Starfield Unleashes Unprecedented Tactical Chaos: Unveiling the Intentionally Stupid Enemy Ship AI

Highlights

Starfield's space combat has been simplified to accommodate a broader audience, with enemy spaceship AI being dumbed down to provide a more accessible experience.

Many players have expressed frustration with the challenging nature of space combat in Starfield, especially when dealing with multiple opponents. However, adjusting the game's difficulty to Very Easy can greatly enhance the playability.

According to Todd Howard, the game director, the decision to make enemy spaceships less intelligent was made to ensure a more consistent combat experience, ultimately enabling players to effortlessly defeat them. This design choice took inspiration from popular games such as FTL and MechWarrior.

According to director Todd Howard, the enemy spaceship AI in Starfield was significantly simplified compared to early Bethesda designs. While the space combat system in the game can be complex and rewarding with investment of time, it is considerably less challenging than before. In a recent interview, Howard explained that as Bethesda added more space combat features, they had to make the enemies easier to accommodate these additions.

Space combat in Starfield has become a divisive topic among players. A significant portion of the Starfield community dislikes the experience of battling against enemy spaceship AI. The difficulty of the combat is a major factor contributing to this sentiment. Players argue that surviving becomes difficult when facing multiple opponents due to limited movement, making it easy for additional enemies to shoot them down. Some players suggest switching the game's difficulty level to Very Easy, which would make space combat more manageable.

Todd Howard, the game director for Starfield at Bethesda, recently discussed the challenge of space combat difficulty during an episode of the AIAS Game Maker's Notebook Podcast. Howard shared that they found it necessary to deliberately make the AI for enemy ships less intelligent in order to achieve a satisfying combat experience. This decision was made after Howard initially described the space combat in Starfield as reminiscent of "jousting," suggesting that battles were short and unpredictable.

Simplifying the enemy spaceship AI in Starfield resulted in a more consistent combat experience. Howard further explained that Bethesda had to adjust how enemy ships maneuvered, ensuring players could easily target and defeat them. Additionally, Bethesda had to incorporate elements into the space combat that encouraged players to learn and utilize their own abilities. For example, they equipped enemies with boosters, which prompted players to experiment with boosting themselves.

Howard also discussed the video games that had an impact on the development of Starfield's space combat gameplay. Both FTL and old MechWarrior titles were mentioned, and players will be able to notice their influence in Starfield's ship customization features. However, these elements have been scaled back to ensure that players can easily understand and engage with them, without the need to pause the game while in space.

The ultimate verdict on Howard's efforts to create accessible and enjoyable space combat in Starfield lies with the players. Regardless of success, it is difficult to argue that the game's space combat should be made more challenging than it already is. Nevertheless, the notion of combat resembling a thrilling "jousting" experience does hold its own excitement.

Starfield is available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.