Two of the developers behind the upcoming Starfield, Lead Artist Istvan Pely and Lead Animator Rick Vicens, recently sat down to discuss the aesthetics of the game. These were described by Pely as “NASA-punk” in terms of style.

The news comes from an interview by Xbox Wire. This was published alongside a short video showcasing the production of a print called Journey Through Space by Artist Mike Butkus.

"Early on in this project when we were trying to establish the overall aesthetic of this game, we sort of coined the term ‘NASA-punk’ to describe a sci-fi universe that’s a little more grounded and relatable," Pely pointed out. "We wanted a very realistic take. You can draw a line from current-day space technology and extrapolate from there into the future so it’s believable and relatable."

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The aim was apparently to achieve a certain level of realism without completely forgoing any form of artistic license. Pely wants to create a world which seems enough like our own to build up a strong sense of immersion. The tendency seems to be towards hard rather than soft sci-fi at least when it comes to the aesthetics.

"When you said NASA-punk, the art team could instantly take those two words and make them work," Vicens added. "It was just the perfect term for our art direction and keeping everyone in the same flow and working with a consistent style. For me, it just clicked. At the start of the project, I think that term was critical for us."

Fans of the game are welcome to enter a competition for a chance to win Journey Through Space. “All you have to do is become a member of the Constellation group by March 31, 2022 and you’ll be automatically entered to win,” the official media group notes. “If you’re already a Constellation member, you’re all set! Once the deadline has passed, two members will be selected at random and winners will receive an exclusive high quality print signed by Mike Butkus and Game Director Todd Howard.”

The statements by Pely and Vicens shed some light on what players can expect to see in Starfield when it finally releases for all platforms on November 11, 2022. The game will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one. This will be the first new intellectual property developed by Bethesda in over 25 years. The game was first announced in 2018.

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