Fallout 4’s settlement feature became one of the most popular mechanics of the franchise, and was followed byStarfield’s outposts. With this feature showing up consistently across Bethesda’s games, it’s possible that settlements of some kind may appear as a mechanic inThe Elder Scrolls 6. While bothFallout 4andStarfieldfeature a settlement feature, they have two very different approaches that both have advantages and drawbacks to offerThe Elder Scrolls 6on a mechanical and narrative level.
Settlements serve several purposes, in that they’re a great mechanic for players to make visible changes to the world of the game, they allow players to express themselves, and they create a new system within the game that gives players meaningful goals and interactions.Fallout 4’s settlement systemin particular was very popular because of the different kinds of settlements that could be built, butStarfield’s outpost system offered a great deal of versatility and creative freedom.
Building in The Elder Scrolls and Other Bethesda Games
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimintroduced a basic but effective building mechanic with its expansion pack, Hearthfire.Skyrim’s Hearthfire expansionallowed players to buy one empty piece of land in each Hold. They could then mine resources such as stone and clay, chop wood, and purchase materials to build a home from the ground up. The rooms could be customized by function, and be added or removed when desired. Services such as a bard, steward, and a personal carriage with a driver could also be hired.
Fallout 4’s Innovative Settlement Mechanic
Fallout 4expanded on Hearthfire’s concept with settlements, where the Lone Survivor can create an entire town from resources found across the Commonwealth. These settlements can only be built at predetermined locations, but this also means that each settlement has an inherent personality that makes them unique and, in some cases, iconic, such as the Red Rocket Truck Shop settlement. There are30 settlements inFallout 4’s base game, with more settlements made available inFallout 4’s content add-ons.
Starfield Emphasizes Creative Freedom
This system was further developed inStarfield. Rather than being limited to a predetermined location, players can create outposts in any viable location. Placing an Outpost Beacon sets the perimeter of an outpost, allowing the player to begin constructing the outpost with the resources they’ve accumulated. Much likeFallout 4,outposts inStarfieldneed to be functional and have resources to be self-sufficient. Players can build outposts anywhere and have complete freedom in their construction and appearance, with the goal of player expression.
How The Elder Scrolls 6 Can Adapt the Settlement System
The Elder Scrolls 6has two paths it can follow, each with its own advantages and drawbacks.Fallout 4’s settlement system offers more narrative control for Bethesda, which means more interesting NPCs, possible side quests tied to settlements, and overall more visually interesting settlement potential.Starfield’s outpost system offers more player freedom, with the caveat that the outposts can feel repetitive and with no NPC or storytelling potential attached to them.
The direction that Bethesda decides to take will depend on its overallgoals forThe Elder Scrolls 6and the role that environmental storytelling has in its world-building. Balancing role-playing, player freedom and expression, and storytelling is always a difficult task in game design, and whichever path Bethesda takes in regard toThe Elder Scrolls 6’s settlements may say a lot.
