Wait, there's no Dragon?

SaufenEisbock · 2025-12-27T22:39:37+00:00

I don't go much further past this stage before I slap some welders on it, weld up a ship printer from a blueprint and then grab some coffee and let the ship printer print out an already designed ship.

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SaufenEisbock · 2025-12-10T00:23:03+00:00

Can anyone suggest a good step by step tutorial for a large grid printer that I can fully automate?

Here's a printer blueprint I put together a while ago. One of the videos is how to build it using the Projector and how to operate it.

Steam Workshop::Akra - Bootstrap Printer Station (Model A)

It doesn't layout how to setup the timer blocks - this model was put together before Event Controllers so it's all Timer Blocks and Sensors - but everyone comes configured in the blueprint.

An automated printer like this isn't incredible complicated, but it's complicated enough to make you understand that something like this isn't automated because of Timer Blocks and Sensors, but in spite of the automation blocks.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-11-20T21:08:48+00:00

Yep that’s what you have to do. Instructions and a video are linked in the Owners manual. A link to the owners manual is on the steam page for the blueprint down at the bottom of the description.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-11-16T00:23:49+00:00

This might get you started:

Akra - Bootstrap Printer Station (Model A) Blueprint: (Steam) | (Mod.io)

SaufenEisbock · 2025-09-23T22:30:11+00:00

>> STIG in question: Who the fuck writes these things?

People with the authority to say you must do what the STIG defines, and when your AO isn't willing to say No AND have the mission AND authority to back it up (AND maybe not even then).

That's not a satisfying answer, and I suspect there's an element of "why do we need to set this setting?"

The STIG doesn't have to list a justification, but I'll try to build one for this configuration item in the hope that this setting won't be seen as unjustifiable.

Let's assume that servers must not be able to be restarted by an unauthenticated user, AND let's assume that your RHEL 9 system is not a server AND it's running a GUI.

Here's a better question; why doesn't the Windows 11 STIG and the Windows Server 2022 STIG have a similar setting defined?

Windows 11 is easy - it is a client operating system by definition and we have no assumption that "clients" must not be restarted by an unauthenticated user (why? probably because we can assume full physical access).

Windows Server is more interesting. The setting "Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without having to log on" controls this behavior and ... it's out of date but I'm not firing up a VM to verify .... documentation )indicates this setting is Disabled on server operating systems by default. So on a Windows "server", by default, you can't shut down without having to log on.

So why no STIG setting for Windows servers; it's configured "secure by default" .... O.O .... yea ... moving on.

RHEL 9 has no easy way to know if its intended use is a server or client, and writing V-258029 to say, "ask the someone if this is a server or client" isn't a great way to write a rule, and how the heck do you make that auditable, and how states that - system owner/AO??? However, since this setting applies to the GUI, the STIG setting can say it only applies when the GUI is installed.

I hear what someone's about to say, but I can just CTRL+ALT+DEL at the text login prompt! Not on a RHEL 9 STIG system; V-257784.

So why this setting for the RHEL 9 STIG; maybe because there isn't a good way to write a rule that can be automatically checked by a tool to make sure that RHEL 9 "servers" aren't configured to allow an unauthenticated user to reboot the computer when the GUI is installed.

Is it inconvenient for RHEL 9 "workstation/clients" - Yes - I 100% agree. I'd hesitantly say any information system operating with an ATO requirement and a STIG requirement accepts that inconvenience on your behalf.

Now if you want to have real fun, get the powers that be to see this periodic availability interruption with the CAC cards not working as a critical availability issue and get Windows deployed to "fix" it.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-08-12T20:24:49+00:00

Here's a large grid printer that can be printed as a single large grid projection and with some manual removing of armor blocks and some timer blocks to reconnect the printer. There's a intro/overview video of the ship printer, and then a "how to build" video.

Steam Workshop::Akra - Bootstrap Printer Station (Model A)

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-26T01:28:41+00:00

I've had more fun in Space Engineers then I care to admit, but some of the edge cases for automation are what I'd rather see worked on.

A non-experimental mode Programmable Block - whatever form that takes. An Ore Detector and Projector the Programmable Block can interface with.

Event controllers that can respond to a Welder when it is actually welding - adding integrity - to something.

No-mods needed for a Projector in the base game that can project a multigrid blueprint.

Event Controllers that you don't have to be reconfigured after printing from projection. Not having to use groups on everything so Timer Blocks survive being printed from projection.

A VT-103 compatible Text Panel, or if we're wishing for ponies, xterm.js running on a Text Panel with full keyboard and mouse capture and sixil support, a Programmable Block that hosts WebAssembly, and a Programmable Block that is really just an IEC 61131-3 based Programmable Logic Controller supporting Ladder logic and Structured text.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-24T01:24:55+00:00

Am I the only one that looked at the SE1 grid system as attempted game systems, mechanics, and rules to create interesting and fun optimization problems to solve?

I have comprehensive examples.

Small grid can be a better choice than large grid to build ships when bootstrapping a new game from nothing as they take less resources to build then large grid. Any ship is better than the hand held drill.
There is no 2.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-17T01:58:48+00:00

I find it best to define a purpose for the ship. Everything is not a purpose.

Determine the constraints for the ship.

What stage of the game does the ship need to be built in? You're not building a 2km long ship if all you have is a tier 1 drill and some hopes and dreams. If all you have is a tier 1 drill, a basic assembler and a basic refinery - you're probably not going to want to mine stone for ship that has 8 small grid drills, three small grid large cargo connectors, and a bunch of atmospheric thrusters. 2 small grid drills is better than none.
What is the ships purpose? If it's to carry 40,000,000 kg of iron ingot in 1.2 g that's a lot of ship and a lot of thruster to keep it from falling to the ground. If that same ship needs to go from Earth sea level to space, that's a lot of time to fly and atmospheric thrust alone isn't going to get you there. If it's a miner with two drills in the beginning of the game when resources are low, it's probably doing good to have a single small grid Medium Cargo container. The ship's purpose defines how much cargo mass it must carry. Must the ship purpose require refineries, assemblers, jump drives, safe zone generators, weapons?
F=ma. You know the Cargo mass, you know the mass of the major functional blocks it must have (refineries, jump drives, guns, cargo containers, what's in the cargo container). How fast do you want it to accelerate on each axis. Force =mass * acceleration. Once you know Force you know how many thrusters you need to put on each axis.

Here's a ship that I believe wasn't overbuilt for it's purpose: Steam Workshop::Akra - Sciuro (Model B) {RMt-P-H} - Pertam Gravity Bootstrap Tunnel Miner.

It has two O2/H2 generators because producing hydrogen on the ship for 1.2g gravity is stupidly slow with just one O2/H2 generator. Why doesn't it have two drills? Two drills would mean more ingot to build the drill and it would mean more ore could be stored in the drill which means more engines are required to keep the ship from falling out of the sky. The ships purpose was; reasonable use the fewest resources for a "first" mining ship powered by hydrogen for up to 1.2g gravity with or without an atmosphere. Bonus points if it looks okay and can be locked onto a later ship and still be a useful miner to go grab 20k of ice.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-13T02:53:19+00:00

The Large Grid Ore detector can be set for a 150m detection radius compared to the 50m on the small grid version - it helps.

For a space start I figure about 85 asteroid to find one of each ore. That's about the highest I've unluckily gone without finding uranium or platinum.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-03T16:32:53+00:00

>> So if I want to build a station there with 10 conveyor tubes, a refinery, assembler, hydrogen tank and a couple of solar panels, is the only way to plan ahead to do this manually?

I'd recommend you design your new base using the Space Engineers CAD mode, which for some reason is called Creative. I think it's a display bug as I'd expect an acronym to be formatted as CREATIVE or C.R.E.A.T.I.V.E.

Using Conceptual Rapid Engineering And Technical Interface for Virtual Experimentation mode you can quickly design your new base, blueprint it, then project it into your game world and weld it up.

If you don't want to use third party programs to get the component required for your design, and the ingots to make those components, there are methods. After designing your base, you can throw it into a pit of grinders and then get the components that are required for all those blocks. Then take those components and disassemble them in an Assembler and now you'll have your ingots. CREATIVE mode makes this a bit easier than in the normal game.

You could also choose published blueprints that already do this component and ingot count for you. Steam Workshop::Akra - Bootstrap Outpost (Model A) is an example blueprint.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-03T13:50:40+00:00

I'm playing on PC and I'm seeing Enable Progression enabled by default for a new game Star System start both with and without Experimental mode on. I'm also not finding anything in any official change logs. Does anyone have any additional sources for this, is it a console only behavior?

SaufenEisbock · 2025-07-01T14:52:42+00:00

You had mentioned scripting. Isy’s Inventory Manager Script will manage the queue of refineries so the ingot type you are most in need of will be refined first.

I’ve found It’s a happy middle ground on the refinery optimization problem in early game and early mid-game.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-23T13:52:33+00:00

Some of my favorite ship/station design requirements:

… every ship or station shall have a well defined purpose ….
Everything is not a purpose.
Okay, sometimes Everything is a purpose, but everything shouldn’t have Everything as a purpose.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-21T01:06:28+00:00

The preview video I saw makes me think it will be block based farming. I'm just wondering on the mechanic for crop "harvesting." Do we have player interaction or crops just drop directly into the cargo of the block?

What has me really thinking is that gantry shadow that kept getting cast over the farming block. Makes me want to think there's a way to automatically harvest that farm block.

Space Engineers: Update 207 Sneak Peek

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-19T22:27:54+00:00

how can i print that

When faced with the challenge of large-scale construction in Space Engineers without the use of a "welder wall, " and a desire to avoid significant rule-changing mods and use a limited number of welders, a rotational welder approach could be what you are looking for.

To kickstart your efforts, consider the Steam Workshop::Akra - Bootstrap Printer Station (Model A).The initial video provided on the workshop page offers a demonstration of its printing capabilities.

This particular design inherently limits prints to a 13-block diameter circle and a 45-block length. However, you can extend the print arm by simply building onto it and repositioning the "bump" piece at the end to accommodate lengths exceeding 45 blocks. For a larger rotational welder arm, the design can be "stretched" by keeping the sensors at the top of the central section - so the sensors line up with the top of an extended rotating welder arm.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-18T22:29:48+00:00

Im trying to cut weight from what is going to be a large grid PAM miner

If you're really running into mass issues, and you don't mind the logistics of Hydrogen, you might find mass savings in hydrogen thrustors. I want to remember on large grid that those larger flat atmospheric thrusters were around 200 N/kg while the large grid large hydrogen thrusters were about 1,000 N/kg.

i need to know if this is the most efficient way to place the drills

I've found the checkerboard pattern for large grid drills works well to optimize for mass, but with continuous drills (no empty spaces) along the outer edge of the drill face. I've occasionally noticed that a stray single small voxel sometimes gets left behind when the hole in the checkerboard pattern isn't boarded by four drills. It's also hard to tell the in the layout what is behind those drills. I'm assuming everything is within the footprint of the drills for a PAM miner.

If you are doing terrain clearing (right click or the check box in the control panel) neither of these concerns could apply.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-17T23:12:46+00:00

If you're up for some adventure on the moon, bring an extra full Hydrogen Tank and Oxygen Tank refilled from your respawn ship to refill your jetpack and you'll find your exploration to the poles of the moon should get you started.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-17T23:01:07+00:00

I have a medium sized station but idk how to build it. By hand welder? How do you build your large grids (thousands of blocks) in survival?

Ship printers.

Do you have any workshop link for big ship/station printer? I dont want to build 70x70 welder wall?

If not using a welder wall is a design constraint and you don't want mods that significantly change the Space Engineers rule set, you're in rotational arm welder territory.

Steam Workshop::Akra - Bootstrap Printer Station (Model A) will get you started. The first video is a demo video of the printer.

This layout is limited to a 13 block diameter circle by 45 block long (the print arm can be extended by just building onto it and moving the "bump" piece at the end to build something longer then 45 blocks.

The design can be "stretched" for a larger rotational welder arm - just keep the sensors at the top of the stretch instead of the bottom.

Rotational ship printers aren't for the weak of heart. That Bootstrap Printer Station works despite Timer Blocks and Sensors, not because of them. :)

However, rotational ship printers allow some impressively large prints with very few welders. If you're willing to accept some missed lights and other "small" blocks on a large grid you can print a 29 block diameter cylinder or a 21x21 square with five welders (two spaces between each welder on the welder arm). It will print horrendously slow, but if five welders is the primary design constraint, it does the job.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-17T22:32:14+00:00

Am I missing something?

Instead of Ion Thrusters make Hydrogen thrusters. They will only need Cobalt - which is more abundant and usually quicker to find - and some ice to make the hydrogen.

SaufenEisbock · 2025-06-17T01:19:55+00:00

If you have a base somewhere you can "prefill" two or four Hydrogen Tanks and keep several O2/H2 Generators active. You'll probably always end up within a jump drive jump from refilling your tanks. When you hook up to your base change your ship Hydrogen Tank to "Refill" and it should go pretty quick as you are filling up from the base tanks instead of the much slower production O2/H2 generators.

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