I've recently been playing a game on steam that I would like to get others playing as well: "Space Engineers"

It's a sandbox voxel building game like Minecraft, although it's done entirely in 3d with unlimited x y and z dimensions. You are an engineer and usually start with a small starter ship, it includes all the machines needed for survival by default.

Some challenges you need to face are:

• Landing a ship on a planetoid when first spawning

• Finding resources to fuel your ship and refine for materials to build other structures

• Creating defenses on your ships or outposts to counter NPC threats and deter players

• Ensuring you have enough oxygen and other materials for space flight, and that your ship is able to get to asteroids with materials

The game is awesome and has a faction system enabled by default, some of the main endgame goals are making planetoid miners (giant ships capable of gouging huge swaths of planets for resource), anti-gravity propulsion and weapon systems (ragdoll physics, and engines that push ships and objects with such), as well as in-game programming of ships, scripted AI using sensors and C# programming, itemduct-like sorting systems and automated defenses with regenerative systems.

I personally like building ships that are small and mounted with grinding equipment, to capture and salvage NPC and other player's derelict ships. Though military, mining, and other types of professions can flourish.

If we can make a space-type civ server, I would be in heaven.