A BUILDING SYSTEMS PROPOSAL Construction Widgets, Engineering, and Quality-of-Life Improvements

--clean pdf provided--A BUILDING SYSTEMS PROPOSALConstruction Widgets, Engineering, and Quality-of-Life ImprovementsKey Features

• Grid-wide block selection and management
• Block-type selection across an entire grid
• Dedicated Edit Mode for direct ship-system configuration
• Grid highlighting and system identification tools
• Single-block and multi-block replacement tools
• Area and volume filling for large construction projects
• Bulk block configuration and settings management
• Direct block grouping and organization tools
• Improved copy-and-paste functionality
• Enhanced symmetry and mirroring systems
• Construction previews before committing changes
• Resource, mass, and component requirement summaries
• Conveyor, power, and connection validation tools
• Survival-friendly implementation with no free construction
• Multiplayer permissions and server-side safeguards
• Faster ship refits, upgrades, and redesigns
• Reduced Control Panel navigation and menu management
• Improved usability for large ships, stations, and industrial facilities
• Better management of complex mechanical systems
• Streamlined building workflow without reducing engineering depth

SummaryBuilding large ships and stations in Space Engineers 2 can involve a significant amount of repetitive placement, configuration, menu navigation, and manual block management. These tasks become increasingly difficult as grids grow larger and more mechanically complex.

This proposal introduces a collection of independent construction and engineering tools intended to make large-grid building faster, clearer, and easier to manage without removing the survival, resource, or engineering systems that define the game.

The proposed features include:

• Grid-wide block selection
• Block-type selection
• Edit Mode
• Grid highlighting
• Single and multi-block replacement
• Area filling
• Bulk block configuration
• Block grouping
• Copy-and-paste tools
• Improved symmetry and mirroring
• Construction previews and resource summaries
• Survival and multiplayer safeguards

Grid and Block SelectionPlayers should be able to select an entire connected grid or choose every block of a specific type within that grid.

This would make it easier to perform large-scale actions such as repainting a ship, locating specific systems, changing settings, organizing blocks, or preparing areas for replacement and modification.

Block-type selection could be used to quickly identify all thrusters, lights, batteries, reactors, conveyors, armor blocks, or other selected components.

Edit ModeEdit Mode would be a separate ship-management feature accessed while seated in a cockpit, control seat, or control station.

It would allow the player to freely look around the ship and directly interact with installed blocks without repeatedly opening and searching through the Control Panel.

Players could select and configure systems such as:

• Rotors
• Hinges
• Pistons
• Assemblers
• Refineries
• Batteries
• Reactors
• Lights
• Sensors
• Connectors
• Utility systems

Edit Mode would not be a construction mode or a master interface containing the other proposed tools. Its purpose would be to make the management of existing ship systems more direct and intuitive.

Highlighting and IdentificationA grid-highlighting tool would allow selected blocks or systems to be visually marked.

This would help players find hidden machinery, damaged blocks, disconnected systems, specific block types, or components buried deep inside a ship.

Highlighting could also support troubleshooting by showing conveyor systems, power systems, mechanical connections, or selected block groups.

Block ReplacementThe replacement widget would allow players to replace one block with another compatible block while preserving its position and orientation where possible.

A multi-block replacement tool could apply this process across a selected area or block type.

For example, players could:

• Replace light armor with heavy armor
• Upgrade older thrusters
• Exchange one conveyor type for another
• Replace damaged or outdated systems
• Update repeated blocks across an entire vessel

In survival mode, replacement would still require the necessary components, tools, access, and construction time.

Fill WidgetThe Fill Widget would allow players to fill a selected enclosed area or defined volume with a chosen block.

This would be useful for constructing floors, walls, armor sections, internal compartments, and large structural areas without placing every block individually.

The system should provide a preview before construction begins and should calculate the required components and total mass of the selected fill operation.

Block Configuration and GroupingThe Block Configuration Widget would allow players to change shared settings across multiple selected blocks at once.

This could include:

• Power settings
• Light color and intensity
• Thruster overrides
• Battery modes
• Rotor and hinge limits
• Piston settings
• Sensor ranges
• Inventory or production settings

The Block Grouping Widget would allow selected blocks to be placed into a named group directly from the construction interface.

Together, these tools would significantly reduce the amount of time spent navigating long Control Panel lists.

Copy, Paste, Symmetry, and MirroringImproved copy-and-paste tools would allow players to duplicate selected structures, mechanical assemblies, interior layouts, or repeated ship sections.

Expanded symmetry and mirroring tools would improve the construction of large or unusually shaped vessels. Players should be able to define symmetry planes more freely and preview mirrored placement before committing to it.

These systems would reduce repetitive work while still requiring the player to design the original structure.

Construction Preview and Resource SummaryBefore completing a large construction, replacement, fill, or copy operation, the game should display a clear preview.

The preview could show:

• Blocks being added or removed
• Required components
• Missing materials
• Estimated mass change
• Power or fuel-related effects
• Potential collisions or disconnected blocks
• Invalid placement areas

This would help prevent mistakes and allow players to better understand the consequences of major modifications.

Survival and Multiplayer ConsiderationsThese tools should not provide free construction or bypass survival mechanics.

Large actions would still require:

• Components
• Available inventory
• Conveyor access where appropriate
• Welding or construction time
• Ownership permissions
• Faction permissions
• Server-defined limits

Multiplayer servers should be able to restrict the maximum selection size, replacement volume, fill volume, or number of blocks processed at once.

BenefitsThese systems would:

• Reduce repetitive construction tasks
• Improve the management of large ships and stations
• Make mechanical systems easier to configure
• Simplify upgrades and refits
• Improve industrial and production management
• Make complex grids more accessible
• Reduce unnecessary menu navigation
• Preserve survival resource requirements
• Allow players to focus more on engineering and design

ConclusionThe purpose of these tools is not to automate ship design or remove the challenge of construction.

Instead, they would reduce repetitive actions and improve the player's ability to manage increasingly large and complex grids.

Each feature would function independently, allowing players to use only the tools relevant to their current task. Together, they would provide a more efficient and intuitive construction workflow while preserving the engineering, survival, and creative gameplay at the center of Space Engineers 2.