So the subject of time in Starfield seems to be a topic of much discussion. And as we’re sure you’ve already heard numerous times, there are hundreds of planets in this game which means that the concept of time between them could be different. And along with various moons and space stations, these are spread across different solar systems.
Now given that planets have varying degrees of mass which will no doubt affect their rotation and orbits, it can be seen that the concept of time in each would be different. The time period of day/night would vary and likewise the concept of specific seasons.
What do we know about time in Starfield?
There has already been much discussion about the what has been referenced as ‘Local Time’ which would be seen as the time in which you land on a specific planet and ‘Universal Time’ and we assume the latter would refer to your journey through the galaxy itself.
But then we have to figure in certain factors about how you operate on some planets. If a planet rotates quicker than another, could that mean that the sun comes up quicker and potentially gives away your position if you’re trying to be stealthy? Likewise if you’re in the middle of a battle and the sun goes down quicker than expected, could this affect you mid-combat?
We’re not sure how accurate the game is to actual astrophysics but it was confirmed that Bethesda sought out SpaceX with various questions and some of the factors in the game are based on ‘hard science’. With it being noted that game’s warp drive equivalent, the “space-folding” Graviton Loop Field Array, has examples of which can be seen in current Quantum Physics papers.
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And certainly on the Starfield Subreddit and on Social Media, there were varying views on the concept of time and it looks like this has opened up a whole big can of worms;
“I agree. 24 hours on one planet is different from 24 hours on another, with a universal time scale in effect for standardization and a common point of reference.”
“There will likely just be one “time” to keep it simple. Lame, they have universal time and local time. That may get confusing in quests.”
“Time dilation might be a little too realistic—but I would love to see planets with wildly different day lengths—seems plausible they’d design that in to the systems.”
There certainly seems to be some uncertainty about what will happen with this and how time will function in the game and Todd Howard is playing his cards pretty close to his chest. But one thing is for sure, the game looks to be worth the wait. Around 5 years after it’s initial announcement, Starfield is nearly ready for release and the majority of fans can’t wait to get their hands on it.
What’s your thoughts on this latest news for Starfield? Do you think having a local time and universal time would becoming confusing in the game? Or do you think there may be the possibility of black holes being incorporated into the game? Get in touch, drop us a comment and let us know your thoughts.
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