**Patch Notes - May 12, 2026**

Work-in-progress build update focused on Steam reconnect reliability, zero-gravity readability, space-route polish, and safer reset recovery.

**Improved**
- Steam reconnect now keeps retrying in visible `1/3`, `2/3`, `3/3` cycles until the player reconnects or returns to the main menu.
- Reconnected players are restored through the active checkpoint with extra recovery retries if the carried cow/farmer was pushed away during the disconnect.
- Steam invites now work better from a closed game: accepting an invite can auto-join the lobby on startup.
- Main menu Steam buttons now recover more reliably after returning from gameplay, with clearer status text if Steam is not ready.
- Carry reset is more stable after violent obstacle hits, bomb explosions, and ragdoll drift.
- Moving obstacles now avoid applying extra ragdoll impulses during reset/rebind windows.
- Bombs restore their visuals, collision, and arming state more reliably after explosions.
- Respawn countdown messages no longer replay the checkpoint audio cue.

**Gameplay And UI**
- Added a clearer zero-gravity sphere boundary outline.
- Added blue up/down thrust indicators above players while using vertical movement in zero gravity.
- The pair tension bar now stays visible in the gameplay HUD and rests at zero until tension monitoring starts.
- VHS runtime visuals now stay active correctly for SpaceEnvironment and position-camera moments without fighting each other.

**Content**
- Added reusable moving platform, circle platform, and wheel level prop prefabs.
- Updated the Gameplay scene with the latest space-route setup and a new checkpoint.
- Updated the SpaceEnvironment prefab with additional visual/layout polish.
- Improved cow material readability under warm space lighting.