How do people play this game for over 100 hours +

[Dustreaper]

I cannot fathom it i want to understand. After my 100+ hours i feel like i have seen everything this game has to offer. Looking back on it it was not that great very simple quest designs, but kept me busy. Don't understand how people can spend so many hours in such a hollow world to me. Explain it to me in detail what is keeping you guys entertained. If it had good combat i would enjoy it but not this, not tactical like fallout new vegas. I rather have slow combat then quick combat.

[alexarcanus]

I, unfortunately, have 100+ hours in the game :( IMO this is a decent game, but not one of Bethesda's more compelling creations. Ultimately what got me this far into it is the familiar tropes from Skyrim \ Fallout that they've ported over, in combination with an abnormal abundance of freetime on my hands (due to IRL injury).

Characters and story are "interesting enough" but not compelling. Both feel very flat in comparison to other recently released or updated games. Game mechanics feel "dumbed down," and based on information I have seen from Todd Howard, that is actually a design decision they made. They were probably afraid of the game being too inaccessible if it had both breadth and depth of complexity. All the cut scenes and inventory management do break game continuity. And the game gets ridiculously easy once you understand some of the fundamental mechanics.

All that criticism aside, it does have a familiar feel from having played fallout 3 / 4, and Elders Scrolls III-V. It's kind of like an old blanket that has been put through the wash. In true bethesada fashion, there is a ton to do if you follow all the side quests, although I will admit the storylines are not as compelling as previous titles, and I may not have put in so much time were my personal circumstances different.

[trevorbergershank]

Originally posted by Dustreaper:

I cannot fathom it i want to understand. After my 100+ hours i feel like i have seen everything this game has to offer. Looking back on it it was not that great very simple quest designs, but kept me busy. Don't understand how people can spend so many hours in such a hollow world to me. Explain it to me in detail what is keeping you guys entertained. If it had good combat i would enjoy it but not this, not tactical like fallout new vegas. I rather have slow combat then quick combat.

I've played over 100 hours very, very easily. My first character I explored and done some side-quests just within Sol and Alpha Centauri and racked up over 50 hours. I then joined the UC Vanguard and followed their questline, doing some more exploring and ship-building along the way, racking up another 50 or so hours. So, I was over 100 before I even started the main quest. I believe by the end of my first playthrough I was over 200 hours and enjoyed pretty much all of it.

On a second character I did only Ryujin and Neon quests with a little exploring and clocked another 70 or so hours. On a third, I've stayed in the Right-hand side of the galaxy map so as not to repeat a lot of stuff, have played as a merc/pirate and have over 100 hours already and I haven't even joined the Crimson Fleet yet, which is the main reason I created this particular character.

The short answer is, playing and enjoying over 100 hours is unbelievably easy. By that time, I hadn't seen even a quarter of the game.

[Galenmereth]

Originally posted by trevorbergershank:

[...] On a second character I did only Ryujin and Neon quests with a little exploring and clocked another 70 or so hours. On a third, I've stayed in the Right-hand side of the galaxy map so as not to repeat a lot of stuff, have played as a merc/pirate and have over 100 hours already and I haven't even joined the Crimson Fleet yet, which is the main reason I created this particular character.

The short answer is, playing and enjoying over 100 hours is unbelievably easy. By that time, I hadn't seen even a quarter of the game.

While many complain that not every dialogue tree necessarily cater to their desired play style, I feel like there's so much room to play and approach the world in a role-playing fashion. You can actually play the game completely as an outlaw pirate if you choose to, like you have. I've played like that in my current NG+ as well. It makes some things harder, so some may argue it isn't as "viable", but there's no way to balance these things perfectly without making it less interesting. Being a pirate should be hard, but it's also a very different feel.

[Athenas]

Originally posted by Dustreaper:

I cannot fathom it i want to understand. After my 100+ hours i feel like i have seen everything this game has to offer. Looking back on it it was not that great very simple quest designs, but kept me busy. Don't understand how people can spend so many hours in such a hollow world to me. Explain it to me in detail what is keeping you guys entertained. If it had good combat i would enjoy it but not this, not tactical like fallout new vegas. I rather have slow combat then quick combat.

“How could people play for so many hours something they like and I don’t?”

[Nathaniel Higgers]

Its easy to hit 100+ when you engage with shallow systems like ship building and outpost building.
The problem is that, those systems are irrelevant to the games experience. Its merely a time-bloat that makes this "next generation role-playing game" seem like it has depth.

If you avoid all the clutter and just focus on the curated experience, it becomes blatantly obvious that Starfield is an action-adventure game, one that has no merit in any of its aspects.

[gordo compu]

The main story is just a tutorial/prologue.

[trevorbergershank]

Originally posted by Galenmereth:

Originally posted by trevorbergershank:

[...] On a second character I did only Ryujin and Neon quests with a little exploring and clocked another 70 or so hours. On a third, I've stayed in the Right-hand side of the galaxy map so as not to repeat a lot of stuff, have played as a merc/pirate and have over 100 hours already and I haven't even joined the Crimson Fleet yet, which is the main reason I created this particular character.

The short answer is, playing and enjoying over 100 hours is unbelievably easy. By that time, I hadn't seen even a quarter of the game.

While many complain that not every dialogue tree necessarily cater to their desired play style, I feel like there's so much room to play and approach the world in a role-playing fashion. You can actually play the game completely as an outlaw pirate if you choose to, like you have. I've played like that in my current NG+ as well. It makes some things harder, so some may argue it isn't as "viable", but there's no way to balance these things perfectly without making it less interesting. Being a pirate should be hard, but it's also a very different feel.

Yes, I agree - diverse characters in regards to RP and immersion is definitely one of the games highlights and is vastly superior to any Fallout title. As with many aspects of the game, this needs to be taken further. You mentioned piracy, which is what I am predominantly doing with my current character. It's fun to RP and certainly viable but there needs to be more - smuggling opportunities should be far more in number and in how lucrative they can be. Contraband and shielded cargo similarly, require further development.

It is indicative of the game really, and Bethesda games in general - a fun gameplay element, but one only implemented at around 60% of should be there, combined with a host of others sitting at similar percentages. This can be frustrating for sure, but they still combine to make an engaging game.

[Ravnhood]

You have 1,300 hours in EVE and 10,000 hours in Stellaris... I'm not sure you have a sense of anything in here.

[Galenmereth]

Originally posted by trevorbergershank:

[...]
It is indicative of the game really, and Bethesda games in general - a fun gameplay element, but one only implemented at around 60% of should be there, combined with a host of others sitting at similar percentages. This can be frustrating for sure, but they still combine to make an engaging game.

This is very much true of all the Bethesda games I've played the most, from Oblivion up to Starfield. They tend to implement many mechanics but not take them all the way. Usually one or two have the most focus; in Skyrim I'd say that's melee (although far from perfect), and in Fallout 4 it's the gunplay. In Starfield, the gunplay combined with your powers feels like the major pillar, but there's multiple others that while not as fleshed out (space combat, for instance) are still involved enough to facilitate fun gameplay and roleplaying.

I think this is very intentional, and often a divisive aspect of Bethesda's games. But it's the fact that all these different mechanics exist in one game and world in an intuitive manner that somehow overcomes the weaknesses of this approach, in my opinion. But I suspect that it also works best for players that are willing to "role play" their way around the weaknesses, whereas others want the game to provide all the depth for them, which no matter how you create games, will require sacrifices somewhere else in terms of development of it.

The fact that Bethesda then provides such strong modding tools is what allows the community to build upon their favorite gameplay pillars and elevate them to where they feel they "should" be. Take Sim Settlements for Fallout 4, or the major spell overhauls of Skyrim as examples.

As a small-time modder I have plans to invest more time in Starfield. Not because I think it needs it to be fun (I wouldn't have played so much already were that the case), but because I want to add even more to this world more so than any previous game.

[Machika]

I'm still on my first play through doing other things and faction quests rather than main mission. Dropped Sarah off at the Lodge maybe 100 hours ago and only go back to drop resources off downstairs or finish off research.

[NONAME]

There is nothing explicitly great about this game. Every single element is a solid "meh".
But it's a strangely meditative, even and relaxing experience. It doesn't push you (none of the quests are rushing you) and pretty much leaves you to your own devices.
It gives me Elite Dangerous vibes.

[SIX]

Originally posted by Blackbird DK:

You have 1,300 hours in EVE and 10,000 hours in Stellaris... I'm not sure you have a sense of anything in here.

Both those games have infinite replay value unlike Starfield.

[rasabt]

sitting
i know some people like to stand infront of their monitor/tv for fitness sake
but frankly my job is quite involved and i like to chill infront of my rig
so yeah, sitting...coffee, dimmed lights.
it's honestly pretty great and relaxing

[trevorbergershank]

Originally posted by Galenmereth:

Originally posted by trevorbergershank:

[...]
It is indicative of the game really, and Bethesda games in general - a fun gameplay element, but one only implemented at around 60% of should be there, combined with a host of others sitting at similar percentages. This can be frustrating for sure, but they still combine to make an engaging game.

This is very much true of all the Bethesda games I've played the most, from Oblivion up to Starfield. They tend to implement many mechanics but not take them all the way. Usually one or two have the most focus; in Skyrim I'd say that's melee (although far from perfect), and in Fallout 4 it's the gunplay. In Starfield, the gunplay combined with your powers feels like the major pillar, but there's multiple others that while not as fleshed out (space combat, for instance) are still involved enough to facilitate fun gameplay and roleplaying.

I think this is very intentional, and often a divisive aspect of Bethesda's games. But it's the fact that all these different mechanics exist in one game and world in an intuitive manner that somehow overcomes the weaknesses of this approach, in my opinion. But I suspect that it also works best for players that are willing to "role play" their way around the weaknesses, whereas others want the game to provide all the depth for them, which no matter how you create games, will require sacrifices somewhere else in terms of development of it.

The fact that Bethesda then provides such strong modding tools is what allows the community to build upon their favorite gameplay pillars and elevate them to where they feel they "should" be. Take Sim Settlements for Fallout 4, or the major spell overhauls of Skyrim as examples.

As a small-time modder I have plans to invest more time in Starfield. Not because I think it needs it to be fun (I wouldn't have played so much already were that the case), but because I want to add even more to this world more so than any previous game.

Again, I honestly couldn't agree more with your take on this. For me, whilst the implementation of so many gameplay elements likely is intentional and for the most part, fits the Bethesda RPG formula, the lack of depth always frustrates.

In Skyrim for example, you have a superbly designed, dark Nordic faction like the Companions with a strong identity and extensive lore. But, the supporting gameplay was of course, seriously lacking whereby the PC can lead the entire faction after 2 or 3 quests and once they do, pretty much nothing more can be done. It amazes me to this day that they never had leader-specific content like recruitment, promotion or expanding the faction (although the Hircine Quests are quite cool).

The Thalmor, as both an amazingly-designed yet sorely lacking faction were even worse offenders; a faction that cannot even be joined or developed in any way. Fallout 4 made very similar mistakes with endgame faction management/leadership practically non-existent. The Institute are arguably the best example of this - again, a well-designed, strong identity, brought down by the un-immersive small-scale of their home and the lack of almost any leader-specific content. Where was the player-directors options to actually lead the faction?

In some ways, I think Starfield has improved on its factions. The UC Vanguard questline for example, is one of the best I've played in any Bethesda game and it is an interesting idea to have radiant quests after the faction narrative is complete.

I just can't help but feel Starfield would have been better served if the devs had focused on less gameplay elements in order to fully flesh out others. Very un-Bethesda I know, but imagine say, rather than 1000 planets, we had 500 but with a fully functional outposts mechanic and a deep and detailed in-game economy instead.

[Vivio]

building outposts alone could keep my busy for several hundred hours people rush to new game + but im still on the first run :D