Skyrim lead designer Bruce Nesmith loved that Baldur's Gate 3 closed off story paths based on your decisions, but defends Bethesda's approach: 'They were both fun, they're just fun in different ways'

Todd Howard, the renowned director of Bethesda, is known for his distinctive approach to game design. Despite his fame, Howard is not particularly open about his design philosophy. However, Bruce Nesmith, lead designer of Skyrim, highlighted a specific aspect of Howard's talent during an interview with The Examined Game.

Nesmith stated that Howard excels at putting himself in the shoes of the average player. This ability to view games from a player's perspective has been instrumental in his previous works such as Skyrim and Fallout 3. Nesmith explained that while he, as a developer, often delves deeply into the intricacies of games, Howard can cut through that complexity and identify what the players truly desire.

In game development, Nesmith noted that developers tend to complicate things. However, Howard would often intervene and suggest a simpler, more digestible design. Nesmith emphasized that this isn't Howard's only strength; he also thinks deeply about games. Nevertheless, he mentioned that both he and Howard have a tendency to view things from specific angles. In game development, it's often beneficial to have a counterbias to get a more comprehensive perspective.

Nesmith provided an example of this in action with the "detect life" spell in Oblivion. The artist working on the spell appreciated its functionality but pointed out that it obscured the intricate details of the game's creatures and characters. Bethesda listened to the artist's perspective and adjusted the spell to be used sparingly, thus preserving the game's visual detail.

This player-centric approach has proven effective for Bethesda. For instance, Fallout 3 successfully made the RPG more accessible to newcomers. However, Nesmith expressed concern about whether Bethesda overstepped with this design philosophy in Starfield, as its RPG core was comparatively simple, resulting in a less dynamic and engaging experience.