A Rover's Journey
A 3D exploration game where you play Roo-ver, Australia's upcoming lunar rover. Traverse difficult terrain, dodge otherworldly hazards, and scan wrecks from real space programs to help Alex the astronaut sustain life on the Moon.
ROLE
Designer: level map, narrative and objectives
TEAM
MASA Studios, team of 9 designers, programmers and artists, in partnership with MAXART
ENGINE
Unity
PROJECT
University capstone, 2026. Development ongoing
Level Design: Hub and Spoke Moon
• Hub and spoke map built around The Basin
• Tutorial Zone, then The Abyss and The Peaks
• Mapped routes, objectives and points of interest
• Built all the terrain in Unity, blockout to polish
• Set dressed, terrain painted and lit the level
• Landmarks visible from base guide players, not UI
Narrative: Roo-ver and Alex
• Wrote the narrative: Alex briefs Roo-ver from the research dome
• Mission outline pairs each objective with intent and dialogue
• Dialogue triggers placed along the traversal routes
• Research data upgrades Roo-ver's firmware, tying upgrades to story
Points of Interest: Real Space Programs
• Co-designed the objectives and points of interest
• Kitbashed them in engine from the art team's models
• Unmarked but distinct, most visible from a distance
• Drawn from real programs: Apollo 11, Artemis, the TRIDENT drill
• Scanning and laser cutting earn research data and upgrades
Design Intent
• My impact: the level map and narrative set the structure the mission zones were built around
• Design intent: wonder, discovery and feeling small, with a distant Earth always in view from Roo-ver's low-down perspective
• Built for non-competitive players who may be new to 3D spaces, so each area is introduced gradually
• Steam page published in September 2026, with development continuing alongside MAXART
Credits
MASA Studios, in partnership with MAXART
Max Kennedy: Producer and Designer
Ben Worton: Lead Programmer
Piper Jarvinen: Lead Artist
Lachlan Taylor: Level and Narrative Designer
Audrey Dai: Concept and Prop Artist
Takuma Aoki: Lead Game Designer
Eva Haraguchi: Programmer, UI and Sound Designer
Tris Rose: Programmer
Acelin Berthelot: Systems and Gameplay Designer
