Prerequisites

Note

Before following this guide, make sure you've installed and set up MDK Hub. The Hub handles .NET SDK installation, template setup, and project management for you.

Creating a New Project

Option 1: Using the Command Line

  1. Open a Terminal window (Command Prompt, PowerShell, or your preferred terminal).

  2. Navigate to where you want to create your project.

  3. Run:

    dotnet new mdk2pbscript -n MyFirstScript -o MyFirstScript

    Replace MyFirstScript with your desired project name.

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Option 2: Using MDK Hub

Click "New Project" in the Hub dashboard and let it create the project for you.

Opening the Project in VSCode

  1. Open VSCode.

  2. Close any welcome dialogs.

    image

  3. Drag your project folder into VSCode (or use File → Open Folder).

  4. If prompted, install the C# Dev Kit extension:

    image

    This extension provides IntelliSense, debugging, and build support for C# projects.

Building Your Script

  1. Make your code changes in Program.cs or add new .cs files as needed.
  2. Build the project:
    • Press Ctrl+Shift+B (or Cmd+Shift+B on Mac)
    • Or open the terminal and run: dotnet build
  3. MDK will automatically:
    • Combine all your .cs files into a single script
    • Apply minification (if configured)
    • Deploy the script to your Space Engineers IngameScripts folder
    • Show a notification when complete (if Hub is running)

Your compiled script will be available in Space Engineers under Programmable Block → Edit → Browse Scripts (the folder icon).

Next Steps