landing zones are significantly large, and will remain consistent if you return to the same landing location.
8. Can you space walk in Starfield?
Yes, spacewalking is possible in Starfield through the use of console commands, or potentially through future updates.
9. Is the Milky Way in Starfield?
Yes, Starfield is set within an area of the Milky Way galaxy. This includes both fictional and real planetary systems.
10. How does Starfield compare to No Man’s Sky in terms of planet size?
No Man’s Sky has an incredibly vast universe with 18 quintillion planets. Starfield does not aim for this scale. Instead, it focuses on a smaller number of planets with more handcrafted and detailed content.
11. How does Starfield handle planet diversity?
Starfield features planets with varying compositions, including Rock, Ice, Barren, Gas/Ice Giants, and Asteroids. However, only Rock, Ice, and Barren planets are accessible for landing.
12. How many cities are there in Starfield?
There are four major cities in Starfield: New Atlantis, Akila, Neon, and The Key (a space station).
13. What is the New Game+ like in Starfield?
Starfield’s New Game+ allows you to restart the game with new story permutations, dialog options, and even new missions, providing a fresh experience.
14. How big is Starfield compared to Skyrim?
Each landing zone in Starfield is actually bigger than Skyrim’s entire map in terms of square mileage. However the overall size of the world as a whole cannot be directly compared due to the nature of Starfield’s multiple planets and procedurally generated areas.
15. Are there any landmarks on Earth in Starfield?
Yes, there are 10 landmarks on Earth including the Shard in London and the Empire State Building in New York, each connected to unique books that you can discover in the game.
Conclusion: Starfield’s Unique Universe
Starfield’s planetary system is a testament to the power of blending real astronomical knowledge with creative imagination. While many planets might seem like they could exist in our own universe based on familiar characteristics, they are mostly products of procedural generation and creative design. This blend allows for a diverse and engaging gameplay experience, where players can explore both the familiar and the completely new. So while you might not be stepping onto the actual surface of a planet from a NASA photo, the experience that Starfield offers is rich, detailed, and captivating. The galaxy of Starfield is a place that invites exploration, discovery, and a sense of wonder, even if the exact locations are more fictional than real.