Starfield is showcasing revamped graphical elements, notably in the lighting domain, as revealed in a new gameplay video highlighting these enhancements. This update is part of the ongoing Steam Beta, with Bethesda Game Studios diligently refining over a hundred aspects in the latest update, numbered 1.9.47.0, to elevate the Starfield experience.
The game, brought to life by the advanced Creation Engine 2, benefits from numerous functionalities aimed at optimizing performance on new-generation gaming systems. Even though this engine is an evolutionary leap from the one that underpinned iconic games like Fallout 4 and Skyrim, it hasn't been immune to feedback and critique from the gaming community. Earlier tweaks have resolved various issues, and yet, graphical excellence in Starfield remains a frequent topic among critics. The latest update, however, seeks to address and uplift graphical fidelity, as evidenced by a recent video snippet.
Bethesda acknowledged the community's input and released the update 1.9.47.0 as a part of the Steam Beta program, emphasizing enhancements related to gameplay quality, narrative elements, and myriad other dimensions, with graphics being a significant one. A Reddit enthusiast by the handle of TERAB1T, shared a comparative video juxtaposing the existing Starfield version (on the video's left) against the beta 1.9.47.0 iteration (on the right). The side-by-side showcase revealed noticeable upgrades in lighting in the beta version, in contrast with the previous 1.8.88 release. The clip provided a narrow view into the interactions with Franchesca "Frankie" Moore, one of Starfield's in-game characters, on the planet Neon, yet it effectively illustrated substantial advancements since December of 2023.
One prominent topic of discussion within the community focused on the 'spotlight' lighting effect—a visual feature casting intense illumination over a character. The showcased update exhibited significant modifications to this effect, resulting in a softening of the spotlight impact in version 1.9.47.0. While several fans expressed appreciation for these visual improvements, a subset voiced their discontent with certain aesthetic filters used in the game, particularly one user who critiqued the desaturated brown filter on planet Neon for imparting a bleak and dull ambiance to the environment.
The footage provided just a glimpse into the scope of refinements that the 1.9.47.0 update brings to Starfield within the purview of the Steam Beta. Further updates are slated to continue at a pace of approximately every six weeks, in line with the Starfield development and release roadmap for the year 2024.