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New Starfield Update May Be Bad News For Modders

Translate from : Ny Starfield-opdatering kan være dårlig nyhed for Modders

A hotfix for Starfield brings a number of bug fixes and tweaks focused around Creations, while also introducing a controversial change to the Creation Kit that prevents mod creators from uploading Creations that contain modified ini files. This is pretty bad news for Starfield modders and regular players alike because of the change that somewhat limits creators' freedom in terms of what they can make and share. However, Bethesda claims that the decision was made to improve players' overall experience with the game.

For the uninitiated, ini files are configuration files that determine and store values, parameters, and rules for a game. They are usually quite easy to access on a PC, allowing players to edit these values in a simple text file to fine-tune their gaming experience in games like Starfield. For example, basic values like item costs, XP gains, and weapon damage could easily be changed in an ini file to make a game either more challenging or more relaxed.

However, changing these files can change a lot more about a game, including performance and visual settings like render width and texture quality. Overall, it is understandable that Bethesda has decided to restrict future mods from containing modified ini files to ensure overall stability of the game.

Bethesda claims that changing ini files sometimes causes more negative effects than the benefits of allowing this functionality. For example, they cite a common mod-related bug that causes corrupt audio on Xbox. Mods intended to improve performance in Starfield and other Bethesda games often work by changing ini file values to adjust graphical settings. However, mod creators could also use the same values to allow Ultra graphics settings on consoles, potentially breaking the game in many ways.

However, many fans argue that the developer should consider how to handle this issue. They suggest that mods with modified ini files should display a warning about potential risks before being downloaded, rather than being banned altogether.

Bethesda has stated that they are currently investigating how to deal with existing mods that use modified ini files. In addition to this change in the Creation Kit, the hotfix also brings a number of helpful updates to the Creations system, as well as bug fixes and improvements to the game's stability.