In brief: One of Starfield's most in-depth core features allows players to build and customize habitats on any of the game's roughly 1,000 planets. However, a modder has revealed that Bethesda planned to enable base building in deep space at one point, unlocking the discarded code for players to explore.
A new mod for Starfield adds an interface for building custom space stations. Although the system is currently very buggy, it reveals extensive gameplay functionality that Bethesda either gave up on or could conceivably finish in a future expansion pack.
Starfield has players explore countless surface stations, spaceships, and space stations. The former two usually consist of recurring building blocks that players can utilize to make bases and ships from scratch, and the mod proves that the space station components seen in the game were also intended for customization.
After posting the mod, which introduces a seemingly significant addition to the gameplay, modder "vexthecollector" revealed that its code was sitting in the vanilla game in an unfinished state. The mod merely exposes the system to players, uncovering several broken aspects the modder hopes to address in future updates.
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For example, it can be more difficult to dock with custom stations than with ordinary stations or ships. Vex suggests either flying closer to the station or using the console command on the mod's description page to extend the docking distance.
Additionally, the modder plans to fix cargo transfers to and from outposts, address fast travel issues, and add support for mining ships. However, all components for building space stations are completely free because Bethesda never balanced that part of that system, and Vex probably won't be able to determine fair prices for hundreds of items. Perhaps a more robust modding team might continue the work in the future if Bethesda doesn't officially resurrect the feature.
Users can install the mod with a mod manager or by extracting its files into the main Starfield folder and following the directions on Nexus Mods.
To start building a space station, construct a surface outpost, then add a space station control pad. Activating the small terminal near the radar dish should add an option for modifying a space station, which users build through the ship customization screen.
Starfield's store pages confirm that at least one expansion is in development for the game. While its title, "Shattered Space," suggests something related to deep space, Bethesda hasn't discussed what the DLC contains, much less if it will enable space station construction.