Power, data and pipework (distribution systems)

I have been playing lots of space engineers 2 and absolutely loving (Thanks Keen!)

Whist tinkering with the new systems an opportunity has become more apparent to me that has come across from SE1, grid connectivity.

In both SE1 & 2 all blocks attached to a grid become linked with power, and control menu visibility . We have connectors to allow connections of all external grids systems but there are no specialised blocks for connecting/disconnecting only one type of connection (e.g power or providing menu visibility from a far) either between grids or even on the same grid.

With the new 25cm unified grid system there is the potential to include small detail blocks in the game like wires, cables, power switches, data switches, data cables gas and liquid pipes and introduce new engineering challenges and design choices.

I often have locations joined by catwalks that don’t need to share power or data, (for example a charging bay) and including blocks that allow the routing and sharing of these as well as separation (even within a grid!) adds a whole new level of design. I might chose not to connect a remote charging station to the main grid but just create a little control panel locally to switch between ‘charging’ and discharging’

You might not be able to control things inside a distant building but you can just disconnect the power to the whole facility if you’re short of power.

You might want to wire in control systems from a gate to a control room to allow you to complete remote operations but that would require power and data wiring.

This adds new engineering challenges, uses the existing block systems, adds new details and blocks and also will allow people to ‘manually’ simplify their control menus. With big bases the control menus fill up with huge numbers of blocks that in the grand scheme of things are never important.

Let me know your thoughts and please upvote if you like the idea!