Keen Software House has released a major update to VS2: Planets & Survival Foundations for the space sandbox Space Engineers 2, which has become the most significant since the launch of the alpha version. The update moves the project from the status of a technical demonstration to a full-fledged test of the main systems: planets, character progression, contracts, plot and expanded construction mechanics.
Two planets have appeared in the game, which can be freely explored:
- Verdure is a lush, terrestrial world with more than ten biomes: tundra, taiga, mountain ranges, savannah, deserts and volcanic zones. The planet is filled with procedural vegetation, destructible trees, rocks, caves and unique natural objects.
- Kemik is a desert “Martian” planet with fractured landscapes, calderas, craters and vast mountain ranges. The emphasis here is on harsh survival and engineering testing.
Along with the new worlds, the game received fully volumetric clouds that change the perception of flights, and dynamic voxel hardness – now snow, sand and stone react differently to drilling, landing and collisions.
In addition, the VS2 update introduces the first full layer of survival mechanics that form the basis of the long-term development of the game:
- Projection Building is a new construction system through animated block projections. Supports mirroring, copying, undoing, modular drawings and auto-generation of reference blocks.
- Backpack Building – The engineer’s backpack is now capable of processing ore into simple components, allowing early construction without an industrial base.
- The new energy system is a modular power supply scheme based on Power Cells and Power Modules. Charging takes about 20 minutes under optimal conditions.
The update introduces the initial colonization phase – players complete contracts to unlock new tools and blocks using an interactive system map with two starting sectors.
The game also features a starting storyline in which you will take on the role of Miro Falcon, who arrived in the Almagest system with his brother Ivan as part of the Bering project. You can access tasks through the contract block.
Another innovation was the first versions of random events: abandoned ships, small stations and other points of interest. In the future, the system will become dynamic, with NPCs, combat situations and a variety of scenarios.
