Bethesda has released a preview patch for Starfield, adding several Nvidia features, such as DLSS and frame generation. The beta patch also bundles plenty of bug fixes and performance improvements, as promised in the previous set of notes. You’ll need to play on Steam to try it for yourself, however, and it’s only available on a separate game branch.
GeForce users have a lot to unpack in the Starfield Beta Update 1.8.83. Nvidia Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) is almost like a superpower, rendering the game at a lower resolution to keep performance high. Then, using AI trickery, it upscales it up to the resolution you want to see in all its glory. Frame generation supplements this as part of DLSS 3, using the best graphics cards from the RTX 40 series to render every other frame with AI. Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA) is an alternative to DLSS that stays native rather than upscaling. And finally, Nvidia Reflex Low Latency is also along for the ride to stave off mouse lag.
Just a heads-up. If you enable DLSS Frame Generation, make sure to disable VSync to see the benefits of the extra frames. In the future, this should be done automatically.
It’s better late than never, as Starfield fans originally had to rely on a controversial DLSS mod for the feature. Its creator placed the mod behind a paywall, resulting in a back-and-forth with pirates. Free versions subsequently cropped up but weren’t quite as sophisticated. Speculation is rife as players try to determine why DLSS was missing at launch. Was it the paid partnership between AMD and Bethesda? Was it time constraints, and FSR was simply prioritised because it’s also on consoles? We might never know fully. Thankfully, none of this nonsense now matters.
What else is new?
Some welcome quality-of-life changes are also included, such as the ability to eat food and drinks upon finding them to save some inventory space, plus an option to adjust brightness directly in the game.
We also have fixes for skill challenges stopping player progression, bugs preventing players from firing their weapons or rendering naked NPCs, plus you should no longer lose your home ship. Bethesda has also addressed a bunch of memory leak-related issues alongside new optimisations targeting high-end GPUs / CPUs and shader compilation.
Lastly, HDR users can now adjust brightness on supported systems like Windows 11 and Xbox consoles. Not to forget a lot of quest-related fixes that you can see further down in the change log.
This beta is only available for Steam users who want to jump in before others and test what’s coming soon. You’ll need to download the game again since it’s based on a separate build, but you can continue from your current save. Naturally, saves created in the Beta build won’t work with the live game until the patch turns official. The update will be pushed to all Xbox and PC players later this month.
To download this update on Steam:
- Open your Steam library and navigate to Starfield
- Right-click on Starfield and select Properties
- In the new window, select Betas
- In the Beta Participation drop-down menu, select beta – beta
- Wait for the new build to download and launch.
If you like, you can check the full list of changes below:
Patch Notes
Nvidia DLSS Support
This update introduces Nvidia DLSS support for our PC players. Compatible Nvidia graphic cards can now use Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), Deep Learning Anti-aliasing (DLAA), Nvidia Reflex Low Latency, and DLSS Frame generation. Please note: While DLSS Frame Generation is active, VSync needs to be toggled OFF to see the benefit. We are working to automatically adjust this setting in a future update.
Let Them Eat!
By popular request, we have added the ability to ingest food and drink items upon finding them in the environment. You can enjoy those Chunks immediately or save them for later. The choice is yours.
Fixes and Improvements
Performance And Stability
- Addressed several memory-related issues and leaks.
- [PC Only] Add some GPU performance optimizations, which will be more impactful on higher-end cards.
- [PC Only] Improved renderer threading model, improving CPU usage, most notably on higher-end systems.
- Various stability and performance improvements.
Gameplay
- Added the ability to eat the food placed in the world
- Adjusted stealth to be a bit more forgiving.
- Fixed an issue where Andreja’s head would stay permanently cloaked.
- Fixed an issue that could prevent players from firing their weapons.
- Fixed issues where some NPC could be seen not wearing clothes.
- Fixed an issue where already in-progress skill challenges could stop progressing after reaching the Unity and starting a new game.
- Fixed an issue that could temporarily prevent opening the inventory or saving after entering the Unity.
- PC: Fixed an issue where mouse movement could be choppy.
- Fixed a rare issue that could cause the home ship to be lost.
- Fixed an issue where the ship services technician might be missing.
Graphics
- Addressed an issue with how ambient occlusion appeared in ultrawide resolutions.
- Optimized initial shader compilation that occurs on start-up.
- Added the ability to adjust Brightness and Contrast in the Display Settings menu.
- Added the ability to adjust HDR Brightness provided that the system supports it. (Xbox & Windows 11 only).
- Addressed a number of materials that could sometimes present an unintended pattern under certain conditions.
- Fixed various visual issues related to the new FOV slider options.
- Improved the appearance of the eyes on crowd characters.
- Addressed a number of minor visual issues related to lighting, shadows, terrain, and vegetation.
Quests
- All That Money Can Buy: Fixed a rare issue where players couldn’t sit during the negotiation with Musgrove.
- Blast Zone: Fixed an issue where the hard rocks that need to be cleared out by players will not appear on Ngodup Tate’s land.
- Echoes of the Past: Fixed an issue where the Grylloba Queen could sometimes not be reachable during the objective ‘Secure the Shuttle Bay’.
- Eye of the Storm: Fixed an issue where players’ quest progression could potentially be blocked due to a missing docking prompt.
- Grunt Work: Addressed an issue where progress could appear blocked if ‘Supra et Ultra’ was completed while returning to the Lodge during ‘High Price to Pay’.
- No Sudden Moves: Fixed an issue that could prevent the entrance door to the Scow ship from being opened again.
- Operation Starseed: Fixed an issue where the key that is needed to exit the facility could sometimes not be present.
- Sabotage: Fixed an issue where David Barron could potentially not be found by players.
- Short Sighted: Fixed an issue where players could rarely become control-locked while speaking with Vladimir.
- The Heart of Mars: Fixed an issue where players might not be able to mine the ‘The Heart of Mars’.
