Summary
Bethesda’sStarfieldis the latest in a series of high-profile games that leverage the power of procedural generation to provide players with unique experiences not just across users but from playthrough to playthrough. In terms of the technology’s utility in gaming, procedural generation can ease the burden on developers toward crafting curated environments and free up resources to help the hand-crafted portions of games truly shine. Due to the sheer size ofStarfield, using procedural generation for several planets was almost a necessity given that the game features over a thousand of them. Thankfully, these procedurally generated planets are (for the most part) more engaging than the randomly generated dungeons ofDiablo 4.
While not the firstDiablotitle to utilize procedural generation,Diablo 4notoriously keeps its overworld map static while procedurally generating each dungeon layout by pulling from a series of predetermined map templates. In the initial hours ofDiablo 4, these “mix and match” style layouts can be quite entertaining and help to keep things fresh. Eventually, though, players start to notice repeated dungeon designs across multiple locations and the illusion of variety starts to fall apart. Not only doStarfield’s procedurally generated planetsavoid this pitfall, but the potential for worthwhile discovery helps to make each jaunt to a procedurally generated planet a rewarding venture.
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How Procedural Generation Works in Diablo 4 Compared to Starfield
Although both titles are massive RPGs that utilize procedural generation,StarfieldandDiablo 4differ in how they implement it. As an always-online live-service title,Diablo 4features procedurally generated dungeonsalongside a static world map. Although the locations of the dungeons themselves don’t change, the interiors are generated based on the size and objectives of each dungeon. In order to generate the design of each dungeon, the game pulls from a series of predetermined map layouts based on these criteria. And, as a result, players who spend a considerable amount of time in the game tend to begin seeing several ofDiablo 4’s dungeon layouts repeated.
Starfield’s use of procedural generation helps facilitate the design of its planets and their surfaces. With over a hundred star systems on offer and thousands of potential planets to explore, procedural generation is used to determine both the terrain and features of each planet. However, several planets include points of interest such as science outposts or abandoned research facilities, and each of these points of interest are hand-crafted elements. So whileDiablo 4keeps a static world map and pulls design elements for the locations players enter and explore,Starfielddoes the opposite- the world maps themselves are generated from design templates and then each point of interest is an intentionally-designed location.
Even Starfield’s ‘Empty’ Planets Serve a Purpose
Many players questioned how much ofStarfieldwould feel “random” ahead of the game’s release, but there are two important factors to consider. The first is that procedural generation doesn’t indicate random elements, but rather that the game utilizes the technology to populate areas with predetermined assets. The second is that Bethesda games have always used procedural generation to some degree, with world maps having a general outline but being populated with vegetation, NPCs, and areas of interest based on implementation of procedural generation. With over a thousand planets to explore, use of procedural generation is practically necessary to help bringBethesda’s largest and most ambitious worldto life.
Even players who have spent dozens of hours inStarfield’s galaxy have yet to fully explore every planet, and surely not every planet has points of interest that are worthwhile to players. That said, even the planets that appear barren or “empty” haveutility inStarfieldthanks to the opportunity to build outposts and establish resource collection. Even when the planets themselves don’t feature anything to “do”, they have value within the context of the game’s economy.
Starfieldis available now in early access launch for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
