Modder Spotlight: Meridius_IX / Lucas

Welcome to our Creator spotlight!

Continuing our series of Space Engineers modder Spotlights with Meridius_IX / Lucas. We invite you to browse extensive workshop collection by Meridius_IX / Lucas. With so much to explore there is certain to be something for everyone.

“I started playing Space Engineers in 2013. Sometime after the update that added NPC cargo ships, I learned from other creators in the community that it was possible to take our own creations and turn them into NPC Encounters such as Cargo Ships or Random Exploration Encounters via modding tools. That was the spark that took me down the path to becoming a modder.

When I started out, I didn’t know much about modding Space Engineers or even programming in general. The first few mods I released were pretty simple, and didn’t include anything too fancy. When KeenSWH released the update that allowed us to attach programmable block drone behaviors to NPC grids, I immediately started working on a project that became the first iteration of the Reavers mod. Sometime after that, I started dipping my toes into learning how to script with the Programmable block (Whiplash141 helped me with a lot of my early stumbling!), which eventually lead to the creation of the Corruption mod.

The Corruption mod got the attention of a modder named Ensou, who reached out and taught me the initial ropes of using the ModAPI. Soon after that, I got the ambitious idea of trying to bring NPC spawning to planets. I created the first frameworks for NPC spawning (Planetary Cargo Ships and Planetary Installations) that would later be combined into a more complete framework called Modular Encounters Spawner, which lowered the barriers involved for creating NPC Encounter content mods for other creators. The most current evolution of this framework is now called Modular Encounters Systems (MES), which combines the previously mentioned Spawner mod, along with the RivalAI mod I had developed a couple years ago.

It’s been awesome to see some of the creative stuff that people have been able to create using the MES framework, and I can’t wait to see what they will make with it in the future as it continues to evolve!”

	Modular Encounters Systems This mod was designed to be a flexible framework that will handle nearly all spawning of NPC grids in your game world. It also includes a behavior system that NPCs can use to engage with players and the environment in unique ways. The mod was built to be compatible with existing NPC mods, while also providing new and powerful options to add extra variety and control to how NPC grids appear in the game.
	Reavers: Terror of the Verse Reavers is a PvE mod that adds hostile encounters to your game world. The Reavers in this mod are heavily inspired by the Reavers of the Firefly TV series / Serenity movie. They are aggressive, cannibalistic pirates that fly macabre ships often adorned with sharp protrusions and bodies of their previous victims. When they spot a target, they will chase it relentlessly – that is their way.
	Imber Corporation (Formerly Air Traffic) Imber Corporation adds several NPC Grid Encounters to your game. This includes Space and Planetary Cargo Ships, Random Encounters, and Planetary Installations. The Imber Corporation is an organization that has engaged in aggressive expansion and colonization in many systems. It has very few allies, and even those relationships are not solid.
	Parallax Concepts (Formerly Surface Occupation) Parallax Concepts adds several NPC Grid Encounters to your game. This includes Space and Planetary Cargo Ships, and Planetary Installations. Parallax Concepts is one of the few larger organizations that has managed to sieze a foothold in several planetary systems. While they do not prefer violence or conflict, they are more than capable of defending themselves against attackers.
	Independent Contractors (Formerly Reddit Custom Encounters) Independent Contractors adds several NPC Grid Encounters to your game. This includes Space and Planetary Cargo Ships, and Planetary Installations. Independent Contractors (Incon) are a collective of ships and station operators. They are not affiliated with larger organizations such as Imber or Parallax. Contractors do have a level of respect for one another, so it’s not uncommon to see cooperation between their ships and stations.

You can find more of the amazing creations by Meridius_IX / Lucas here.

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