Highlights
- Ship docking in Starfield lacks interactivity, which is disappointing considering the game's dynamic nature and freedom of gameplay.
- Bethesda missed an opportunity to add variety and immersion to spaceflight by not including a more interactive docking mechanic.
- Making ship docking sequences in Starfield a mini-game with rewards and consequences would enhance immersion and make the game more exciting to play.
While players will likely spend the next several years debating the strengths and weaknesses of Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield, one aspect of the game that is hard to dispute is how dynamic it can be. From overhearing a random conversation that can set players down a lengthy, unexpected quest line to the ability to complete most missions in Starfield in whatever manner suits their playstyle best, gamers have an immense amount of freedom when it comes to how they approach the open-world title. In a galaxy otherwise filled with things for players to interact with and often challenging tasks to complete, though, ship docking in Starfield feels disappointingly static thanks to its largely non-interactive mechanics.
What makes the mostly static nature of Starfield’s ship docking sequences especially disappointing is that they represent a missed opportunity for Bethesda to add a bit more variety to spaceflight in the game. One of the biggest frustrations with the game expressed by some players so far has been the lack of true space travel in Starfield, with most spaceborne actions outside of combat being relegated to wading through menu screens. Adding a more interactive method of docking with ships and stations would not only give gamers more to actually do inside their ships but also help further immerse players in the game’s sci-fi setting.
Starfield’s Ship Docking Sequences Would Benefit From a Mini-game Mechanic
The ship docking sequences in Starfield as they currently exist are visually impressive, calling to mind footage of real-world spacecraft connecting to the International Space Station, but also fairly boring from a gameplay perspective. Once players have selected the ship or space station they want to connect with it only takes pressing a single button to dock a ship in Starfield, though getting to that stage can be a challenge when attempting to board hostile vessels. The process is straightforward but relatively unengaging, which is why Starfield would benefit from making its docking sequences more interactive.
Starfield’s docking process seems particularly well-suited for adaptation into a more engaging mechanic. As the film Interstellar showed in one of its most memorable sequences, aligning two massive, free-moving objects in space is no simple feat and requires the sort of precision that would translate perfectly to a mini-game. Starfield’s lock-picking sequences would be a great starting point for an interactive docking system where, instead of twirling tumblers in a lock, players would rotate their ship as needed to align with the docking arm. Adding rewards or consequences based on players’ performance during docking could also make Starfield feel more immersive.
Making Ship Docking More Interactive Would Make Starfield More Immersive
One of the biggest benefits of adding a more in-depth docking mechanic to Starfield would be making the game feel more immersive. Letting players take an active role in controlling their ship during these sequences would let them feel like they actually have a hand in how it plays out. Pulling off a particularly tricky docking sequence would make for a more exciting Starfield story to share than simply recounting how someone successfully pushed a button at the right time, and players could even be rewarded or punished for their performance.
Adding an outright failure state to docking attempts could quickly become frustrating in a game of Starfield’s length, but Bethesda could still help or hinder players depending on how well they do. Completing a successful docking sequence with no errors could give players temporary boosts to their combat or ship handling stats, which could be particularly handy when capturing enemy vessels. Meanwhile, players who perform poorly at the mini-game could see their ship suffer minor damage that would need to be repaired.
In a game where players have agency to tackle challenges in almost any way they choose, the lack of interactivity in Starfield’s docking sequences stands out as a missed opportunity. The addition of a docking mini-game with real risks and rewards for players would solve this problem and help make the world of Starfield feel more immersive than ever.
Starfield is available now on PC and Xbox Series X/S.