While Bethesda Game Studios confirmed that the official Starfield modding tools won’t be released before 2024, modders continue their sacred work to improve the game in various aspects.
Since before the game’s launch, one of the main desires of Starfield players has been to create larger spaceships. The default is limited to 40 meters in length and width, which isn’t really enough to convey the scale of certain famous spaceships from film and television, especially the fleet carrier/destroyer types.
Thankfully, NexusMods user AccursedPrism has uploaded a mod that overrides the size limit. The file download options include relatively safe sizes like 60 meters or 80 meters and humungous sizes like 4/5 kilometers, which will probably tank the performance and potentially create game-breaking bugs, too. Sticking to the recommended version is advised, as it would still provide a lot more leeway in recreating your favorite design or coming up with a brand-new one.
To install the Bigger Ship Size Limit mod, place the shipsize.txt file in the root folder (where the Starfield.exe is located) and add sStartingCjavascript-event-strippedbat shipsize in the [General] section of your StarfieldCustom.ini file.
As a bonus mod for dedicated shipbuilders, modder MedievalAI has unlocked the maximum number of ownable ships from the default 10 to 50. The installation process is essentially the same, requiring you to place StellarFleetExpansion.txt in the same folder as Starfield.exe, and then add this command in the [General] section of StarfieldCustom.ini: sStartingCjavascript-event-strippedbat StellarFleetExpansion.
When using multiple such commands at once, remember to add them one after the other, separated by a semicolon:
sStartingCjavascript-event-strippedbat shipsize; sStartingCjavascript-event-strippedbat StellarFleetExpansion
Several modders are also attempting to make Starfield more realistic in various ways. One interesting mod is the Height Randomizer created by carxt (who made the same mod for Fallout: New Vegas), which introduces randomized different heights for all NPCs.
This mod requires the Starfield Script Extender (SFSE) mod to work. Once SFSE is installed, just copy the HeightRandomizer .ini and .dll files in the sfsePlugins folder.
By default, NPCs (non-player characters) do not run out of ammunition in Starfield, potentially leading to prolonged firefights. The self-explanatory ‘NPCs Use Ammo’ mod by ArmoredTroll forces them to utilize whatever they’ve got in their inventories instead, after which they’ll have to use the NPCs’ built-in scavenging feature to procure more ammunition from containers or nearby dead bodies.
It’s definitely a step toward more realistic combat, though the NPCs’ inventories might have too little ammo by default to cope with the change; perhaps a mod that increases the amount of ammo they carry would fix that. It’ll surely be made at some point.
If you want to try it out as is, add this in the StarfieldCustom.ini file:
[Combat]
bForceNPCsUseAmmo=1
Additionally, as long-time Bethesda fans may have noticed, NPCs rarely drop their equipped armor when defeated. It’s because of a specific setting that can be changed with the mod created by NexusMods user shad0wshayd3. Download its main file, place it in the same folder as Starfield.exe, and add the following to your StarfieldCustom.ini file:
[General]
sStartingConsoleCommand=bat AlwaysDropArmor
For more great Starfield mods and tweaks, check out this article.
