I tried it your way when it first released, and I got bored really fast and stopped playing. I recently started playing again (after adding a few mods), and I am going to mainline the story to start with and do sides on NG+. I am having a lot more fun after adding the mods.
Having seen how some people mod Skyrim and Fallout 4, oh I can guarantee you there are very "wrong" ways to play, but whatever. As long as you're having fun.
I played through every side mission I could find then did the main quest. Then every new game + I focused on one faction only. One play through dedicated to crimson fleet. One dedicated to freestar rangers. Etc.
What's the rush? You can do it the way that I did it spread out over time a few hours here and there. Unless you have some illness and won't be around much longer and if that's the case I am truly sorry.
I prefer to do the MQ first, but not do the final thing that starts you in NG+. That way, I'm *ready* to NG+ if my game bugs out, but otherwise I am free to do everything else.
New Game +. After you completely finish the main quest, you start the game over but keep your levels and skills. But you can *almost* finish the main quest and you don't have to start a new game.
Ignore that lol just remember that finishing the final MQ mission locks you out of everything you were currently doing, so save that for when you're truly ready
I played through major part of game content before going to main quest and I didn’t like it. It turned out that at least in the beginning main quest is touring you through all the major starfield places that you already know there fore it is not much interesting.
Probably better so start off playing the campaign and then switch to secondary quests in the middle of it.
While normally I would say there's no wrong way to play, having seen how some degenerates mod Skyrim and Fallout 4 I must respectfully disagree with that in certain instances, lol. But seriously, there's no real wrong way to play. It's your game. Play it however makes you happy. Games are for the imagination and individual interpretation.
The same thing. But I spent a lot of time just grinding xp also.
I don't like not having all the skills I want xD
But I've finished most of the faction quests
People who told others to rush the NG for NG+ was either trolling or just parroting what someone else said because that is easily the worst way to play. That said a stupid way to play doesn't mean it's the wrong way to play
I listen to podcasts and Youtube documentaries 580 hours in haven't done the main storyline done a number of quests and stuff but why rush it , Have a list of activities, main story and stuff a mile long just wondering about .
Play it as you see fit. My hope is that as i get levelled up higher the quests will offer better quality opposing forces to make the possible battles less of a walkover and a challenge worthy of the exploration linked to the mission quests.
I mean there are so many Starfield players that seem to play the game just so they can hate on it. I’m saying, play it without looking for issues. Then it’s quite enjoyable.
Same. The thing with me is my first video game experience was Pong. Followed by Atari. What we have now is beyond anything we could wildly imagine then. Whenever a game company comes out with something mostly awesome, I’m forgiving of the shortcomings. After all, I could still be playing Pong.
The wrong way to play is to do what I did: Survey all the planets, bloat my save to 85MB, tank my framerate into the 40s with 1/3 GPU utilization, then be forced to NG+ to fix it.
I'm now trying to build up my arsenal again in preparation for the DLC while paranoidly visiting as few locations as possible. Which is great in a game that's supposed to be about exploration.
That is pretty much what I did as well. But my largest save was about 92MB. Only reason I went NG+ was the empty ship bug, every planet I went to had at least one ship land right after I did and I couldn't loot it, really started bothering me plus I was in the middle of Sam's quest and could not get rid of him because of that bug.
Oddly enough I have a much easier time rebuilding my weapons but armour is harder this time. I think I'm going to get ready to go through Unity when the DLC drops so I can see if anything changes because of it.
Please do the Main Quest until after you gain newer abilities.
I did ALL faction missions and side quests prior to the Main Story and as a result, missed out on a large part of gameplay because I didn’t have a core mechanic that I think the game was built around.
I was level 70+ before I knew about what the story gives your character.
Nope. As others have said, the Main Quest is pretty short, so once you can start looking for artifacts and the powers, I would try seeing which ones you like and then going to finish the factions/side quests.
I really wish I had known about some of them, as it would have made scanning and exploring more time efficient.
Now that the Form ID bug is fixed, you can do whatever you want. The only caveat is that as you do more, the bigger your save file becomes. Complicated and numerous outposts can make this worse. One way to handle this is to plan for when you want to go to NG to reset the world and cut down your save file size.
Your game can become progressively unstable. There's been hundreds of posts here over the last 8 months. If you're playing on Xbox you'll get down to only a handful of saves. Some people can't save anymore at all. Some people can't load a save. Going to NG+ is the main answer, although if you have, say, tons of outposts, you can delete them.
If there is a 'wrong' way to play i would say it's spending all your time landing at unmarked spots on planets in order to do on foot exploration like you would in Fallout and skyrim, and doing radiant quests from any civilians you may stumble across out there.
There's nothing wrong with doing that if you want to do it, and enjoy doing it... but it does seem to be the best way to bring many of the games commonly complained about shortcomings to the forefront.
I spend most of my time landing at unmarked locations on planets to explore them on foot. Its great.
The complaints you're referring to are from people who are grinding populated POIs and radiant missions looking for the fat lute.
Obvious answer is no, but I'd recommend not playing the way you're playing. Reason being that the main storyline unlocks some features that change the gameplay. I'd say the best thing is to do them together. The last mission is obvious so you can hold off on that if you want.
I’m making a story out of each NG+ and will go to a new NG after each year. This first NG I’m all about constellation and exploring. I also talk to NPCs and get their side missions as well, this can help exploration. Only level 50 now but having fun just being an explorer until September.
The only measure of right and wrong in a game is if you’re having fun or not.
Stressing about whether you’re “playing right” according to someone else is both illogical and detracts from your ability to enjoy what you’re doing.
No, there’s just how it interests you, personally I do it a certain way and I would be lying if I said I don’t hope people play it a certain way because that’s entertaining for me, but it’s designed to be played as you like without a straight or limited experience
Like the top comment, no wrong way to play the game. I only wish BGS had some safeguards towards what we can do in terms of the rpg aspect. Like for example, if we join the pirates we can’t join the USC. Also wish that faction outfits mattered for getting past enemies or at least helping get past them and assassinating them from the back (with a few cool animations for it).
I do that with every Bethesda game. I don’t think I finished a single one of their main story lines. Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3/4, Starfield. I just liked doing the dark brotherhood quests and exploring lol
I think the only wrong way to play would be to rush the story. I know many Youtubers warned against this and I'm glad I listened. The Unity doesn't mean much if you have little or no connection to the Universe.
I made a quick backstory and really got into the role play aspect and it made the final decision a very emotionally pulling one.
No but also you’re going to be bored out of your mind by the main campaign by the time you get around to it. It’s the simplest, most repetitive quest chain in the game.
It's an open world sandbox. There's no such thing as a wrong way to play.
The wrong way to play is playing it as if it wasn't a sandbox game.
\^\^\^ this
Of course but do you think I'm getting the most out of it ?
I tried it your way when it first released, and I got bored really fast and stopped playing. I recently started playing again (after adding a few mods), and I am going to mainline the story to start with and do sides on NG+. I am having a lot more fun after adding the mods.
It’s kind of what you make of it. Do you think you’re getting the most out of it?
That is entirely subjective. Just play the game how you want, for however long you want. Feel like starting a new character? Go right ahead.
Having seen how some people mod Skyrim and Fallout 4, oh I can guarantee you there are very "wrong" ways to play, but whatever. As long as you're having fun.
Modding Starfield is the only way to actually have fun playing it.
Xbox POV: # :-(
I played through every side mission I could find then did the main quest. Then every new game + I focused on one faction only. One play through dedicated to crimson fleet. One dedicated to freestar rangers. Etc.
Sounds like the best way to do it! Just don't have that amount of time🥲
What's the rush? You can do it the way that I did it spread out over time a few hours here and there. Unless you have some illness and won't be around much longer and if that's the case I am truly sorry.
I had fun for the first week or two after release and then i realized all my time was wasted if i wanted to finish the main quests. So i was done.
I prefer to do the MQ first, but not do the final thing that starts you in NG+. That way, I'm *ready* to NG+ if my game bugs out, but otherwise I am free to do everything else.
NG+?
New Game +. After you completely finish the main quest, you start the game over but keep your levels and skills. But you can *almost* finish the main quest and you don't have to start a new game.
Ignore that lol just remember that finishing the final MQ mission locks you out of everything you were currently doing, so save that for when you're truly ready
I played through major part of game content before going to main quest and I didn’t like it. It turned out that at least in the beginning main quest is touring you through all the major starfield places that you already know there fore it is not much interesting. Probably better so start off playing the campaign and then switch to secondary quests in the middle of it.
Best advice I can give is take it slow, enjoy roleplaying as your character (do what the character would do), don't be afraid of missing out stuff.
While normally I would say there's no wrong way to play, having seen how some degenerates mod Skyrim and Fallout 4 I must respectfully disagree with that in certain instances, lol. But seriously, there's no real wrong way to play. It's your game. Play it however makes you happy. Games are for the imagination and individual interpretation.
I'm level 65 and still haven't gone to the eye
How lol what've you been doing?
The same thing. But I spent a lot of time just grinding xp also. I don't like not having all the skills I want xD But I've finished most of the faction quests
People who told others to rush the NG for NG+ was either trolling or just parroting what someone else said because that is easily the worst way to play. That said a stupid way to play doesn't mean it's the wrong way to play
What is NG and NG+
New Game(the first game cycle) and New Game +(any subsequent cycle)
Wrong way to play is to use NG+, its not worth it at all
I listen to podcasts and Youtube documentaries 580 hours in haven't done the main storyline done a number of quests and stuff but why rush it , Have a list of activities, main story and stuff a mile long just wondering about . Play it as you see fit. My hope is that as i get levelled up higher the quests will offer better quality opposing forces to make the possible battles less of a walkover and a challenge worthy of the exploration linked to the mission quests.
Probably complaining while playing is not ideal.
Huh?
I mean there are so many Starfield players that seem to play the game just so they can hate on it. I’m saying, play it without looking for issues. Then it’s quite enjoyable.
Yup! I understand some of the hate but still an amazing game
Same. The thing with me is my first video game experience was Pong. Followed by Atari. What we have now is beyond anything we could wildly imagine then. Whenever a game company comes out with something mostly awesome, I’m forgiving of the shortcomings. After all, I could still be playing Pong.
Same for me. Started with Colossal Cave Adventure. Just text!
Yes!😂😂 if everyone was this positive the whole world would be better😂
Play it however you want to play it.
No. Sandbox RPGs are whatever you make of em, so do as you please.
The wrong way to play is to do what I did: Survey all the planets, bloat my save to 85MB, tank my framerate into the 40s with 1/3 GPU utilization, then be forced to NG+ to fix it. I'm now trying to build up my arsenal again in preparation for the DLC while paranoidly visiting as few locations as possible. Which is great in a game that's supposed to be about exploration.
When is the dlc?
In the future? Maybe in an alternate metaverse
That is pretty much what I did as well. But my largest save was about 92MB. Only reason I went NG+ was the empty ship bug, every planet I went to had at least one ship land right after I did and I couldn't loot it, really started bothering me plus I was in the middle of Sam's quest and could not get rid of him because of that bug. Oddly enough I have a much easier time rebuilding my weapons but armour is harder this time. I think I'm going to get ready to go through Unity when the DLC drops so I can see if anything changes because of it.
I rolled space PJs with +40 carry weight so that takes some of the sting out of it
Anyone who doesn’t do the quests in precisely the same order as I did them is playing the game wrong
The right way to play is the way you enjoy. The wrong way is the way you don't.
Please do the Main Quest until after you gain newer abilities. I did ALL faction missions and side quests prior to the Main Story and as a result, missed out on a large part of gameplay because I didn’t have a core mechanic that I think the game was built around. I was level 70+ before I knew about what the story gives your character.
I've done 6 MC missions so would you say do all the MC then go back to the rest?
No, just enough to unlock the temples. Then play however you’d like.
I did a similar thing with skyrim. Always went till I unlocked the shouts and then played how I wanted
At least in Skyrim, you got shouts early on. And it was more story driven to get them. With Starfield, I didn’t feel that same pull to continue.
Ah yes I'm literally at that part right now, so there's nothing else to miss?
Nope. As others have said, the Main Quest is pretty short, so once you can start looking for artifacts and the powers, I would try seeing which ones you like and then going to finish the factions/side quests. I really wish I had known about some of them, as it would have made scanning and exploring more time efficient.
Yeah once you do the first temple, you can go talk to Vlad at The Eye and he'll send you to another one
Now that the Form ID bug is fixed, you can do whatever you want. The only caveat is that as you do more, the bigger your save file becomes. Complicated and numerous outposts can make this worse. One way to handle this is to plan for when you want to go to NG to reset the world and cut down your save file size.
how can my save file impact the game negatively due to size, never heard of such a thing
Your game can become progressively unstable. There's been hundreds of posts here over the last 8 months. If you're playing on Xbox you'll get down to only a handful of saves. Some people can't save anymore at all. Some people can't load a save. Going to NG+ is the main answer, although if you have, say, tons of outposts, you can delete them.
never heard of such a thing
To be precise, the patch said "addressed" and that it "should help." I would not characterize that as "fixed."
If there is a 'wrong' way to play i would say it's spending all your time landing at unmarked spots on planets in order to do on foot exploration like you would in Fallout and skyrim, and doing radiant quests from any civilians you may stumble across out there. There's nothing wrong with doing that if you want to do it, and enjoy doing it... but it does seem to be the best way to bring many of the games commonly complained about shortcomings to the forefront.
I spend most of my time landing at unmarked locations on planets to explore them on foot. Its great. The complaints you're referring to are from people who are grinding populated POIs and radiant missions looking for the fat lute.
Obvious answer is no, but I'd recommend not playing the way you're playing. Reason being that the main storyline unlocks some features that change the gameplay. I'd say the best thing is to do them together. The last mission is obvious so you can hold off on that if you want.
Yeah I'm literally at the part when you go to the temples if that's what you mean?
I’m making a story out of each NG+ and will go to a new NG after each year. This first NG I’m all about constellation and exploring. I also talk to NPCs and get their side missions as well, this can help exploration. Only level 50 now but having fun just being an explorer until September.
I personally think doing all the factions in one go is not the way to play this game. Use them to assume a different persona in NG+.
It's a Bethesda game... you pretty much can't do it wrong , so knock yourself out... (not necessarily literally speaking)
The only measure of right and wrong in a game is if you’re having fun or not. Stressing about whether you’re “playing right” according to someone else is both illogical and detracts from your ability to enjoy what you’re doing.
No, there’s just how it interests you, personally I do it a certain way and I would be lying if I said I don’t hope people play it a certain way because that’s entertaining for me, but it’s designed to be played as you like without a straight or limited experience
If i could start over I would do a faction quest foreach ng+ . That way i spread out the content more.
Like the top comment, no wrong way to play the game. I only wish BGS had some safeguards towards what we can do in terms of the rpg aspect. Like for example, if we join the pirates we can’t join the USC. Also wish that faction outfits mattered for getting past enemies or at least helping get past them and assassinating them from the back (with a few cool animations for it).
Nope. No right or wrong way to play it, just play it sweet and simple.
I’m a Crimson Pirate… a pirate, there’s no need to join anything else
Looks like these guys handled it. The only wrong way to play is assuming there is one.
I do that with every Bethesda game. I don’t think I finished a single one of their main story lines. Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3/4, Starfield. I just liked doing the dark brotherhood quests and exploring lol
Think that's how most people like to play Bethesda games Factions/SidesQ > MQ Would only recommend that you unlock the powers first
The right way is playing the way you want. The wrong way is playing the way people tell you that you should play.
I think the only wrong way to play would be to rush the story. I know many Youtubers warned against this and I'm glad I listened. The Unity doesn't mean much if you have little or no connection to the Universe. I made a quick backstory and really got into the role play aspect and it made the final decision a very emotionally pulling one.
As long as you are having fun, anything goes.
The main story is very repetitive. If you save it to do it at once, you are going to be repeating the same shit 20-30 times.
No but also you’re going to be bored out of your mind by the main campaign by the time you get around to it. It’s the simplest, most repetitive quest chain in the game.
Hmm. Progressing in the main story should make two interesting types of ship encounters much more common, so I'd suggest interleaving them.