Better contracts: Shipbuilding

Game progression has always been a huge weakness of Space Engineers. From early versions, half an hour into the game there have been nothing meaningful left to do, aside from quitting Survival and starting some project in Creative. Going into Space Engineers 2, I was eagerly awaiting the Contract system, which promised goal-based gameplay. Unfortunately, the implementation we got is awful, with literally every contract being the variation of "fly through space for 2 minutes, weld these 5 blocks, come back". Vertical Slide 2.2 improved things a bit, but the game is still more deserving of the title "Space Construction Workers" than "Space Engineers". In this article, I would like to propose better contracts that enhance the gameplay, rather than being boring chores.

Space Engineers is a game about engineering. To me, this is obvious. Engineering games are games combining building, simulation and puzzles. They involve setting up a simulation of a system with rules governing it and giving players a range of tools to solve a problem within that simulation. For example, Bridge Builder simulates structural mechanics. The players can place structural elements made of various materials to build a bridge that can support a passing train.

This gives us a useful template to follow – each contract should present the players with a problem that can be solved with engineering. Good contracts should follow these criteria:

• There should be a wide variety of solutions to each problem
• They should promote improving upon designs, both in the same contract and between different contracts
• They should discourage reusing the same solution for every problem
• They should allow evaluating designs in conditions similar to emergent gameplay (such as those on multiplayer servers)

Proposal

Shipbuilding is a series of contracts that prompt the player to submit a design for a craft or station fulfilling certain requirements (necessary blocks) and restrictions (for example, maximum size). This design is then tested in a short, narrative adventure. The test is scored using several metrics, such as the PCU used, the cost of components, time used to complete the test etc. The number of rewarded colonization points is dependent on the highest score in all attempts. The number of attempts is unlimited.

After completion, the player has the option of uploading the blueprint online. Blueprints created for each contract can be viewed on a convenient list, downloaded and voted on.

Example

Kemik Mining Syndicate is struggling against pirates raiding their operations. They request a large utility vehicle that would be able to help maintain their outposts, while safe from harassment. Criteria:

• At least 6 wheels
• Smelter and assembler
• Minimum capacity of 10,000 t
• Connector capable of connecting to the base
• Two drills (on any connected grids)
• Gatling turret/gatling gun (custom turrets are accepted)

The player builds a vehicle and transports it to the yard next to the KMS base on Kemik. As soon as it's in the designated place, a switch to start the mission becomes available.

Mission:

1. Drive to the hangar while avoiding inexplicably placed hydrogen tanks. Space is limited. Connect to the connector and load gatling ammo boxes into the vehicle
2. Alert! Pirates are attacking a remote outpost. Drive there across rough terrain as soon as possible
3. Pirates have damaged the defensive turret. Repair it before the second wave of attacks. If missing components, craft some using an iron deposit nearby. Rearm the turret with ammo brought from the base
4. Repel the pirate attack
5. Return to base to complete the mission