Today in our SE2 playtest, we focused on VS 2.2 progress: planets (new Byblos biomes), the first drivable wheels prototype, and a few early encounter scenarios. Later, we did a longer sound review session for VS 2.2 with our sound designers.

VS3 – Planet Byblos Biomes & Rocks

We now have Byblos in multiple looks: snow, volcanic, desert, and a mossy/green biome. We also tested a new set of rock types and sizes – from small (~0.5 m) up to large formations (5 m, and even 15 m).

We decided not to use the biggest rock formations for now. Our rock tech is designed for smaller rocks (up to ~5 m), which fracture and break apart at their own granularity. Very large formations are better handled as voxel terrain or voxel boulders, which are built from voxels and can be drilled and destroyed at voxel-level detail. Mixing those two systems at large scales doesn’t make sense yet, so we’re sticking to voxel terrain for big formations for now.

One of the most striking Byblos biomes is the Volcanic Biome. The team is building massive volcanoes that can reach up to 2 km in height, and the scale is impressive. This is a hostile environment – dry, unstable, and almost completely devoid of life. There is no vegetation here, the conditions are simply too harsh.

These regions are placed mostly in tropical to subtropical areas, and in some places they break into arid, savanna-like islands with yellowish rock formations. I really like this contrast. It feels raw and alien, yet still grounded. There is also the possibility to find sulphur in these areas, which opens up some interesting gameplay questions for later.

The same volcanic structures take on a very different character in the Snow & Ice Biome. Here, the volcanos are covered in snow and ice, with no vegetation at all. These regions are found closer to the poles, where temperatures drop dramatically. Because Byblos has a very high water level, the shoreline can sometimes form small lakes that freeze over. I find this especially interesting visually – familiar volcanic shapes, but transformed into something cold, quiet, and almost lifeless.

Then there is the Moss Biome, which might be my personal favorite so far. It uses the same volcanic base shapes, but they are partially covered with moss. Vegetation here is minimal – just small patches of moss clinging to the surface – but it completely changes the mood.

These areas appear in temperate regions, roughly between the 45° and 65° parallels. Sulphur can also be found here, and visually we’re taking inspiration from places like Iceland and Greenland. I think this biome hits a really nice balance between harshness and subtle life, and I’m curious to see how players will feel exploring and building in these areas.

I also want to share a bit more about the Underwater Biomes on Byblos, because this is one of the areas that keeps surprising me every time I look at it. The scale alone is something we don’t usually get to explore in games like this. The underwater terrain goes down to roughly -20 km of altitude, which creates a strong sense of depth and pressure the deeper you go.

What I find interesting is how the team is splitting this space. Roughly 60% of the underwater areas are relatively shallow water, while the rest drops into a deep abyss. There are also so-called blue holes – vertical shafts that connect shallow water directly to the abyss below. These transitions create moments where you suddenly realize how far down the world really goes, and I think they have a lot of potential for exploration and future gameplay.

Shallow water areas are full of underwater flora, which helps the environment feel alive and readable. Deeper down, things change. Vegetation disappears, the terrain becomes more barren, and the space starts to feel empty and quiet in a very different way. There are also many underwater caves. In theory, these caves should connect to cracks leading into the abyss, but right now we are hitting few technical limitations there. This is something we’re aware of and want to improve over time.

We are also toying with the idea of adding crystals in the deep underwater areas. When there is no vegetation at all, the environment can start to feel unfinished, even if it is “technically correct”. Completely empty terrain just looks strange. The crystals can give us visual anchors – points of interest that break the monotony, add scale, and make the deep ocean feel intentional rather than empty.

I really like how they subtly guide your eye and make even the darkest depths feel worth exploring.

VS2 Update

Wheels (VS 2.2 → VS 2.3 direction)
The goal for VS 2.2 was simple: get the first playable wheels prototype into the game, then learn what works, what feels wrong, and what’s missing – and only then decide how far we push it in VS 2.3.

The good news: driving already feels surprisingly solid. Steering works, suspension feels good, and you can feel the weight and grounding of the vehicle.

What’s still missing / needs improvement:

• Wheel visuals are not finished yet (including shadows).
• Braking is not implemented properly yet.
• Acceleration needs tuning (stronger / more responsive).
• No particle effects yet (dust, skid, etc.).
• No wheel/vehicle sounds yet.
• Camera needs improvement: add some “spring” so it reacts with the vehicle and feels more dynamic.

Cargo Ship Encounters
We also looked at early cargo ship encounter situations. Still very early, but the direction is: make these encounters feel like real “events” in the world, not just spawning a thing. More on this once we have them in better shape.

Sound reviews for VS 2.2
We reviewed a lot of sounds today: gatling gun, pistons, rotors, and especially wheels rolling. The main theme of the feedback was: make things feel heavier and more physical – you should feel tire contact, weight transfer, and the “mass” of the vehicle. We also reviewed weather sounds (rain), the area welder (hand tool and block tool), and UX sounds for trading (buy/sell, sector progress) and looting.

It’s funny how often my feedback ends up being: “It’s good… but please make it more bad / evil.” 🙂

I also spent some time reviewing our latest drilling animations, and this is one of those details where feel really matters to me. Operating a heavy drill should not look or feel effortless. I want more umpf in it – more weight, more resistance, and more believable body movement. The character should clearly react to the tool, not just hold it.

The team is pushing toward more logical physicality in the animation – stronger stance, clearer shifts in balance, and movements that reflect the force and vibration of heavy equipment. Even small changes in posture and timing make a big difference here.

Question to you: What kinds of biomes would you personally love to explore in Space Engineers 2?

Full Blog Post: https://blog.marekrosa.org/2026/01/mareks-dev-diary-january-22-2026/

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