Best New Features In Space Engineers: Contact

Key Takeaways

• Prototech gyroscopes are much stronger than standard gyros
• Prototech batteries offer better power storage and efficiency.
• Prototech thrusters are much more powerful than standard ion thrusters.

Space Engineers was 11 years old this year. It has received a number of updates since release. Keen, the developer, releases new gameplay features for free with each update, and also offers an optional DLC with purely cosmetic items included. The latest update is Contact, which introduces PvE encounters to the game, and some great new loot to this space survival game.

With its great base building mechanics, combined with complex spaceship and vehicle design features, this is a game that is challenging and rewarding. It is fun to play, and the new PvE content has been long awaited by the loyal community. Overall, a fantastic free update to a great game.

8 Prototech Gyroscopes

Much Stronger Than Standard Gyroscopes

Players who have spent any time designing spaceships or rovers in Space Engineers, know that getting the position and quantity of gyroscopes right can make a huge difference. Gyroscopes can help to keep a land-based rover stable, and help spaceships turn.

The Contact update adds Prototech loot to the game, and this includes Prototech gyroscopes. These are available in both large grid and small grid form factors. They are much more powerful than standard gyros, with one of them being equivalent to two or three of the normal ones.

7 Prototech Batteries

Better Power Storage And Efficiency

Batteries are incredibly important for all types of construction in Space Engineers. Bases need to be powered, and vehicles need electricity to be able to move in many cases. Renewable energy sources such as solar or wind turbines don’t always fulfill power requirements, so having some charged batteries as well, helps to provide extra power when needs spike.

The new Protech batteries are more efficient, and can hold more power than the standard batteries in Space Engineers. They come in large grid and small grid variants, and are slightly larger than the standard versions.

6 Prototech Thrusters

Much More Powerful Than Standard Ion Thrusters

Ion thrusters are sometimes rather annoying in Space Engineers. Yes, they work well in space and only require electricity to operate. However, their performance within a gravity well is pretty dire. The player either has to add additional thrusters such as hydrogen or atmospheric, or add a large amount of Ion thrusters to work near a planet with gravity.

The new Prototech thrusters are much more powerful than the normal Ion thrusters, and could help to bridge this gap. However, they are only available in a large grid version, and they are physically much bigger than the normal large grid Ion thrusters.

5 New Cockpit

Free Flush Cockpit

Players who sign up for the Space Engineers newsletter after the Contact update, will receive a brand new, flush-looking cockpit completely free. This cockpit has the same conveyor connections as the standard cockpit.

The new flush cockpit is much more modern and streamlined than the original cockpit and suits compact designs where the player intends to use the space around the cockpit as part of their build. For example, placing mining drills on the grid. The flush cockpit makes this much simpler. Players who don’t seem to have the flush cockpit just need to exit to the main menu and sign up for the Keen newsletter.

4 Prototech Jumpdrives

Hugely Increased Jump Range

Jumpdrives in Space Engineers can be problematic at times. They do not jump a specific distance. Instead, how far a jumpdrive can jump is based on the weight of the ship. The heavier the ship, the less distance a jumpdrive can jump it.

The general way to deal with this problem up until the Contact update, has been to build large ships with multiple jumpdrives, which chain together to improve the jump range. However, the new Prototech jumpdrive has a much further range, although it takes up more space. Furthermore, there is a small grid version as well, something the game has been missing until now, improving exploration gameplay for small grid pilots.

3 Prototech Production

Assembler And Refinery

The new Prototech refinery is a fantastic new addition to Space Engineers. It provides a production bonus that makes it equivalent in output to five standard refineries, taking up no more space than a single normal refinery.

The Prototech assembler is a new type of block, that has one special function. It is used to turn Prototech scrap (gained by grinding down Prototech modules) and turning into different types of Prototech parts that can be used to create new Prototech items. However, the Prototech assembler can’t make standard components, so it is not a straight replacement for the normal assembler.

2 Planetary Encounters

New Ground-Based PvE Encounters

Planetary encounters are a new type of PvE gameplay that have been introduced in the Contact update for Space Engineers. These are ground installations that have a chance of spawning randomly within around 7,000 meters of a player. They are guarded by turrets and sometimes drones.

By tackling these new installations, the player has a chance to loot Prototech components, including Prototech frames. These components are needed to construct new Prototech blocks if the player is not able to loot them whole from global encounters.

1 Global Encounters

Endgame Space PvE Encounters

The new global encounters are a tough PvE space combat challenge that were added in the Contact update for Space Engineers. These are a tough challenge, but the best source of the new Porotech blocks, as each encounter has two types of blocks available for loot. They need to be cut out and taken away.

There are several new encounters, ranging from quite simple, through to the epic Prototech Warship encounter, which sees the player facing off against a full-blown battleship with an escort. Overall, a fantastic new challenge for veteran players, and something for new players to aspire to.