A newcomer to Space Engineers shares their challenging yet entertaining first experience with the game’s steep learning curve, exploring basic controls, resource management, and crafting through the “Learning to Survive” scenario. Despite progress in understanding complex mechanics, their gameplay is halted by a frustrating bug, prompting them to seek viewer tips and consider documenting their journey from beginner to expert.
In this video, the creator, new to Space Engineers, shares their initial experience with the game, highlighting the steep learning curve compared to other space games like Star Citizen and No Man’s Sky. They spend the first two hours familiarizing themselves with the controls, vehicle movement, and discovering surprising game elements such as deadly woods and dynamic weather. Despite their efforts, their early attempts at building were limited to creating a simple cube, and they enjoyed some lighthearted moments like rolling around in a vehicle and destroying the survival kit.
Encouraged by community suggestions, the creator decides to try the “Learning to Survive” scenario to better understand the game’s mechanics. Upon starting, they find themselves in space, guided by a bot with small tasks involving pressing panels and managing resources like oxygen and hydrogen. The tutorial tasks include mining for ores, equipping drills, and learning to navigate the HUD, but the creator struggles initially with identifying the right ores and managing their oxygen and energy levels, even dying once during the tutorial.
As they progress, the creator learns to refine their resource gathering and production skills, figuring out how to use the refinery, craft construction components, and repair broken equipment like solar panels. They gradually piece together the complex crafting requirements, including making computers, solar cells, and bulletproof glass, while managing inventory and power systems. Despite some confusion and trial-and-error, they start to grasp the interconnected systems necessary for survival and base maintenance.
However, the gameplay is interrupted by a bug that traps the creator inside a ship console, making it impossible to move or continue the tutorial. Attempts to fix the issue by destroying and rebuilding parts or restarting the game fail, leaving them stuck in a glitchy animation. This frustrating experience parallels a similar bug they encountered in Star Citizen, highlighting the challenges of early gameplay and bugs in complex simulation games.
The creator concludes by inviting viewers to share tips and suggestions in the comments to help them learn more about Space Engineers. They express interest in turning their journey into a series documenting their progress from beginner to proficient player, emphasizing their preference for learning through gameplay rather than tutorials. The video ends on a humorous note, encouraging viewers who watched till the end to comment “My hips are cooked,” reflecting the lighthearted and engaging tone throughout the video.