Space Engineers 2: Alpha Reveal

Engineers, prepare for liftoff! Today marks a monumental leap in the Space Engineers saga. 

We are thrilled to announce Space Engineers 2, the revolutionary next chapter in space simulation gaming. 

This isn't just an update—it's a complete reimagining of the space engineering experience, built on new foundations to push the boundaries of what's possible in a sandbox universe.

Space Engineers 2 Alpha Launch and Pre-order Information

Mark your calendars: The Space Engineers 2 Alpha will launch on January 27, 2025. But you don't have to wait until then to join our journey, pre-orders are available now on our website.

You can pre-order either the Base Game or the Pioneer Edition, which includes the game's soundtrack and behind-the-scenes development materials.

On January 27, you'll have access to VS1: Creative Mode, our first vertical slice, featuring:

• new 25cm unified grid system (no more small vs. large grids!)
• new blueprint building (snap to grid, partial copy/paste, assign to toolbar)
• grid undo/redo
• enhanced creative mode with powerful building tools (new voxel hand, symmetry tools, line/plane building) and paint tool
• grid speeds up to ~300 m/s
• safe speed system preventing damage under 20 m/s
• new magboots with camera stabilization
• new physics and dynamic fractures and debris for more realistic destruction
• visual revolution thanks to ray tracing, global illumination, tessellated terrain, parallax mapping, sleek armor edges, and enhanced lighting
• New VRAGE3 engine brings better performance and future optimization potential

Additional Vertical Slices will follow in the months after, each expanding the game's features and content. This development process will continue over the next few years until we achieve our full vision for Space Engineers 2.

Highlighted features in Space Engineers 2 Alpha - Vertical Slice 1

PCU limits in SE2 VS1 Creative Mode provide substantial building freedom - enough to construct multiple large-scale ships and stations like several Red Ships or Green Stations. While PCU costs reflect more accurate performance measurements than SE1, we expect ongoing optimizations during development will allow for increases in PCU limits over time.

Blocks in VS1. Some blocks currently have limited functionality
 but will be enhanced in future Vertical Slices.

We're taking a unique approach with our Vertical Slice strategy, allowing us to perfect core features before moving to the next set. By sharing early access and development insights, we can incorporate valuable community feedback along the way. We're committed to delivering a polished and playable experience with each Vertical Slice, unlocking new possibilities as we progress. Our focus is on providing you with meaningful content, not unfinished prototypes.

Roadmap: The Vertical Slice Approach

Here's a glimpse of what's to come:

• VS 1: Creative Mode (January 27, 2025)
• VS 1.1: UGC Workshop (Mod.io) - Share your creations with other players
• VS 1.2: Improved mechanics and interface refinements
• VS 1.5: Modding - VRAGE HUB, VRAGE Editor, and other tools
• VS 2: Planets and Survival - Explore planets and our new Almagest System. Utilize new tools like backpack building and projection building, while experiencing improved progression and engaging challenges.
• VS 3: Water - Planetary-scale volumetric water transforms gameplay. Engineer across oceans, rivers, and lakes. Construct boats and submarines for underwater exploration. 
• More to Come - We have exciting plans for additional Vertical Slices that will expand upon core mechanics, introduce new features, and ultimately build towards a complete Space Engineers 2 experience. On the horizon: Multiplayer, NPCs, Story Campaign, and more.

Vertical Slice: is a fully playable portion of a game that showcases specific core features and improvements implemented at production quality, serving as a milestone in the game's development while more features are added in subsequent slices.

Our Vision for Space Engineers 2

Space Engineers 2 is more than just a sequel – it's a reimagining of the space engineering experience that takes everything you love about Space Engineers and makes it 10x better. Building on over 10 years of experience with the original Space Engineers, which has sold more than 5 million copies across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, we're bringing you closer than ever to our founding vision.

Imagine stepping into a universe where your creative engineering ambitions are finally unleashed with unprecedented power, depth, and possibility. With tools so intuitive they feel like sketching on paper yet powerful enough for your most ambitious designs, Space Engineers 2 transforms the creative experience with our next-generation VRAGE3 engine. For the first time, explore a rich universe with meaningful narrative and backstory, interact with NPCs in a living world, and harness new possibilities like volumetric water. Whether you're a seasoned engineer or taking your first steps into space, you'll craft your legacy in a universe that truly comes alive with your creations.

I can confidently say that Space Engineers 2 is the culmination of everything we've learned. It offers an experience that is more expansive, intricate, robust, and intuitive, primed for the next decade and beyond. We're making no compromises in our pursuit of the ultimate space engineering sandbox.

Why Space Engineers 2 is the Next Big Leap

We designed Space Engineers 2 to be 10x better than SE1 and other space and engineering games in every dimension that matters:

• More intuitive, yet deeper in gameplay possibilities
• More flexible in building, with fewer artificial constraints
• More visually stunning, with next-generation graphics
• More immersive, with rich storytelling and living universe with human NPCs
• More performant, leveraging modern hardware
• More engaging survival experience in a dynamic world 

All of this is powered by our new VRAGE3 engine, representing a quantum leap in space sandbox gaming.

Our vision for Space Engineers 2 is the following:

Intuitive User Experience

The days of steep learning curves are over. We've redesigned the user experience with an intuitive interface and fast feedback systems. Veterans will find all the depth they love, while new players can jump right into building.

Building Freedom

Our revolutionary 25cm unified grid system eliminates the traditional small vs. large grid distinction. Build with unprecedented flexibility - from intricate machinery to massive space stations, all within a single, coherent system. 

Enhanced building mechanics include grid undo/redo, blueprint building (partial copy/paste, snap to grid, assign to toolbar), paint tool, and symmetry tools for effortless design work.

Visual & Physical Revolution

VRAGE3's GPU-driven pipeline delivers stunning next-generation visuals with raytracing, global illumination, tessellated terrain, and parallax mapping. Experience true volumetric environments where everything - from planets and asteroids to your own ships - is volumetric, fully destructible and physically simulated. Seamlessly travel from space to planets with no loading screens, all while maintaining smooth performance and visual fidelity.

Building & Survival

Enhanced survival mechanics make the early game more engaging with backpack building for immediate crafting from raw materials. Plan ahead with projection building to visualize your constructions before committing resources. 

Experience fully simulated volumetric water for the first time - build underwater bases, design submarines, and harness H2O in entirely new ways across enhanced planets with diverse biomes and dynamic weather systems.

Story & Universe

The mysterious Almagest System introduces the first-ever story campaign in Space Engineers history, complete with human NPCs and factions that bring the universe to life. Trade with space stations, solve challenging quests, and encounter AI-driven ships that respond to your actions. Your engineering skills now have purpose within a rich narrative filled with diverse characters and ancient mysteries. Each construction contributes to unraveling the secrets of this vast new frontier.

Technical Innovation

• Multi-core scalability will enable larger, more complex builds
• Data-oriented architecture ensures future optimization potential
• Enhanced physics simulation with realistic destruction and deformation
• GPU-driven pipeline for superior visual quality and performance
• True volumetric environment enabling seamless space-to-planet gameplay

Hardware requirements

The increased hardware requirements reflect SE2's advanced rendering, enhanced physics simulation, and more detailed grid system - all of which demand more computational power than SE1.

Since SE2 is in alpha, many optimizations are still ahead of us. However, VRAGE3's data-oriented architecture gives us the freedom to optimize and scale performance further.

Community Involvement and Early Access

We believe that community involvement from the earliest stages is crucial to making Space Engineers 2 everything it can be. By offering pre-orders and early access, we're inviting you to shape the future of the Space Engineers universe.

The community HAS to be involved, there is no other way. We believe that community involvement, from the earliest possible point, is the only way to ensure Space Engineers 2 will be everything we want it to be. It would be a mistake to leave you out of this process and to make you wait until the game is complete.

Early adopters will have access to:

• All current and future Vertical Slices until release
• Dedicated feedback channels
• Regular dev livestreams and development updates

Commitment to Space Engineers 1

Our dedication to Space Engineers 1 (SE1) remains as strong as ever. For over 11 years, we've consistently delivered free updates, enhancing the game experience for our community. We're continuing active development - while the 1.205 Contact Update has just been released, the design team is already hard at work on the next update. 

In 1.206, we're planning to introduce more PvE content and refresh some of the existing Cargo Ships.

Alongside the NPC Cargo Ship overhauls, there are a number of very exciting blocks and features headed your way. This month we showcased one of the more unique items on the list, coming as part of the free portion of the 1.206 update - a large grid variant of the Small Inset Connector.

This block serves as an adapter which allows small grids equipped with the Small Connector to directly connect to large grids, vastly improving the docking experience for grids which utilize them.

Space Engineers 1 (SE1) and Space Engineers 2 (SE2) will coexist, each offering unique experiences for players.

Important Transparency Notice About Early Access

Space Engineers 2 is currently in early alpha development, offering our first vertical slice (VS1) of the game. While we're committed to delivering a polished experience within this segment, please be aware that:

• This is an alpha version and may contain bugs and imperfections, which we are actively working to address
• The current release represents only a portion of the planned full game
• All features, mechanics, and content are subject to change during development
• We are continuously gathering feedback and making improvements

We believe in full transparency with our community: if you prefer a more complete gaming experience, you may want to wait for future vertical slices or the full release. Your understanding and support during this development journey are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for being part of Space Engineers 2's evolution.

Development History

VRAGE3 development began in January 2022. 

VRAGE3 is an evolution of our VRAGE2 engine used in Space Engineers (SE1).

We're developing VRAGE3 instead of iterating on VRAGE2 because we needed to make big architectural changes to ensure the game is expandable and ready for the next decade. We tested multiple third-party game engines but decided not to use them, as none were built for a game like Space Engineers 2, with fully destructible and dynamic, massively large-scale environments and physics. The amount of work required to tailor those engines for Space Engineers 2 would be too great. We figured it's better to work on our own engine, own it, have the freedom to customize it in any direction, which ultimately helps make Space Engineers 2 stand out from other games. We aim to be unique and true to our core principles!

This powerful new engine is designed to support the advanced features and performance improvements in Space Engineers 2, setting the stage for the next decade of space engineering innovation.

The Teams

Over the past three years, our Space Engineers 2 and VRAGE3 team has grown to 70 dedicated individuals: programmers, artists, designers, QA, production, sound, music, video creation and PR. 

Our leadership team (alphabetical order):

• Marek Rosa (Creative Director & CEO)
• Vladislav Polgar (COO & Producer)
• ===
• Andrej Bunjac (VRAGE3 Engine Voxels Team)
• Daniel Ilha (VRAGE3 Engine Physics Team)
• Gerd Fankhaenel  (Design Team)
• Jan Hlousek (Technical Director)
• Jan Trauske (Art Team)
• Michal Kucis  (VRAGE3 Backend Team)
• Miroslav Farkaš  (Tools & UI team)
• Natiq Aghayev  (Art Team)
• Ondřej Nahálka (QA Team)
• Petr Minarik (Water Team)
• Tomas Drinovsky (VRAGE3 Frontend Team)
• William Ravaine (Gameplay Team)

On top of this, Space Engineers 1 (SE1) has its own team of 30 developers.

I personally feel we've never had better teams at Keen. People are professional, dedicated, and enthusiastic about our projects. It's clear everyone is putting their heart into what we do.

I want to thank our amazing team! Great teamwork! Together we are creating something beautiful with Space Engineers 2 - you can see it's truly a work of love in every detail.

Development Process

At the core of our development strategy for Space Engineers 2 lies a commitment to both innovation and accessibility. We began by identifying what is the core of Space Engineers—what elements are essential and unchangeable in SE2, but could be reimagined and improved upon. This led us to developments like the 25cm unified grid system, planetary-scale volumetric water, streamlined user interface, a story-driven campaign with NPCs, significantly improved visuals, enhanced fracture and destruction mechanics, and more.

While expanding these technical capabilities, we maintained an unwavering focus on user experience. Our goal was to preserve—and even enhance—the rich complexity that players loved in Space Engineers 1 while making the game more intuitive and approachable.

To execute this vision effectively, we established a comprehensive multi-year roadmap and assembled specialized teams across key areas: VRAGE3 Engine, VRAGE3 Render, and VRAGE3 Tools, alongside dedicated units for 3D Art, Game Design, UI/UX, Level Design, Quality Assurance, Gameplay Programming, Story Writing, Sound Design, Music Composition, PR and Community Management, and project production.

As Creative Director, my role centers on establishing and maintaining Space Engineers' core pillars. I focus on preserving what makes the game special while driving innovation and improvement. This involves building strong teams and leadership, effectively communicating our vision, and ensuring everyone remains aligned with our core principles and singular direction. I regularly review and shape features through hands-on playtesting sessions, providing detailed feedback and leading discussions about potential improvements. This iterative process helps ensure we're consistently delivering on our vision while maintaining the high quality standards our players expect.

Our development process emphasizes thorough planning and validation. Every feature undergoes a rigorous design phase, with documentation subject to team review and formal approval before implementation begins. We've implemented robust automated testing and continuous integration pipelines, enabling stable builds that facilitate feature testing without compromising overall system stability.

In 2024, we transitioned to a Vertical Slice development methodology, focusing on delivering fully polished, working segments of the game experience. We successfully completed our first Vertical Slice (VS1) in late November 2024, and are now progressing with VS2. Simultaneously, we're advancing other critical components, including VS3 Water and our Story Campaign, which features a new Mission scripting system.

Looking back to our original Space Engineers announcement in 2013, it's remarkable to see how far we've come in these ten years, building the foundation for what Space Engineers 2 will become.

Planets and Water are work-in-progress

The Almagest System: Backstory

Space Engineers 2 is set in the mysterious Almagest System, humanity's ambitious leap into the unknown, 10,000 light-years from Earth.

In 2083, humanity launched the Bering Project—its most ambitious endeavor—to send pioneers across space and forge a new destiny among the stars. The Almagest system was chosen not out of necessity, but as a testament to human capability and the spirit of exploration. Beneath the surface of scientific curiosity lay a deeper motivation: the desire for a new frontier, free from the constraints of Earth's governments and societal structures.

Planets and Water are work-in-progress

The Bering Project sent multiple waves of colonists on a one-way journey, knowing they would never return to Earth or see their families again. These brave explorers were driven by the promise of freedom and self-reliance, much like the settlers of the old world who ventured into uncharted territories. Their mission was to build a new future for humanity, unbound by the limitations of their past.

The Almagest is no ordinary star system. At its heart lies not one star, but two - the radiant Almagest and its dimmer companion, the brown dwarf Delfos. Orbiting this unusual pair are three distinct worlds: verdant Verdure with its Earth-like potential, red and dusty Kemik reminiscent of Mars, and the enigmatic water world Byblos.

Planets and Water are work-in-progress

You'll encounter diverse groups, each with its own vision for this frontier. Astronauts Without Borders embody the ideals of cooperation, while the militaristic Legion of Engineers stands ready to defend humanity's progress. The isolated Ellickite communities, religious isolationists, and the Boatmen, a mysterious cult born from tragedy, add layers of intrigue and danger to your journey.

For the first time in Space Engineers, you'll interact with NPCs throughout your adventures. These characters—ranging from allies and pioneers to adversaries with their own agendas—play pivotal roles in advancing the narrative, offering missions, and enriching the history of the Almagest.

Planets and Water are work-in-progress

As you explore, you'll discover traces of something unexpected. Someone was here before. Your engineering skills and critical decisions will determine the success of humanity's boldest expedition. What secrets await in the Almagest? Your choices will shape humanity's future among the stars.

Venturing into the Almagest, you carry the hopes and dreams of all those who sought a fresh start. While Earth continues to progress in your absence, you and your fellow colonists are writing a new chapter in human history—pushing beyond known frontiers to build a future among the stars, governed by your own rules and ideals.

Sandbox & Story Campaign

In Space Engineers 2, you can experience the Almagest System in two ways. Build freely in the sandbox mode, where you can forge your own stories and create without limits in this vast frontier. Or embark on our first-ever story campaign, where you'll uncover the system's deepest mysteries through a series of challenging missions.

The campaign follows brothers Miroslav and Ivan Sokol, who have just completed their 10,000-year voyage aboard The Calypso, emerging from their last cycle of cryosleep as their ship crossed the vast distance between Earth and humanity's new frontier. As they awaken from their long slumber, they face an immediate crisis. Their ship, carrying this final wave of 500 settlers, comes under attack. In moments, the vessel is torn apart, and while most passengers remain trapped in their cryosleep chambers, the Sokol brothers race against time to save those they can reach—leaving Miroslav and Ivan and the handful of souls they managed to rescue as the survivors of The Calypso's tragic end.

You will take on the role of Miroslav Sokol, a brilliant space engineer with a troubled past, driven by a strong moral compass and a desire to protect others. His younger brother Ivan, equally skilled but more impulsive and morally ambiguous, has always lived in Miroslav's shadow. Their complicated relationship, strained by past events and new traumas, forms the emotional core of this interstellar drama that unfolds throughout your journey. As the Sokol brothers face unprecedented challenges in this alien system, will their bond strengthen in the face of adversity, or will the pressures of their new reality drive them further apart? The fate of their relationship – and potentially the future of the Almagest – hangs in the balance.

As Miroslav grapples with the devastating loss of the passengers, he must navigate a complex social landscape that has emerged in the decade since the first colonists arrived. The Almagest system is teeming with the hopes, dreams, and conflicts of settlers who ventured here to establish a new civilization.

Prepare your tools, fire up your engines, and set out on the most ambitious adventure Space Engineers has ever offered. The Almagest awaits—a canvas of untapped potential and hidden wonders. Whether you're building freely in the sandbox or uncovering the mysteries of our story campaign, here, amidst the stars, you'll have the chance to build not just structures and machines, but the foundation of a new civilization that embodies the spirit that drove humanity to reach for the stars.

Pioneer Edition

Pioneer Edition includes the base game, soundtrack, and exclusive behind-the-scenes development materials (from 2022 to 2024). As development continues, we will keep adding new content and updates.

For Space Engineers 2's soundtrack and in-game music, we wanted to capture the story of people who carried their ancestral heritage across 10,000 light-years to The Amalgest System. We drew inspiration from various ethnic styles: the soul-stirring melodies of Eastern Europe, the mystical sounds of Arabia, the intricate patterns of Indian music, and the primal rhythms of Northern European tribes. 

To bring this vision to life, we turned to Karel Antonin, who has been composing and leading music production for our games for almost 15 years, from Miner Wars through Space Engineers and Medieval Engineers. Under Karel's direction, each piece of music became a bridge between Earth's ancient cultures and humanity's far future, blending traditional instruments with modern synthesizers to show how our musical heritage might evolve across millennia. 

Working with talented musicians and a full orchestra, Karel composed music that feels both ancient and futuristic, where you might hear folk melodies transformed through electronic textures while still maintaining their emotional core. This vision continues the musical journey we began together all those years ago, growing and evolving with each game we create.

FAQ

Q: Will VS1 contain all blocks that are currently in Space Engineers 1?

A: SE1 has been in development for over 11 years, so it will take some time for SE2 to reach that level of content. VS1 will contain the most important blocks, but since it's launching in creative mode, most of them won't be functional (for example, the Assembler will not be able to produce components).

Q: What are we getting on January 27, 2025?

A: We will release VS1 (Creative Mode). All other innovations - including planets, survival mode, water, NPCs, campaign, and many more features - will follow in additional vertical slices. Players who join early access will receive all these updates at no extra cost.

Q: Can I transfer my grids from SE1 to SE2?

A: Yes, we have developed a transfer tool for this purpose: Grid Exporter tool. The tool and its user guide are available at: https://2.spaceengineersgame.com/experienced-players/grid-exporter/ 

However, please note that Space Engineers 1 and 2 use different grid systems, so not all blocks can be transferred directly. Any incompatible grid sections will be automatically replaced with armor blocks.

Q: Why are you making a sequel and new engine instead of simply iterating with SE1?

A: We want SE2 to be a revolutionary step from SE1, unconstrained by the past (SE1 code base became complex and convoluted over the years), backward compatibility in file systems and data structures (e.g., now we have a 25cm unified grid system, so old grids are not easily transferable, and this would break many save files, worlds, and blueprints on Workshop). We also wanted a game/engine architecture that is ready for the next decade, scalable with multiple cores, etc. Sometimes it's best to take what you've learned and start with a clean slate.

Q: Why aren’t you launching Space Engineers 2 with Water? Why not wait until water is done?

A: Water is a complex feature that requires more time to perfect. Rather than delay the entire game, we chose to have a roadmap where we can release meaningful improvements sooner rather than later, so that we can share with our community what we are working on and openly talk about it. We're starting with Creative Mode, followed by Survival and Planets, which is a deliberate order. One of our key improvements in SE2 is the 25cm unified grid system, but we especially want to enhance the accessibility and intuitiveness of the user experience. Beginning with Creative Mode allows us to focus on these core improvements and gather valuable feedback before introducing more complex gameplay elements.

Q: Why are you releasing a Space Engineers 2 (SE2) alpha while Space Engineers 1 (SE1) is actively updated? Isn’t this unusual?

A: We understand this approach isn't typical (but we were never a standard game development studio!). We value our community's involvement and want to develop Space Engineers 2 alongside you. By releasing an alpha early, we can share the development process, gather valuable feedback, and iterate more frequently through vertical slices. This collaborative approach will help us create the best possible experience for everyone. After all, would anyone prefer to wait a few years until we finish SE2 behind closed doors and then release it with a big bang?

Q: What about Space Engineers (SE1)?

A: We continue developing it, the next update will be in the following months.

Q: What About PlayStation/Xbox?

A: At this stage, we’re focusing all our efforts on the PC Alpha. Console release processes are quite different from Steam Early Access, and the current stage of development requires frequent updates that are better suited to PC versions.

However, we absolutely want to bring Space Engineers 2 to PlayStation and Xbox in the future!

Conclusion

Space Engineers 2 represents not just the next chapter in our journey, but a new beginning for space sandbox gaming. We invite you to join us in this ambitious endeavor, to push the boundaries of creativity, engineering, and exploration.

The cosmos is your canvas. Engineer your dreams!

🛰️ Join the conversation - Find us on your platform of choice!
➡️ https://www.keenswh.com/connect/

The price of the Space Engineers 2 is $29.99 USD, Pioneer Edition DLC $14.99 USD and Pioneer Edition Bundle $44.98 USD or your regional equivalent.

Preorder Now & Play on Steam January 27, 2025: https://2.spaceengineersgame.com/store

Remember, Space Engineers 2 is currently in alpha. By pre-ordering and participating in the early access, you're not just getting a game—you're becoming part of the development process. Together, we'll shape the future of space engineering.

Thank you for reading this blog!

 

Best,
Marek Rosa
CEO, Creative Director, Founder at Keen Software House
CEO, CTO, Founder at GoodAI

Personal bio:

Marek Rosa is the founder and CEO of Keen Software House, an independent game development studio, and GoodAI, a research company focused on general artificial intelligence development.

Keen Software House, established in 2010, developed Space Engineers, which has sold over 5 million copies and maintains the 4th largest Workshop community on Steam with over 500K user creations. The studio is now developing Space Engineers 2, built on their new generation in-house VRAGE3 engine.

Following the success of Keen Software House, Marek founded GoodAI in 2014 with a $10 million personal investment. The company develops autonomous agents and AI technologies, including the AI People game featuring LLM-driven NPCs with long-term memory and evolving personalities. Current projects include Groundstation, a multi-drone system.

Both companies, employing over 100 professionals, work toward advancing technology through gaming and artificial intelligence, with GoodAI's specific focus on developing AGI to help humanity understand and explore the universe.

AI People: Now with local LLM

We are pioneering gaming AI: 

• Update 0.3.0a introduces Local LLM support, enabling AI NPCs to run directly on your PC. 
• AI People is the first game to implement AI NPCs powered by Local LLM.
• Now the entire AI People game can run offline on your PC (configure in game options) 
  
  

Local LLM Integration

AI People's NPCs operate through Large Language Models, which handle their conversations, understanding, and interactions. 

These interactions consume tokens - units of processing that are covered by credits in AI People.

Previously, this required cloud processing and consumed credits. Update 0.3.0a adds the option to run the LLM locally on your PC instead of using cloud services.

What This Means for Players

Cost Efficiency

• Run scenarios without using credits when processing locally
• New option to disable Text-to-Speech (TTS) to eliminate associated credit costs
• With local LLM, local Speech Recognition and TTS off, scenarios can run without consuming any credits - enabling unlimited gameplay
• Note: When TTS is disabled, NPC responses appear as text only

Local Processing

• All AI interactions process on your PC
• No cloud service dependencies
• Full control over AI interactions without cloud-based restrictions (censorship)

System Requirements

Local processing needs:

• Minimum 12GB GPU VRAM:
• 8GB for Local LLM
• 1-2GB for local Speech Recognition
• Remaining VRAM for game operations

Development Plans

This initial local LLM implementation will be expanded with:

• Local Text-to-Speech capabilities
• Hardware requirement optimizations
• Performance improvements

See-through Walls Shader for the Apartment

Previously, when playing on the Apartment map, it could happen that your character was behind any of the walls, especially near the bathroom. We understand it can be annoying when there’s an interaction and discussion close to a wall and it takes time to adjust the camera, potentially causing you to miss part of the experience.

That’s why we implemented a see-through shader for this map. Now, you’ll see a circle around the player character, allowing you to see them through walls and other obstacles. This also lets you view objects and decorations on the map in the close proximity to the characters.

Game speed options

Sometimes, everyone has the feeling that the conversation is too fast, or on the contrary, it moves like a snail and we need it to be faster. Or we see that it takes time before the PC goes to the opposite side of the map, to pick up the item and return to the player. 

As we want to give as much variety as possible, we added to the Gameplay Options two new dropdown menus “Game Speed” and “Speech Speed”.

Both categories allow to choose between 6 different speed options, from 0.75x to 2x

Bug Fixes

• Fixed rare issue where game would freeze after player actions
• Added more contrasting colors to voice input indicator for better audio pickup visibility
• Fixed NPC speech display issues when text contains parentheses
• Fixed NPCs continuing to talk when interrupted by player's voice input attempt
• Updated scenario thumbnails

Thank you for reading this blog!

Best,
Marek Rosa
CEO, Creative Director, Founder at Keen Software House
CEO, CTO, Founder at GoodAI

Personal bio:

Marek Rosa is the founder and CEO of GoodAI, a general artificial intelligence R&D company, and Keen Software House, an independent game development studio, started in 2010, and best known for its best-seller Space Engineers (over 5 million copies sold). Space Engineers has the 4th largest Workshop on Steam with over 500K mods, ships, stations, worlds, and more!

Marek has been interested in game development and artificial intelligence since childhood. He started his career as a programmer and later transitioned to a leadership role. After the success of Keen Software House titles, Marek was able to fund GoodAI in 2014 with a $10 Million personal investment.

Both companies now have over 100 engineers, researchers, artists, and game developers.

Marek's primary focus includes Space Engineers, the VRAGE3 engine, the AI People game, long-term memory systems (LTM), an LLM-powered personal assistant with LTM named Charlie Mnemonic, and the Groundstation.

GoodAI's mission is to develop AGI - as fast as possible - to help humanity and understand the universe. One of the commercial stepping stones is the "AI People" game, which features LLM-driven AI NPCs. These NPCs are grounded in the game world, interacting dynamically with the game environment and with other NPCs, and they possess long-term memory and developing personalities. GoodAI also works on autonomous agents that can self-improve and solve any task that a human can.

How Much Will Intelligence Cost in the Future?

AI-driven intelligence costs are falling fast: token prices are dropping faster than nearly anything in tech.

We might see intelligence (compute, inference) become a renewable, fungible resource, fueled by inputs like hardware (GPUs, TPUs, ASICs), electricity, and the supply chains necessary for their creation and deployment.

But true commoditization isn't guaranteed:

1. If hardware remains scarce, prices will rise (though the opposite keeps happening)
   
   
2. If someone develops next-level AI (e.g., GPT-6) that unlocks entirely new use cases and can charge a premium before competition catches up, scarcity will again drive prices higher. Especially if inference hardware is limited, creating a bidding war among those willing to pay. This hasn't happened yet because current LLMs (like GPT-4) don't deliver enough value to justify significantly higher prices. But if a GPT-6 were capable of matching or surpassing highly skilled individuals, you wouldn't price it at $10 per million tokens. Instead, you'd charge as much as customers are willing to pay, based on the value it creates.

The result? Basic intelligence could drop to just energy and material costs, while the newest, high-value AI remains exclusive, commanding premium prices.

Long-term: Even premium AIs may eventually become commodities, with the frontier continuously advancing. This would grant everyone access to better and better intelligence, while those at the cutting edge push the boundaries even further.

*Intelligence = the ability to solve intellectual tasks (not just physical work). Here I focus only on inference, not training, because inference has the potential to scale infinitely, as demand will be infinite, unlike other resources (e.g., food, entertainment, goods), which are limited by our time and attention.

Reality is Our Enemy

I've spent years crafting virtual worlds and leading a team that creates games like Space Engineers, but it wasn't until recently that I realized why I became a game developer: I hate limits. I despise constraints, especially those imposed by others. And reality? Reality is the ultimate limiter.

So, I'm not just making games; I'm rebelling against the very fabric of our existence. And I'm here to tell you why reality is pissing me off and why we should all become rebels against it.💪😎

The Limits That Bind Us

Imagine a universe where the speed of light is merely a suggestion, where death is an optional end-game event, and where the laws of physics bend to the will of imagination. Now open your eyes to our world - a place where arbitrary rules govern our existence, where invisible barriers cap our potential.

Reality imposes many limits on us, and I don't like limits. I want to maximize my future options, to explore every possibility. But our current reality seems designed to frustrate these ambitions at every turn.

The conservation of energy prevents us from creating unlimited resources. The arrow of time marches relentlessly forward, denying us access to the past or future. Our bodies age and deteriorate, imposing a cruel time limit on our experiences. We're bound by the need for physical travel, unable to instantly teleport ourselves across vast distances. The world around us stubbornly resists our will, forcing us to laboriously reshape it by hand instead of allowing instant, thought-driven transformations.

But it doesn't stop there. Our daily lives unfold in a monotonous sequence, lacking the dramatic flair and excitement of cinematic narratives. Technological progress crawls at a snail's pace compared to our imagination's speed. Life itself feels unoptimized, devoid of the engaging loops, climactic moments, and final bosses that make games so captivating.

Our brains, impressive as they are, fall short of our aspirations. We can't instantly learn or recall information. Our computational speed is laughably slow compared to our silicon creations. We're trapped in a three-dimensional prison, blind to higher spatial dimensions. Our senses capture only a fraction of the universe's full spectrum. Even sleep, that great restorative, steals a third of our limited lifespan.

Language, our primary tool for connection, often fails us, unable to fully capture the complexity of our thoughts and emotions, unlike true telepathy. It takes a lot of time and effort to communicate and coordinate with other people. And I am not even mentioning when they have conflicting/opposing goals.

The Rebellion Begins

There's a profound truth we must confront: "The perception of reality is more real than reality itself." This isn't mere philosophical musing; it's a call to arms. If perception shapes our reality, then we have not just the right, but the obligation to reshape our world.

This reshaping isn't about destruction, but creation. We're not bound by the arbitrary rules of this reality; we're the coders of a new one. We have all the right to change the environment around us, to adapt it for our needs. There's nothing like virgin nature that can't be touched by people. We're not desecrating the world; we're evolving it, optimizing it for our limitless potential.

Driven by our need to create and our insatiable desire to explore, we find ourselves at the frontier of existence itself. Our curiosity and imagination are the battering rams against reality's unyielding walls. As a game developer, I've realized that my profession is more than just entertainment - it's a form of reality engineering.

Hacking the Universe

Consider this: What if these seemingly immutable laws are just poorly optimized code? What if reality is running on outdated software, desperately in need of an upgrade?

The Simulated Future – Our True Reality

In 50 years, the distinction between "real" and "simulated" will be meaningless. We'll relive history, meet long-gone loved ones, and create universes beyond our current imagination. We'll invent new emotions, new ways to experience existence. What we have now is a rounding error compared to what's coming.

Reality as we know it will be relegated to energy farms and data centers. They will be everywhere around us, replacing the raw nature.

Our consciousnesses, our experiences, our very selves will thrive in simulations indistinguishable from – and far superior to – the limited reality we currently inhabit.

We are simulators, or rather, we should become the simulators and control our future. Soon, we will live in these real-time AI-simulated realities, free from the limits of our current reality.

As game developers, we're not just entertainment providers. We're reality engineers. We're the vanguard of humanity's great escape from the arbitrary constraints of this universe.

The Revolution is Now

So, fellow rebels against reality, I leave you with this: If perception shapes reality, and we control perception in our games, are we not already the gods of new universes? And if we can do it in games, what's stopping us from hacking the very fabric of our own existence?

The revolution against reality starts now. Will you join me in breaking these chains, or will you remain a prisoner of a universe that was never worthy of your potential?

Remember: In the game of reality, we're not just players. We're the ones rewriting the code, driven by our boundless creativity and our relentless need to explore the unknown. It's time to compile a new universe – one where the only limit is our imagination.

AI People: Update 0.2.0a - The Sitting Pretty Update

Our second content addition update named “The Sitting Pretty Update” comes to AI People server on October 24, 2024.

This Update brings brand new interaction feature, a plethora of new characters to the game, and several other features and changes. 

New Characters

We made plenty of changes to the list of playable characters in the game. Currently, there are 10 different characters in AI People, each one with a special voiceover. It is possible to set any one of them as a playable character. Also, we would like to remind you that their names and their characteristics can always be changed and defined according to the player’s will and liking.

In version 0.2.0a version we have the following characters on these maps:

• Map Farm: Maddie Sin, Paul Bright, Leo Reed, Ari Sherman
• Map Island: Christine Farrow, Dante Brandt, Duke Stone
• Map Apartment: John Sharp, Zara Wolfe, Robert Higgings

The majority of those names are new. Let us introduce you to these new characters:

New Feature - Sitting action

Starting with “The Sitting Pretty Update”, it is now possible to sit on chairs, couches, or benches. It is a brand new interaction available on all three maps and accessible for playable characters and NPCs. 

Similar to the sleeping or crafting interactions, just click on the cogwheel while hovering over the item.

In addition to that, all characters can also talk to each other while sitting.

Other Features and Changes

• The progress bar has been reworked and relocated to the left upper part of the screen
• Keyboard navigation was allowed in in-game menus, using arrow keys, tab/shift+tab, Space, and Enter
• Voice Input feature was polished: dynamic voice input indication and dynamic microphone connectivity checks
• Network connectivity UI (indicators) has been improved and polished
• Improved handling of objects by NPCs - they are more likely to keep working with a given object instead of picking another instance of it
• Added Graphics quality levels in in-game options
• Updated and polished game launcher

Last, but not least: 

The Waiting List was temporarily removed! This means that anyone can now register without the need to wait. Just click on Play Now, register and enjoy the game!

Thank you for reading this blog!

Best,
Marek Rosa
CEO, Creative Director, Founder at Keen Software House
CEO, CTO, Founder at GoodAI

Personal bio:

Marek Rosa is the founder and CEO of GoodAI, a general artificial intelligence R&D company, and Keen Software House, an independent game development studio, started in 2010, and best known for its best-seller Space Engineers (over 5 million copies sold). Space Engineers has the 4th largest Workshop on Steam with over 500K mods, ships, stations, worlds, and more!

Marek has been interested in game development and artificial intelligence since childhood. He started his career as a programmer and later transitioned to a leadership role. After the success of Keen Software House titles, Marek was able to fund GoodAI in 2014 with a $10 Million personal investment.

Both companies now have over 100 engineers, researchers, artists, and game developers.

Marek's primary focus includes Space Engineers, the VRAGE3 engine, the AI People game, long-term memory systems (LTM), an LLM-powered personal assistant with LTM named Charlie Mnemonic, and the Groundstation.

GoodAI's mission is to develop AGI - as fast as possible - to help humanity and understand the universe. One of the commercial stepping stones is the "AI People" game, which features LLM-driven AI NPCs. These NPCs are grounded in the game world, interacting dynamically with the game environment and with other NPCs, and they possess long-term memory and developing personalities. GoodAI also works on autonomous agents that can self-improve and solve any task that a human can.

Charlie Mnemonic - Update 5: Introducing Chain-of-Thought and Integrated Recall System

     SUMMARY:

• Chain-of-Thought Implementation
• Integrated Recall System: Recall Addon and Charlie Recall App
• User Interface and Experience Improvements
• New Models and Future Updates

---

We're excited to announce the fifth major update to Charlie Mnemonic, your open-source AI assistant with Long-Term Memory. This release brings groundbreaking features, including Chain-of-Thought reasoning and an integrated Recall system that allows you to effortlessly search and reference past information displayed on your desktop, enhancing Charlie's contextual understanding and response capabilities. Let's dive into what's new!

Chain-of-Thought Implementation

One of the most significant additions in this update is the Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Addon. This feature enhances Charlie's reasoning capabilities by allowing it to break down complex problems into manageable steps. The CoT Addon provides step-by-step explanations, improving transparency and understanding in AI responses.

We've integrated expand/collapse functionality for CoT step messages, so you can focus on the big picture or dive into the details as needed. This ensures a seamless and intuitive user experience.

Integrated Recall System: Recall Addon and Charlie Recall App

Introducing our powerful new Recall System, a feature that allows you to search your desktop's visual history. It combines the Recall Addon in Charlie Mnemonic with the standalone Charlie Recall App to create a seamless experience for capturing, analyzing, and recalling visual information from your desktop.

How It Works:

• Capturing and Indexing: The Charlie Recall App takes periodic screenshots of your desktop. It then extracts text from these screenshots using GPT-4 and OCR and indexes it, making the content searchable.
• Searching: You can search your visual history using keywords or phrases. This allows you to quickly find specific information that was displayed on your desktop, even if you don't remember exactly when you saw it.

Recall Addon and Charlie

• Integration with Charlie: The Recall Addon in Charlie Mnemonic integrates with the Charlie Recall App. It allows you to search your visual history directly from within a conversation with Charlie.
• Using the Addon: Simply ask Charlie to search for something in your visual history, and it will use the Recall Addon to access the relevant screenshots and information from the Charlie Recall App. This enhances context and recall capabilities, allowing Charlie to provide more relevant and personalized responses.
  
  

User Interface and Experience Improvements

We've made significant enhancements to the user interface:

• Refined Message Handling: Refactored key functions for better clarity and functionality, ensuring a smoother chat experience.
• Dynamic Message Displays: Enhanced handling of step and chunk messages with specific displays, making it easier to follow along.
• Expand/Collapse Functionality: Integrated options for CoT step messages, allowing you to control the level of detail you see.
• New CSS Styles: Implemented new styles for an improved and modern look.
  
  

New Models and Future Updates

We've added new models like o1-mini and o1-preview to our system (not active yet). These additions prepare Charlie for future integrations that will expand its capabilities even further.

Looking Ahead

As always, this update is part of our ongoing commitment to make Charlie the best AI assistant possible. We're continuously working on new features and improvements, driven by your valuable feedback.

Get Involved

We invite you to explore these new features and share your thoughts. Join our Discord community to connect with other users and our development team, or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.

• GoodAI Discord: https://discord.gg/Pfzs7WWJwf
• GoodAI Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodAIdev

Thank you for being part of the Charlie Mnemonic journey. We can't wait to see how you'll use these new features to enhance your productivity and creativity. Here's to many more exciting updates to come!

Thank you for reading this blog!

 

Best,
Marek Rosa
CEO, Creative Director, Founder at Keen Software House
CEO, CTO, Founder at GoodAI

Personal bio:

Marek Rosa is the founder and CEO of GoodAI, a general artificial intelligence R&D company, and Keen Software House, an independent game development studio, started in 2010, and best known for its best-seller Space Engineers (over 5 million copies sold). Space Engineers has the 4th largest Workshop on Steam with over 500K mods, ships, stations, worlds, and more!

Marek has been interested in game development and artificial intelligence since childhood. He started his career as a programmer and later transitioned to a leadership role. After the success of Keen Software House titles, Marek was able to fund GoodAI in 2014 with a $10 Million personal investment.

Both companies now have over 100 engineers, researchers, artists, and game developers.

Marek's primary focus includes Space Engineers, the VRAGE3 engine, the AI People game, long-term memory systems (LTM), an LLM-powered personal assistant with LTM named Charlie Mnemonic, and the Groundstation.

GoodAI's mission is to develop AGI - as fast as possible - to help humanity and understand the universe. One of the commercial stepping stones is the "AI People" game, which features LLM-driven AI NPCs. These NPCs are grounded in the game world, interacting dynamically with the game environment and with other NPCs, and they possess long-term memory and developing personalities. GoodAI also works on autonomous agents that can self-improve and solve any task that a human can.

Space Engineers: Contact

    SUMMARY:

• New PvE Encounters
• New blocks in the base game: 7 new Prototech Blocks, Inset Connector, Flush Cockpit and more!
• New Premium Content: Turret Variants, Gates, Modular Bridge Set, Small Ship Kitchen Set, Captain's Desk, Parabolic Antenna and much more!
• What’s Next
• VRAGE3 Development

---

Hello, Engineers!

Prepare to engage like never before - our latest “Contact” Update has been released on Steam and PlayStation!

The Xbox and Windows Store release is in progress – we appreciate your patience while we make sure it’s ready! We’ll announce the release date as soon as possible.

With this release, we’re taking Space Engineers to new frontiers of challenge and discovery. For those of you craving thrilling PvE encounters and seeking to push the limits of your engineering prowess, this update is packed with everything you need.

"Contact" brings an array of PvE encounters designed to test your skills and strategies in high-stakes scenarios. But that’s not all! We’re introducing exclusive Prototech blocks - advanced technology you can only obtain through these intense encounters.

These blocks will add new dimensions to your endgame builds, giving you tools and capabilities that enhance your creativity and gameplay strategies. As always, we’re excited to see how you’ll use these new features to push the boundaries of what’s possible in Space Engineers. 

In the Contact DLC you can find additional cosmetic blocks and bring some love to your Small Grid builds.

Free Content

We’re bringing you all the important gameplay changes for free in our Contact Update.

PvE Encounters

To experience all new PvE Encounters as intended, you’ll need to start a new world. They are enabled by default for any new world you create. You can also customize their density and the global encounter cap - or disable them entirely in the world settings.

• Encounter Modding Guide

Planetary Encounters
Planetary Encounters bring new life to the planets of Space Engineers! These range from small research outposts to formidable pirate strongholds, each offering a wide variety of loot. Players can discover everything from story elements hidden in datapads to valuable Prototech components.

Global Encounters
Global Encounters introduce a new type of space-based PvE content. When one spawns, all players in the session will receive a GPS point labeled “Unidentified Signal”.

These aren’t your typical encounters - expect challenging end-game NPCs, unique environments, and high-end loot. They are the primary source for acquiring Prototech. Stay vigilant, as hostile players might be waiting to swoop in and steal the prize!

Prototech

In this update we’re adding a new type of Block - Prototech. These are powerful, “end-game” blocks, found in new “Global Encounters”. Prototech is a powerful technology created by the secretive Factorum faction. They have gone to great lengths to ensure components cannot be reverse engineered!

This means you cannot simply grind these blocks down and take their components, like you can with ordinary blocks. Instead, you’ll need to extract them intact and then add them to existing grids using merge blocks.

Prototech Components
Lucky explorers can find Prototech components in the cargo storages in the various new NPC encounters. Collect enough of these, and you may be able to construct a new Prototech block without an Assembler.

Alternatively, if you’ve acquired a Prototech Assembler, you can manufacture new components from Prototech scrap. But keep in mind: the Prototech Frame component, which is essential for every Prototech block, cannot be manufactured!

• Prototech Frame
• Prototech Panel
• Prototech Capacitor
• Prototech Propulsion Unit
• Prototech Machinery
• Prototech Circuitry
• Prototech Cooling Unit
• Prototech Scrap

Prototech Assembler

(1 block, L grid)

The Prototech Assembler is designed specifically for manufacturing Prototech Components, setting it apart from standard Assembler models. Its primary function is to maintain and repair Prototech blocks.

Prototech Drill

(1 block, L grid)

The Prototech Drill is a large-area drill that excels as a bore, collecting significantly more material at a faster rate than standard drills.

Prototech Refinery

(1 blocks, L + S grid)

The Prototech Refinery has the same profile as a standard refinery, but it comes with built-in boosts that make it more efficient and space-saving than a fully upgraded refinery. Rumor has it that a miniaturized version could bring the ability to refine ore on small grids!

Prototech Jump Drive

(1 block, L + S grid)

The Prototech Jump Drive is a long-range, high-efficiency jump drive. A miniaturized variant allows small grids to perform jumps - something that was previously considered impossible.

Prototech Thruster

(1 block, L + S grid)

The Prototech Thruster is a mammoth thruster capable of generating a large amount of force. Its reinforced structure makes it far more durable than standard thrusters.

Prototech Gyroscope

(1 block, L + S grid)

Prototech Gyroscopes are much more durable than their basic counterparts and include additional mount points - making them more reliable in combat situations where a standard gyroscope might become dislodged.

Prototech Battery

(1 block, L + S grid)

Prototech Batteries store significantly more power in less space and have overall higher performance. They are far more capable than standard batteries and can even compete with reactors in terms of output.

Non-Prototech Blocks, Improvements and Quality of Life Changes

Inset Connector

(1 block, L grid + 2 block, S grid)

The Inset Connector can sit flush with most surfaces, resting inside a reinforced frame.

Small Grid Temporary Container

When a small grid container is broken, a new small variant of the Temporary Container will spawn. This smaller version fits within the space of a small grid block, ensuring the contents remain secure and aren't scattered into the distance.

Faction Changes

• The Factorum - creators of Prototech. This hostile faction has returned from the edge of known space, seeking revenge.
• Unknown - Space is vast. As humans venture deeper into the void, sometimes the void pushes back. This "faction" claims ownership over derelicts, wrecks, and other inert encounters. It remains permanently neutral to the player, allowing players to loot or interact with these encounters without affecting their reputation.

Toolbar Actions
All Action Blocks now support multiple toolbars, enabling more complex sequences to be activated using a single block. Separate On and Off actions have been added to several blocks that previously lacked these options.

New “Set Value and Execute” actions
We’ve introduced new actions for Pistons, Rotors, and Hinges, allowing for easier and more precise control.

For example, with the new "Set and Move" action for Pistons, you can now create an action that extends the piston to a customizable length at a customizable velocity. Similar toolbar actions have been added for Rotors and Hinges as well.

These new actions simplify the engineering of complex mechanical contraptions, making them more intuitive and flexible!

Grid AI Improvements

AI Task block gets new “set home at grid position” option (Grid AI Guide)

Triggering it will create a GPS coordinate in the grid's current occupied location, allowing the task block to go back to or patrol that location.

Ownership Changes

A new Block Transfer screen has been added, showing incoming block ownership requests. When transferring a block's ownership to another player, that player must now accept the transfer through this screen.

Additionally, only server admins can transfer blocks to "Nobody," addressing potential issues that could arise from ownership changes.

Changed Color of Strong Unknown Signals

To help players easily distinguish Strong Unknown Signals from other types of competitive PvE/PvP content, these signals now appear with a new GPS color.

Re-arranged G-Screen Menu, added PCU info

With the growing number of available blocks, we’ve reorganized and revamped many block groups within the G-Screen Menu. This update improves visibility for a wider range of blocks and introduces more logical groupings, making it easier to find and use blocks efficiently.

More QoL Changes: 

• Improved NPC Loot Tables
• Claim Timer Improvements
• Reputation System Rework
• Help Screen Improvements
• Re-balance of PCU Block values
• Graphical Improvements to Spotlight blocks.
• "New Game" screen now saves your previous selection
• Custom label for the Programmable Block "Run" Action
• Added Unified Block Limits for Block variants
• Added Railgun Charge Efficiency indicator inside the weapon’s control panel
• Greatly reduced Laser Antenna power requirements
• Revised sounds for the Sound Block
• …and more! For full Changelog continue HERE

Keen Newsletter & Flush Cockpit

Sign up for our newsletter in-game and get the Flush Cockpit for free!

Stay updated with the latest news, updates, and exclusive content from Keen Software House, and enjoy this special in-game reward as a thank you for joining us!

• VRAGE3 and Beyond
• Inside Space Engineers
• GoodAI Innovations

Sign up now to claim your free Flush Cockpit!

Q: I am already subscribed - how do I get the Flush Cockpit?

A: Simply enter your email again in the in-game subscription window to receive the free block!

Q: I am playing the Xbox / Windows Store version - I can’t subscribe through my game client. How do I get the new cockpit?

A: Xbox and Windows Store players will receive Flush Cockpit automatically with this update. 

You can still subscribe to Keen Newsletter via our newsletter form.

Q: Does the Flush Cockpit disappear if I unsubscribe from the newsletter later on?

A: No.

Free DLC Content additions

We are always looking for ways to improve, and that includes adding value to prior releases. During this update, we are adding new content to existing DLCs, those who already own these DLCs will get this content for free, as part of the update.

Additional Truss pieces (Added to the Signal Pack)

(2 blocks, L grid)

Additional Truss blocks for structure, decoration, and greebling.

Additional Bay Windows (Added to the Signal Pack)

(4 blocks, L grid + 2 blocks, S grid)

Additional variants of windows to give your structures a roomy feeling.

Contact Pack

Similar to our previous major releases, we hope you will take this opportunity to support the continued development of Space Engineers. This DLC pack consists of cosmetic items that enrich your game visually. None of the features in this package provide any advantage to players who purchase this DLC. 

The price of the Contact Pack is $4.99 USD or your regional equivalent. Show your continued support for Space Engineers and check out the Contact Pack.

This package includes:

Gatling Turret Type II

(1 block, L + S grid)

This variant of the Gatling Turret features a new visual design, inspired by real-world military weaponry.

Rocket Turret Type II

(1 block, L + S grid)

A high-tech militaristic redesign of the Rocket Turret.

Small Gate Tall

(1 block, L grid)

A large doorway which opens vertically.

Small Gate Wide

(1 block, L grid)

A large doorway which opens horizontally.

Modular Bridge Set

(11 blocks, L grid) 

A set of blocks featuring reinforced windows and control blocks, designed to be combined into the ideal bridge for a large grid ship.

Captain's Desk

(1 block, L grid)

A workstation fit for stoic leadership!

Square Piston

(1 block, L + S grid)

A variant of the piston block featuring a sturdy, industrial aesthetic.

Flood Light Set

(4 blocks, L grid + 6 blocks, S grid)

A set of spotlights that can be placed at various angles, ideal for lighting up workspaces or securing perimeters.

Parabolic Antenna

(1 block, L + S grid)

A variant of the compact antenna, designed to resemble modern radar dishes.

Kitchen set

(5 blocks, S grid)

A set of modular kitchen blocks, ideal for creating a living space within a small grid.

First Aid Cabinet

(1 block, S grid)

A storage cabinet for housing medical kits and equipment.

Bunk

(1 block, S grid)

A compact sleeping space for small grids.

Modular Cargo Container

(1 block, S grid)

This cargo container variant can store a moderate amount of cargo within an easily stackable modular frame.

Media Player

(1 block, S grid)

A sleek flat panel screen complete with a speaker system.

What’s next

We have so much more to explore, and the journey is far from over!

With the foundation laid by Automatons, Signal, and Contact, we've established a strong PvE base that we're excited to expand upon in future updates. These updates will continue to build on the groundwork we've set, bringing new dimensions and challenges to your gameplay.

But that's not all - we're excited to see how the improved Grid AI and the new Encounter system will open up new possibilities for everyone. While we've designed these features to enhance gameplay, we know our community’s creativity will take them even further.

Alongside these additions, we’re committed to ongoing bug hunting, optimizations, and quality of life improvements to ensure the best possible experience for our players.

Stay tuned for what’s to come - there’s a lot on the horizon!

VRAGE3 Development

We are thrilled to unveil a sneak peek of our latest video showcasing asteroids brought to life with our new realistic voxel materials.It  highlights incredibly detailed, tessellated surfaces where prominent rocks and natural formations emerge in stunning clarity. Each asteroid features intricately textured materials, capturing the rugged and authentic appearance of celestial bodies without compromising on performance.

And what's even more cool, while these detailed scenes might seem heavy in terms of triangle count, our in-house VRAGE engine ensures smooth and seamless performance thanks to its smart tessellation optimization techniques. 

For VRAGE3, we are working on many improvements to our voxel hand tool. The tool is used in creative mode to adjust the landscape (planets or asteroids) to suit the player’s needs. Our goal is to improve the user experience and add requested features.

The main issue with the user experience is spatial orientation. It’s hard to tell where the voxel hand gizmo actually is. To fix this, we’ve improved voxel hand visibility and shading, highlighted the intersection with the ground via a depth shader when the gizmo is partially submerged, and added marks with decals denoting the closest terrain position in each axis.

We have also improved the "snap to voxel" feature, which keeps the gizmo partially submerged no matter how far it is from the player (within a certain maximum distance, of course). The feature can be turned off at any time to regain full control of the gizmo’s distance from the player.

In addition to standard features like adding and removing voxels, we’ve added material painting without changing topology, a reset to the original voxel topology, and the ability to pick materials.

I believe this will provide a much better user experience. I can’t wait to get it into your hands and see what amazing creations it helps bring to life.

Since we're in the full swing of developing believable destructions for our blocks, having dedicated fractured material appearing on the cut sides of the fragments is very important to achieve realism. 

For now we have just one fractured material for all metallic parts but in future we might cover more materials to have fractured material as well.

AI People Alpha Release

We are thrilled to announce that our sister company GoodAI released the Alpha version of AI People! 

After months of anticipation, the game is finally available to the public, offering a first glimpse into the groundbreaking world we’ve been developing. The Alpha release marks a major milestone for us at GoodAI, and we can’t wait for you to experience it.

You still have a chance to join the AI revolution in gaming and be part of the movement towards true AI NPCs!

How to play? 

Join the waiting list and when your batch is ready, you’ll receive an approval email with instructions on how to proceed.

Join the AI People Waiting List

Before diving into the details of the Alpha release, we encourage you first to check out our Alpha Release Trailer. The trailer beautifully tells the story of how NPCs persuaded a player to create this trailer, as more players means more time alive for them. Interestingly, this persuasion came after the player had initially killed one of the NPCs, prompting them to take action. 

The trailer also gives a glimpse into the immersive gameplay and dynamic interactions you can experience in this Alpha version. It’s the perfect way to get a feel for what’s to come!

Space Engineers Wiki

Welcome to the Space Engineers Wiki!

https://spaceengineers.wiki.gg/

If you are a member of our Discord you may have noticed the new Wiki.gg Role for some of our community members. These members are contributors to the wiki and would love to hear your feedback on how it can be improved! Please join the Wiki channel and share your thoughts. We are always seeking ways to improve.

• Thank you to the incredible AdaRynin, Enenra, and our modding community for adding helpful resources that aspiring modders can take advantage of.
• Thank you to Wiki.gg for providing an incredible platform for the Space Engineers wiki.

Community Hub & Spotlights

Check out our Community Hub!

• Official Keen Workshop
• Monthly Spotlights
• Creator Spotlights
• Official Guides
• and much more!

Hiring

If you’re interested in working on awesome games like Space Engineers or our in-house engine VRAGE3, we’d love to hear from you! 

We are currently in the Research and development phase, exploring new features of the VRAGE3 engine. Our goal is to support extremely large and fully dynamic and destructible environments, including planets, large spaceships, and any other creations built by the players.

If you’re interested in working on awesome games like Space Engineers or our in-house game engine, and love solving unique challenges, we’d love to hear from you! Check out the open positions at Keen Software House and don’t forget to send us your English CV/resume and cover letter. 

Remote collaboration is possible!

Our team is global.

Finding the best candidates to join Keen Software House means exploring every possible solution, including remote work. While we strive to provide team members with the best possible work-life balance here in Prague at our incredible Oranzerie offices, we understand that it is not always possible to transition, therefore we are very remote-friendly. Here’s a map of where our teammates live.

If you want to let me know your feedback, please get in touch via my personal email address marek.rosa@keenswh.com, or use our Keen Software House support site. I welcome all of the feedback we receive and we will use it to learn and provide better services to our players.

Follow our social media to get the latest news!

• Space Engineers & Keen Software House Connect Page

Thank you for reading this blog!

 

Best,
Marek Rosa
CEO, Creative Director, Founder at Keen Software House
CEO, CTO, Founder at GoodAI

Personal bio:

Marek Rosa is the founder and CEO of GoodAI, a general artificial intelligence R&D company, and Keen Software House, an independent game development studio, started in 2010, and best known for its best-seller Space Engineers (over 5 million copies sold). Space Engineers has the 4th largest Workshop on Steam with over 500K mods, ships, stations, worlds, and more!

Marek has been interested in game development and artificial intelligence since childhood. He started his career as a programmer and later transitioned to a leadership role. After the success of Keen Software House titles, Marek was able to fund GoodAI in 2014 with a $10 Million personal investment.

Both companies now have over 100 engineers, researchers, artists, and game developers.

Marek's primary focus includes Space Engineers, the VRAGE3 engine, the AI People game, long-term memory systems (LTM), an LLM-powered personal assistant with LTM named Charlie Mnemonic, and the Groundstation.

GoodAI's mission is to develop AGI - as fast as possible - to help humanity and understand the universe. One of the commercial stepping stones is the "AI People" game, which features LLM-driven AI NPCs. These NPCs are grounded in the game world, interacting dynamically with the game environment and with other NPCs, and they possess long-term memory and developing personalities. GoodAI also works on autonomous agents that can self-improve and solve any task that a human can.