Dev Diary Insight: Making Space Engineers 2 Feel “Heavier”

In the latest development update for Space Engineers 2, Marek Rosa (CEO of Keen Software House) shifted the focus from broad celestial mechanics to the granular details of “Physicality.” As the game moves through its 2026 roadmap, the team is obsessed with one thing: making sure the player feels the weight of their creations.

1. The Physics of Sound

A major portion of the diary was dedicated to the Sound Review for VS 2.2. Marek emphasized that audio shouldn’t just accompany an action; it should describe the physics of that action.

• Wheels and Traction: The team is reworking tire sounds to reflect weight transfer. You’ll hear the difference between a light scout rover and a heavy ore-hauler as the tires bite into the terrain.
• Industrial Machinery: Gatling guns, pistons, and rotors are being tuned to sound “clunky” and powerful. The goal is to move away from “effortless” movement and toward a mechanical symphony of gears and hydraulics.
• Weather Effects: New ambient audio for rain and wind is being integrated to make planetary biomes feel alive—and potentially threatening.

2. Animation with “Oomph”

Marek was candid about his dissatisfaction with “floaty” character movements. The dev team is pushing for Logical Physicality in animations:

• Heavy Tools: Operating a hand drill or welder will no longer look like the character is holding a feather. You’ll see shifts in posture, counter-balancing, and vibrations that reflect the force of the equipment.
• Resistance: When your character interacts with heavy machinery, the animations will now show the physical struggle and momentum involved in moving massive objects.

3. New Frontiers: Byblos and Beyond

The update showcased the stunning progress on the Planet Byblos. This isn’t just a heightmap; it’s a multi-layered ecosystem featuring:

• Underwater Biomes: SE2 is leaning heavily into its new volumetric water system, showing off submerged environments that players can explore (and build in).
• Cargo Ship Encounters: The diary teased new logic for how AI cargo ships behave within planetary atmospheres, hinting at more dynamic “living” world events.

4. The “Palatine Moon” Challenge

Marek ended the diary with a question to the community that has sparked massive debate on the forums:

“What will you build on the Palatine moon?”

This moon is expected to be a primary testing ground for the new Biomes & Rocks system, which features much higher fidelity terrain than anything seen in the original game.