Block placement - separate keys for rotation, size and paint

I find current block placement quite frustrating and time consuming process, especially when dealing with precise positioning of mixed block sizes and working with details on smallest cubes.

So lets go step-by-step through successful block placement:

1. Block selection

Blocks are returned in alphabetical order - so I always have heavy armor suggested as default, unless I remember to type name with "light" or I need to switch to Light Armor tab.

The UI could be improved in many ways, just few random ideas:

- order blocks by "popularity" or recent use,

- add toggles to default specific block size or light/heavy variant

2. Block variant (armor shape)

This should have separate key from block size, and there should be a way to move back in sequence. For example R - select next shape, Ctrl+R select previous shape.

It is so frustrating to go one shape to far and have to go over the list again, just to press by accident R too short (see color selection below).

We have very limited number of blocks right now and I can't imagine this interface with full set of blocks (not counting blocks from mods).

3. Block size - needs separate key!

Mixing it with block shape selection is just confusing. The tooltip says "R - Size" but in reality for light armor cube I'm cycling through:

- Light Armor Cube 2.5 m

- Light Armor Slope 2.5 m

- Light Armor Corner 2.5 m

- Light Armor Inverted Corner 2.5 m

- Light Armor Cube 0.5 m

- Light Armor Slope 0.5 m

- Light Armor Corner 0.5 m

- Light Armor Inverted Corner 0.5 m

... and now I'm stuck, how to make the very small cube size?

Isn't it just light armor cube but smaller?

No, it is separate block and separate category "Decor" Detailing Cube 0.25 m, but here "R - Size" toggles me through shapes only:

- Detailing Cube 0.25 m

- Detailing Slope 0.25 m

- Detailing Corner 0.25 m

- Detailing Inverted Corner 0.25 m

Why can't I switch sizes by just pressing the number on toolbar again like in SE1, what was wrong with that?

In general conclusion, size selection should have separate key to shape (and toolbar was super quick to use).

If it can't be toolbar then make it separate key, please, please.

Especially when working with armor transition slopes... this is nightmare now.

4. Rotation

The blocks do not remember selected orientation of last block placed (like SE1 did), so when placing multiple blocks in similar pattern every time for every single block I need to rotate it again and again.

What worse the rotation direction is "relative" to current angle of view so it is not just mechanically repeat for example Ctrl+S but whenever I change angle it is different key to press, so I usually end up of trying all until I find position. This works for block or two but not for many.

I suggest that blocks should have visual marker arrows (up, front, right) - similar to BuildInfo mod in SE1 and rotation keys should behave consistent - so up is always W, left is always A, S is always down etc. relative to block model.

Additionally when Ctrl is pressed the rotation grid overlay is so bright and thick that it covers hologram of block completly, so it is very difficult to find which direction it is currently facing.

Now bad things happen... slight move of player position and need to start over because blocks automatically snap to other blocks.... hey, I invested a lot of effort to carefully position it - so please respect that. Snap to other blocks only if I did not change rotation manually.

5. Precision positioning

So I can press Ctrl and move blocks on smallest grid units - that works really good, visual indicators are helpful.

But if I release Ctrl key (by accident or to change position to reach other mount point) the block returns to original position. It should stay in position where I left it that I can continue moving it to destination.

6. Color selection

There is no indication on HUD of currently selected color and the hologram colors are transparent, so it is very difficult to guess which color is actually selected.

And when color selector is closed - the block orientation resets to default!

Need always remember to check color first, before starting rotation and positioning.

It must be step 5, not 6!

Moreover without paint gun wrong colors are painful to fix. They are not clear on hologram projection, there is no tooltip or indicator what colors are they. During welding they get color when they are fully finished. Just to realize it is wrong one.... grind it and start over....

Also I could not find a method to copy color from existing blocks, maybe it is not there yet.

With all of that above we are nowhere close SE1 yet with usability (and SE2 should be better than that) for example maybe colors could be selected for specific blocks by default?

I could place yellow conveyors, white wall panels and green armor cubes without juggling colors over and over.

Anyways TLDR: Color selection must have separate key!

Long press of R (used for block type selection and size selection) is just wrong UX design.

Press it too short - the shape will change.

Hold R too long when changing shape - the color picker will pop up (and position will reset to default).

Press R by accident when rotating (Ctrl+E very close to Ctrl+R) and shape will change....

Last but not least - think about people with disabilities who can't do short/long press very easy.

Repeating these 6 steps over and over for every single block is frustrating experience.