Developing SE Planning Tool – A Ship Planning App for Space Engineers

[mcphersondavid]

Hey Space Engineers community,

Not sure how many of you know about this, but I’ve been posting progress updates on Reddit for a while now about a free, fan-made app I’m developing called SE Planning Tool. You can check out the latest update here:
Progress Video: Node System & Quick Access Toolbar

What SE Planning Tool Will Do:
Disassemble Mode: Break down your ship designs part by part for easier modifications.
Blueprint Importing: You’ll be able to import your Space Engineers blueprints into the app to view and edit them on your phone or tablet. (Blueprint exporting back to the game will come in a future update after release.)
Familiar UI: The interface is designed to feel like the in-game experience to make it intuitive for Space Engineers players.
Save and Edit Later: You’ll be able to save your progress and come back to it whenever you want.

Current Status:
The app is still in development, but it’s progressing well. I wanted to share this with the Steam community and get your thoughts. If you’re curious to see more, you can check out the Reddit post linked above.

I’d love to hear any feedback or ideas from the community on features you’d find useful.

Disclaimer:
This is a fan-made project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Keen Software House. I’ve received permission from Keen to develop this app under their non-commercial EULA.

Let me know your thoughts, and I’ll keep the community updated as development progresses. Thanks for taking a look.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

The ability to duplicate and edit cockpit toolbars from within the app.

The ability to create toolbars for timer blocks and other blocks capable of executing actions.

Create block groups within the app,

Prefix, append, and remove text from block names (like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

Rename all grids plus sub-grids from the app.

[DragoF1sh]

Will this app include the ability to modify subgrids or have support for mods? I am also curious if this will be a mobile app or a pc program? I find the idea of designing/modifying mechs while I am away from home to be really interesting.

[Capt Fuzzy]

I like the concept, but if I can't use it on PC then it's a bust for me.
I don't play games on my phone, my eye sight ain't what it used to be...

[mcphersondavid]

Originally posted by DragoF1sh:

Will this app include the ability to modify subgrids or have support for mods? I am also curious if this will be a mobile app or a pc program? I find the idea of designing/modifying mechs while I am away from home to be really interesting.

Yes, the app will support subgrids, but everything will be static. That means you'll be able to design using subgrids (like rotors, pistons, or hinges), but they won't move in the app since it's meant purely for design purposes, not as a simulation or game. Unfortunately, making things like pistons or rotors move would require a lot of extra work to make it fully interactive, and since this is a free fan-made project, I'm keeping it focused on ship design rather than gameplay mechanics.

Unfortunately, there are way too many mods out there to be able to include direct mod support in the app. However, I’ve gotten some great suggestions from the Reddit community about adding default blank blocks that could stand in for modded blocks. I think this is a solid idea, and I plan to explore it, but only after the initial release. For now, the app will focus on vanilla game elements.

Initially, the app was planned to be built only for Android mobile devices, but I’ve had a lot of feedback from the community asking for a PC version as well. So, after the Android release, I will definitely be bringing it to PC. As for iOS, unfortunately, I don’t have the finances to buy a Mac and iPhone for development, so I don’t think it’ll be available for iOS in the near future. But who knows? Things might change down the road.

[mcphersondavid]

Originally posted by Capt Fuzzy:

I like the concept, but if I can't use it on PC then it's a bust for me.
I don't play games on my phone, my eye sight ain't what it used to be...

I’ve actually heard from a lot of people with the same concerns about mobile, so I’m happy to say that a PC version is definitely in the works after the initial Android release

[mcphersondavid]

Originally posted by Ronin Planetary Industries (RPI):

The ability to duplicate and edit cockpit toolbars from within the app.

The ability to create toolbars for timer blocks and other blocks capable of executing actions.

Create block groups within the app,

Prefix, append, and remove text from block names (like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

Rename all grids plus sub-grids from the app.

Hey, I really appreciate all the ideas! They’re all great, but since the app is more of a building tool than a game, it’s focused on helping players with things like weight-to-thrust ratios, disassembling blueprint builds, and calculating materials for designs. The app is intended to assist with ship planning rather than full in-game functionality. I definitely don’t want to create something that functions independently from the game—the whole point is for it to be a companion tool to Space Engineers, not a replacement for it.

Let me break it down further:

1. Duplicating and Editing Cockpit Toolbars: While this would be super useful in Space Engineers itself, the app won’t have functionality related to toolbars or in-game control systems since it’s not a game simulator. It’s more of a design tool to help plan your builds before bringing them into the game.

2. Creating Toolbars for Timer Blocks: Same as above—this would be perfect if the app was an in-game tool, but because the app is focused on design and not execution, things like timer blocks or actions tied to blocks aren’t within the app's scope.

3. Block Groups: Grouping blocks is a helpful idea for organizing designs, but since the app is all about helping players design and plan their ships, it won't be able to interact with in-game block mechanics or groupings. The focus will stay on the overall structure, material calculations, and ship performance stats.

4. Prefix, Append, and Remove Text from Block Names: Renaming and organizing blocks is a feature more suited for managing in-game mechanics. Since the app is focused on design and not the in-game actions, it won’t include something like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

5. Renaming Grids and Subgrids: The app does support subgrids, but they’ll remain static in the design process (no movement or simulation). Renaming them in the app could be useful, but again, this tool is more for planning and less for controlling in-game elements.

In short, while these are awesome ideas for enhancing gameplay, the app is focused on helping you plan, design, and calculate stats/materials for your builds. It’s meant to be a tool that assists in the design phase rather than replicating what Space Engineers itself does. I want this to be a companion app, helping you create and plan outside of the game so that you can jump into Space Engineers fully prepared.

Thanks for the great suggestions, and sorry for the long reply. I just wanted to make sure I clarified exactly what the app is for and how it will be used. I’m always open to feedback and ideas, and who knows—there could be future updates that bring more depth to the design side. But for now, the focus will stay on the core planning and building tools.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

Originally posted by mcphersondavid:

Originally posted by Ronin Planetary Industries (RPI):

The ability to duplicate and edit cockpit toolbars from within the app.

The ability to create toolbars for timer blocks and other blocks capable of executing actions.

Create block groups within the app,

Prefix, append, and remove text from block names (like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

Rename all grids plus sub-grids from the app.

Hey, I really appreciate all the ideas! They’re all great, but since the app is more of a building tool than a game, it’s focused on helping players with things like weight-to-thrust ratios, disassembling blueprint builds, and calculating materials for designs. The app is intended to assist with ship planning rather than full in-game functionality. I definitely don’t want to create something that functions independently from the game—the whole point is for it to be a companion tool to Space Engineers, not a replacement for it.

Let me break it down further:

1. Duplicating and Editing Cockpit Toolbars: While this would be super useful in Space Engineers itself, the app won’t have functionality related to toolbars or in-game control systems since it’s not a game simulator. It’s more of a design tool to help plan your builds before bringing them into the game.

2. Creating Toolbars for Timer Blocks: Same as above—this would be perfect if the app was an in-game tool, but because the app is focused on design and not execution, things like timer blocks or actions tied to blocks aren’t within the app's scope.

3. Block Groups: Grouping blocks is a helpful idea for organizing designs, but since the app is all about helping players design and plan their ships, it won't be able to interact with in-game block mechanics or groupings. The focus will stay on the overall structure, material calculations, and ship performance stats.

4. Prefix, Append, and Remove Text from Block Names: Renaming and organizing blocks is a feature more suited for managing in-game mechanics. Since the app is focused on design and not the in-game actions, it won’t include something like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

5. Renaming Grids and Subgrids: The app does support subgrids, but they’ll remain static in the design process (no movement or simulation). Renaming them in the app could be useful, but again, this tool is more for planning and less for controlling in-game elements.

In short, while these are awesome ideas for enhancing gameplay, the app is focused on helping you plan, design, and calculate stats/materials for your builds. It’s meant to be a tool that assists in the design phase rather than replicating what Space Engineers itself does. I want this to be a companion app, helping you create and plan outside of the game so that you can jump into Space Engineers fully prepared.

Thanks for the great suggestions, and sorry for the long reply. I just wanted to make sure I clarified exactly what the app is for and how it will be used. I’m always open to feedback and ideas, and who knows—there could be future updates that bring more depth to the design side. But for now, the focus will stay on the core planning and building tools.

Basically, you're reinventing elements from SEToolbox. It's on Github, so you can probably peak at the code.

The features I listed are NOT gameplay features. They are design features. The naming of blocks, organizing of toolbars and groups go with designing ships/stations. A huge chunk of time can be spent performing the tasks that go along with naming and programming toolbars. It can easily take as long building a ship in the first place. The features you've already listed are a bit redundant.

[mcphersondavid]

Originally posted by Ronin Planetary Industries (RPI):

Originally posted by mcphersondavid:

Hey, I really appreciate all the ideas! They’re all great, but since the app is more of a building tool than a game, it’s focused on helping players with things like weight-to-thrust ratios, disassembling blueprint builds, and calculating materials for designs. The app is intended to assist with ship planning rather than full in-game functionality. I definitely don’t want to create something that functions independently from the game—the whole point is for it to be a companion tool to Space Engineers, not a replacement for it.

Let me break it down further:

1. Duplicating and Editing Cockpit Toolbars: While this would be super useful in Space Engineers itself, the app won’t have functionality related to toolbars or in-game control systems since it’s not a game simulator. It’s more of a design tool to help plan your builds before bringing them into the game.

2. Creating Toolbars for Timer Blocks: Same as above—this would be perfect if the app was an in-game tool, but because the app is focused on design and not execution, things like timer blocks or actions tied to blocks aren’t within the app's scope.

3. Block Groups: Grouping blocks is a helpful idea for organizing designs, but since the app is all about helping players design and plan their ships, it won't be able to interact with in-game block mechanics or groupings. The focus will stay on the overall structure, material calculations, and ship performance stats.

4. Prefix, Append, and Remove Text from Block Names: Renaming and organizing blocks is a feature more suited for managing in-game mechanics. Since the app is focused on design and not the in-game actions, it won’t include something like the "Group Rename" script from the workshop.

5. Renaming Grids and Subgrids: The app does support subgrids, but they’ll remain static in the design process (no movement or simulation). Renaming them in the app could be useful, but again, this tool is more for planning and less for controlling in-game elements.

In short, while these are awesome ideas for enhancing gameplay, the app is focused on helping you plan, design, and calculate stats/materials for your builds. It’s meant to be a tool that assists in the design phase rather than replicating what Space Engineers itself does. I want this to be a companion app, helping you create and plan outside of the game so that you can jump into Space Engineers fully prepared.

Thanks for the great suggestions, and sorry for the long reply. I just wanted to make sure I clarified exactly what the app is for and how it will be used. I’m always open to feedback and ideas, and who knows—there could be future updates that bring more depth to the design side. But for now, the focus will stay on the core planning and building tools.

Basically, you're reinventing elements from SEToolbox. It's on Github, so you can probably peak at the code.

The features I listed are NOT gameplay features. They are design features. The naming of blocks, organizing of toolbars and groups go with designing ships/stations. A huge chunk of time can be spent performing the tasks that go along with naming and programming toolbars. It can easily take as long building a ship in the first place. The features you've already listed are a bit redundant.

I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding about the purpose of my app, so I’d like to explain how it differs from tools like SEToolbox and why some of the features you suggested are more gameplay-focused.

SEToolbox is a save editor that lets players manipulate game files, such as blueprints and models, directly within Space Engineers​, My app, on the other hand, is more like a LEGO building system—it’s designed to let you plan and design ship layouts when you're away from your game device. The idea is that if you're not around your PC or console, you can still use your mobile device to build and refine ship ideas. It’s all about making it easier to come back to the game with a fully fleshed-out design, ready for construction.

The features you mentioned, such as editing cockpit toolbars or managing block groups, are things that require in-game interactions—like accessing control panels and toolbars, which are integral to gameplay. My app isn’t meant to simulate or replace those in-game mechanics. Instead, it’s a companion tool that helps you focus on ship design and performance planning. Once you're back in Space Engineers, you can then take your design and handle those gameplay elements.

If you think of my app like a LEGO set, it’s there to help you build and brainstorm outside of the game. If you have time away from your game device, you can use the app to work on your designs so that when you’re back in Space Engineers, you’re ready to execute.

I recommend checking out my posts and videos (linked in this post) for a clearer idea of what the app is designed to do.