Rover
The Rover is an automated robot that can explore and build a small base on a new Planetoid before Duplicants get there. They get deployed from orbit by Rover Modules and do not need a Rocket Platform to land. They operate on an internal battery, which has a defined lifespan and cannot be recharged.
Rovers have the same movement abilities as a Duplicant. They are able to traverse ladders, jump up 2 tiles, and jump over one.
Rovers will seek out errands just like Duplicants do, but are limited in the errands they can perform. They can dig materials of regular hardness, store materials, and construct buildings in the first two tiers of research. That leaves many things they cannot do:
- Cannot construct any building that requires Advanced Research or greater; most importantly, it cannot build a Rocket Platform.
- Cannot operate Manual Generator or other machinery
- Cannot Mop fluids, nor collect from a Pitcher Pump. However, they CAN supply to a Bottle Emptier
- Cannot dig through hard materials
- Cannot Disinfect or Repair
- Cannot Attack critters
- Cannot uproot plants
- Cannot complete 'Move to' errands.
- Cannot deliver critters to the Critter Cargo Bay.
A Rover has no Skills and its attributes never increase. Therefore it performs tasks slowly.
The main advantage a Rover has over a Duplicant is that it has no external needs. It does not eat, sleep, or use the toilet, so it can work uninterrupted for as long as its battery lasts. It does not breathe, so it can work underwater or in vacuum without difficulty. It can tolerate extremely high (up to the metal's melting point it was built from) and extremely low temperatures. It is also not affected by radiation.
The Rover's battery runs down at a constant rate no matter what task it is doing, even if it is idle. It lasts about 10 Cycles. Once the battery is dead, the Rover deactivates permanently. It may be deconstructed to provide 100 kg of the Metal Ore that was supplied to its rocket module.
The Rover's lander can be deconstructed to provide another 400 kg of the same Metal Ore.
Bugs
As of U46-550759, there is a bug that lets Rover operate even though the chemical battery runs out. It even shows in the info box that the Rover has been "Shut Down", however, it will still perform more tasks given to it; until the game is closed and reopened.
History
- U38-486708:
- Rover can now build buildings up to the second tier.
- You can now deconstruct rovers that are out of batteries.
- U42-509629: Rovers can now climb down a tile and jump across the gap.
- U51-597172: Rovers can no longer deliver critters to the Critter Cargo Bay. Errand type was also changed to ranching.