Space Engineers - "Open" Changes Everything

I've been struggling with the game a bit, I bought it a week ago. That first part tutorial mission was interesting but then I ended up out on some world dropping in and couldn't find anything. Clearly I need to do some more research but where is everything? I checked out a few mods after looking online, there are some interesting looking things out there, is that the way to populate the space? Once I find some helpful information I'll give it more time. What websites do you use for information on the game? I don't like watching video guides and its getting harder to find text guides, everyone wants a youtube video.
 
I've been struggling with the game a bit, I bought it a week ago. That first part tutorial mission was interesting but then I ended up out on some world dropping in and couldn't find anything. Clearly I need to do some more research but where is everything? I checked out a few mods after looking online, there are some interesting looking things out there, is that the way to populate the space? Once I find some helpful information I'll give it more time. What websites do you use for information on the game? I don't like watching video guides and its getting harder to find text guides, everyone wants a youtube video.
The best site I've found for game information is this one:


It's mostly up to date, though it definitely needs some wiki-love, which is more than I can say for the wikia one. As for the few text guides I could find, they're woefully out of date. If you're really interested in a kind of walkthrough, to toot my own horn, I've got two survival journals on this forum.

The first is this one, which starts at this post:


The second is this one, though it's more of a SE vs EGS play-off


Personally, I've found the best way to find resources at the start is to chase those drop pods that spawn near you with your mining tool equipped. You'll need a hydrogen bottle to extend your jetpack's range, but if you skim the ground and keep your speed below 50m/s, you'll pick up most ore deposits, especially those close to the surface. Stop and drop a GPS marker near where you found one. Once you've built a vehicle, either flyer or ground, you'll be able to search longer, faster, and further.

On the topic of importing blueprints and mods... on the former I'd much rather design my own ships, than use someone else's design. Others disagree. On the latter, my inclination is to mod a game to make it more difficult, which I find to be much more interesting, but I'm a bit of a gaming masochist. ;)
 
If you wish to move, just let me know. I’m not particularly wedded to this one either. They keep offering to “help” me get ahead, and as you know I consider the early game the best part. Applying what I learned from the last attempt to advance faster the next time.

Although I think it’ll be hard to find another “realistic settings” server..
Heh, early game is reaslly best in many games. Once you can steamlol over the opposition it stops being fun. The key is dragging out the phase where your decisions are risky. I never really complete any Total War campaigns anymore. The role-play and challenge is long past when standing before the end screen.
 
I've been struggling with the game a bit, I bought it a week ago. That first part tutorial mission was interesting but then I ended up out on some world dropping in and couldn't find anything. Clearly I need to do some more research but where is everything? I checked out a few mods after looking online, there are some interesting looking things out there, is that the way to populate the space? Once I find some helpful information I'll give it more time. What websites do you use for information on the game? I don't like watching video guides and its getting harder to find text guides, everyone wants a youtube video.
If you are playing a single-player game, I recommend the Exploration Enhancement Mod. I've not tried it myself, but if I ever go back to solo play, I will definitely be installing it. It puts a ton of new assets into the game, including down on planets which are kinda boring in vanilla. This entire thread is about the "boringness" of solo compared to multiplayer, but I think this mod could potentially change that on some level. The one thing this mod doesn't do is bring actual PEOPLE into the game, and people (even NPCs) do make a big difference IMO.


Speaking of mods, don't get carried away as a new player. Learn using mostly vanilla, otherwise you'll just be making things more confusing for yourself. There are a couple of mods that are QoL, like the ability to sleep to "fast forward" night to day, which I do recommend, but I wouldn't worry about fancy weapons and shields and special blocks until you master vanilla first.
 
Heh, early game is reaslly best in many games. Once you can steamlol over the opposition it stops being fun.
My biggest complaint with Space Engineers is that after the early game, I eventually hit a "Now what?" wall. I build an amazing ship, but then what do I do with it? SE lacks endgame content, which is a shame. For now my "end game" is exploration, looking for bases, outposts, stations, ruins, etc. built by other players, but that has a limited amount of entertainment value. Ironically on the CA2 PvP server, our buddy "Harry" was very good endgame content - a villain that posed a true and scary threat who needed to be stopped. Unfortunately he left that server (after the server itself went to crap), and it's been kinda boring ever since. This is one of my worries about the new server I'm on, is that it might be too friendly and not offer any real challenge or motivation once I've finished building my base and fleet.
 
My biggest complaint with Space Engineers is that after the early game, I eventually hit a "Now what?" wall. I build an amazing ship, but then what do I do with it? SE lacks endgame content, which is a shame. For now my "end game" is exploration, looking for bases, outposts, stations, ruins, etc. built by other players, but that has a limited amount of entertainment value. Ironically on the CA2 PvP server, our buddy "Harry" was very good endgame content - a villain that posed a true and scary threat who needed to be stopped. Unfortunately he left that server (after the server itself went to crap), and it's been kinda boring ever since. This is one of my worries about the new server I'm on, is that it might be too friendly and not offer any real challenge or motivation once I've finished building my base and fleet.
I have ideas, but they mostly founder me lacking any syntax of usable programming language.
Like a movable shield. Welders construct and repair armour umbrella in direcrion of enemy. Such stuff. Minecrafz greatly benefitted from the fluid mechanics. You cozld do great things. I made lava illzminates tower with sunlight detector. Fireproof. Others hid their buidling access. No point. My tower was looming over the server like a menace. Nobody tampered with it.
I even planned leaving notes around for some adventure showdown.
 
The session started with a round of reassurances from Casey, especially about talking to a certain someone about their repeated offers to "help" me get started. Most of them accepted my decline of help right away, but that one...

I got the impression that Casey in particular wants a larger player-base on their server, which may explain their excessive friendliness. Based on what I've seen on the master server list (while desperately trying to click through to favorites) more realism when it comes to gameplay isn't very popular. Casey tells me that she had to remove a few of the more restrictive options to get additional players as it is.

Anyhoo, by the time I had logged in for the evening, I'd decided what I wanted to do with the smallest plot of land near my refinery: a "power plant." For the moment, it's mostly cosmetic, but it does include a nuclear reactor, so I'll have a backup generator in case of emergencies. This required gravel... a lot of gravel, which meant mining stone. I decided that I wanted to build the rest of the structure before I started doing that.

I really liked the effects of the exhaust pipe flame effects option. It gives my base an eerie glow at night. It also makes a nice beacon. :)



My one regret is that there are no pillar blocks like EGS. That would’ve made a better smokestack. My power plant includes two dummy hydrogen engines for looks, as well as the reactor.


I also realized I forgot to take a screenshot of the new decoration in my living quarters. Here it is.


That was pretty much it. I also printed a new Star Flea, and moved it to the launch tower. Tonight, I’m returning to space again. It’s time to enact phase one of my conquest of space!
 
I'm not sure if it's Harry or somebody else, but someone is "claiming" the moon again on CA2. I have a feeling that I will end up alternating between these two servers, depending on my mood. Right now I'm feeling pulled toward CA2, especially if a proper "villain" has returned to the server. Today CA2 was running pretty flawlessly, so I might make Casey Space my "backup" server for when CA2 is either broken are full.

How does that sound @Darkfyre99?
 
I'm not sure if it's Harry or somebody else, but someone is "claiming" the moon again on CA2. I have a feeling that I will end up alternating between these two servers, depending on my mood. Right now I'm feeling pulled toward CA2, especially if a proper "villain" has returned to the server. Today CA2 was running pretty flawlessly, so I might make Casey Space my "backup" server for when CA2 is either broken are full.

How does that sound @Darkfyre99?
I'll probably dedicate myself to one server. Still not sure if I want a "more realistic + NPCs, but no griefers" game or a "less effort and no NPCs, but griefers" kind of game. Both styles have their plusses and minuses. It doesn't help that the two server's approach to PCU, scripts, and block tool limits are also radically different, and both approaches have appeal for different reasons.

For now, I'm going to stick with Casey's. I've got a bit of momentum going on that server that I want to flow with for the time being. I pretty much want to start over on CA2, perhaps on Titan, to give myself more of a starting challenge. 🤷‍♀️ It'll really depend upon if the crowd there tones it down to my comfort level.
 
I'll probably dedicate myself to one server. Still not sure if I want a "more realistic + NPCs, but no griefers" game or a "less effort and no NPCs, but griefers" kind of game. Both styles have their plusses and minuses. It doesn't help that the two server's approach to PCU, scripts, and block tool limits are also radically different, and both approaches have appeal for different reasons.

For now, I'm going to stick with Casey's. I've got a bit of momentum going on that server that I want to flow with for the time being. I pretty much want to start over on CA2, perhaps on Titan, to give myself more of a starting challenge. 🤷‍♀️ It'll really depend upon if the crowd there tones it down to my comfort level.
Works for me. Either way I'll be around, just probably not as much.
 
Works for me. Either way I'll be around, just probably not as much.
Ironically, I logged in to find a note from Casey at my base, which pretty much killed the remaining enthusiasm I had for continuing on that server. All I really wanted to do was play the game in a way I find fun, which is not being provided help, gifts, being drawn into group projects, private lessons, or other excessively social activities in general. Game time is me time, so that I can destress from having to deal with customers all day at work. I can handle small doses, but it's becoming clear that they're they don't come in small doses.

Keen, here I come!
 
Ironically, I logged in to find a note from Casey at my base, which pretty much killed the remaining enthusiasm I had for continuing on that server. All I really wanted to do was play the game in a way I find fun, which is not being provided help, gifts, being drawn into group projects, private lessons, or other excessively social activities in general. Game time is me time, so that I can destress from having to deal with customers all day at work. I can handle small doses, but it's becoming clear that they're they don't come in small doses.

Keen, here I come!
Yeah I started to get this feeling too. At first I welcomed a highly involved server admin, because it was nice having someone handy to help with all the server glitches, but then that group started to feel a bit too "clingy". I get the sense that it's just their group and a few randoms like us, so that we become their content. It's a weird feeling of being crowded (they are always right there) but also being too alone, because they are the only ones on that server. I also started thinking, "What's the point?" to building XYZ, since a relatively empty PvE server isn't much different than Solo, and this entire thread is about how multiplayer is better than Solo.

My biggest complaint about the Keen server is stability. I can live without the PCU, without scripts (I've yet to use any since switching), and even the limits on welders and drills. I just want reliable, stable, smooth gameplay. I also want some sort of "end goal", which right now is a combination of exploration and poking the base griefers.

Now I know you are not into collaborative gameplay, but what do you think of sharing certain resources once you are established? For example, my ships are hydrogen-based, so I need frequent refuels. I have a very basic H2 refueling station, but if you build your new base on an ice planet, perhaps I can use your refuel facilities? In other words, I can see certain scenarios where you are helping me instead of me helping you (since you prefer soloing your own challenges). Another example is that I'm redesigning my Valkyrie with multicrew in mind, so if you're interested in some PvP later on, you can join my crew for a session, man a turret, help with damage control, etc. Again, you're helping me rather than me helping you (though I'm always available if you ever need a hand). Speaking of, what is your primary gameplay objectives in SE - are you primarily a miner / builder, or do you want your own warship someday? I'm just thinking of ways to collaborate (primarily to share PCU for otherwise redundant things like fuel stations) in a way that is rewarding to both of us. But if you rather be 100% solo, I can totally roll with that!

BTW, did you get a screenshot of Casey's message? I'm curious now. They are a friendly group, just a bit too friendly for the gameplay I'm looking for. My buddy ELP was perfect - there when I needed him, but not too needy / clingy. Unfortunately he left after the big crash..
 
BTW, did you get a screenshot of Casey's message? I'm curious now. They are a friendly group, just a bit too friendly for the gameplay I'm looking for. My buddy ELP was perfect - there when I needed him, but not too needy / clingy. Unfortunately he left after the big crash..
Didn’t think to take a screenshot, but basically she wanted to know if I’d like to work on a script-based communications network with her, to “help with our immersion.” She’d erected a comm board near my base. I was already feeling crowded after that “ship show,” and that was pretty much the final straw. I’d already mentioned to her several times that “group projects” weren’t my thing, so between that and the frequent requests to “help” me, I decided nope. I left her a reply that I hope wasn’t harsh, but you never know with text. 🤷‍♀️

As for what I’m planning on doing on CA2... I checked this morning, and my base and ships are still intact. Starbird, original version, is still waiting on its docking port, fueled up and ready for launch. After reviewing Titan’s information, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’ll be even easier start than the Alien world, despite the lack of oxygen in its atmosphere, so I’m just going to pick up where I left off. Ironically, Starbird’s less than optimal configuration as a scout vehicle may make establishing my orbital infrastructure more “interesting.”

As for a refueling station... I’ll have to take a “let’s see” approach. Right now, I’m purely focused on getting my orbital infrastructure for small ship operations up and running. At the scale I’m planning in operating at the moment, my Star base’s (future) hydrogen reserves wouldn’t even amount to 3% of your ship’s total capacity. On the multi-crew/PvP front, my answer at this time would be a tentative, but secretly curious, “no.” ;)
 
As for a refueling station... I’ll have to take a “let’s see” approach. Right now, I’m purely focused on getting my orbital infrastructure for small ship operations up and running. At the scale I’m planning in operating at the moment, my Star base’s (future) hydrogen reserves wouldn’t even amount to 3% of your ship’s total capacity. On the multi-crew/PvP front, my answer at this time would be a tentative, but secretly curious, “no.” ;)

Wow, you are way more antisocial than even I assumed! No problem, I can work with that. It will make me miss ELP all the more, LOL. I'll just have to find a new partner who can help me when I get into a scrap. I'd love to know which server all those guys ended up on..
 
Back to my own narrative, I keep vacillating on what server I want to invest time in. I was just on CA2 when this came across the wire:

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I'm not scared of this "Trump", but the problem is that he and his kind ruin one of my primary reasons for playing on a server - exploring other people's bases and ships. If he's destroying every base in the open, then that is "problematic" for my exploring.

On the other hand, a PvE server has very little risk (except for annoying omnipresent space pirates), so that also presents a "What's the end game?" question.

I guess I can't have my exploration and eat my PvP cake too... 🤷‍♂️

I need to give this some thought. There are other servers out there, so maybe I should keep looking - perhaps the "just right" one is still waiting for me to discover it.
 
Wow, you are way more antisocial than even I assumed! No problem, I can work with that. It will make me miss ELP all the more, LOL. I'll just have to find a new partner who can help me when I get into a scrap. I'd love to know which server all those guys ended up on..
There's a reason why I generally play single player games, or MMO-games like they're single-player games. After dealing with customers all day, I'm pretty much peopled out. Combine that with a limited window to play games, that frequently gets either interrupted or preempted by the needs of RL, and you get someone like me. 🤷‍♀️
 
There's a reason why I generally play single player games, or MMO-games like they're single-player games. After dealing with customers all day, I'm pretty much peopled out. Combine that with a limited window to play games, that frequently gets either interrupted or preempted by the needs of RL, and you get someone like me. 🤷‍♀️
I can understand that. My work is more solitary, and it comes in waves, but when the "tide comes in", it's often intense troubleshooting, during which time I don't have any brain cells left to spare for games like Space Engineers. That's usually when I go hunting or fishing in RDO. I still haven't fully recovered my brain cells from the last "king tide", LOL.
 
<<< Grumbles irritably about kids, lawns, and the removal there of

Curse you Old Duck! You just had to plant the notion of a "refueling depot" in my brain, didn't you? ;)

I can make no promises on any kind of timeline, but I think I'd like to give it a try. Once I've established a good location for my orbital station, I'll let you know where it is.
 
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