Starfield Aug 20 patch notes: Land vehicles, new Xbox Series S display settings

Patch notes for Starfield’s August 20 update have gone live, detailing the long-awaited arrival of vehicles while also outlining new display settings for Xbox Series S.

Since its September 2023 debut, Starfield players have requested the addition of land vehicles. Bethesda started teasing its plans for the update months ago, and players have now had the opportunity to see what the studio’s cooked up.

During Gamescom Opening Night Live, Bethesda unleashed a gameplay trailer showing vehicles in action for the first time. The REV-8 ride will go live in an update on August 20 for PC and Xbox users.

Xbox players who download the patch can also expect new performance settings for the Series S console that “mirror existing Xbox Series X settings.” The changes include Frame Rate Target, Prioritize, and VSync.

Most notably, the Frame Rate Target mode will allow for uncapped frame rates at 30, 40, and 60 on VRR displays. However, even those without VRR will be able to choose 30 or 60 FPS options.

Starfield August 20 update patch notes

The release notes for Starfield’s August 20 patch read as follows (via Steam):

New Settings

• Frame Rate Target: You can now choose between 30, 40, 60 or an Uncapped frame rate on VRR displays. If you do not have a VRR display running 120hz, you will still be able to select from 30 or 60. Screen tearing may occur at times when selecting 60 on a non-VRR display.
• Prioritize: You can now prioritize between Visuals and Performance while trying to maintain the frame rate target. If you’re choosing a frame rate target of 60 or above, we recommend changing this to Performance. Prioritizing Visuals keeps the highest resolution while maintaining full detail for special effects, lighting, and crowds. Prioritizing Performance lowers internal resolution and detail for special effects, lighting, and crowds. Both modes may adjust internal resolution dynamically when scenes or action get heavier as well. When switching between modes, you will see the lighting change briefly as the system catches up to the new mode.
• VSync: You can now toggle between VSync off or on. Choosing off will separate the game frames from the monitor’s refresh rate and may result in screen tearing. Toggling On will synchronize the frame rate to the monitor’s refresh rate avoiding screen tearing but limiting number of frames.

Features

• Added the new Rev-8 Vehicle which can be purchased from the ship technician.
• Added Xbox Series S performance options.

General

• General performance and stability improvements.
• Creations UI fixes and improvements.

Gameplay

• Addressed an issue that could prevent fully scanning the planet Beta Marae I
• Gameplay Options: Addressed an issue with Legendary weapons that could cause the Well Fed and Hydrated effects to refresh.
• Gameplay Options: Addressed an issue with switching weapons that could cause the “You are now Hydrated” notification to appear frequently.
• Gameplay Options: Addressed an issue that could cause Sustenance effects to stop working in NG+ variants.
• Fixed an issue with reloading the Novastrike sniper rifle.
• Resolved an issue that caused other characters to hold the Novastrike rifle incorrectly.
• Fixed a visual issue with the Magshot reload animation in zero-g.
• Extreme Temperature Entry Spacesuit can now be put on displays.
• Addressed an issue that could cause multiple items to spawn on display stands
• The Rattler displayed on the Trackers Alliance headquarters wall can now be interacted with.
• Gravity Well no longer pulls NPCs into the ships in the Chop Shop.
• Adjusted map location markers in cities to improve fast traveling.
• The apartment in The Well in New Atlantis now has a map marker.
• The marker for Shepherd’s General Store in Akila should display properly.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Rapid Legendary effect to not properly apply to melee weapons.
• Addressed an issue that could cause Lyle Brewer to become hostile to the player as a follower.
• Updated the status text for the Shielded Grip and Large Shielded Grip mods for the Plasma Cutter.
• Adjusted the balance on Mysterious Tracker’s Voice audio.
• Resolved an issue that could cause unexpected noises upon entering the Lodge for NG+ variants.

Ships

• Fixed an issue that could cause Ship docking bridges to remain extended.
• Addressed an issue with modifying a landed non-home ship that could cause a duplicate ship model to appear on the landing pad.
• Shipbuilder: Ship module variants and flip versions will now correctly revert to the original when pressing the Cancel button.
• Ship Decoration: Addressed an issue with the Ecliptic Claymore that could allow objects to be placed outside of the ship.

Graphics

• Fixed an issue that would cause the Frame generation setting to be turned off when DLSS was selected for Upscaling (PC).
• Fixed lighting for ship and station interiors in photo mode.
• Improved quality of reflections in shallow puddles.
• Addressed an issue with upscaling that could cause visual artifacts on planets when viewed from space.
• Helmets will now toggle correctly for companions who are downed in photo mode.

UI

• Addressed an issue with the Ship and Inventory menus on 21:9 resolutions.
• Fixed an issue with how large Carry Capacity is displayed in the inventory with large font enabled.
• Addressed an issue with how The Cue Ball and Ping Pong Ball display in the inventory menu.

Outposts

• Flood lamp decoration items will now correctly toggle off and on at outposts featuring a power source.