Space Engineers 2 Feedback: Tutorial, Progression, UI, Combat and Audio - Hostile Encounters

I've previously made a larger feedback post with expectations and hopes for SE2 here, at the start of SE2's Early Access.

I only recently got SE2 to work, shortly before the Hostile Encounters update, and I've now played it again after the update. Both times, I reached the space station.

I have decided to give proper feedback on the tutorial, as the SE1 tutorial is/was notoriously bad, as well as on general issues I've noticed.

In short, the current tutorial is decent, but there are a lot of things that can be improved.

MISSING FEATURES

• Build Planner — this one is pretty damn important.

• Highlighting incomplete blocks on grids — also pretty important.

• An option to deposit all components/ore — QoL.

QoL

• Being able to zoom in when seated.

Accessibility / UI / Control Panel

The current UI is a placeholder, but I do have to point out the current issues with it:

• Readability: As a good part of the control panel is transparent, the main tabs at the top of the screen, like “Character, Grid, Build, Contracts, Trade, Map,” are difficult to read in many situations.

• Production: I particularly noticed that switching between a Smelter/Assembler/Fabricator is done on the right side of the screen, while the component crafting selection is on the left. Moving the switching controls to the left would make things a little faster.

→ Is there any reason we even have to switch between these tabs in the UI? The whole crafting queue could just be inside that one box, with simple horizontal separators.

• Grid/Conveyor Management: I wanted to load the Aquila's inventory from the control seat while docked to my conveyor-connected main base, but the control seat isn't directly connected to or part of the conveyor system.

Result: I could not load my cargo block with items while connected to my base. I had to leave my seat, go to the cargo block on the Aquila and access the inventory system from there.

Combat & NPCs

I understand that this was the main goal of this particular update.

On-foot combat works, but it is not good.

NPCs sometimes work and take cover, but particularly in the tutorial section where you are supposed to refuel the rocket, their behaviour broke down. They clustered at the entrance to the voxel cave and did not do anything remotely intelligent.

The health bars are also plain horrible. I understand them existing as a debug/cheat option, but under no circumstances should they be on by default. Nor should the game be designed around NPCs having health bars. Making combat feel reactive and responsive should not rely on that or on hit markers.

There is a lot to be desired here if on-foot combat is supposed to feel good compared to a normal FPS—which is absolutely doable.

Additionally: Audio and the Audio Engine

Connected to the NPCs above, this is a MASSIVE part of why combat and NPCs feel very off.

I've played with headphones and had difficulty telling where shots were coming from, where NPCs were, or even whether I was in combat at all. The same goes for locating sound blocks playing music.

I am not sure if the audio engine is a work in progress or if these are just placeholders, but this very much struck me as baffling in its current state.

Using audio to pinpoint enemies' locations or sound blocks playing music is next to impossible. The SFX for bullets flying past the character are just way off.

Considering SE2's tutorial now starts with on-foot combat, I assume that it is supposed to be more than an afterthought.

F.E.A.R. as an example

F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon came out over 20 years ago and nailed reactive combat NPCs, gunplay and audio.

Its NPCs have chatter to tell the player their position, communicate their plans, tell the player what they're doing and what they are about to do, and react and provide feedback.

→ NPCs say “Flank him!” → NPCs do it → The player knows what they're about to do → The player sees it happen → The player can react accordingly.

This doesn't even include things like F.E.A.R. NPCs kicking over tables or shouting reactions like “OH SHIT!” when they're getting shot at.

Technically, these things are simple, but right now, it completely breaks down at the very start, at the audio level.

Part of why F.E.A.R.'s NPCs are so widely regarded is the banger audio and the fact that the game sets them up to “prove” they are doing what they say, then follows through on it.

The Tutorial & Progression

In its current state, I am unsure if the tutorial properly teaches newcomers how conveyor systems work, how power is generated/transferred, and how to balance power input/output—or that you can control entire grids through the control panel.

That said, it generally works, but there are a ton of improvements to be made.

The issues with the current tutorial stem from its progression and how SE(1) is normally played. SE1 is a big sandbox, with players making their own fun. To ease newcomers into that kind of system, they need to understand that they are free.

Right now, the tutorial is very “railroaded”: A → B → C → D, with some wacky choices, like welding with grids not being showcased.

Locked blocks and manual welding

With that said, it has some odd choices and a lot of things that plainly get in the way.

Early on, I wanted to get the base repaired and running, and found a lot of things locked: medium-sized cargo containers and large conveyors, leaving me unable to connect the base with conveyors.

I wanted to make a simple mining drill and a welding arm with pistons/rotors. They are locked behind progression. I think even the welder block is locked behind progression.

I wanted to make an Area Welder to save time, but couldn't get the platinum component from the trade terminal, so for a good while, I had to hand-weld a lot of stuff.

→ This is terrible! Nobody should be forced to hand-weld a lot of blocks, nor should the game, under any circumstances, teach this as the default. We want players to know they can get things done quickly and effectively with dedicated welding grids.

These locked blocks are disruptive and surprising, even as somebody very experienced with both games.

Suggested tutorial structure

If unlocking blocks and technology like this is supposed to be part of the general “story” and progression in SP, and the free-form aspect of SE is supposed to be showcased, I'd restructure the whole tutorial and split it into tiers. Each tier would have different contracts that can be tackled in any order.

Start

• Absolute basics.

• Controls.

• Navigation.

Tier 0

• On-foot combat.

• Hand mining.

• Hand repairing.

• Setting up a temporary shelter/base.

Tier 1

• Upgrading T1 hand tools to T2.

• Small-grid combat.

• Small-grid mining.

• Small-grid repair/welding—maybe a welding arm.

Possibly keep this whole tier on the ground, with no flying.

Tier 2

• Creating/repairing the first flying grid.

• Setting up a large base.

• Projections/blueprints.

• Power economy.

• Hydrogen.

• Advanced recipes and where to find/buy advanced ores.

• Where to unlock more blocks.

Tier 3

• Free-form play at the space station.