I want to try a survival scenario with just a space suit, will there be flyby encounters to get plates from?

[o]

I am playing a star system scenario in survival and I want to try the one where you have nothing but your suit.

I understand that for the first survival kit and power I need some refined/manufactured materials that can only be found on existing buildings and ships.

What are the odds of getting an encounter so I can jetpack my way to it and salvage for parts? Is there a different minimalistic survival scenario that fits this better?

[TheVipersFang]

Depending on the scenario settings you started with, in theory all the vanilla stuff will be there from space pirate appearances to traders. A trade station would be an idea spot to start if you can find one, also the random loot drops would help too.

[ShadedMJ]

I think player Spaceman_Spiff talked about this scenario.

Survival kit is going to need the medical component, which requires silver.

Power is going to be an issue since you can find batteries but you won't get the powercells from them. That means solar panels.

[Dan2D3D]

Hi, one of my friends did it and succeeded by starting on Earth planet.

BUT
-> He had to open the admin menu Alt+F10, enable creative to teleport his character on Earth planet and disable creative when done.

-> Because he removed the respawn ships in world settings so he was not able to start on Earth like planet.

[Dan2D3D]

I will add,

I recommend to enable "Armageddon" mode for one hour only, this way you will have all ores from meteor impacts and be able to sell some at a Trading station.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yes, i play this type of scenario all the time.

I start in space in a new star system map using creative mode; where I start is not important. I build a battery, O2/H2 generator, and cryo pod as a grid, where the O2/H2 generator feeds the cryo pod. I usually spawn in 1 kg of ice into the O2/H2 generator, and spawn for myself the basic tools, basic rifle with 10 magazines of ammo, an oxygen bottle, a hydrogen bottle, and usually four powerkits and four medkits (you get 25% power and health boosts for each). That's it. Then I climb into the cryo pod, save the game, and exit back to the loading screen.

Now I go into the load screen, then choose edit settings, then advanced settings and adjust settings as desired (I usually up the capacity of what I can carry and I always disable progression; I don't want this to be impossible), and finally I add in all the NPC mods I want (e.g., Corruption PvE, MES Abomination, Reavers, etc.), add in whatever else I may want, Finally, I switch the games mode from Creative to Survival.

Now I reload the game where I'll find myself breathing comfortably in my cryo pod. I then use {Alt}-{F10} to go to the Admin screen, then choose "Entity List" from the dropdown on top, then click on the grid that is my cryo pod (it should be the only thing on the list). Now hit escape and you'll be in spectator mode looking at your grid. Move somewhere in space to a random spot (I usually go somewhere between planets, although you can start as close to or as far from any of the planets as you choose). Use {Ctrl}-{Space} to move your character (and the grid in which you're in) to that location, then hit {F6} to get back to your character. Get to the inventory menu and grab the remaining ice. Finally, use {Alt}-{F10} to get back to the Entity List and delete the cryo grid. You'll be floating in space.

Now head in any direction (I usually aim for the nearest planet, but I usually start so far away that it's largely irrelevant; just get to full speed with your jetpack and hit {Z} to coast. Hit {H} to turn on the full display of signals and watch carefully for a "MAYDAY" signal or something else; head toward that signal, once you see it. This is the initial challenge: figure out whether the signal is going to be easy to capture or very tough. Some will send drone(s) to attack you, so find a nearby asteroid where you can put it between you and the attacking drone(s); they'll usually get stuck on the asteroid trying to get at you. Arm yourself with your trusty grinder, then go after a drone; you're goal is to find and disable the remote control block. I try to capture one drone so it becomes my "ride", and I usually convert it to a basic miner.

If you've loaded hostile NPC mods, they will start spawning and coming after you, too. You're early-game goal is to neutralize some of those drones; if they're drones from the Corruption PvE mod, some will have small reactors and some uranium ingots. Getting one or more small reactors with fuel is a big score; three will power an advanced refinery or two and an advanced assembler.

How you proceed from here is entirely up to you. I usually make it a goal to establish a temporary base somewhere where I can build a ship capable of flying to a planet, then pack up my base, head to an asteroid just outside the planet's gravity well, set up an off-world base with high production capacity, build a lot of parts and a ship capable of flying to/from the planet, then head to the surface to build a planetary base. But you can make up whatever scenario and goals you want. The biggest struggle I've had is selecting NPC mods that play well together, and include then for both space and planetary operation. Some work well in space, but seem to keep the planetary mods from doing anything. It's always a trial-and-error process for me.

Anyway, this long-winded explanation covers most of what I do to keep SE interesting.

[o]

I thought my question was a long shot but I've gotten a lot of valuable tips that I'm writing down on a list of things to try out!

I am new to the alt-f10 console... and, well, a lot of Space Engineers as I only started playing in January. So I'll have to try a few times. Thank you all!

[TheHellKat]

I actually have an unmodded/unedited space suit survival start where I used creative to spawn a survival kit attached to 2 solar panels and an O2 gen (small grid).

I made sure that no asteroids are nearby and like Spiff I spawn basic gear and bottles.

Anytime I want to do a spacesuit survival world I load that save, save it under a new name, exit then do the mods/settings I want.

Saves a little time doing the initial setup each time.

[philoffs]

why dont you try a play through where you set yourself on fire and cut off your fingers with rusty spoons it would be less pointless and painful

[TheHellKat]

Originally posted by philoffs:

why dont you try a play through where you set yourself on fire and cut off your fingers with rusty spoons it would be less pointless and painful

If that's what you want to do then more power to you.

Personally I like a little challenge every once in awhile. But each to their own.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

I think encounters are on a 15 minute must timer... a ship will spawn within every 15 minutes if you're starting out in space.

I think it MIGHT be possible if you spawn on a planet with an atsmophere (like Earthlike) near an NPC trade station. Your character can still walk and breath even without power to the suit. You can recharge your suit power at the trade station. I think you can even store some things in a few lockers that are open to all... and find a spare welder or grinder in it. You can also use your credits or trade found components for credits.

Eventually, you should be able to score enough components to build a simple rover and trade your way up to getting a survival kit.

I WOULD recommend lots of saving in case you die without a survival kit and don't want to restart from absolute zero.

[Pembroke]

It is doable. Best way is to have the "unknown signals" enabled so you get salvageable resources. Medical components you can buy from the trade stations.

The progress path is typically:
- Get enough salvage to build a recharging place. All you need is a wind turbine and a seat. This is top priority since you can't do anything without power.
- Then accumulate enough resources from salvage to build a survival kit. Trade some of the resources to get the required medical components.

Additional stuff you can enable:

- MES enemies. More salvage and some of them can have cryopods or medical rooms.

- Neutral MES encounters. For example, there's a "wasteland encounters" pack that gives you ruins and crashed ships, which is actually quite fitting in a role-playing sense for the type of scenario you want. Of course, it makes it easier, too, so depends on what you want.

- Initial "starting pack" that has some items or resources you think would be appropriate in your scenario. For example, spawn a cargo container and a wind turbine (to supply it power so it won't get trash removed) and fill it with the stuff you think you should have but no more. Story explanation can be that that's what you managed to save from whatever accident placed you there. For example, if you have enabled MES enemies, then maybe have some initial cache of weapons and ammunition you can then use to acquire loot to progress you forward? Or something else.

[Ruby]

it's possible, but I think you need an unlocked technology tree. Because the main problem is the problem with energy, and you can't restore them from the chair, bed, etc. There are plenty of random encounters, like a MAYDAY signals or even some pirate ships that you can capture (like freighter).

[Spaceman Spiff]

Originally posted by Ruby:

i...even some pirate ships that you can capture (like freighter).

Things have changed. That R.U.S.T. freighter was actually pretty easy to capture before: fly in fast, grind through the two doors from the belly of the ship, disable the interior turret, kill the two timer blocks and remote control, grind the flight seat and take control, then dial back thrust override on the forward thrusters. Nope. No more. You've got to actually completely grind those forward thrusters and replace them to control them. It's a lot more work now.

[Ruby]

Originally posted by Spaceman Spiff:

Originally posted by Ruby:

i...even some pirate ships that you can capture (like freighter).

Things have changed. That R.U.S.T. freighter was actually pretty easy to capture before: fly in fast, grind through the two doors from the belly of the ship, disable the interior turret, kill the two timer blocks and remote control, grind the flight seat and take control, then dial back thrust override on the forward thrusters. Nope. No more. You've got to actually completely grind those forward thrusters and replace them to control them. It's a lot more work now.

No. You just need to grind remote control block so you will have actual control. And you should manually lower trusters override from flight seat command. I did that yesterday. Things have changed, yes. but not that much. Capturing a mining carrier is more trickier now.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Originally posted by Ruby:

No. You just need to grind remote control block so you will have actual control. And you should manually lower trusters override from flight seat command. I did that yesterday. Things have changed, yes. but not that much. Capturing a mining carrier is more trickier now.

I just went through this exercise yesterday. It's just what I said two posts above. I disabled the remote control block and two timer blocks. I DID NOT have control of the thrusters. Before the last update I had no problem killing those three blocks and effectively owning the ship. Not anymore.