Getting encumbered is a part of every Bethesda game and despite some Starfield players being unhappy about the mechanic game director Todd Howard doesn’t seem too concerned, telling those affected to stop looting random items.
Encumberment is a mechanic in Starfield that triggers if players carry too many items at once. When encumbered oxygen levels (O2) rapidly deplete and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rapidly rise dealing damage.
The default weight limit is 135 but this can be improved significantly. The two main methods to raise the mass limit are speccing Skill Points into the Weight Lifting skill and equipping armor mods that make resources lighter.
Not everyone enjoys this mechanic and Todd Howard has now offered a solution to Starfield players having a tough time.
Encumbered Starfield players should leave trays alone says Todd Howard
Talking on The AIAS Game Maker’s Notebook Podcast, Todd Howard broke down what “muscles,” Bethesda utilizes when making games. One part of this segment had Bethesda’s game director talk about player freedom and why it’s important to find a balance.
“Yeah there’s probably, I’ll have to think deeply about this one – about our process, but I think it’s the things we prioritize. Prioritizing player freedom in terms of where you can go, what you can do,” Todd Howard answered when asked about Bethesda’s philosophy.
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“It seems like we hit this every time [people] play one of our new games. Picking up all the stuff they immediately get encumbered. No, you don’t need the trays and the pencils. But we like that you can pick them up.”
Timestamp: 20:18
Howard’s argument relates to how player freedom is important but that freedom needs balance. In Bethesda’s eyes, it prioritizes giving players the option to do what they want but still believes limits like getting encumbered are fair game.
Other topics Howard covered throughout the podcast included fan expectations for Starfield, the Microsoft acquisition, as well as several breakdowns of how its ambitious Space RPG was made.
It’s worth listening to the full episode, especially for any big Bethesda fans interested in understanding how its signature open-world RPGs come to be.
