Progression/Block Unlocking in Survival

I think the devs could plan to add tech unlocking through exploration + story simultaneously.

• You can unlock the same hydrogen thruster through both methods in a single game mode.
• This allows for a multi-dimensional approach to unlocking tech that would suit more than one play style.
• If you unlock the hydrogen thruster through exploration, then the story would no longer give the tech, but it could still give other rewards which might be valuable in multiple ways especially if there is an economy system later on.

As well the devs could also include the the ability to turn off progression in the same game mode, (meaning all blocks are unlocked) but allow you to do the story if you want as side missions (again for those other rewards). This option can also be presented as an entirely separate game mode.

Exploration options for unlocking tech:

• Farming a resource from a plant/animal.
• Coming across a data pad on a mission or during an encounter.
• Scanning tech you find/see during encounters, abandoned bases, crashed ship sites.
• Raiding pirate faction ships for tech unlocks.
• Building tech on missions or encounters (thus you learned how to construct the tech).
• Mining the appropriate ore/resource for tech unlocks.