The latest update for Starfield has introduced an array of tweaks for the game, including support for Nvidia DLSS, and the ability for players to consume food directly from the environment – yes, including from the floor, and other questionable locations.
The DLSS support is the flagship feature detailed in the latest game patch notes, as this enables players with compatible Nvidia graphics cards to use DLSS Super Resolution, Deep Learning Anti-aliasing, Nvidia Reflex Low Latency and DLSS Frame generation to improve the visual quality, crispness, and texture of their adventure. While these technologies are typically described in jargon, the essence here is that graphics will now be higher resolution, thanks to AI-powered enhancements.
Secondary, but still very important to the latest game update, is the new ability to consume food and drinks as you find them in your travels. In the real world, eating something off the floor is incredibly unhygienic, but for the space traveller, it will likely save a whole lot of time.
Read: Starfield Review – Reach for the Stars
Beyond these features, the latest Starfield update also includes a scattering of bug fixes and tweaks to improve the overall gameplay experience. One fix is designed to address instances where NPCs appear naked for no reason, another will dissuade the ship service technician from leaving their post, and another will reduce the difficulty of maintaining stealth.
Starfield: Update 1.8.86 Patch Notes
Here’s the full patch notes, courtesy of Bethesda Game Studios:
Performance and Stability
- Addressed a number of memory related issues and leaks.
- Added some GPU performance optimizations, which will be more impactful on higher end cards.
- 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 (Note: This issue may resolve itself over time).
- 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.
- Fixed an issue where occasionally the camera could shake incorrectly during Traveling, Grav Jumping, Docking, or Landing transitions.
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.
- PC: Addressed additional visual issues related to DLSS.
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”.
