Astro Protocol News

[p]After Astro Protocol demo appeared in Steam Next Fest in October, we’ve been focused on expanding the game with significantly more content, especially end-game systems. Ahead of our planned Q1 2026 release, we will be running a playtest to make sure the game holds up at larger scales.[/p][p]Compared to the demo the playtest adds:[/p]

• [p]All 6 playable factions (3 in demo)[/p]
• [p]8 minor factions (3 in demo)[/p]
• [p]Large and Largest map sizes (Small and Medium only in demo)[/p]
• [p]6 additional ship types[/p]
• [p]More techs to research[/p]
• [p]More anomalies to explore[/p]

[p]The goal of the playtest is to validate longer, more epic games, test balance across factions and strategies and gather feedback on the content not available in the demo.[/p][p]If you want to help us improve the game and get access to the content not available in the demo you can sign up here:[/p][p]https://nullvectorstudios.com/playtest[/p][p]Slots are limited. Selected players will receive more details closer to the playtest start.[/p]

[p]Our friend The Shaggy Dev has released Unto Deepest Depths, a turn-based strategy game where all units must move and attack every turn.[/p][p]Build your party, upgrade your units, and lead them into the unknown to vanquish the horrors below in this punishing roguelite where any move could be your last.[/p]
[dynamiclink]Unto Deepest Depths[/dynamiclink]

[p]We’ve been hard at work on the full version of Astro Protocol, adding new factions, units, anomalies and technologies. These additions are not available in the demo but update 0.18 brings a big wave of improvements for the demo as well.[/p][h2]Extermination Now Takes One Turn[/h2][p]Exterminating a planet used to be an instant action and didn't have any cost or drawback while colonizing cost you a ship and energy. This incentivised attacking planets and made any hole in defence very costly.[/p][p]This update changes extermination so that the ship must bombard the planet until the start of your next turn and cannot counter-attack during this period. If the ship is destroyed, the extermination attempt fails.[/p][p]This change makes extermination more tactical and increases counter-play opportunities for opponents.[/p][h2]New Game Settings[/h2][p]This update adds new settings to control over how each match plays:[/p]

• [p]Added setting to start a game without minor factions.[/p]
• [p]Added game length setting.[/p]
• [p]Added possibility to randomize game settings and faction.[/p]

[h2]Map Generation Improvements[/h2]

• [p]More variance in player starting positions.[/p]
• [p]Medium-level anomalies can appear anywhere instead of only in the center of the map.[/p]
• [p]Less stars, gas giants, and asteroids for more scarcity and room for strategic plays.[/p]
• [p]Added randomized minor faction spawn distance from the center.[/p]

[h2]Improved AI & More Defensive Minor Factions[/h2]

• [p]AI now makes better decisions in tech research, ship construction, and anomaly rewards.[/p]
• [p]Minor factions now behave more defensively, making them harder to wipe out early.[/p]
• [p]AI uses more efficient movement and production logic.[/p]
• [p]Early-game AI shipbuilding has been improved for stronger openings.[/p]

[h2]Performance & UX Improvements[/h2][p]A large part of this update focuses on speed and quality-of-life improvements:[/p][h3]Performance[/h3]

• [p]Faster turn-ending calculations.[/p]
• [p]Better research placement performance.[/p]
• [p]Optimized map rendering performance especially for large maps.[/p]

[h3]UI / UX[/h3]

• [p]New tooltip style[/p]
• [p]Smaller selected-ship panel and ship tooltips[/p]
• [p]Input icons added[/p]
• [p]Game settings now save automatically[/p]
• [p]Improved end game menu[/p]
• [p]Close menus when placing ships, stations and techs[/p]
• [p]Improved anomaly tooltips[/p]

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Fixed minor faction relation visualization[/p]
• [p]Fixed tutorial texts[/p]
• [p]Fixed navigation crash[/p]

[h2]⚠️ Important Note: Your Settings Have Been Reset[/h2][p]Due to internal technical changes, your video, audio, and gameplay settings have been reset.
Please reconfigure them after updating the game.[/p][h2]December Playtest - Sign Up Now[/h2][p]We’re preparing a new playtest in December. If you would like to experience the content available in the full version before the game is released, sign up here: https://nullvectorstudios.com/playtest[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you all for playing, supporting development, and giving feedback.
See you in the weekly challenge — and among the stars![/p]

[p]Our friends at Fancy Raven Games have released Interstellar Espionage Inc. a strategy game where you manage an interstellar spy business with lunchbreak-length runs.[/p][p]Explore a randomized universe, build a galaxy-wide espionage network, steal technology and corporate data. Partner with megacorporations or sell their secrets to bankrupt them. Profit and retire![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[dynamiclink]Interstellar Espionage Inc[/dynamiclink]

[h3]Weekly Challenge Mode[/h3][p]A new Weekly Challenge is now available!
Each week, the game generates a new set of randomized galaxy settings and rules shared across all players. Your challenge seed changes automatically every Monday, so everyone in the world faces the same scenario for that week.[/p][p]Think you can finish faster than others? Share your fastest victory screenshots in the [c]#weekly-challenge[/c] channel on our Discord.[/p][h3]Ship Rebalance & Ability Updates[/h3][p]All ships have been rebalanced with new attack, damage, armor, and shield values and two abilities have been updated:[/p]

• [p]Invader now spends all action points when colonizing planets.[/p]
• [p]Oracle now provides shields to adjacent non-carrier ships, making it a valuable fleet support vessel.[/p]

[h3]UI Rework[/h3][p]We’ve reworked the station and ship build menus so they no longer require scrolling, keeping all build options visible at a glance. Menus have also been moved to the left side of the screen closer to tooltips for faster access and a more cohesive layout.[/p][h3]Other Highlights[/h3]

• [p]Added “Disband Ship” button for better fleet management.[/p]
• [p]Improved AI early-game shipbuilding and movement efficiency.[/p]
• [p]Added gradients to faction logos.[/p]
• [p]Added “No more techs available” message in the research menu.[/p]
• [p]Improved tooltip placement.[/p]
• [p]Added playtest signup link in the main menu.[/p]

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Fixed Decentralized Shielding tech not appearing.[/p]
• [p]Fixed navigation crash.[/p]

[p]Thank you to everyone testing, sharing feedback, and helping Astro Protocol grow with every update.[/p][p]See you among the stars![/p]