Any "essential" DLC for someone considering buying?

[Rabblerouser]

I've been considering cracking open this game since I noticed it available to stream on GeForce Now.

Keep in mind, mods are out of the question considering I'll be playing on GFN, which to my knowledge, doesn't even allow Workshop mods to load, so I'm looking to what DLC might be considered essential. Ideally something beyond just cosmetics. Function over form, unless it's a specific shape you can only get in DLC.

Thanks in advance!

[TheVipersFang]

The dlc is mostly cosmetic stuff. So it is not "essential" but if you can grab it on sale then go for it because its a sandbox game where the cosmetics play a part in making your wild creations.

[Pembroke]

Originally posted by Rabblerouser:

Ideally something beyond just cosmetics. Function over form, unless it's a specific shape you can only get in DLC.

Then basically none. The DLCs are intended to be "cosmetic only". You get alternative variants of equivalent vanilla game blocks. No better weapons, no better thrusters. Just different looks. No pay-to-win DLCs in this game.

Occasionally something might "slip" into the DLCs that arguably can provide some improvement in functionality *because* of the different shape but I think it says a lot about the "no pay-to-win" principle when you consider that players are indeed arguing whether a DLC alternative ship cockpit that has larger windows and can be placed in a more exposed position, is a "functional improvement" or "just a cosmetic variant". It's that kind of stuff.

Which, as TheVipersFang pointed out, is nothing to be sniffed at. A lot of the DLC variants *do* look really nice and you can make quite cool looking builds out of them.

...but to play effectively the game you need no DLC. Even if you go to a PvP server and go against a player that owns all the DLCs, you will be at no disadvantage. Buy them if you like them but you don't *need* them.

[Capt Fuzzy]

I tend to disagree with the whole "they are just cosmetic" explanation, but only a little.
There are functional blocks within the various DLCs, but many of them are also kind of 'reskins' of existing blocks as well. It basically depends on how you look at them as to which side of this debate that you land on.
Do any of the DLCs give a player an advantage over another player who doesn't have them?
No, they do not.
You won't win more battles, or survive any longer with them, than without them.
Personally, I have them all because I like the looks of most of the blocks within them and the cosmetic differences do allow for some more creative license when it comes to designing ships, bases and stations and having them look how you want them to look.

From a creative standpoint, they do offer a slight advantage.
From a game play standpoint, they offer no advantage what-so-ever.

[Mortus Eclipse]

As stated for the most part they are cosmetic only. There are some blocks that are arguably functional usually one "value added" block per DLC, but for the most part there are vanilla blocks that will do the same job, you may just have to engineer or plan your build a little differently.

[Dan2D3D]

Hi, first I must tell you I am not a SE Dev but Forum Moderator community helper/game tester with admin rights...

That said, I recommend to take your time looking at the new blocks they add from the Store page and choose the one you like the most.

ME = I like Deco Pack 1 and #2 because they add a lot of furniture blocks and cool new cockpit but others are cool too so take your time.

+
The SE Devs always add the important block for free so all can play without the need of DLCs.

EDIT
Also all can share DLC creations free for all to use when published in a world saved on the Workshop and in Multiplayer, all can use even if they don't have the DLCs.

[carl.wear]

There are YT vids where they rank the DLCs from best to worst. One I saw they had placed every item from the dlc into categories on the world so you could easily see whats in each DLC.

[Sanquin]

None of the DLC are really needed. And anything the official DLC can do, free mods can likely do as well. That being said:

Decorative pack 1, 2, and 3; They add a bunch of, well, decorations that are nice to dress up your base with.
Sparks of the future: Mostly because of the cool neon tube lighting it adds.
Wasteland: Some cool different block skins that have a more gritty feel.
Heavy Industry: Round pipe conveyors, some cool different block skinns as well.
Automaton: This one's my favourite so far. Blocks with conveyors/lights/buttons built in leaving more space for other stuff. Cool reskin of vents, I like the cockpit block as well, a whole bunch of added signs, the angled interior walls look cool, and also access panel buttons.

Once again, most of this stuff can also be done with free mods. None of the dlc are actually needed. But there's still some cool stuff in there. And for me personally, since I have over 1200 hours in the game, I don't mind supporting the devs a bit more for some cool ingame blocks/customization.

[[BRE] waabi.makoons]

Originally posted by Pembroke:

Originally posted by Rabblerouser:

Ideally something beyond just cosmetics. Function over form, unless it's a specific shape you can only get in DLC.

Then basically none. The DLCs are intended to be "cosmetic only". You get alternative variants of equivalent vanilla game blocks. No better weapons, no better thrusters. Just different looks. No pay-to-win DLCs in this game.

Occasionally something might "slip" into the DLCs that arguably can provide some improvement in functionality *because* of the different shape but I think it says a lot about the "no pay-to-win" principle when you consider that players are indeed arguing whether a DLC alternative ship cockpit that has larger windows and can be placed in a more exposed position, is a "functional improvement" or "just a cosmetic variant". It's that kind of stuff.

Which, as TheVipersFang pointed out, is nothing to be sniffed at. A lot of the DLC variants *do* look really nice and you can make quite cool looking builds out of them.

...but to play effectively the game you need no DLC. Even if you go to a PvP server and go against a player that owns all the DLCs, you will be at no disadvantage. Buy them if you like them but you don't *need* them.

"occasionally something might "slip" into the DLCs that arguably can provide some improvement in functionality *because* of the different shape" the top mounted cam is our item that slipped

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

The small grid industrial cockpit is great for construction vehicles like miners and welders. It offers a much better field of view. If you're playing with no 3rd person views, that's going to be a consideration. I also like that there are LCD screens at the TOP of the cockpit.

The transparent LCDs are nice for making heads-up displays on your flight deck.

[carl.wear]

Originally posted by Ronin Planetary Industries (RPI):

The small grid industrial cockpit is great for construction vehicles like miners and welders. It offers a much better field of view. If you're playing with no 3rd person views, that's going to be a consideration. I also like that there are LCD screens at the TOP of the cockpit.

The transparent LCDs are nice for making heads-up displays on your flight deck.

The best thing about the industrial cockpit is the displays on the top. So many YT vids showing how to make vehicles and ships and then showing them in action and thats the one they have used in them. From the outside view they are nothing special but from inside the LCD's at the top is so useful.

Thats the problem with the DLC's, they are fairly expensive for alot of content that really should be in the base game.

Other possibly useful content in the DLC's, the searchlight could be useful in a multiplayer game. Also the inset button panel is quite useful when you need to be able to switch things on and off and don't want to use the big pedestal button panels that take up space and look out of place in a room.

[WildLynx]

Sparks of the future DLC have a large grid button panel with LCDs. Much better then new one.
Industrial DLC have Industrial cockpit and also cross conveyor.

[carl.wear]

Originally posted by WildLynx:

Sparks of the future DLC have a large grid button panel with LCDs. Much better then new one.
Industrial DLC have Industrial cockpit and also cross conveyor.

I thought the industrial cockpit came in decorative pack 1?

[WildLynx]

Originally posted by carl.wear:

Originally posted by WildLynx:

Sparks of the future DLC have a large grid button panel with LCDs. Much better then new one.
Industrial DLC have Industrial cockpit and also cross conveyor.

I thought the industrial cockpit came in decorative pack 1?

You are right. I mixed things up. So it's 3 DLCs.