Cost: $8,000 • Launch Payload: 100 kg Dust Capsules • Range: Global Lunar Surface • Autonomy: 100% Unattended
Deploying your first J.O.O.N.A.S. transitions Moon Sweepers from a manual simulation into an exponential idle/factory game. Once deployed, a unit systematically clears hexagonal grid sectors and launches compressed capsules directly to your base.
ROBOTICS 101 Unit Specifications
Unlike the starter domestic vacuum cleaners that circle aimlessly and require babysitting, J.O.O.N.A.S. is built with industrial grade heavy-tread suspension, high-volume dust intake blowers, and an integrated pneumatic capsule mortar cannon.
- Bin Indicator: The on-board gauge flashes bright warning red when reaching 100 kg payload capacity.
- Diagnostic Panel: Aiming your visor at J.O.O.N.A.S. brings up a heads-up display showing active battery %, current sector hex ID, and total kilograms swept.
- Global Map Telemetry: Every active unit is rendered on the headquarters map and your handheld map with a toggleable icon.
SYSTEM UPDATE Patch 1.0.4 Overhaul
At initial launch, J.O.O.N.A.S. suffered from routing bugs where units would drive thousands of meters back to base to unload, or freeze when players moved away. Developer DragDrop Games completely reworked the unit in Patch 1.0.4:
- No More Dock Trips
J.O.O.N.A.S. never drives back to base. Upon filling its bin, it fires a rocket capsule straight up through the lunar vacuum toward your nearest Capsule Catcher and immediately proceeds to sweep the next hex.
- 2× Faster Sweep Speed
Cleaning AI has been re-architected to sweep each hexagon tile from the outer perimeter inward to the center. Circular idling and stuttering has been eliminated.
- True Unattended Autonomy
J.O.O.N.A.S. simulation now persists in background world threads. Whether you are driving a rover 10 kilometers away, building conveyor lines, or running a 16-player co-op session, the units clean uninterrupted.
- Smart Geometry Avoidance
Units intelligently pathfind around factory foundations, ramps, and boulder craters, automatically skipping inaccessible coordinates without wedging themselves.
TOPOLOGY Hex Pathing & Sector Completion
The Moon is partitioned into thousands of hexagonal sectors. Each sector contains sub-tiles that must reach 100% dust removal to grant the Region Completion Bounty ($250 to $1,000 depending on area difficulty).
LOGISTICS Pairing With Capsule Catchers
Before purchasing J.O.O.N.A.S., you must construct at least one Capsule Catcher ($800) at your central refinery:
- Place the Capsule Catcher on a flat foundation near your refinery line.
- In v1.0.4, the glass housing renders visible dust accumulating up to its increased 100 kg ceiling.
- Connect the bottom conveyor extraction port to a 1-to-2 Splitter feeding two Pressure Chambers.
- When J.O.O.N.A.S. launches capsules across the horizon, they land directly inside the catcher hopper with zero player intervention.
SCALING Multi-Unit Fleet Management
To clear the Moon at endgame velocity:
- 1–2 J.O.O.N.A.S. Units: Supported by 1 Capsule Catcher, 2 Pressure Chambers, 5 Stone Presses, and 18 Solar Panels.
- 3–5 J.O.O.N.A.S. Units: Require a second dedicated Capsule Catcher line to prevent rocket capsules queuing in flight.
- 6+ Fleet Operations: Establish decentralized regional outposts across different moon quadrants to distribute power loads and conveyor distances.
FAQ J.O.O.N.A.S. Protocol Questions
What does J.O.O.N.A.S. stand for in Moon Sweepers?
J.O.O.N.A.S. stands for "Joint Operations Outer-space Navigational Automated Sweeper". It is the heavy-duty autonomous vacuum robot unit tasked with sweeping vast lunar hexagonal tiles without manual player intervention.
How did Patch 1.0.4 change J.O.O.N.A.S. behavior?
Patch 1.0.4 completely eliminated dock trips. J.O.O.N.A.S. now cleans hexagonal sectors from outside-in (2× faster), launches 100 kg capsules directly by rocket to the nearest Capsule Catcher from anywhere on the Moon, and never halts when players travel away or log out.
Why should I skip the early basic robot vacuum?
The basic $800 robot vacuum has limited battery life, tiny carrying capacity, easily wedges in lunar craters, and requires players to manually escort or empty it. Saving up $8,000 to deploy your first J.O.O.N.A.S. unit skips hours of wasted grinding.
How do I track what J.O.O.N.A.S. is currently doing?
In v1.0.4, look at the J.O.O.N.A.S. unit to view its real-time diagnostic panel. Furthermore, all active robots appear on your handheld Moon Map with their active activity state and sector ID, and their dust bin indicator flashes red when full.