Space Engineers 2 | Guide: G-SCREEN

This guide aims to explain the structure of the block selection screen colloquially known as the “G-Screen” and how to assign blocks to it.

Prerequisites

Please ensure you have followed the section on “Tool Setup and Mod Creation” in the VRAGE3 Modding Overview prior to starting this guide.

If you are not interested in the overview and general information parts please skip to the VRAGE3 Mod Editor section to understand how to set up the G-Screen for your block.

G-Screen Structure: Categories, Subcategories, Block Groups, and Block Kinds

All of these are definitions used within the G-Screen. The G-screen is organised in a hierarchical layout in the following way:

• Categories
  • Subcategories
    • Block Groups
      • Block Kinds

Categories - These are down the left hand side of the G-Screen these are the high level organisers.



Subcategories - These run left to right along the top of the middle panel of the G-Screen and are contained within the categories themselves, they are more specific organisers usually defining the type of block you will find within them.



Block Groups - Block groups can contain one or more block kinds. They are the tiles themselves of the G-screen. Each individual block has to belong to a block group even if it has no other siblings within that group.



Block Kinds - Block kinds are the block themselves abstract of size. This allows us to put multiple sizes of blocks together and scroll through their sizes but not as a group. Block kinds can belong to multiple block groups. Every block kind has to be assigned to at least one block group.

When setting up the G screen structure of the block we start from the bottom of the structure and the move upwards i.e we add the Block Kind to the Cube Block Definition, Block Group to the Block Kind, the Block Group to the Subcategory and the Subcategory to the Category, it can in theory be done by top down at some parts but removes many of the automations around sorting and organising.

Ordering

Ordering is determined by a numerical value. Lower numbers (excluding 0) place the item higher in the list or further to the left. The number 0 indicates that the item should be ordered alphabetically. Block Kinds are automatically arranged by size. Size is automatically assigned to a block based on its longest side.

Example of Forced Ordering in a Category and Subcategory:

VRAGE3 Mod Editor

For the purpose of this guide we are going to take an existing block and put it in an entirely new location.

1. Search for Vanilla Definition: Press the magnifying glass and in the search bar enter IonThruster750_ThrustersPowerableBlockDefinition.partialdef
   
   
2. Create Override Definition: Right click on IonThruster750_ThrustersPowerableBlockDefinition.partialdef, select Create Partial Definition (Override)
   Overriding this definition allows your mod to update existing and new saves that use the original skybox, applying your changes automatically.
   
   
   
   
3. Select override: Select the newly created override
   
   
4. Block Kind Creation: Right click where it says “IonThrusterBlockKind” in the Block Kind field and select Create New Definition
   
   
   The newly created definition should be automatically selected and in focus of the “Property Inspector”
   
5. Block Kind Data: Inside the newly created Block Kind Definition enter a name, the same as the block itself and enter a description
   
   
6. Block Group Creation: In the Block Kind Definition Press the + Add Element button in the Block Group section then left click the + in the Block Groups field
   The newly created definition should be automatically selected and in focus of the “Property Inspector”
   
   
   
   
7. Block Group Data: Inside the newly created BlockGroups Definition, enter the same name in the name field as you entered in the Block Kind Definition earlier as its not going to contain any other blocks in this group
   
   Ignore the Block Kinds Section this is already assigned in the Block Kinds Definition you created earlier
   
   
8. Subcategory Creation: In the Block Group Definition Press the + Add Element button in the Subcategories section then left click the + in the Subcategories field
   
   The newly created definition should be automatically selected and in focus of the “Property Inspector”
   
   
9. Subcategory Data: Inside the newly created subcategory definition enter the name “Modded Thrusters” into the Name field. Enter “Thrusters that are not in vanilla game” for the Tooltip field.
   
   
10. Category Creation: In the Subcategory Definition Press the + Add Element button in the Categories section then left click the + in the Categories field
    
    The newly created definition should be automatically selected and in focus of the “Property Inspector”
    
    
11. Category Data: Inside the newly created subcategory definition enter the name “Modded” into the Name field. Enter “Modded Blocks” for the Tooltip field and in the order field enter “1” so we can force it to the start of the list.

You should now be able to start your game by going to the menu bar → Project → Start Gam and on opening the G-screen have the Category “Modded Thruster” showing with the Ion Thruster 7.5m in it.

Video Guide

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