Feedback on Space Engineers 2 progression and gameplay depth
Dear Space Engineers Team and players,
I would like to share my personal feedback and impressions after spending time with Space Engineers 2.
I have spent over 700 hours in Space Engineers 1, mostly on modded servers. In my experience, modding was essential because the base game alone felt somewhat limited. Mods introduced new ores, tiered components, and meaningful progression for ships and production, which added depth and long-term motivation.
When I started Space Engineers 2, I was initially pleased to see that some concepts previously available only through mods have been implemented directly into the base game. However, overall I feel that the game still lacks the depth and progression I was hoping for. I understand that simplifying systems can help new players, but for experienced players there is currently limited incentive to progress further.
For example, I was able to complete all available content, including Helionis, in approximately 12 hours (I was not hurry). Starting from the free hydro ship, the gameplay loop mostly consisted of flying to a safe zone, picking up a contract, traveling long distances, finding or mining few resources, and repeating the same process again and again and again.
While the graphics are improved in some areas, there is still significant room for enhancement, and visual improvements alone are not enough to sustain long-term engagement
What I feel is missing most is deeper progression and world richness. This could include:
- Tiered systems for ships and production blocks
- Character progression and skill improvement
- Greater environmental depth, including flora and fauna
- More varied missions, story elements, and exploration incentives
- New resources, technologies, and gameplay mechanics
For comparison, games like No Mans Sky provide strong motivation through progression, story, mission variety, and a living universe.
I understand this is alpha, but still expected more than just apply few mods and improve graphics a bit.
Please do not consider this message as a complaint, but rather as constructive feedback from a long-time player who truly enjoys the concept of Space Engineers. I understand the game is still evolving, and I hope future updates and the modding community will bring the additional depth and long-term engagement, problem for me it may take year/s
Thank you for your work and for continuing to develop the game
I like this feedback
By and large I agree, but maybe with different priorities (you have not ranked yours) and different ways of going about them.
For me things should start with number 3, environmental depth in terms of more comprehensive physics. Such as aerodynamics and wind effects, the latter relying on aerodynamics being implemented. Once we get water, aerodynamics/hydrodynamics/buoyancy become necessary anyway, otherwise ships flying through water at 300 m/s will completely break immersion. Swiping some concepts from "From The Depths", another building/sim game, might be a good idea here. They have a simplified but IMHO adequate for a game approach to drag. Flora and fauna would be welcome too, but I don't consider them as urgent.
Tiered systems often come with various versions of the same item, where the better version will simply be stronger but require more/more advanced resources to build. Which is not entirely wrong, but I think there should be more variety in how the tiers are distinct from each other. For example, a fusion reactor could be an upgrade from the uranium powered reactor. But not in terms of power density. Instead, it could draw deuterium fuel from ice, using a H2/O2 generator to extract H2. That would making logistics easier as there is lots of ice in the universe.
Personally I hope for a "realistic mode" that would make most game mechanics more in line with real life physics. I doubt we can fully talk Keen out of the arcade-y approach, but maybe we can convince them into making some things optional.
This said, I think it is pretty impressive how far the game has come in a year.
By and large I agree, but maybe with different priorities (you have not ranked yours) and different ways of going about them.
For me things should start with number 3, environmental depth in terms of more comprehensive physics. Such as aerodynamics and wind effects, the latter relying on aerodynamics being implemented. Once we get water, aerodynamics/hydrodynamics/buoyancy become necessary anyway, otherwise ships flying through water at 300 m/s will completely break immersion. Swiping some concepts from "From The Depths", another building/sim game, might be a good idea here. They have a simplified but IMHO adequate for a game approach to drag. Flora and fauna would be welcome too, but I don't consider them as urgent.
Tiered systems often come with various versions of the same item, where the better version will simply be stronger but require more/more advanced resources to build. Which is not entirely wrong, but I think there should be more variety in how the tiers are distinct from each other. For example, a fusion reactor could be an upgrade from the uranium powered reactor. But not in terms of power density. Instead, it could draw deuterium fuel from ice, using a H2/O2 generator to extract H2. That would making logistics easier as there is lots of ice in the universe.
Personally I hope for a "realistic mode" that would make most game mechanics more in line with real life physics. I doubt we can fully talk Keen out of the arcade-y approach, but maybe we can convince them into making some things optional.
This said, I think it is pretty impressive how far the game has come in a year.
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