You can usually count on iconic sci-fi shows to have a unique aesthetic when it comes to how those respective universes are engineered--just compare Star Trek to Farscape to see radically different approaches--and Bethesda's upcoming space exploration game Starfield is looking to establish its own style when it launches.
According to Starfield's lead artist Istvan Pely, the studio wanted the game to look both realistic and scrappy, eventually landing on a style that is referred to as «NASA-Punk.»
«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 said to Xbox Wire. «We wanted a very realistic take,” he adds, “You can draw a line from current-day space technology and extrapolate from there into the future so it's believable and relatable.»
Lead animator Rick Vicens added that the art team ran with the idea, pooling their talents together to create a style that was consistently applied throughout the game during the early stages of development. «It was just the perfect term for our art direction and keeping everyone in same flow and working with a consistent style,» Vicens said. «For me, it just clicked. At the start of the project, I think that term was critical for us.»
Starfield launches on PC and Xbox Series X|S on November 11. To see more of the game's Nasa-Punk aesthetic, you can check concept art which offers a cryptic tease on the game, a closer look at the settled systems, and a potential Starfield collector's edition watch that looks like it belongs on an astronaut's wrist.
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