What is this
Every Thursday, I will share a dev diary about what we’ve been working on over the past few weeks. I’ll focus on the interesting challenges and solutions that I encountered. I won’t be able to cover everything, but I’ll share what caught my interest.
Why am I doing it
I want to bring our community along on this journey, and I simply love writing about things I’m passionate about! This is my unfiltered dev journal, so please keep in mind that what I write here are my thoughts and will be outdated by the time you read this, as so many things change quickly. Any plans I mention aren’t set in stone and everything is subject to change. Also, if you don’t like spoilers, then don’t read this.
Space Engineers 2
Join us Monday, July 6th, for the release of the next major update for Space Engineers 2: VS2.3 Drive, Automate & Detonate!
📅 Monday, July 6, 5 PM UTC (19:00 Prague time)
🛰️ Twitch: https://twitch.tv/keencommunitynetwork
🛰️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/SpaceEngineersGame
What exactly will you find in this major update?
It’s time to give you a clear overview of what you can expect in upcoming VS2.3. This update is another big step forward for Space Engineers 2 – not just in terms of content, but in terms of systems coming online. We’re introducing new gameplay foundations, and deepening several core groundwork mechanics from our previous updates.
Major Update VS2.3: “Drive, Automate & Detonate” will bring the final Mechanical Blocks (Wheels & Hinges), explosions and destructive Warheads, and core Automation tools (Timer, Sensor, Event Controller) to the game! This update also expands exploration with new planetary stations and Endless Encounters, while introducing critical Combat enhancements and foundational Reworks to Survival progression and Ore Distribution.
New in Almagest System / Almagest System Exploration
- Sector Stages
- Foundation of world evolving, as you colonize
- Added new cutscenes
- New encounters and contracts
- Foundations of Endless encounters & contracts
- Brand new Tutorial / Almagest Introduction
- Reworked ore distribution in Almagest sectors
- Verdure now has gold, lead and magnesium (rare)
- Ore nodes has 3 categories: surface, medium and deep (100 m)
- rarer ores/larger nodes found further down you go
- Volcanic areas contain rare resource spots
- Added planetary stations
- Verdure – Vallis Reach
- Kemik – Dustspire Junction
- Palatine Orbit – Palatine Station
- Caligo Orbit – Caligo Station
- Added additional foliage (Planet Verdure)
Features – System Foundations
- Wind Physics
- Added Flight HUD
- Explosions
- O2H2 tanks
- Functional Reactors
- Ammo in inventories
- Warheads
- New Game menu redesign
- Classic Survival Start Added
- Character Skin system basics through Medical Bay
- Decals
- Bullet hit
- Drill impacting voxels
- Explosions
- Wheels
Features – Expansions
- Action Toolbar Groups support
- Subgrid support not yet, but planned
- Action Toolbar improvements (mouse tooltips, drag+drop)
- Added limits for Rotors/Pistons
- Manual Turret Control
- Added function to buttons / button panels
- Render, GPU optimizations
- Voxel Performance Improvements
- Unified access between Terminal and Cargo
- UI Tutorials
- Improved Landing Particle Effect
- Particle Effects randomization
- Flora Render improvements
- Better Grid guns crosshair alignment
- Added/Improved character animations and poses
- Added tons of new sounds
- Rework progression to fit current state of Almagest
- Fast travel sequence added
- F1 screen updated
Character Weapons & Tools
- Iron sight for character weapons (RMB)
New Blocks
- Wheels (6 sizes: 100, 150, 250, 500, 750, 1250)
- Hinge
- Event Controller
- Timer
- Sensor
- Control Panel
- Wind Turbine
- Rocket Turret Large
- Rocket Turret Small
- Large Rocket Launcher
- Small Rocket Launcher
- Large Warhead
- Small Warhead
- Sound Block
- LCD (Large)
- LCD (Medium)
- LCD (Small)
- Wide LCD (Large)
- Wide LCD (Medium)
- Wide LCD (Small)
- Narrow LCD (Large)
- Narrow LCD (Small)
- Corner LCD (Large)
- Corner LCD (Small)
- Interior Wall Cutout 2.5 m
- Wall Insert Panel 1.5 m
- Wall Insert Pipes 1.5 m
- Wall Insert Vent 1.5 m
- Wall Insert Window 1.5 m
- Wall Insert Conveyor 1.5 m
- Catwalk Stairs Wide Half
- Catwalk Stairs Narrow Half
Game Localizations
- Russian
- Ukrainian
- In works: Simplified Chinese, Korean
VS2.3 is one of those updates where many separate pieces start connecting: wheels and hinges for movement, timers, sensors, and the Event Controller for logic, warheads and explosions for consequences, and Almagest progression that makes the world react more to what players do. It is not the final shape of Space Engineers 2, but it is another important layer of the foundation we are building in public, together with you.
As always, this is Alpha, so some things will be rough, and some systems will keep changing after release. But this is exactly why your feedback matters now. Try the new blocks, break our assumptions, build things we did not expect, and tell us what works and what does not. That is how Space Engineers has always grown.
Question to you: What part of VS2.3 are you most excited to test first?
Share your thoughts in the comments below – I read them all, and they’re one of my favorite parts of making our games.
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very nice indeed.
Question: Will Programmable Blocks and Scripting be implemented at a later stage as well or is something you are currently not invested on pursuing?
Programmable blocks and scripting have already been stated to becoming in the future.
Wow! Russian and Ukrainian language! Developers, you are the best! 🤩I wasn’t even this happy on my own birthday!
Can’t wait to try it out, even during the summer heat. You and the team are doing an amazing job, and this game has the potential to become something truly epic. Are stompie planned to become a part of the game? So we have an AI adventure partner?
Thank you so much for adding Russian language support. I’m really looking forward to the automation blocks, and we’ll certainly be waiting for the programmable block. I hope the rumors are true and we get a programmable block with a node-based programming system. I think that could take the game’s automation to the next level and lower the barrier to entry for many players. In any case, I’m truly grateful and full of respect. Keep up the great work!