A passionate Starfield enthusiast has dedicated the past year to assembling a comprehensive compendium for the space RPG. This online tome now boasts an impressive 86,000 words spanning 1,071 pages.
The unwavering commitment to creating a one-stop resource filled with intricate details for fellow fans garnered attention, including ours, at the recent unveiling of this literary achievement. Intrigued by this budding historian’s efforts, we decided to reach out and learn more.
Gokamo’s Starfield compendium originated from their aspiration to curate a solitary reference point where fans could access all the pertinent information about Bethesda’s ambitious RPG. This initiative proved especially valuable when Bethesda kept a tight lid on the project, and as the Starfield marketing campaign progressed, the demand for such a comprehensive resource grew exponentially.
“Even when Starfield was merely a trademark, my excitement for the game was palpable,” they express. “All we knew at that time was that it would be a space-themed Bethesda game, and that alone was sufficient to ignite enthusiasm within me and the entire community. Having played almost every BGS game since Daggerfall and having interned with NASA, the merging of my two primary passions was a delightful prospect.”
Lift off
Gokamo informs us that their endeavours were inspired by another fan named Odah, who transformed a two-minute teaser into a 48-page Google document back in 2021. As time progressed and a more substantial showcase took place in 2022, Gokamo felt compelled to follow in Odah’s footsteps, driven by a universal motivator known to us all – procrastination.
“In those early days, information about Starfield was scattered across various concept art images, videos, and interviews where Starfield was mentioned in passing,” they explain.
“Eventually (partially while procrastinating on studying for a final exam), I began jotting down notes and actively working on it. The document grew and expanded into an original 120-page piece, which I initially thought was already excessive. The response from the community was fantastic, so after the showcase, I updated it again to incorporate the 15 minutes of gameplay we received that year. And even this year, with an abundance of new material to delve into, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the document unfinished. So it continued to expand and evolve into this colossal 1,000-page compendium.”
The main challenges faced in maintaining the project revolve around the fleeting and intricate nature of online information. Many Starfield images leave room for interpretation, and accuracy is never guaranteed. Additionally, Gokamo aimed to include a section dedicated to debunking false rumours and leaks, but such information tends to vanish once it’s exposed as untrue.
Despite the extensive work involved, Gokamo’s enthusiasm for Starfield has not waned. When asked if the project has increased or decreased their excitement for the game’s eventual release, they lean towards the former.
“Definitely more,” they affirm. “I would occasionally feel a bit overwhelmed if I tried to rush through too many pages at once, but that feeling would quickly dissipate. I discovered so many fascinating details that have heightened my anticipation to actually experience the game firsthand.”
Back down to earth
Despite the significant effort invested in the compendium, Gokamo anticipates that its value will diminish once Starfield is released.
“At present, with the limited information we have received over time, my document serves well in presenting a chronological overview and recounting the pre-release narrative for those who look back,” they explain.
“Once we have all the information available, I believe using wikis will make more sense as they provide easier access to specific details within the game. So, I probably won’t continue updating the compendium once the game is out. However, I might be able to provide one final update just before the game’s release, including any remaining information we obtain.”
Nonetheless, Gokamo hopes that their efforts with the Starfield compendium will not be in vain. As job openings for lore historians become more prevalent in the industry, they aspire to have a chance at a similar role at Bethesda.
“Working at Bethesda is my ultimate dream job,” they express. “I have applied for numerous open positions within the company, and a significant motivation behind creating this document was to enhance my applications. I wanted to demonstrate the immense passion I have for this industry.”
“I recently completed my computer science degree, possess experience in game design and development, and have worked with NASA on simulation development. I would love to bring my expertise, experience, and passion to a career at Bethesda!”
These newly disclosed Starfield system requirements are rather intriguing, offering further insight into the game’s technical specifications.