Creator Spotlight: Maiden

“Hi, I’m Louis, also known as Maiden. I’ve been playing Space Engineers since 2013, but really got into playing it around 2020. What’s always drawn me in is the freedom to create whether that means building original designs or adapting well-known sci-fi themes and factions from games like Freelancer, Alien, and classic Fallout.

One theme, in particular, has always stood out to me: Rust, grime, dust, and bolts. The rough edges of the sci-fi world. I’m talking about black-market traders, smugglers, mercenaries, and independent fighters those living on the fringe of law and order. That’s what led me to the faction I’ve been working on for the past couple of years: The Junkers.

The Junkers started as an idea on a rover server, and they’re a blend of different influences – Mad Max, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, Brotherhood of Steel, and of course, the Junkers from Freelancer. They’re a loosely organized union of interplanetary salvage hunters. They mostly operate within the laws of the systems they’re in… but not always. You’ll often find them in debris fields, abandoned scrapyards, or the aftermath of major battles anywhere there’s wreckage to recover. Where there’s chaos, there’s profit, and the Junkers know how to make the most of it.

So, why the Workshop? I’ve spent a lot of time playing on survival PvP servers, but after a while, I realized the constant competition wasn’t really for me. It often led to frustration instead of fun. That’s when I decided to focus more on the creative side of Space Engineers, to build explore ideas and connect with others who enjoy the design and storytelling aspect of the game. Since I’d already built some lore for the Junkers and played them on PvP servers, I thought it was time to take it further. The Workshop gave me the perfect place to expand the faction, refine the concept, and give it more depth.

Thanks for reading – and see you out there in the scrap fields!”