Hi subROVers! 😊 Jose writing -0.7.50 is now up!
This is a major, cumulative update from three updates uploaded to the Beta branch 0.7.39. I'll post here a recap on all the new content and provide links below to the individual updates, shall you want to look further into the details.
Without more ado, let's take a look:
New Features
- Upgraded the engine (Unity) from 2018 to 2022 - this alone is a huge leap forward that keeps the game current with the state of the art.
- Added a new In-Dive Pause menu - the Pause Menu is a trimmed down version of the Main Menu (Gallery, Profile, and Settings) that you can now bring at any time during dives by pressing the ESC key.
- Sending feedback from the Pause Menu is now the way of sending feedback during dives, to keep the system consistent across the game.
- Added support for External Display - You can now send the ROV view to the secondary monitor (if available) using the new EXT button located to the right of the ROV camera buttons. This is intended exclusively for observation purposes, so both camera movement and interface elements will be disabled while it is engaged.
- Added New Damage System - this system allows for both progressive and permanent damage to various ROV systems. At the moment it is active in the ROV camera: if you hit something with the ROV you'll see the view flickering and hear a glitch, "bzzt" sound.
- The external camera now has a Collision Avoidance System (CAS) that prevents it from clipping with the terrain and other scenery elements while still keeping the ROV in view. The camera also glitches when it enters and exits the "clipping zone".
- Revamped the Save System, adding crash recovery - the game will take snapshots at various times during dives, and if there's a crash, it will try to load the snapshot when you restart the game. I've had no crashes reported since I corrected the build script last year (to recap: I was building 32-bit versions of the game by mistake), but if a crash does happen, this system should make sure you won't lose your progress.
- Added Steam player Name and Icon to the Profile - this is a small feature I wanted to add before trying more complex integrations (Cloud save, Achievements).
- Added support for the Logitech Extreme 3D Pro Joystick.
- Revised control binding mappings for keyboard and gamepad.
- The in-dive help screen has changed slightly, and now includes information on the keybindings for turbo lift (which by default are now PageUp and PageDown).
- Made numerous optimizations and bug fixes across the board, including one where the TMS would start pulling the ROV up for no apparent reason, and fixes to dives where the on-screen goals where not being displayed correctly under various onditions (see notes below).
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3303366098
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3246527023
New Content
- Updated the manual with all the new recently added features.
- The Research vessel has an all-new, game-optimized model.
- New Creatures: Angler Fish (Melanocetus), Frilled Shark, Giant Isopod, and Deep Sea Lizardfish.
- New Wreck: The submarine I-201, resting somewhere in Hawaii.
- New Music: For the first time, the game now features 40+ minutes of in-dive music (by yours truly -I am a musician by trade). It's sparse, with long pauses in between tracks to avoid getting too much in the way of what you're doing. There's also a new dedicated slider in the settings menu to change its volume specifically (and now you can bring the menu up any time during dives, so you can change it right away).
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3246340399
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3233668029
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3252041736
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3289980272
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3298609824
New Music DLC
I have released all the current game music, plus some extras, as a DLC available for purchase here on Steam. I will also release it for free in other platforms (e.g. youtube) eventually, so you can see this DLC as a simple way for generous players to contribute further to the game's development.
This was suggested to me by a player some time ago, but back then I only had the main menu music and thought it was way too little content regardless of circumstances; now there's almost 50 minutes, an album in its own right, and I will add new tracks over time.
Links to Individual Updates
Update 0.7.50
Update 0.7.41
Update 0.7.40
What's Next?
A serious family emergency in late May has demanded most of my time since, forcing me to move things around in the schedule. My next goal is to release the first version of the Titanic dive either this or next month, which I'm really looking forward to doing -making the model has been a huge undertaking and it's almost ready.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3303355342
Get In Touch
- From the game - press the Feedback button in the main or pause menus
- Through the forum right here on Steam
- Through our Discord Server,
- Through Twitter,
- Through mastodon,
- By email (info 'at' sqr3lab.com)
Support subROV
If you enjoy subROV, please leave a review. It helps a lot!
Thank you for support - Happy subROVing! ⚓😄
Jose