Todd Howard praises Starfield's "zen-like" planet surveying.
Todd Howard, game director of Starfield, explains that the game's planetary exploration is procedural, with individual locations handcrafted and some generated or placed when landing on a planet. The game features diverse biomes, temperature, radiation, and weather conditions that can affect the player's suit and protection. Surveying a planet, discovering flora and fauna, and resources can earn players credits. The game's exploration is described as "zen-like," but can quickly become dangerous if aggressive creatures are encountered.