Bethesda‘s games have always been about stepping into another world. Whether you‘re slaying dragons in Skyrim or surviving the apocalypse in Fallout, their immersive RPGs have a way of completely engrossing players. But with Starfield, Bethesda is inviting us to go beyond mere continents or planets – they‘re handing us the keys to an entire galaxy.
Starfield represents an astronomical evolution of the "go anywhere, do anything" freedom that‘s defined Bethesda titles for decades. Game Director Todd Howard has touted the game‘s over 100 star systems and 1000+ explorable planets. Even more tantalizing for fans of Fallout 4‘s settlement system or Skyrim‘s Hearthfire DLC, Howard promised players the ability to establish outposts across the cosmos:
"You can build outposts on planets, and hire characters to keep them up and running. The more outposts you build, the bigger the footprint you‘ll have in the game." – Todd Howard, Starfield Gameplay Reveal
In theory, outposts serve as the ultimate canvas for Starfield‘s extensive base-building mechanics. These customizable hubs allow you to construct everything from research labs to extract rare resources, to biodomes that provide a steady food supply for your crew. Linking up multiple outposts lets you create galaxy-spanning trade networks and infrastructures.
It‘s an incredibly compelling prospect, especially for players who love to leave their mark on a game world. But there‘s just one small problem (well, besides the vastness of space)… a lot of pioneers have been struggling to keep track of the outposts they‘ve established!
When Outposts Vanish
The "disappearing outpost" bug has proven to be a vexing thorn in many a space explorer‘s side. Here‘s how it typically plays out:
- You find an ideal spot to set up shop on some distant world. All the necessary resources are abundant, and the view of the neighboring nebula is stunning.
- After spending a good chunk of time gathering materials and carefully planning your base layout, you plop down an outpost beacon, start construction, and blast off to see what other star systems have in store.
- But when you open your starmap to admire your growing network of settlements, you notice a blank space where your latest base should be. Confused, you trek back to the site, only to find a barren "Landing Area" marker with zero signs of the outpost you lovingly crafted.
It‘s an incredibly frustrating turn of events, especially in a game all about exploration and expansion. The exact causes are still being sussed out, but players suspect everything from unlucky glitches while warping between locations, to issues with the order of operations when placing an outpost.
The one silver lining is that you‘re definitely not alone if you‘ve spent a play session fruitlessly searching for a phantom base. A poll on the r/Starfield subreddit found that over 62% of respondents had encountered the disappearing outpost bug in some form.
Hunting Down Missing Outposts
While Bethesda will undoubtedly stamp out this vexing bug in future updates, intrepid spacefarers have discovered a few helpful workarounds in the meantime. Here‘s a quick rundown of methods to try if you find yourself sans outpost:
The Beacon Rename Trick: Many a base-builder swears by this one. Immediately after setting an outpost beacon, hop out of construction mode, interact with the beacon, and edit the default "Landing Area" name to something unique. This seems to force the outpost to appear properly on the map and makes it easily searchable.
Crew Menu Clues: If you have the Crew Quarters module installed on your trusty spaceship, you‘re in luck. Apparently, the "Assign Companion" interface lists all currently active outposts, even if they‘ve done a vanishing act on the starmap. You can then command your crew to head directly to the AWOL base.
Quest Log Backtracking: Some players have managed to pinpoint the rough locations of their missing outposts by carefully retracing their steps through the completed missions log. If you‘re fairly certain you established an outpost in the same system as a certain quest marker, you might be able to triangulate its position.
Good Ol‘ Fashioned Scanning: When all else fails, a methodical survey of the star systems you‘ve visited could turn up your lost outpost. They‘re represented by a distinct "bunker" icon, so examine your map with a keen eye. It may not be efficient, but it‘s better than building a new base from scratch!
Now, these DIY solutions are appreciated in a pinch, but they‘re not exactly ideal. Starfield is a game that‘s all about wonder, discovery, and forging your own path through the universe. Spending hours squinting at a starmap, praying you‘ll spot a missing base, doesn‘t quite match that vision.
Patience Makes Perfect
At the end of the day, Starfield is an enormously ambitious undertaking, arguably the biggest game Bethesda has ever developed. Some technical hiccups are practically inevitable for a project of this unprecedented scale. The "disappearing outpost" issue may be annoying, but in the grand scheme of the galaxies we‘ll be free to explore, it‘s a minor quibble.
Plus, if there‘s one thing Bethesda RPG fans have in spades, it‘s persistence. The Skyrim community is still uncovering quirks and hidden details over a decade after release. No doubt Starfield players will be just as devoted to sussing out every secret of the stars.
As we wait for official patches and updates to smooth out Starfield‘s asteroid-sized wrinkles, the best thing we can do is keep calm and rocket on. Keep sharing discoveries, swapping tips, and supporting each other. With a game universe as vast as Starfield, there‘s no shortage of other adventures to blast off to in the meantime.
To any fearless astronaut reading this – if a bug has left you drifting without a destination, don‘t let it suck the joy from your interstellar journey. You‘ve got an entire galaxy to chart and civilize! Stay positive, stay inquisitive, and most importantly, don‘t forget to enjoy the view along the way. See you in the stars, explorer.
Bug-Fixing Business as Usual
In case you‘re worried that gamebreaking glitches might sour your Starfield experience, it‘s worth remembering this is far from Bethesda‘s first rodeo with launch hiccups. Their past blockbusters have all hit some turbulence before really taking off:
Fallout 4: Companion quests not triggering, random crashes, broken legendary loot – the Wasteland was a bit of a mess out the gate! But diligent patching and DLC additions soon had it running smoother than a suit of Power Armor.
Skyrim: Oh, where to begin? Mammoths raining from the heavens, flying horses, entire questlines gone AWOL – Tamriel‘s initial incarnation had plenty of oddities to iron out. Fast forward to now, and Skyrim is practically an institution among RPGs.
The point is, Bethesda has a strong track record of continuing to polish and perfect their worlds post-release. Starfield will be no different. Before long, disappearing outposts will be just a distant memory of our first tentative steps into the cosmos – a footnote in the epic saga of Starfield.
| Title | Launch Bugs | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Fallout 4 | Broken quests, crashes | 13.5 million |
| Skyrim | Flying objects, missing NPCs | 30+ million |
The Modding Cavalry
Of course, we‘d be remiss not to mention one of the greatest aces up Bethesda RPGs‘ sleeves – the modding community! Even if official updates are slow to materialize, you can bet industrious Starfield tinkerers will be working around the clock to squash bugs and optimize performance.
Fallout and Elder Scrolls games enjoy some of the most vibrant modding scenes in all of gaming. Fans have fixed boss fights, prettied up graphics, even added fully-voiced questlines. That boundless passion and technical know-how is sure to propel Starfield to infinity and beyond.
Just imagine – by this time next year, some enterprising pioneer may well have coded the perfect "Outpost Tracker 3000" widget to make base management a breeze. Never underestimate the power of a community united by an enduring love for the games they play.
Eyes on the Horizon
In the end, Starfield is a game about possibilities. The promise of charting your own course through an endless expanse of stars. One little bug doesn‘t change that.
As any seasoned space explorer knows, the journey won‘t always be smooth sailing. There will be obstacles to overcome and wrenches thrown in the hyperdrive. But that‘s part of the thrill – facing the unknown, problem-solving on the fly, always pushing forward to new horizons.
Bethesda has gifted us a universe of boundless potential. So let‘s rally around that pioneer spirit and charge headlong into Starfield‘s uncharted frontiers, together. Bring on the space whales, derelict megaships, reality-bending artifacts, and yes, even the occasional glitchy outpost.
Because somewhere out there among the infinite worlds, your next unforgettable adventure is waiting to be discovered. So suit up, strap in, and let‘s boldly go where no gamer has gone before.
Ad astra, Starfield fans!
