Working Knowledge

Working Knowledge

A salvage-first progression overhaul for Space Engineers.

Working Knowledge transforms Space Engineers survival into a true field-engineering experience.

Instead of racing through a linear build-one-block menu, you must recover schematic data, decode research fragments, and practice your trade. Wrecks, captured ships, abandoned stations, and POIs are no longer just component scrap heaps—they are critical opportunities to study unfamiliar tech and advance your capabilities.

Every find presents a real tactical decision:

• Keep the block functional and build around it?
• Relocate it using specialized tools?
• Strip it carefully for parts?
• Or grind it down for raw research progress and accept the loss?

Research unlocks what you understand. Proficiency determines how well you build, repair, and salvage.

Core Systems

Tailored Schematic Families

Vanilla progression chains are replaced by grouped, tech-logical schematic families. Most public cube blocks belong to a family that must be researched before you can construct it from scratch.

Field Research

Gain progression points by dismantling unknown technologies, decoding rare Data Fragments from loot, or securing exact Data Schematics from POIs, missions, scenarios, and admin events. Unlocking a family opens its technology for normal production.

Practical Proficiency

Unlocking a schematic is only half the battle. Your hands-on experience dictates your efficiency:

• Low Proficiency: Slower work, higher chance of component loss during salvage, higher repair costs, and potential construction setbacks.
• High Proficiency: Clean salvage, faster builds, reliable repairs, and peak component recovery.

Technology isn't just unlocked—it's mastered.

Recommended Gameplay Setup

Working Knowledge is fully functional as a standalone mod, but the physical salvage loop shines brightest when paired with tools that encourage moving and preserving machinery.

Required & Recommended Companions

Rich HUD Master (Required) Provides the core engine for the graphical settings menu and live progress overlay overlay.

Advanced Welding (Recommended) Allows detaching and reattaching intact functional blocks, making intact salvage vastly more valuable than raw scrap.

Improvised Experimentation (Recommended) Adds physics-based dragging, carrying, and repositioning, turning heavy wreck salvage into an engaging spatial puzzle.

Feature Highlights

Research And Progression

• Tailored schematic families for most vanilla public cube blocks.
• Survival block locks tied into the game's progression system.
• Research progress recovered by grinding unknown technology.
• Data Fragments as rare random research loot.
• Exact Data Schematics for authored rewards, POIs, missions, scenarios, or admin use.
• Separate player research and faction research options.

Proficiency And Field Work

• Player-only Proficiency for hands-on engineering practice.
• Salvage recovery and yield influenced directly by Proficiency.
• Construction and repair setbacks for low-Proficiency work.
• Better reliability as your engineer gains experience.

Tools And Feedback

• Research Pedestal terminal block for viewing and syncing research.
• LCD apps for Research, Proficiency, Identity, and display Calibration.
• Theme-matched Rich HUD progress overlay for recent research and Proficiency updates.
• Full graphical settings menu accessible via /wk settings.
• Admin tuning and difficulty presets for novice, easy, medium, hard, and extreme worlds.

Configuration & Commands

The fastest way to configure your settings, adjust difficulty presets, or customize progress bars is through the graphical settings panel.

Open the GUI in-game by typing:

/wk settings[/code]

For a general overview or a full list of available fallback chat commands, use:
[code]/wk
/wk help

Compatibility Notes

Working Knowledge alters block unlocks, grinding output, salvage rates, and placement rules. Mods that alter these same mechanics should be tested together.

Custom Block Compatibility Layers

Custom block mods can be connected to Working Knowledge using small layer mods. The included Layer Toolkit scans third-party block mods and generates the mappings, research definitions, and exact Data Schematics required for custom groups.

Admins can use /wk admin audit to check loaded layers. Detailed compatibility warnings also appear in the Space Engineers log and F11 mod-error screen.

Working Knowledge Layer Toolkit README Toolkit Releases And Downloads

Latest Updates & Project Info

1.1.x Update Highlights:

• Rich HUD Master is now required for full GUI settings and overlay support.
• Added the graphical settings menu (/wk settings) for quick, visual tuning of difficulty, audio, and UI parameters.
• Redesigned progress bars to seamlessly match Space Engineers UI color themes.

Working Knowledge is the first playable layer of the larger Space Engineers: Beneath the Crust campaign project.

Project Links & Feedback: