Space Engineers Needs a Proper Industrial Economy

Space Engineers economy currently feels fundamentally disconnected from the actual gameplay loop of mining, refining, manufacturing, logistics, and shipbuilding.

The biggest issue is the randomised trade inventory system used by NPC stations. Mining stations, industrial stations, and trade outposts should not be selling and buying mostly random items. It breaks immersion and prevents players from creating meaningful economy-focused survival worlds.

Many players want the option of a proper industrial economy playthrough where they can:

• Mine ores
• Refine ingots
• Manufacture components
• Design and build ships
• Haul cargo between stations
• Sell industrial products to NPC factions
• Progress economically through trade and production

Right now, this style of gameplay is heavily limited because NPC trade blocks do not behave logically or consistently.

For example:

• Mining stations often do not reliably buy ores or ingots
• Industrial stations may buy unrelated random items instead of manufactured goods
• Trade inventories constantly rotate unpredictably
• Players cannot build reliable production or hauling routes
• Space Credits have very limited long-term usefulness

This makes the economy system feel more like a random contract generator rather than an actual functioning economy.

The game already has all the systems needed for a strong industrial economy:

• mining
• refining
• manufacturing
• logistics
• cargo hauling
• shipbuilding
• factions
• stations
• Space Credits

But the economy layer tying these systems together feels unfinished and underdeveloped.

Suggested improvements:

1. Remove or heavily reduce randomisation in station inventories
   Mining stations should consistently buy ores and ingots.
   Industrial stations should consistently buy components and manufactured goods.
   Military stations should consistently buy ammunition and combat supplies.
2. Allow server/world settings for economy behaviour
   Examples:

• fixed station inventories
• dynamic supply/demand
• industrial-focused economy mode
• player-driven economy mode

1. Make Space Credits fully viable as a progression path
   Players should be able to realistically trade their way from a small miner to large industrial shipbuilding operations without relying entirely on contracts.
2. Improve station specialisation
   Stations should feel like part of a believable economy instead of random vending machines.
3. Expand industrial contracts
   Examples:

• ore supply contracts
• component manufacturing contracts
• refinery delivery contracts
• shipbuilding supply chains

At the moment, economy gameplay feels like an afterthought compared to combat and engineering systems, despite Space Engineers being perfectly suited for deep industrial and logistics gameplay.

A more coherent and configurable economy system would massively improve replayability, multiplayer servers, faction gameplay, industrial roleplay, and long-term survival progression.