ROVERSE DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER #31

Hello everyone! Welcome to the thirty-first issue of the RoVerse Development Newsletter, where we keep you updated on the progress we've made over the past week!

This week, a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes, laying the framework for more of the upcoming features involving planetary colonies and outposts, minerals and fabrication, and much more. While you'll hear a lot about this behind the scenes stuff in the coming weeks, we do have some cool pictures to show you.

This week, Idyllic has been refining the terrain generation that we showed so many pictures of last week, making sure it works as efficiently as possible, and can be mapped to the spherical planets in the final release. Where the diamond square algorithm works extremely well for a flat, gridded world, a modified version had to be created to work with our icosphere worlds made of thousands of triangular chunks.

(Note: We are still looking for Frank, who hasn't been seen since last weekend. If you see him, let Idyllic know.)

​A lovely valley, flanked by two towering mountains - the perfect spot for an ambush.

This photograph shows the scale of the player's character better than the previous photos - here we see Vaktus at the normal Robloxian Scale, and next to him is Idyllic, at the scale players will be in-game.

Galbotrix has continued work on the Industrial outpost interiors, getting a rough layout for the Industrial Command Module.​

Closeup of the holographic station monitor, which will update to the actual station layout.

Lordrex has made some more progress on the in-game chat system, and has even released a module to the public to help with the creation of gui elements. Even the best of us get tired typing in values for new gui elements by hand.

You can grab it here: 
https://www.roblox.com/library/658239146/GUIAssetModule

The rest of the team has been hard at work, but nothing is quite to the point that we'd like to release a photo of it yet, so stay tuned. This is the time where the project really speeds up as we get more and more physical assets done, more can be coded for the final release.

Each week we compile a Q&A section here whenever there are any new questions posted on the RoVerse Community group wall, so be sure to join if there's something you'd like to ask about RoVerse:

ROBLOX Group: https://www.roblox.com/Groups/Group.aspx?gid=2948290
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/JU2zTv3


Q1: What Platforms will RoVerse support? PC, Xbox, Mobile, VR?

A1: PC will obviously be the primary platform for RoVerse, while there is potential for additional content coming to Mobile and VR, which are both limited by their interfaces. Using a mobile device to steer a spaceship would be really cool, but in battle, not as effective as on PC.


Q2: Will there be tractor beams to capture escape pods?

A2: Cool technologies like tractor beams will certainly be attempted, and we'll try our best to make it happen, but in the end we are limited by the engine, so there are no guarantees. There will be a way to capture escape pods, but it might not be that complex.


Q3: Can we send our designs for the main game early if we want to?

A3: There is as of yet no official method for submitting designs, and they are not being added to the game yet, so hold off on sending us your files, maybe put a little more work into them, make them look cooler, and be ready to submit them for the official release.


Q4: Will there be membership caps for groups?

A4: There will most likely be no membership caps for groups. Besides being un-moderatable by the developers, this would only hurt the game in the long run, by breaking immersion, and artificially limiting groups' ability to do cool things.


Q5: Are planets only going to be auto generated terrain and nothing else?

A5: Planets will be much more than just a pretty map - they will be vital to the successful capture of star systems, and the generation of resources. Colonies established on a planet will provide an important source of income for a groups activities abroad.


Q6: What type of character creation can we expect, and will we be able to change things around later on in the game?

A6: We are currently working on how character creation will work, whether we use roblox assets to create unique characters, or if we will use imported meshes remains to be seen.


Q7: Will there be planets that have been wiped out by a disease or something maybe a zombie like virus?

A7: Special events like the ones suggested may be possible, as the universe is never truly peaceful. Bad things happen when you least expect them to, and if things get too peaceful, something may awaken to stir things up.


Q8: How will you fund advertisement for RoVerse?

A8: RoVerse is exclusively funded by the developers, because we dont want the community to have to pitch in to help create this amazing game, or to have the end result ruined like many pay-to-win games in the past.


Q9: How large will the galaxy be?

A9: Currently, the galaxy stands at 220 Star systems, each with several planets and other areas, like asteroid belts, with possible room for expansion as time goes on. We want the universe to feel expansive and huge, without making it impossible to run into other people.


Q10: Can I build a secret underground lair in the heart of a planet?

A10: While you are certainly welcome to try, the physics of building a base in the center of a planet may become an issue. Besides the extreme heat and distorted gravity, there may be terrors lurking below, if you dig too deep...

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​We really hope you enjoyed reading about our weekly progress, and we are really excited to share these newsletters each week!

You can support us by joining our Community Group! So far, the community has been absolutely amazing, supportive, and very friendly. We are very appreciative of all the support you guys show us!
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Remember, we are always looking for new, talented builders, scripters and artists! If you’d like to help us you can always get in touch with us through RoVerse_Official on the ROBLOX website! Don’t worry, we don’t bite!


~ Written by IdyllicDestroyer