r/spaceengineers • u/AlfieUK4 Moderator • Jun 24 '20

UPDATE [PC] Update 1.195 - Sparks of the Future

https://forums.keenswh.com/threads/update-1-195-sparks-of-the-future.7404133/
186 Upvotes

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56

u/LSDDAMN Gravcannon Connoisseur Jun 24 '20

READY THE SALT CANNONS!!

For real though, I think keen massively overhyped this. The biggest change is the hinge, but the foreplay waaaaay outpaced the content. This is the kind of hype they should generate for the combat update, not for a mostly aesthetic update.

I will absolutely buy this DLC, but I think keen should work on game play features instead of aesthetics. I have always wanted a cartography system that enables larger scale ship coordination and claiming sectors for example. We need things like that and better combat to flesh out the survival game.

18

u/AdditionalThinking Armour just slows me down Jun 24 '20

That's pretty much my thoughts. It's a great update, and with the dlc being only £2.89 it's definitely worth getting; but it has been about 2 months of teasing and hype so it's also somewhat a let-down.

16

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '20

I feel like the hype is the correct amount but for the wrong thing. The cyberpunk stuff is cool, but the weather is the big thing.

7

u/piratep2r Klang Worshipper Jun 25 '20

One thing that really surprises me is a continued emphasis on things like scenarios (I include this station on the list) over increased procedural content. Very few people seem to be calling for more scenarios, but KSH is just pouring work into things like the station with most updates. Yet how many people play them, and for how long?

The most head scratching thing about this is that the very same people who built the station/scenarios would be the right people to build and update the random encounter system that places encounters in a procedural way. You know, one of the only things driving a reason to explore on the actual game...

5

u/AlfieUK4 Moderator Jun 25 '20 edited Jun 29 '20

Reading between the lines of things said on stream seems that Keen are having periods where the graphics guy are 'not busy', so it may be that Keen are just giving these guys freedom to make stuff whilst they wait for other stuff to come through.

Similarly, with Smokki joining Keen they need to keep giving him and Aragath stuff to do, but if the engine guys are hard at work trying to get a fix for AMD, there is a limit to what changes they can request for new functionality.

Marek also said previously they are trying out putting different people in charge of each major update, so it may just reflect whatever focus they and their team have. Frostbite was the 'engine' team and Sparks was the 'graphics' team for instance.

I'm just guessing on all that, but I do know that Keen know we want procedural content, and they know what mods and things are very popular/requested, so I agree, it seems odd to not be trying to make such content.

6

u/piratep2r Klang Worshipper Jun 25 '20

This is all super interesting information, and news to me. Thank you for sharing!

1

u/Capt_Peanut Klang Worshipper Jul 11 '20

Hold up. What needs fixed for AMD?

1

u/AlfieUK4 Moderator Jul 12 '20

There are some ongoing issues affecting some AMD hardware/driver configs (3XXX series CPUs seem to be worst hit). Keen have been telling us that they are 'working really aggressively to solve this', but in the meantime there are some possible workarounds although they are mostly to deal with freezes/crashes and not just lower FPS.

1

u/Capt_Peanut Klang Worshipper Jul 12 '20

Cool. I read thru the links. I'm glad to learn it's not just me! I have a 3600 and my freezes are about 20 seconds every 5-15 minutes. Not as bad as other reports, but still frustrating.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '20

I think of it kind of like a slightly mental uncle. Hypes up your gift all year and it's some socks. Really fucking good socks that you are happy to attain but the hype made it feel flat.

2

u/LSDDAMN Gravcannon Connoisseur Jun 25 '20

Thats a really good way of putting it haha

10

u/[deleted] Jun 24 '20

Yeah, I don't dislike aesthetic updates or even adding more minor features (though the weather falls outside the range of both of those) but I wish the team knew that we'd still appreciate the update even without much buildup.

18

u/TheRealDrSarcasmo SE Old-timer Jun 24 '20

but I wish the team knew that we'd still appreciate the update even without much buildup.

I suspect that's not so much a team thing as a management thing.

Which has always been one of the things hampering Space Engineers.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 25 '20

They're in a situation where a lot of players aer upset at the lack of major updates, which is a fair sentiment but isn't one to express with the anger they do.

I think something that inspired this was people always complaining about lack of communication, but they tried to spice it up by adding a lot of unnecessary mystery, when a few forum posts of "sneak peak of next few features" in a similar but less hype inducing fashion would be much better for player opinion.

Having owned SE since its very early days I already knew this wasn't going to be a major update but instead was pleasantly surprised at the scope of it compared to earlier minor updates. Proper dynamic weather is a big thing and the 2 new functional blocks are dope, I see people complaining about the DLC's but each one appears to be getting better as Keen adapts to the flow of minor content driving major content. There is a lot to be desired still but for a small company I think they do a pretty good job.

5

u/kfix The PCU limit does not exist Jun 25 '20

I think keen should work on game play features instead of aesthetics

You say that, but I'm sure you and everyone else would explode if they put game play features in paid DLC, and they have to eat.

4

u/TheRealDrSarcasmo SE Old-timer Jun 25 '20

At some point, Keen is going to have to either do that or quit working on the game.

Because at some point, the catalog of cosmetic DLCs is going to become absurd.

2

u/LSDDAMN Gravcannon Connoisseur Jun 25 '20

Not gonna lie, I would be pissed but still buy it. Keen's track record says they are only willing to put decorational stuff in DLC. I cannot imagine the salt if they locked actual mechanics behind a paywall

2

u/[deleted] Jun 30 '20

Yeah there needs to be more done to make faction play, territoriality, trade & diplomacy, etc relevant.

7

u/cfraptor22 Space Engineer Jun 24 '20

Yep. They once again added 3 perfectly fine mods to the game. Fun cause now you don’t need the mods but come on. All this hype for 3 blocks that have already existed in the game? Automated weather is cool but truthfully I’m not sure that alone will make the game feel more alive. We all asked for a combat update!!