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A Comprehensive Guide To Starfield’s Factions

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1 year ago

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Starfield, like most other Bethesda RPGs, has several factions that players can choose to align themselves with throughout the game. Though the long-awaited spacefaring RPG has only just come out (unlocking September 1 for buyers of the Premium and Constellation editions, with the full launch coming September 6), there’s already plenty of information about Starfield’s many factions, and which ones are worth your time.

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As per the Bethesda norm, Starfield lets you join multiple factions at once, and progress along their side-quests for, at least it seems, quite a bit. There are five major factions present, each offering their own unique rewards, storylines, and missions, and a few smaller factions, religions, and corporations that it doesn’t appear you can join at the moment. So, which of the five major factions are worth your time? Let’s get into it.

Starfield’s five major factions

Here are the five factions that, as of the time of writing, you can join in Starfield:

  • Constellation: It doesn’t appear that you have a choice in joining this faction, as it’s the main driver of Starfield’s story, but nevertheless, Constellation is all about exploration.
  • United Colonies: The UC is a centralized republic of settled planets, the first of two major human governments in the stars. It’s militarized, it’s powerful, it’s full of bureaucratic red tape, and its long arm of the law is made up of volunteers known as the Vanguard.
  • Freestar Collective: Think space cowboys, led by space sheriffs called Rangers. Freestar Collective is a collection of separatist systems, with Akila City its capital. The FC broke off from the United Colonies, and Starfield’s in-game lore dumps tell us it took a while for them to be officially recognized by the UC.
  • Crimson Fleet: They’re space pirates, simple as that.
  • Ryujin Industries: Headquartered in the Blade Runner-esque city of Neon, Ryujin Industries is a massive tech corporation that has its fingers in drones, weapons, and spaceships, to name a few.

Aside from Constellation, which you rather unceremoniously join moments after Starfield’s opening section, the other four factions require some effort to join. We’ll get into that in a moment, but first, let’s look at the Starfield factions we know of, but can’t seem to join.

 

A screenshot that shows Neon, the city that houses Ryuji Industries' HQ.

 

 

Starfield’s minor factions

Aside from the two major governing bodies, pirates, explorers, and tech bros, you’ll encounter certain other groups during your hundreds of hours in space—though it seems you can’t join any of them during gameplay. Three of them, however, are joinable by selecting certain traits during the game’s character creation process: Enlightened, House Va’ruun, and Sanctum Universum, which are all warring religious organizations. Choosing either Enlightened or Sanctum Universum will get you a special chest full of goodies on New Atlantis.

It’s unclear if Bethesda will ever make these other factions joinable in future DLC, or if there’s a way to join them that we haven’t encountered yet, but nevertheless, here are Starfield’s minor factions:

  • Enlightened: These atheists do not believe in a higher power and think that humans should worry about each other, not the whims of some omniscient being.
  • Sanctum Universum: A burgeoning new religion in the settled systems, their core belief is that God does exist somewhere in the universe and is trying to guide humanity’s explorations in space in order to eventually meet Him (or Her, right?).
  • House Va’ruun: This theocratic faction worships a giant snake and originated on a human colony ship before declaring war on all humanity.
  • Spacers: This is a generalized term for basically any space raiders who are not associated with the Crimson Fleet.
  • Argos Extractors: It’s the mining company that you start the gaming working for.
  • Ecliptic Mercenaries: Like Spacers, you’ll find these guys in random facilities and planets, but unlike Spacers, Ecliptics are mercenaries.
  • Trade Authority: They’re a collection of vendors who will buy and sell anything—even contraband.

 

A screenshot shows Sam Coe, former Freestar Ranger and Starfield companion, and a few dialogue options.

 

 

How to join each Starfield faction

Bethesda doesn’t believe in unwavering loyalty, so you can join every faction in Starfield without any discernible consequences. Joining one won’t prevent you from joining another, for example, but you will naturally find that having membership in both, say, the pirates and the space police may not work out.

If you’re interested in joining any of the five major factions, here’s how.

  • How to join Constellation: All you need to do is finish the first main story mission. You can’t not join them.
  • How to join United Colonies: You can join the United Colonies by becoming a UC Vanguard member fairly early on in your Starfield adventure. After the first main mission bounces you around a bit, you’ll end up in New Atlantis. Head to the MAST Headquarters and speak to Commander John Tuala. After agreeing to join, you can sign up on a computer in its training hall, register for an exam (there is no exam, don’t worry, but you do have to pass a flight test), and go through an optional museum that you should definitely check out, as it’s a massive Starfield lore dump. You can also get arrested, as another way into the organization.
  • How to join Freestar Collective: Head to Akila in the Cheyenne system and land at Akila City. If you want, bring Sam Coe along for the ride (he should be the second Constellation companion that can accompany you after Sarah Morgan), as his family founded Akila. You don’t have to, but he adds some great color to your exploration on the planet. After landing in Akila City, you’ll immediately be approached about a dangerous matter taking place at the town’s bank. Sort it out, and you’ll be told to go chat with Emma Wilcox in the Rock, the HQ for Freestar. Emma wants to see if you have what it takes to join the FC, so you’ll need to access the mission board terminal in the Rock, select a mission, and complete it. Some of them are harder than others, so beware. After completing that mission, return to Akila City and talk to Emma who will take you up to the marshall to take your oath. You’ll get a deputy outfit, hat, badge, and revolver. Welcome to the rangers, baby.

 

A screenshot that shows what happens if you're arrested by UC Vanguard, who asks you to go undercover with the Crimson Fleet.

 

 

  • How to join Crimson Fleet: If you’re in the mood to be a space pirate (who isn’t?), you can join the Crimson Fleet. There are two ways to do this: You can get arrested by the UC Vanguard, which thrusts you straight into the Deep Cover side mission, or you can progress past the introductory UC Vanguard mission, which will then unlock Deep Cover. The mission requires you to go undercover and become a member of the Crimson Fleet, making sure to play both sides if you want to ensure both the pirates and the space cops still like you.
  • How to join Ryujin Industries: Like any good tech company, you can join Ryujin Industries by applying! You can do so by heading to any of the red Ryujin Industries kiosks in the major Starfield cities (there’s one right outside GalBank in New Atlantis) and applying for a job. There’s a series of questions, but your answers don’t seem to matter. After submitting your application, you’ll have to head to the city of Neon for an official interview at Ryujin Tower.

 

A screenshot of the Freestar Collective's display in Starfield's in-game museum that shows three different standard FC outfits.

 

 

What’s the best Starfield faction?

Thus far in my Starfield playthrough, it seems like the “best” faction is really a matter of personal preference and time management, though sites like Polygon report that the Rangers (the faction I’m currently a part of) have the more “predictable mission structure,” while Ryujin Industries is similar to Skryim’s Thieves Guild (think anti-hero grittiness as opposed to the Rangers’ morally upstanding goody-two-shoes bit). Completing the Freestar Collective missions, according to Kotaku’s Levi Winslow, gets you “an amazing ship,” so it may be worth going down that somewhat predictable route anyway.

The United Colonies’ Vanguard missions seem well varied, while the Crimson Fleet’s eternal hunt for treasure nets you a nice legendary pistol early on in its questline—and completing earlier missions for the Crimson Fleet will give you the ability to buy secure storage from their ship merchant, which will let you smuggle all that contraband that keeps getting you caught by scanners.

The best part about Starfield is that you can go down all of these faction paths with little to no friction. If you find that being a space sheriff is lame, you can always swap over to the dark side and adopt the pirate’s life. That’s the beauty of an RPG, right?

 

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Ottawa orders TikTok’s Canadian arm to be dissolved

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November 6, 2024

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The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.

“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.

The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.

However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”

Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.

A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.

“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.

“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”

The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.

At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.

A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”

Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.

Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.

Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.

Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.

While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.

Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.

The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.

— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

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October 24, 2024

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LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

X

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

___

Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

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Google’s partnership with AI startup Anthropic faces a UK competition investigation

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October 24, 2024

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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.

The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.

“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”

San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.

Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”

“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.

The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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