Top 5 Survival Uses of the Event Controller

🚀 In this Space Engineers guide, I'll be showing you some amazing ways to automate your Space Engineers base with the latest Space Engineers Automatons update. We'll cover five incredible tips, starting with automated lighting for your landing pad, making it easier to connect to the connector. 💡Next up, we'll use a Solar Tower to turn on and off lights around the base. 🌞Our third tip will show you how to know when to collect hydrogen with a beacon. And, in our fourth tip, we'll teach you how to save your ears from all that engine noise by turning engines off when your batteries are charged. 🔋Last but not least, we'll show you how to use Event Controllers to make your base feel more alive and get the most out of your resources in this Space Engineers tutorial. 🌟
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Chapters
Tip 1 - 00:12
Tip 2 - 01:49
Tip 3 - 02:47
Tip 4 - 03:56
Tip 5 - 04:42

[@GleebTorin]

Thank you very much to @ChozoSR388 for pointing out that my maths was wrong on the gas tank alert tip. There's no need to divide by 4 as I did here, as that just happens naturally by virtue of the fact that there's 4 tanks. If you have any corrections, please let me know, and I'll do my best to get those corrections published.

[@tytonovaehollandiae1278]

I find that one of the best uses is for limiting wastage of power/hydrogen when thrusting. If the event controller is set to turn forward thrust off at 99+m/s it prevents you from thrusting while already at full speed. This is most useful when launching rockets to space with thrust override on as it will do so with the minimal amount of hydrogen used.

[@GleebTorin]

Oh, now there's a solution to the problem that I hadn't thought of. I was trying to think of ways to make it so that it would thrust automatically for me, but this way would involve far less faffing about.

[@marcgarrett4401]

My event controller functions so far: *Solar controller *Turn on one hour timer and a small reactor when batteries are low (and gate) *Turn on an indicator light when solar panels output is 50 percent (and gate used) *Close doors five seconds after being opened.

[@GleebTorin]

I never thought about having it close doors :O

[@marcgarrett4401]

@@GleebTorin I'm playing offline, so I've got no scripts availability. It was kinda necessary for me.

[@mementomori5580]

@@marcgarrett4401 How does playing offline mean that you have no scripts available? Especially when you play offline you can have scripts. It's when you play online that it depends on the server whether or not you have scripts available.

[@paulgreen7138]

Could be on console we can't use scripts unless on a server.

[@Jeremy9697]

@@mementomori5580 may not have online access at all

[@christiansrensen3810]

Great. Here a few free tricks When you ship connects, it starts the hydrogen engine, for quick recharge... And another that shuts off the engine when is full. Quicker recharge.

[@GleebTorin]

Ooh, good call.

[@SpenceVan598]

Something I always use on my ships is to set batteries to recharge when connector connected is true and auto on when false. Makes sure your ship batteries are always charged when docked and prevents your base from pulling power from your ships.

[@graymouser1]

@1:09, we already know: It's never ok to press 'P'. P ist verboten.

[@ctsquad501st3]

I was looking for this

[@Sir_Hermit]

My thoughts exactly

[@graymouser1]

@@Sir_Hermit it's a long standing joke between Gleeb and I. I protest him using the P key for parking, and he ignores me entirely.

[@Sir_Hermit]

@@graymouser1 fair enough, I’m new to the Channel 😄

[@targard.quantumfrack6854]

Why?

[@Expression2.0]

Literally haven’t seen a player use P for connectors since like early access of SE lmao brings me back to the good old days

[@targard.quantumfrack6854]

... I still do that, what do you do instead?

[@goat-eyes]

@@targard.quantumfrack6854 Assign Switch Lock to the Connector/Gear

[@w.i.t.c.h.q.u.e.e.n]

​@@targard.quantumfrack6854 Switch Lock in hot bar.

[@jaybirdjargon]

@@targard.quantumfrack6854 Switch Lock on Connector is how I do it

[@TheAechBomb]

​@@targard.quantumfrack6854 personally I use a pair of timer blocks, one turns the force on the connector up, the other waits ~5 seconds, docks, and then sets the force to 0. this allows the ship to align well with the connector, very useful for stuff like auto-returning mining drones

[@BNETT21]

Nice. I like the little nuggets of info sprinkled in that players may not already know.

[@GleebTorin]

Glad you're getting some use out of it! :D

[@SwordOfJustice2007]

Great video. You've got a good teaching style.

[@LucasMassey]

These are some really useful examples of the Event Controller in action. Well done!

[@GleebTorin]

Glad it's helpful! Has it sparked any cool ideas for your own bases?

[@LucasMassey]

@@GleebTorin Haven’t dug my claws too deep into it yet myself, but I may at some point soon!

[@amyskippy]

This is great, I'd love to work on a set of common systems to include in bases and ships, so I know what I want and which ones I can set up. I love the ideas here!

[@GleebTorin]

Coming up with ideas on the spot can be a pain, so that sounds like I good idea!

[@party4lifedude]

Now I know what the AND option is used for. I'll have to slightly tweak my drone's ammunition monitoring system so they only return when all of the ammo is gone and not just the ammo that is stored in their weapons. Just in case there is a delay between the gun running out of ammo and pulling more from the cargo containers. I'm not entirely sure if that happens, but it's good to know this anyways.

[@archaeologistify]

My fav use of Event Controller + AI blocks is being able to return from a trip with my ship, exit near base without fully braking and the ship just automatically docks perfectly (better than me due to it being immune to server desync using AI blocks)

[@santiagovidal4497]

@@archaeologistify woah, didn’t know you could do that, that’s awesome

[@billwilliamson1506]

I’ve already experimented with that last tip and found that using a light/beacon combo helps to signal whether or not your mining outpost is full. I have a drone which ferries the ore to the refining base at a constant rate. You can also use two pistons for an ore Derrick, where it extends the piston for a set time using a timer block downward every time another piston, the one controlling the x axis, reaches its furthest extent. That way a row of drills scrapes across the ground, then once it reaches its zenith, retracts at the same time the y piston extends downward a set amount. That combined with a rotor beneath it all allows you to set up a rotating mining platform

[@GleebTorin]

Those are some amazing ideas. I'm glad to hear someone's taking my ideas and running with them! 😊

[@Skyben2]

Best Event-Controller Guide I've seen so far! /cheers

[@mworld]

I found it better to trigger a timer block to take care of the hinge reverse and piston extending. In this way you get the normal amount of 0.5m extension of the piston.

[@scorpionkiller19]

I've wanted to make a video on this stuff but your ideas are way better than mine! Great work!

[@mediocreman2]

Very cool. I was wondering about setting up the solar panels to turn off my landing pad lights. Only issue is finding that perfect balance because there can be storms that cut the visibility of the landing pad hugely on approach, but the panels might still get too much light to turn the lights on.

[@vasianduban9995]

dam i wanted to make mining rig without scripts for a while and now it possible and super easy , this update is amazing

[@GleebTorin]

This is just the surface, there's so much that can be done now!

[@The_Russ]

This is a very informative video brother!

[@Solimala]

Event controllers are so strong! Let me further automate and fool-proof my infinite vertical drill, much more precise timings that also account for any unforeseens (such as pistons not extending within the timer due to collision). Also let me setup a failsafe subroutine for when the one merge block glitches out (se be se) and one for inventory transfer Something else I've done is setup various warnings for my ships, such as one for when hydrogen drops below a certain %. I love being fed all the operational data easily Another idea I have (for MP) is an automated ship or drone assembly plant that'll place completed ships on a hangar to put into storage Definitely think they can almost completely replace the timer function of timer blocks, making timer blocks more of a nesting tool for multiple actions to use with event controllers. Excited to see what else I can make with them!

[@Altaree1]

You need to make a video on reducing the dangers of ‘p’. Or disproving the superstition.

[@GleebTorin]

Already in the works. ;)

[@VirtualHolocaust]

Ok buddy thanks for the tips. Is the left side (1st slot) always a 1 and the right side (2nd slot) always a 0?

[@Heatx79]

It’s never “ok” to press P

[@pedropimenta896]

They can update and fix and patch the game as much as they can; even if the game becomes perfect, veterans are too traumatized to ever trust using P ever again. I know I won't.

[@w.i.t.c.h.q.u.e.e.n]

Except for color picking 😶

[@VirtualHolocaust]

why dont you have a piston bedhin the drill bit?

[@puppets1979]

I like the first one, but I prefer to just make an automated landing computer on what ever ship I am using so I do not even need to bother aligning.

[@BlueEclipse2305]

I Worked out AND Only applies for TRUE, Not for False. So if true and false are important, use 2 Event controllers with opposite states. For me, this was charging 2 batteries when only one or more was low, and stopping when the Both were full (over 95%)

[@GleebTorin]

Oh, I never thought about that. I'm glad you found a solution. 😊

[@BlueEclipse2305]

@@GleebTorin I tested with 2 pistons and a light. Both piston needed to be extended to turn on the light, but only 1 retracted to turn it off (using 1 event controller)

[@jasongoodrich1]

My menu looks like a rainbow

[@GleebTorin]

🎶All the Pistons of the rainbow~🎵

[@YazourAU]

These Green docking lights don't ever switch off. The end state trigger for the EC's never correctly triggers when you take off.

[@GleebTorin]

Yup, that's a bug, it has been reported. :/

[@cjs8452]

Good to know! I've been trying to figure out why they don't turn off. Even tried triggering a timer block.

[@KTpotato]

Amazing!

[@elijahcrom9600]

Is there any way to change the increment on 'increase maximum distance' for the drill? Mine seems to just jump from 0 to 10 when it triggers.

[@nebelparderde4503]

If I use Connector ready to lock the Connector stays in the ready to lock mode after the first time being connected resulting in the lights staying on. Any ideas how to fix that?

[@GleebTorin]

This bug has been reported to Keen, I'm sure a fix is coming. :)

[@ara8692]

Wait A battery on your base that changes from recharge on off to normal as soon as your ship docks sounds like you could recharge your ship with this system rly quickly

[@GleebTorin]

I've never thought of doing it that way, I usually have the ship that's docking do the charging.

[@ara8692]

@@GleebTorin yes but I think the battery on the base is always there but if you have a few ships then you would need an separate event controller for each ship

[@GG64du02]

Meanwhile, me, using a paint cross on the connector and have my connector in the cockpit's toolbar.

[@GleebTorin]

Yeah, I've used that technique before. I like to offset the cross so that I can point my cockpit at it.

[@C-Squad3]

Just curious, I don’t know much about the event controllers, but on you auto drilling, you can set the drills on/off and the hinges? Again still learning but didn’t think you can put 2 different conditions on an event controller

[@GleebTorin]

You absolutely can! You can just change the hotbar when assigning actions, just like when you change hotbars when walking around or flying a ship. Check out this video to see how: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b17acpmrlM1-gtU

[@C-Squad3]

@@GleebTorin awesome and thank you! Actually figured that out shortly after writing my original message smh lol

[@ChozoSR388]

I don't know if this is due to a re-balance that Keen did or what, but that 1.25% threshold for the Hydrogen tanks equaling out to 3 million liters of stored hydrogen is no longer the case; I apply the same settings to my tank monitoring event controller, and what I end up storing is a total of 750,008L between all 4 tanks It's only when I increase the desired threshold of each tank to 5% that I get 3 million liters (3,000,032L, to be precise). Genuinely trying to be helpful here, because your napkin math was off by a factor of 4.

[@GleebTorin]

Hey Chozo! Thanks so much for reaching out to me, making sure that information is correct is an important endeavour, so I appreciate the effort. That said, I'm confident that the maths checks out. One Large Grid Large Hydrogen Tank can contain 15,000,000 litres of hydrogen. The base has 4 tanks, and so can contain 60,000,000 litres. 3,000,000 is 5% of 60,000,000. Divide 3,000,000 and 5% by 4, as we're splitting this across 4 tanks, and you get 750,000 and 1.25%. If you were checking this out in vanilla, with the original starting multipliers, then this should hold true. When looking at the statistics in the control panel, bear in mind that it doesn't show grid-wide totals, only what's in that block, which could give the appearance of the math being off by 4, as we're splitting the contents across 4 tanks. Again, thanks for raising this, it's good to see people making sure that the right info is out there, I really appreciate it.

[@ChozoSR388]

@@GleebTorinYeah, see, that's the thing; I'm running the world all default settings, no mods. and when I run the Event Controller at a 1.25% threshold, each tank caps out (at 1.25%) with only ~187.5kL. That's why I mentioned the potential of another re-balance. I had to bump the threshold up to 5% to get the desired 750kL per tank.

[@ChozoSR388]

@@GleebTorinActually, I think I see where the problem lies here; where 3,000,000L IS indeed 5% of 60,000,000L, and 1.25% of 60,000,000L is indeed 750,000L, 750,000L is ALSO 5% of 15,000,000. So, while it may be 1.25% of 60 million, it's actually 5% of 15 million, which is the target threshold for each tank. 1.25% of each tank is only 187,500L. So, even though your math is correct, unintuitively, you still have to multiply by 4 for the smaller volume of each tank to get the 1.25% for the larger volume of the total of all the tanks. Long story short, the threshold is both 1.25% of the total volume _and_ 5% of each individual tank. Edited for legibility.

[@GleebTorin]

@@ChozoSR388 Exactly so! That's why I divide by 4 in my original calculations. 🤓

[@ChozoSR388]

@@GleebTorinRight, but you have to set the threshold to 5% in the Event Controller, or you only get a quarter of the 3 million liters you're expecting. That's the point I've been trying to make; you have to set the threshold to 5%, not 1.25%, because even though you and I both know that 750,000 is 1.25% of 60,000,000, the Event controller assumes you mean 1.25% of 15,000,000 even when AND is checked, because it looks at the volume of each tank. not the combined total volume of all the tanks. Basically, it doesn't see 60,000,000 like you or I would because all 4 tanks are selected, it sees 4 instances of 15,000,000. So, you have to use the percentage you want each tank filled to, not the percentage of the total volume, which in this case, 5% of 15,000,000 is 750,000, so the threshold is 5%, not 1.25% of 60,000,000, which, even though that IS the same number, it's not what the Event Controller is looking for.

[@FUT-Franklin]

So the second slot in the event controller will activate when the value is false?

[@GleebTorin]

Exactly so! :)

[@FUT-Franklin]

@@GleebTorin why doesn't it specify that in game?

[@GleebTorin]

@@FUT-Franklin That's a very good question. There's other blocks with the same behaviour, and they don't have anything to indicate it either.

[@FUT-Franklin]

@@GleebTorin Well regardless thanks for letting us know, I just thought it was a second positive slot which explains why my auto hauler doesn't work 💀😂

[@Balhazarr]

How to add another piston for those you presented but also going down a little every 180degree?

[@GleebTorin]

I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what you're asking. Lemme know what you're trying to do, well see if we can find you a solution.

[@Balhazarr]

@@GleebTorin Id like to extend my pistons not only on X axis but also Y axis, after hitting 90 or -90degree

[@GleebTorin]

@@Balhazarr Pistons can only extend in a single direction I'm afraid.

[@Balhazarr]

@@GleebTorin i know i know, but I wanted the piston to lengthen slightly and the other one to go down at the same time as the arm was fully rotated, as in your video

[@GleebTorin]

@@Balhazarr Oh, you want to mine down as well as side-to-side? That's a bit more doable. Unfortunately, there's not really a way of counting with the automation systems in SE, so it's more complex. I'll give it a think, see what we can do. 😊

[@juriaanromkes7558]

When i setup the hinge drill setup it doesnt work, hinge has brake, 2 event controllers, -90 and 90 degrees (less then and greater then) both check hinge angle but action "reverse" isnt executed.

[@GleebTorin]

That's very strange. There's a couple of things I'd check. First, make sure you have greater than on the +90 controller, and less than on the -90 controller. I made that mistake when recording this. >.< Second thing, Space Engineers can be weird some times, so changing to -89 and +89 might fix it. If that doesn't work, I could try having a look myself. I'm on discord, link is on my channel page. Edit: Just remembered, the event controller will only trigger when it first changes. After that, it will wait for it to change back before firing again. This means that you can't start the drill at +90 or -90 degrees.

[@deanzap3658]

How do u chane color

[@GleebTorin]

Change colour of what?

[@itllBuffGaming]

The one that has a beacon turned on to “come and collect” is there a way to see that marker pop up from a space station? Beacons un modded can only broadcast so far, I know markers can go infinite distance, but don’t think you can turn those in by controller can you?

[@GleebTorin]

An antenna in Space Engineers will transmit any signals it detects, including beacons. This signal can be relayed by other antennas, allowing you to extend the range across massive distances. You can also use laser antennas for even longer-range transmissions.

[@itllBuffGaming]

@@GleebTorin ohhhh! I didn’t think about using them as relays. That makes sense, appreciate it! Goes to show 400 hours in the game still isn’t enough 🤣

[@GleebTorin]

@@itllBuffGaming I'm still learning things at 3700 hours!

[@kayaking_bigfoot361]

Lies NEVER HIT P! lol good video tho but NEVER HIT P!🤣

[@MrKhaled306]

I hope in the future you speak slower and demonstrate more by showing at least all the steps throughly and use names of the things you use specifically Im struggling to keep up with you I have to repeat the video multiple times until i get you 80%

[@Hscaper]

Don’t hit P EVER! Set a switch lock connector on your hot bar

[@GleebTorin]

@@Hscaper P works just fine for me! 🤔

[@Hscaper]

@@GleebTorin unless you have other connectors holding things. Best practice is to set the specific one you want or disable all the others used for parking

[@GleebTorin]

@@Hscaper Exactly! Not a problem, so long as you set things right :)

[@5kellDarkes]

I like using them for my ice drilling too but I have two to monitor capacity, one for reaching 100% to shut off then a second one at less than 30% to fire back to life so the drills don't toggle so much. I also like adding AI flight to the Hydrogen delivery drone so it can auto haul the fuel to the main base.

[@EdrickV]

My #1 use for event controllers: Automating vehicle startup/shutdown sequences. (Battery recharge on/off, thrusters on/off, gyros on/off, lights on/off, etc.) Most complicated use: A power management system that would turn hydrogen engines on and set batteries to recharge as long as there's plenty of gas, and shut the hydrogen engines down before they run out of gas, so they can be restarted without needing another power source. (Required a custom AND gate made of connector pairs since the regular AND option can only handle one type of input. AKA you can't do: if battery storage < 50% AND hydrogen engine tank filled > 50%, then turn hydrogen engines on.)

[@GleebTorin]

Oh god, yes, first thing I did with my smaller craft that don't produce their own power was have them recharge when they're docked.

[@thomasbanbury1335]

Excellent vid, best explainer about the event controller ive seen

[@GleebTorin]

Thanks! I've had a lot of people say similar things, I'm glad it's helpful beyond just the ideas.

[@matthewcozon4686]

Lots of good ideas here, thanks. Also really like the design of this base

[@GleebTorin]

Thanks! I always seem to put more into the look of my designs in creative.

[@Ofjkk]

music is a bit loud but otherwise great vid

[@shprotmem]

Спс

[@GleebTorin]

Пожалуйста!

[@pedropimenta896]

Best update IMO

[@ColdIronHalo]

What a really nice video .. even i could learn this with this video. :D

[@joby-wankenobinolan3428]

Ngl that drill setup is amazing

[@GleebTorin]

Glad you like it. It could definitely be improved, but it's a good start!

[@o.r.d.y3670]

First

[@TalesOfWar]

For landing and connecting I've used the simple method of "shove a camera pointing at the connect a few blocks back" method lol. There's a bottom mounted camera mod (literally a flipped version of the top mounted one they added) that does the trick if you want to keep things nice and clean. I do like the landing pad lighting up like a christmas tree though!

[@mworld]

**ahum** In SE we don't use P :)

[@vmracde]

освещение важно для выживания)))

[@GleebTorin]

Очень верно!

[@ceilyurie856]

I never use p to dock, and I just ahve a ventral camera and line up to a marking

[@GleebTorin]

Haha, I love teasing people about pressing P. People are contantly scared of it, and with good reason. It's fixed enough to be usable now, at least.