How limited am I with none of the dlc?

[Bastila Shan]

Feels like I can’t build anything good with the base blocks and half the stuff in the prebuilt scenarios are using dlc blocks so I can’t come close to building that.

I’m thinking I’ll just invest in space engineers 2 from the start instead of getting all this

[CaveDweller]

So, with the SE1 DLC's, all the major/ core component blocks are included in the game. The only reason to purchase the DLC would be for the cosmetic blocks

[Dan2D3D]

Hi, like CaveDweller said, the SE Devs always add the important blocks and important features for free every years, DLCs are more "Deco" blocks and not needed at all to play the game.

+
The SE Devs told the community they don't want the DLCs to become "Pay to win" so they try to add blocks that don't give any advantage to players buying.

=
Just take your time looking at DLC description to choose the blocks you like the most, well if you want to buy some.

[Capt Fuzzy]

You aren't limited at all by not having any of the DLCs.
They are almost exclusively cosmetic.

[HyggeDane]

I would say klang and imagination are still the only limits. DLC blocks are often a nice change of pace and can be a good source of inspiration - but not needed.

if you start playing vanilla and after some time find you need some specifik blocks, then identify the dlc its from and maybe start with that?
i've played since the very first release and the lack of dlc blocks back then, did not limit peoples creativity! :)

[Bastila Shan]

Wait i couldn’t see the corridor block, it appeared to be disabled unless you own the dlc, how do i access it then?

[Rox]

Originally posted by Bastila Shan:

... thinking I’ll just invest in space engineers 2 from the start ...

If you think "SE2" will ever be a complete game you've really not been paying attention...

[Bastila Shan]

Oh I think I get it, these blocks are constructable with the base game blocks except the dlc enables easy access to prebuilt blocks? Is that it?

[ShadedMJ]

I have 5500+ hours with SE1 with no DLC just sayin'.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

If you're single-player, you can find the equivalent of almost everything DLC for free in the workshop.

Where the DLC makes more sense is if you want an expanded palette of blocks that will work on all servers without the admin adding your selected mod-blocks to the server... OR... you want to publish ships to the workshop and not bother people with subscribing to the mod blocks you've used.

[Altsovy Zouve]

to say that DLCs are completely cosmetic would be false, while on the grand scale there isn't much difference, a lot of blocks provide options and ways to build you simply cannot with base blocks. But if you asked me if the DLCs are worth it I say totally

[Dan2D3D]

I have all DLCs and the DLC blocks I have used the most are :

- Automatons DLC for the Top Mounted Camera I need on Drilling Platform or Drill arm that fold/unfold for Rover, Trailer and/or Ship.

- Decorative Pack(1) for the Industrial Cockpit that I use on my station moving arm having small block Welder ship attached to.
(also use that cockpit as elevator on my large block rover) edited

[xor511]

If you download ships from the workshop that use a DLC that you do not have, the DLC blocks will be missing and/or you will not be able to build those blocks.

If you are with a friend that has the DLC, he can build the blocks for you, then pass the ownership to you, and you can use them and repair them.

Some DLCs have objects that give different building options that are relevant to some people. I suggest getting Decorative Pack 1 for the cockpit.

If you want the DLCs that will be used in ships that you download, so that the ships are not broken when you open them, you may one to look for the ones with thrusters, they are only cosmetic, and you can just place the standard ones, but you'd have to open them and figure out where the blocks go.

[Oparator Stalker]

Tip: Get the DLC's, you do you and extend your build to do you better.
But seriously, I have em all. I like em, like the war ones better tho, but they all good to have. When I first started building with only the base default blocks, it was so.....based....

[ABlueHairedFox]

You're limited in what you can make in terms of cosmetics and aesthetics. However, you're not limited with what you can mechanically build as all the functional blocks are free. You might not have a pretty base, but you can still build massive intricate machines.

[DeciNinja]

A lot of making things look good is a matter of creativity and knowledge, but there are definitely things that just can't be done convincingly without DLC.

I consider decoration packs 1, 2, and 3 essential for interior furnishings and my beloved colorable solar panel, but I don't use any of the others. You can pick all three up right now for less than $10 total, which I recommend doing.

However, if you want to go with no DLC, I recommend looking at old builds from before the DLC existed, like the Salvador and Dromedary. Both to see the upper limits of no-DLC building and to learn the workarounds.