Hack The Galaxy! Space Engineers' Programmable Blocks

Even as a casual observer of the genre, I get excited when sandbox block 'em ups add programmable bits. Some of Minecraft's redstone devices are staggering in their scale and mechanical complexity, and I suspect we'll see some awfully clever things in Space Engineers. An update last week added programmable blocks which are properly programmable, running C# code, which I imagine will power all sorts of delightful devices and cruel creations for me to enjoy seeing in videos. Folks have already made virtual viruses that e.g. disable ships and arm their warheads.

Programmable blocks can control and interact with other spacethings, from gravity generators to grinders. I chose those two examples because they're next to each other on the list, but I can already think of horrible programs involving the two. If you fancy programming your own spacebits, have a gander at this guide.

Scrips are supported by Space Engineer's Steam Workshop too, so you can share your creations and download others'. I already see self-aligning solar panels, automated defenses, and even in-game computer viruses to screw up ships. So, obviously, be prepared for unexpected things if you play on a server with scripts enabled - and keep an eye open for hackers.

I really do like the idea of sneaking about ships to plant malicious hardware.

Here, look at some programmed blinking lights and a murderous quiz machine: