ROVA · published
Hey all - Tom here!
Steam Next Fest has come to end, and with it came your always appreciated feedback.
We've taken that on board, which has resulted in this update :D !
Before delving deeper, I ought to mention we revealed ROVA's Early Access release date trailer as part of 'Clemmy's Best Indie Games Spring Showcase 2026' ! You can check out the Release Date Trailer, here:
We're working hard towards the Early Access release, which if I'm being totally honest.. is a terrifying thought (although very exciting) !
So what's new in this update?
Without delving into details about every small bug, there were a few main issues we sought address in this update.
Many of you noted that the Living Quarters building was too small to navigate.
I massively agree - it was cramped, the camera got caught and it was generally just a struggle.
Although I maintain it was a very pretty building inside ;)
We tried a few different approaches, eventually settling on a complete redesign. Introducing: The Living Pods
These are larger, modular pods designed to be easily expanded. New colonists join the colony? No problem, add a pod. You get the idea,
We tried to maintain the core features of the original building, whilst creating somewhere far easier to navigate. There is plenty of space to drive around, as well as extra room for colonists to move past you.
You'll also notice the camera is much closer to the ROVA whilst inside buildings now. I've also made turning much tighter, so that interior driving is smooth and feels good. Let me know what you think!
This leads on nicely to another change - Colonist AI improvements.
Colonists had a habit of getting stuck on each other, which kind of looked like they were having a little kiss.
Although somewhat funny at times, it did get in the way for most players.
I've updated colonist pathfinding so they know to avoid each other and the player when walking around.
If you do find any issues with colonists getting stuck, please let us know.
Colonist AI was further expanded to improve dialogue. We fixed a bunch of bugs and added a minor change to the plantlife questline following this feedback from players:
Many players took photos of multiple plants during the quest where you're asked to photograph one.
Then on the following quest, where you're asked to take more plant photos, some players felt frustrated that the game did not acknowledge the other plant photos they had taken.
We hear you, and we get it! It is frustrating not being recognised for your excellent photography and discoveries.
The solution?
Questslines and dialogue will now play out slightly differently based on the discoveries you have made.
Using the plant questline as an example, if you have already taken photos of different plants you will be given alternative dialogue recognising your progress instead of being assigned the 'more plants' quest.
There are plenty of other minor bug fixes and small changes, but these are far less interesting than the changes mentioned above. Expect a smoother experience overall.
I hope this update has helped make the home base feel nicer to explore.
If you do have any future feedback, the best place to share it is in the steam community forums.
As always, community feedback has played a really important role in ROVA's development. Your support means the world to us🪐
Feel free to share your in-game photos with any of our socials - We'd love to see what you discover!