Bethesda, the creator of the video game "Starfield," had to reduce the intelligence of the game's enemy ships' artificial intelligence (AI), according to the game's director, Todd Howard. Despite the common belief that smarter AI leads to a better gaming experience, overly smart enemy ships in Starfield proved to be a challenge. Balancing AI in games is tough, with overly smart NPCs feeling unfair and overly dumb ones making the game overly easy or frustrating.

In the AIAS Game Maker's Notebook Podcast, Howard disclosed the steps Bethesda took to create an appropriate balance for the game's enemy ships. Apparently, they had to make the AI "really stupid," to the point where they basically ask the player to shoot them for a while, before giving the AI tools that allow the player to see them boosting away. The game director highlighted that getting enemy AI right is vital for successful space combat, an element that is difficult to execute in video games.

Drawing inspiration from games like FTL and MechWarrior, Howard wanted to integrate similar mechanics in Starfield, but in a way that would be easy for players to comprehend without pausing the game mid-space. Space combat is one of Starfield's main attractions, allowing players to build their own ships and bring some unique designs to life. Despite this, the game's space exploration is somewhat restricted, with its planetary structures essentially being an illusion. An example of this limited exploration was demonstrated by a player who attempted, in vain, to fly all the way to Pluto's surface.