Build SE1 first, then add the new stuff you guys want.

2013, I built a space station and a weird speeder ship to land in it. It was so big that I crashed my computer opening the file. The physics were crisp and perfect, the destruction-mind blowing, needless to say I was hooked. Asteroids, voxel destruction, survival mode, all added to flesh out and give meaning to my creations, the basic blocks we had at the time and my imagination. Then we got planets, the back and forth between you guys and us was annoying. You eventually decided, to go ahead with them and the rest is history.

I also do not care that the game is in "EA" you put it out for me to buy. Growing up games were completed when I handed over the money.

SE1 was built in space as a physics simulator. SE2 is an arcade game. It has almost an AI feel to the game to be honest. A present, yet very out of touch feeling. Keen, did you forget what you built 10+ years ago? Was all that taken up by making DLC and other blocks that you forgot why you made the game?

Creativity is why we came to that empty void so many years ago. That empty void with limitless possibilities, that over time things were added not to restrict, but to allow. Space has rocks, may as well give them something to mine. After that, it was up to us to decide how and why we built anything. Creative mode is great, but the real test; is it useful in survival?

SE2's "survival" plays more like a story mode meant to control someone than inspire creativity. Locked behind a wall of meaningless tasks (probably to mask the lack of classic functions and other missing content), inexperienced players will spend hours building crap they will never use, just for a small welder. Why? Is survival a tutorial now? I have no problem working to unlock things, but this is just tedious. SE1 did it right. If you knew what you needed it was never an issue starting a new game. I implore you to play till the halfway point of your "Survival" mode and then delete that save and then start a new one. Frustrated with the idea? Yeah, we are too. Then go unlock everything in SE1. Feel creatively inspired? Same, it's doable, and on your own time and your own way. Hell, you could do it all from your starter ship in space. The point I'm trying to make is that SE2 holds your hand and tells you when and where you can or can't be creative. You can't pirate a ship that was abandoned. In SE1 on one of my survival starts(spacesuit start), I captured an enemy hauler, cut it in half, extended it, and then welded it back together with tons of upgrades. That became my starter ship. SE2 you can't even build on ships you find in the void after missions.

Where are the factions? Where are the custom GPS coordinates, Random encounters with pirates, Simple quality of life things such as, the record what is missing from a block and quick move it to inv from storage? Does the Dev team just not see the point to these? Exploring the void, while looking for a resource I need, I place GPS marks at every asteroid that holds materials so I can find that resource later when I need to fill up. the scarcity of resources is part of what makes the game fun. You travel/explore to find more of what you need to grow, how you solve that problem is up to you. SE2 planet side you have everything within 200m of the start base and dense clusters of resources all over. Why should I explore?

SE2 is Hostile to the old building and logistics system. You took one look at SE1's production line and said, "nope that's too hard for players." and frankly its insulting. Besides needing a smelter to make wire, there is no reason to craft anything since I can just craft it with the 5 tons of raw iron I mined. (Side note: I can carry literal tons of ore, but I can't carry six batteries? DUMB. Allow carry in main inv, but the 5 "equipped" are the only ones to activate on their own.) What happened to the classic start of building a drill to get resources right away to start your production? The "flexibility" of your new system does more harm than good. Building production lines, storage, and all the other parts from SE1 are vital to any base. They give reason to build a hanger, shape a mountain or frame a space station. These large production lines also can end up being show pieces for people. Ive used refineries to make that starter ship I mentioned before, look better by having 2 exposed and covered with Modules. SE2 you can swap batteries, assemblers have 4 small slots on the front for mods and that's it. They are useless, combined with not needing them to craft.

Keen Devs, I have so much more to say, but I feel as if it is pointless. Writing this and going over why I don't like the game, has opened my eyes to the fact that your vision has parted from mine, and maybe I should just stick with SE1 and jump ship. I feel as if you have forgotten what made SE1 so great and the passion you put into it in the beginning. Whatever has changed internally in your studio kind of shows through SE2. Not a fan personally. I wanted water and mixed grids, but I'm good at sub grids so I'll just keep doing that. I will leave you with this though, rebuild SE1 in SE2 first, then add the new stuff you guys want. You will do better that way.