Closed Alpha v0.2

Hey everyone! Since the conclusion of our first round of closed alpha playtests, we've been hard at work fixing bugs and making improvements to the game - as well as adding some new features.

Take a look over the patch notes since the first alpha playtest below..

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Base Building

Unfortunately, bunkers are no more. This is a big change in direction for the game but we feel it's the right one. We worried that long-term, bunkers wouldn't connect players with the world in a meaningful way so we decided to make a change.

Similar to games like Rust, you will be able to build a base using the new grid based building system. Craft a Building Plan and Building Hammer to lay down foundations, walls, doors, windows, etc.

There are only two building grades for now - Wood, and Stone.

New Materials

With the introduction of the new base building system, you are now able to gather Wood and Stone by chopping down trees, or harvesting the stone nodes placed around the map.

Components

Based on feedback, it's clear that progression on Rove was missing something. We're going to continue to improve on the gameplay loop, but for now we have added components.

Component items have been added to the game. We've added basic components such as;

• Battery (previously a Junk item)
• Copper Wiring
• Rope
• Spring
• Fastener Kit

As well as advanced components such as;

• Mechanical Components
• Electrical Components
• Simple Gun Parts
• Advanced Gun Parts

With the introduction of gun parts, you can now craft a few select guns. Electrical Components will be used in a future update introducing powered deployables, alarms, base electronics, and traps.

New Outpost

We've decided to scrap the previous Outpost safezone. You can now discover New Haven Outpost in the center of the Town. This new area is secured with automated sentry turrets, but your safety is not guaranteed. Anyone marked hostile will be shot when in view of turrets. Sleepers remain lootable.

We are introducing a new Hostile system. You will be marked hostile for 1 minute if;

• You damage a player
• You shoot a gun

Additionally if you are shot by the turret and survive, you are marked hostile for 5 minutes. The new Outpost is equipped with armed turrets at the entrances and around the traders. Hostile players will be shot and killed.

New Trader

• Medic Kira

The new medic trader will sell medical items at a premium so you can get back on scavenging runs quicker.

Trader Daily Deal

Armorer Lance has a new Daily Deal that refreshes every in-game day, with limited stock. Ranging from armor to legendary weapons.

New Monument - Farm

New to the world of Rove is the Farm monument, with a Tier 1 loot value and plenty of food since everyone starved to death on the first playtest.

New Animal - Horses

Horses will now spawn inside the barn of the farm, with a saddle so you can grab them and go!

Crafting

After some internal discussions, we have decided to remove the custom crafting button from the inventory. This has now been replaced with a blueprint viewer where you can see all blueprints in the game.

Crafting is now done in the vanilla Minecraft 2x2 grid in your survival inventory. More advanced recipes will require a placeable crafting workbench. Certain advanced recipes will still require a blueprint to unlock.

New Crafting Items

• Medical Scissors (used to craft Medkit)
• Disinfectant (used to craft Medical Syringe)

Missions

Missions are in - kind of. Missions start off as a gradual introduction to the server, while rewarding basic XP and Gold. Contracts will be more difficult and complex quests you'll start and turn in by talking to the NPCs in Outpost.

Due to time constraints and simply just biting off more than we could chew, contracts are not in for this closed alpha playtest.

Missions are in a very early stage and like many other parts of Rove - is a work in progress.

• Missions are accessible via the Missions button in your inventory

Voice Chat

Proximity voice chat is now live on the server! You'll get a message when joining linking to Simple Voice Chat if you choose to install on your client. Voice chat users receive 10% (subject to change) bonus XP boost, just for having the mod installed.

New In-Game Map

Rove now features an in-game map you can view at any time by pressing TAB. If you want to see the regular tablist player view, simply change the setting in your profile in-game.

Monuments labels are drawn on the map as you discover them. Your location and direction updates live, as well as the location of your teammates. You'll also be able to see your base marked on the live map as well.

Night Time

We felt that night time was not hard enough, so we've made it a lot darker - and added a new Zombie skill. During night time, zombies have a 25% chance on spawn to let out a loud and creepy shriek as they run toward you at very fast speeds. Health and damage is still the same. We'll keep an eye on this and watch feedback.

Tracking Compass

We heard your feedback from the first playtest and have added a tracking compass to the default spawn inventory. You can track your last death location and discovered monuments.

Supply Signal

You can now call in supply drops with the new Supply Signal item, if you are lucky enough to find one.

Deployables

A new deployable item group has been added. Barbed Wire and Ladder are able to be placed anywhere in the map excluding bases you don't have access to, as well as in the Outpost. They will decay after one hour.

New Foods

Added a new food item, the loaf of bread. This is now the best food item in the game. Farmer Silas now also has new trades, offering exclusive fresh produce food items.

Balancing and Bug Fixes

We have made a ton of balancing changes to the game, please read the full detailed patch notes below to know what's changed!

• We also added a /feedback command in-game for this upcoming playtest so you no longer have to submit via the development Discord server.

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That's all, thanks for reading!