Ark Nova news & patch notes

Today’s Ark Nova Digital patch introduces various improvements and bug fixes.

Bug Fixes

• Revised expand/collapse behavior for windows during various selections.

• Window and modal sizes, positions, and layering should now appear correctly across the UI.

• Various localization issues should now be fixed.

• Archaeologist should now properly trigger for placement bonuses on the alternate Research Institute map.

• The Research Mission heroic challenge should no longer cause a loss of $10 when saving and rejoining.

• Naturalist Zoo should now clearly reflect its current status.

• Viewing an opponent’s zoo with the Red Tape malus should no longer affect the donation cost display in your own zoo.

• Card hints in the tutorial should now be clearer and more helpful.

• Transition visuals to the landing screen should now display correctly.

• Zoom speed on tablets should now be quicker.

• Close-ups should now be viewable even while effects are resolving.

• The effects resolution queue should now support scrolling as expected.

• Player markers in the break tracker should now be sized properly in solo games.

• The Archaeological Dig heroic challenge should now enforce starting hand limitations even after reopening the game during map selection.

• Players should no longer sometimes be prompted to play a third animal while on Commercial Harbor.

• Display should no longer expand when taking the Animals action when no animals can be played from it.

Known Issues

• The UI does not display 2+ Multiplier tokens on actions.

• Architectural Zoo and Naturalist Zoo do not communicate current status.

Thank you for playing! Your continued feedback helps us to make Ark Nova Digital the best version of itself it can be. If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for general improvements, drop us a line! You can reach us using the in-game feedback option, via email to [email protected], or by posting to the Dire Wolf Discord!

Today’s update focuses on a series of minor bug fixes for in-game text and preventing a locked state.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a non-English localization issue in the prompt for Release projects

• Fixed a localization issue in the prompt for the special enclosure project bonus

• Fixed issues in the tutorial where the player could close a window in which they were making a selection and be unable to proceed

Known Issues

• A French description for Polar Bear Exhibit is incorrect.

• An Italian description for Reptile Month is incorrect.

• Localization issue in non-English languages with the button that returns the viewer to their own zoo (when they are viewing an opponent’s zoo)

• The HUD does not display 2+ Multiplier tokens on actions.

• An opponent viewing the zoo of a player with the Red Tape malus will see the cost of a donation as though they themselves were affected by it

• Architectural Zoo and Naturalist Zoo do not communicate current status

We appreciate your continued support and feedback for Ark Nova Digital! If you encounter any issues or if anything else in the game that seems off, or have suggestions for general improvements, drop us a line! You can reach us using the in-game feedback option, via email to [email protected], or by posting to Steam Forums or the Dire Wolf Discord. 

Thanks for playing Ark Nova Digital!

It’s a big day for Ark Nova Digital, as the Early Access period officially comes to an end with Patch 1.0!  Today’s patch addresses a handful of issues, and brings Ark Nova Digital to mobile devices!

New Features and Improvements

Ark Nova Digital is now available on iOS and Android devices!

Bug Fixes

• Action log now shows Endgame scoring.

• Hotkeys used for rotating buildings now function as expected.

• Viewing an opponent’s zoo in the tutorial no longer softlocks the user.

• Heavy Equipment Operator scoring modifier no longer has missing text.

Known Issues

• Statistics for upgrading action cards are not updated in the Player Stats.

• In Solo games, Players can’t Flock animals from the display.

• An Italian description for Reptile Month is incorrect.

• The HUD does not display 2+ Multiplier tokens on actions.

We appreciate your continued support and feedback throughout the Ark Nova Digital Early Access period! If you encounter any issues or if anything else in the game that seems off, or have suggestions for general improvements, drop us a line! You can reach us using the in-game feedback option, via email to [email protected], or by posting to Steam Forums or the Dire Wolf Discord. 

Thanks for playing Ark Nova Digital!

Today’s 0.10 patch introduces many improvements and community-requested features, in preparation for leaving Early Access soon.

Major Updates!

Challenge yourself against the Malus!

Want an extra challenge? Enable the Malus feature to introduce an additional obstacle to overcome.

• With Malus active, you'll choose one of two drawbacks during setup from a pool of 11 possibilities.

• You can even apply Malus selectively, allowing some players to take on the challenge while others play without it—perfect for balancing different skill levels.

Dire Wolf Game Room

Ark Nova is now a part of the free Game Room app, making it easier than ever to find games and connect with friends. Check out the Dire Wolf Game Room on Steam!

UX Improvements

• Added top-level size indicators for modified standard enclosures.

• Added tooltips for Constriction and Venom tokens.

• Added a Break triggered stinger.

• Improved visualization for card discard selections.

• Updated the map fill signs to have different states.

Bug Fixes

General Fixes & Improvements

• Players should now receive the correct number of turns when they cross 100 VP during another player’s turn.

• Tiebreakers now apply to all placement scenarios.

• Tutorial flow and messaging have been improved.

• Partner Zoos and Universities no longer refresh after all of them have been claimed.

• Undoing Aquarium should now revert to the Sponsor card selection as expected.

• Venom should now interact correctly with Commercial Harbor.

• Predator Breeding Program should now display correct reputation gained.

• Diversity Researcher should now show accurate messages for unaffordable animals.

• Upgraded Animals action now requires a playable animal to be selectable.

• Conservation bonuses can no longer be declined.

• Release project prompts should now display and function correctly.

• The Diversity Research challenge should now awards conservation bonuses at the correct time.

• The Architectural Zoo card should now update immediately when a goal is completed.

• Flocking ability should now function correctly in all applicable situations.

• Starting hand selection timers should now reflect intended duration.

• AI players should now behave more intelligently in a variety of situations.

• Using Association at strength 5 no longer causes a softlock.

Visual & Animation

• Timers now visually look more like timers.

• Upgraded action cards no longer display "Upgrades To" text.

• Upgraded action cards no longer change to blue when selected.

• Stingers should now fade correctly at higher animation speeds.

• Cards are now fully viewable in all cases.

• While mousing over cards, the images are no longer hidden under prompts.

• Lobby chat now scales correctly when using the Small UI setting.

• Card spacing in the starting hand has been corrected.

• End of Game view should now correctly position View Results and break information in 4:3 ratios.

• Final rank now displays correctly in non-online games.

• Opponent’s hand count should now update correctly after being Pilfered.

User Interface & Experience (UI/UX)

• Action Logs should now display correct text.

• UI elements now align properly on ultrawide resolutions.

• Active Games tab only appears if the player has active games.

• End of Game screen now displays a turn order tiebreaker indicator.

• Tooltip behavior has been corrected in several instances.

• Tooltips now correctly respect the disabled setting.

• Escape key now properly minimizes modal windows.

• Players can now zoom correctly while placing buildings.

• "Hold Ctrl to view cards" setting now requires holding Ctrl to zoom.

• Players can now sell cards between playing animals on the Commercial Harbor map.

• Action Log should now be easier to scroll through.

• Buttons at the end of the game should now respond properly.

• Improved controller support.

Localization

• Previously missing text and localization have been added.

• Localization formatting now displays correctly.

• Non-English text now fits appropriately on the controller map.

• The "Expert on Europe" sponsor card now displays correct iconography.

Multiplayer & Online

• Steam turn notifications no longer appear after being kicked for inactivity.

Technical / Rare Occurrences

• AI players should now display the correct number of workers.

• AI player names are now consistently displayed.

We appreciate your continued support and feedback in the Ark Nova Digital Early Access period! If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for general improvements, drop us a line! You can reach us using the in-game feedback option, via email to [email protected], or by posting to Steam Forums or the Dire Wolf Discord. 

Thanks for playing Ark Nova Digital!

Bug Fixes

• The Sponsor Magnet ability should now trigger immediately when the animal with it is played.
• Adding a Multiplier token to an action that is being taken should no longer cause it to trigger immediately.
• You should no longer be able to use Breeding Program/Global Breeding Program to support conservation projects that did not start the game in the Association area.
• The number of rocks required to support the second level of Geological has been fixed.

Known Issues

• When you play to the middle slot of Predator Breeding Program, the Deferred ability says you are gaining 1 Rep. You actually gain 2 as the card indicates.
• When you sell a card at the end of your turn with Commercial Harbor, and have a Venom token, it is applied twice.

Bug Fixes

• The effects of Diversity Researcher and Research Institute should now work at the same time when playing animals.
• Covering a placement bonus and then undoing should no longer result in being unable to gain that bonus.
• Individual windows should no longer get “stuck” on opponents when switching between views.
• Added a hover state to clarify that the Score track can be collapsed by selecting the header.
• Fixed localization issues in the Action Log.
• Venom tokens should now only be in effect if they were on your action(s) at the start of your turn (relevant for the Contagion Challenge).

Known Issues

• Players are awarded a conservation bonus when rocks and water are covered in the Diversity Research challenge (rather than at end of game).

Bug Fixes

• Biodiverse Zoo will now correctly check the player before you in turn order instead of after.
• Special Exhibits which give you a building at the start of the game should now consistently trigger.
• Migration Recording will now only work while in play, not in your hand.
• The Undo button now has the correct tooltip.
• Open windows are now consistently preserved upon resuming a game.
• Fixed multiple localization issues with the Special Exhibits.
• Fixed a localization issue with warning pop-ups.
• Fixed the positioning of the Special Exhibit Leaderboard.

Known Issues

• When you have both Diversity Researcher and have connected the Research Institute on the map of the same name, you can't use both effects on the same animal.
• Players are awarded a conservation bonus when rocks and water are covered in the Diversity Research challenge (rather than at end of game).
• If you decline a Clever placement bonus, then undo your turn, covering it again won’t give you the Clever effect.

Bug Fixes

• Standard enclosures are no longer component limited.
• Using Undo at certain times will no longer remove Quarantine Lab’s protection.
• Fixed localization issue with Boost: Association effect.
• Resized chat window to avoid overlapping buttons on the game results screen.
• Clarified the flow for declining an optional effect during the Break.
• Hotkeys will no longer be triggered while typing in chat.
• Tweaked AI evaluation of special enclosures.
• Updated the text for the game setting which reduces animations for opponent actions.
• Fixed visual issue with Biodiverse Zoo.
• Fixed card hinting issue with Digging.
• Fixed localization issue with the Heavy Equipment Operator rules mod.
• Fixed issue where Waza Small Animal Program wasn’t interacting correctly with Flocking.
• Fixed issue where Expert on Europe can fail to give the VP bonus condition.

Known Issues

• The Undo button has a "Cancel" tooltip when you're resolving an ability.
• Some of the player's previously open windows are closed upon resuming a game.

Bug Fixes

• Removed the white box which would sometimes appear on the Player History.
• Players will no longer be prompted to use the Commercial Harbor map ability when they first connect to it or after they complete an action (they can still activate it manually).
• The headers for each area now provide visual feedback to indicate that they can be selected to collapse that area
• The Research Institute is now visible on the map during map selection.

Known Issues

• The “Disable Opponent Animations” toggle is misleading. The toggle turns off opponent action presentation, not animations.
• The “Heavy Equipment Operator” scoring mod displays as a text string in the rewards screen.
• Pressing “.” in chat incorrectly removes you from a game lobby.

New

• Support for Polish localization has been added.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed various cases where card icons could appear overlapping or obscured.
• Increased the resolution of artworks on thumbnail card displays.
• The lobby will now default to the game browser when you have no active games.
• Fixed an issue where the game could crash when playing on the Commercial Harbor map.
• Veterinarian will now grant the correct amount of money when played.
• Challenge info will no longer appear when spectating opponent zoos (since the special rules apply to the player only).
• The highlight indicating when you are on the last turn of the game should no longer overlap UI elements.
• Added missing localization for Association Reputation animation

Known Issues

• The Appeal/Conservation track cannot be collapsed outside of collapse all.
• When you first connect to Commercial Harbor, you are prompted to use its effect (it should not immediately prompt).
• Players can be directed to use Commercial Harbor's ability in the midst of resolving other actions or when unnecessary.

New Features

Promo Cards

Animal Avatars

Alternative Map Pack

UI Scale

AI Improvements

Additional Features

• Added additional new player UI prompts.
• Changed Upgrade Action ability to require ability selection to reduce player confusion.
• Added options to speed up animations.
• Added new Platinum badge for first place. (This will be retroactively granted for past first place players.)
• Added Pass and Play Game History.
• Added ‘Average Turns per Game’ to player history. (These will not apply to past games.)
• Improved hinting for enclosures in the build tray.
• Improved Action Button colors to represent action level, even if unavailable.
• Added option to display icons with a ‘0’ when at that value.
• Rearranged graphic layout when mousing over an action so the current action level is more obvious.
• Added animation when an opponent draws a card from the deck.
• Improved End of Game experience to be more readable and more dramatic.
• Several performance improvements.
• Added additional interaction options when building an enclosure.
• Several UI and hinting improvements.
• Special enclosures will now have animal icons when they are filled.
• Updated icons on special enclosures to have proper orientation.
• Improved the flow for the Commercial Harbor ability.
• Updated AI iconography for harder AIs.
• Improved VFX and UI around the Break and Breaking.
• Added missing stingers for opponent actions to help improve visibility during their turn.

Bug Fixes and Improvements

• A number of outstanding gamepad, localization, UI and various art and graphic display issues have been addressed.
• Your turn should no longer be skipped when undoing all actions.
• Veterinarian should now show the correct value when moused over.
• Fixes and Improvements for tutorial prompts when encountering a feature for the first time.
• Sponsorship Drive challenge should now display losses correctly.
• Timing out on the first turn should correctly remove the timed-out player from the match.
• The Snap ability from Waza Small Animal Program should now be declinable.
• Fixed an issue where the game reloaded if left idle.
• Pass and Play games should now appear in player stats.
• The last player to join a game should now be able to select their player color and avatar.
• Adjusted default graphic settings on OSX devices.
• Fixed an issue where some cards were not displaying the icons they granted.
• The end game trophy should no longer obscure tiebreaker information.
• Adjusted chat preview messages to be less obtrusive.
• Clicking the chat preview bubble should now consistently open the chat.
• Long user names should no longer overlap other UI.
• Fixed an issue where you couldn’t edit avatars and colors for player 2 thru 4 in Pass and Play lobbies.
• Hinting for Breeding Program should now display correctly.
• Fixed an issue where notifications showing enclosures were too dark.
• Player avatar and colors should now be represented correctly on the playmat.
• Waza Special Assignment should now properly grab petting zoo cards from the top of the deck.
• Tickets Required rules mod should now be able to place animals consistently..
• Fixed an issue where Outdoor Areas granted Conservation bonuses.
• You should no longer get a notification that it’s ‘Your Turn’ when the game ends.
• Added last turn warning for all players in Pass and Play games.
• Fixed an issue with Guided School Tours during the Sponsorship Drive challenge.
• Fixed some ambiguous income sources when mousing over your income.
• Adjusted the resolution of some card images.
• Polar Bear Exhibit and Science Lab should now use the correct symbol to track granted bonuses.
• Fixed an issue where opponent’s hand and Final Scoring card backs were not visible.
• Adjusted UI around obtaining a 3rd/4th Partner Zoo if you haven’t upgraded your Association action.
• Updated some colors to be more colorblind friendly.
• Removed the number in the Finish column in Game History for Special Exhibit matches.
• Always Show Icons is now available as a player preference.
• Tooltips for AI Difficulties and Map Mode options should now appear consistently and correctly.
• You can now mouse over starting hand cards.
• Added tooltip to Ice Cream Parlor map effect sign.
• Improved UI around moving animals to special enclosures.

Bug Fixes

Gameplay

• Special enclosures should now enforce water and rock requirements when trying to move animals into them.
• Federal Grants should now correctly grant the Conservation Bonus if the user meets the reputation requirement.
• Easy AI should now properly reflect its intended difficulty.

UI

• Fixed an issue in the Tight Schedule challenge where players couldn't use X-tokens to take a different action if their Association action was on 5 and they had no workers.
• Fixed an issue where restarting a Challenge wouldn't properly load Challenge conditions.
• Your avatar and color selections will now appear in the game for Challenges.
• Miscellaneous improvements to the tutorial.

Localization

• Miscellaneous localization corrections.

Bug Fixes

• Competitive map mode (where players are given the same random advanced map) is now called “Mirrored”.
• The Breeding Program and Global Breeding Program Sponsor cards can now be used together to support a base conservation project.
• Each player gets a final turn when the endgame is triggered during a break.
• Aquarium should now correctly give 4 appeal when played.
• When releasing an animal, players are able to choose which enclosure to empty when multiple are valid.
• When moving animals into a Reptile House, the correct number of enclosures are now emptied.
• Players should now gain income abilities of cards which were played during that break.
• The Explorer Challenge now recognizes icons from sources other than animal cards for the purposes of winning and triggering the endgame.
• Architectural Zoo now scores correctly if you cover your water and rock spaces using Diversity Researcher.
• You can no longer gain your map fill bonus again using Diversity Researcher.

Fixes

• Gameplay: Enclosures should now always move as expected when using a Gamepad.
• Gameplay: Sponsorship cards should no longer track values as money.
• Gameplay: When the map is completely covered, the Architectural Zoo final scoring card should now grant a 1 Conservation bonus at end of the game.
• Gameplay: When a player uses the Pouch ability given by map and then undoes the action, the player should now get the cards they pouched back (specific to undoing the Conservation Project).
• Gameplay: Players can no longer perform the same Association action twice in the same action.
• Client: The space next to the commercial Harbor should now be able to be selected.
• Gameplay: Sponsor Ability should now trigger Primates income correctly.
• Gameplay: Geologist should now give Appeal correctly for Rock icons.
• Gameplay: Engineer should now award 5 Appeal if map is completely covered.
• Gameplay: Player should now be able to Upgrade actions or gain Reputation in any order.
• Gameplay: Side Entrance should now give income for adjacent, occupied Standard Enclosures
• Gameplay: Player should now be prompted to use Flock Animal Ability when playing Moose.
• Various backend fixes for Tutorials to prevent game freezing.
• Hud: Players should no longer see double ‘Continue’ buttons when using the Commercial Harbor Ability.
• A combination of Appeal, Money, and X-Tokens should resolve automatically with no player selection.
• Challenges: Heroic Waza Challenge should now end when player completes the 8 Appeal required and normal end game goals.
• Gameplay: Geologist and Hydrologist should now award money correctly for space-covering abilities.
• Challenges: Player should now be able to trigger endgame if they have 5 animal category icons and 5 continent icons in their zoo.

• Gameplay: If you use the Hunter ability and wind up with all non-animal cards, those should now be discarded.
• Gameplay: Expert in small animals should now count Petting Zoo Animals for its 3 money discount.
• Client: Players should now be able to decline Optional actions when resolving them.
• Client: Players should now be able to select Player in Chat, Add Friend, or Block.
• Client: Using Undo after resuming a match should no longer result in blank window
• Client: Tooltip related to the Digging ability should now be localized.
• Steam Deck: Tapping a text entry field should now bring up the keyboard and a Please Enter Text prompt.
• Steam Deck: You should now be able to close the Create Account button with the B button.
• Steam Deck: You should now see the L-stick icon closer to the map selection window.