Astro Protocol News

[h2]New Tutorial[/h2][p]The focus of update 0.13 is on improving the player onboarding experience. This includes a completely reworked tutorial. Previously, the tutorial was just a regular procedurally generated game, which made it nearly impossible to provide consistent guidance as maps, techs, anomalies, and opponents were always different, creating endless number of corner cases.[/p][p]We’ve now switched to a static tutorial where the starting conditions are always the same. This lets us add clear instructions, visual indicators, and more guided steps. The tutorial now walks players through colonization, terraforming, upkeep, and victory points. We’ve also lowered the difficulty, no more raiders showing up with three ships on turn five! Next, we’ll be playtesting further and refining the tutorial to make it even smoother.[/p][h2]User Interface Improvements[/h2][p]We redesigned several menus: scoreboard, minor factions, and terraforming giving them a fresh look, clearer tooltips, and better feedback when you take actions. Tooltips in general have also been overhauled to be easier to read and understand. This work is ongoing, and we’ll continue adding new tooltips and refining the existing ones.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Graphics Improvements[/h2][p]We’ve made a number of visual upgrades aimed at clarity and readability:[/p]

• [p]Ship idle animations and faction logos above ships make it easier to spot fleets and threats.[/p]
• [p]Placement indicators for ships, stations, techs, and artifacts are now animated for better visibility.[/p]
• [p]Animations for building, terraforming, and colonization make these actions easier to notice.[/p]

[h2]Gameplay Improvements[/h2][p]We’ve added small but impactful changes to improve the flow of the game:[/p]

• [p]Pan and pinch gestures are now supported, making touchpad play much smoother.[/p]
• [p]The Bulwark ship has been rebalanced, it can no longer move and attack during the same turn.[/p]
• [p]Star systems, asteroid fields, and gas giants appear a little less often, improving navigation and station placement.[/p]
• [p]Simultaneous unit movement is now enabled, so the game plays faster even if you keep normal animation speeds.[/p]

[h2]AI Improvements[/h2][p]The AI now has seven difficulty levels, scaling resource production. On “Normal” difficulty the AI players receive the same amount of resources as humans.[/p][p]We’ve also improved AI station building and energy management. Many of these improvements come from Xilmi, known for his AI work on OpenXcom and Remnants of the Precursors. He's been providing valuable feedback and bug reports, and we’re excited to continue collaborating with him.[/p][h2]Release Schedule[/h2][p]Our initial plan was to release by the end of 2025. However, as the year closes in, we’ve decided to postpone launch to Q1 2026. This extra time will let us:[/p]

• [p]Add remaining mechanics and content (ships, anomalies, technologies, upgrades).[/p]
• [p]Polish the game experience across the board.[/p]

[p]We also believe this new timing avoids the crowded holiday release window and gives Astro Protocol a stronger launch opportunity.[/p][p]Please let us know what you think about the changes and if you haven't tried out the game, now is a good time because the tutorial is better than ever.[/p][p]Thanks for playing and supporting Astro Protocol. See you among the stars![/p]

[h2]New Planet Types[/h2][p]Astro Protocol 0.12 adds 6 new planet types to the game: Agriculture, Mining, Generator, Science, Industrial and Hub. These planet types can not be found from the map, but must be terraformed. These planets can be colonized by all factions. This adds more variety in how to terraform the planets and which terraforming techs to choose. [/p][p]Agriculture, mining and generator planets generate gas, metals and energy respectively based on the number of other stations producing those resources adjacent to them. For example agriculture planet produces 1 gas for each hydroponic farm or gas extractor station adjacent to it. [/p][p]Science, Industrial and Hub planets don't generate any resources but provide unique benefits such as extended network range, being able immediately move ships out of starport after they were built, etc.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Anomalies[/h2][p]The update also adds new anomalies with new art. These anomalies allow players to terraform or colonize the planets they are found from. Also some existing anomalies have been improved and updated.[/p][p][/p][h2]Upkeep Changes[/h2][p]We have also introduced some upkeep changes in order to improve the economy balance. Most importantly ships now have an upkeep of 1 energy in addition to the energy cost when moving or attacking with ships that are outside of network. In addition research labs have an upkeep of 1 gas which will make accumulating big number of techs and artifacts more costly. However artifacts no longer cost gas to obtain. Also the energy upkeep of planets has been removed.[/p][h2]Colonization[/h2][p]Colonization will not consume the ship that was used to colonize the planet. This makes it more of a strategic decision which ship to use to colonize and when, especially if there are enemy units nearby as they can exterminate your planet without losing their ship. Vanguard ships, which have colony pods special ability will not be consumed when colonizing a planet.[/p][h2]Improve Ship Specialization[/h2][p]In addition to improving Vanguard also Corvette special ability was changed slightly. But the biggest ship change is that long range ships can no longer counter-attack if they were attack from an adjacent tile. This incentivises using close range ships to screen and protect long range units instead of using only ranged units.[/p][h2]Smarter AI[/h2][p]AI has been improved on multiple fronts including:[/p]

• [p]More effective ship movement and combat[/p]
• [p]Better terraforming, colonization, and station building[/p]
• [p]Refined research and resource evaluation[/p]
• [p]Performance upgrades for navigation and decision-making[/p]

[h2]Try the Update and Share Your Feedback[/h2][p]With new planets, anomalies, and systemic overhauls, Astro Protocol 0.12 makes expansion more diverse, fleets more demanding, and every decision more meaningful. Try the update, experiment with new strategies, and let us know how these changes reshape your path to galactic dominance.[/p][p]Thanks for playing and supporting Astro Protocol.
See you among the stars![/p]

[p]Astro Protocol 0.11 brings the arrival of three new minor factions, reshaping how you explore the galaxy and compete for victory. Alongside improved map generation, new victory conditions, and visual upgrades, this update deepens the strategic and narrative potential of every match.[/p][h2]Meet the Minor Factions[/h2][p]The galaxy is no longer home to only the warring major factions. Surveyors, Cultivators, and Raiders now operate independently within the Astro Protocol system. Each minor faction has its own behavior, backstory, and role:[/p][h3]Surveyors[/h3][p]Volunteers and explorers dedicated to cosmic mapping. Alliance with the Surveyors will grant all their knowledge about the map of Astro Protocol to you. They will also periodically send scout ships to explore and share their observations with you. [/p][h3]Cultivators[/h3][p]Resource focused groups producing large scale gas reserves and protecting them. Alliance with the Cultivators will make your hydroponic farms no longer require upkeep.[/p][h3]Raiders[/h3][p]Aggressive opportunists targeting the weak. Their support might be volatile, but their fleets make them dangerous, both as enemies and as allies. Alliance with the Raiders will prevent them from raiding you. Your ships will also take part of the looting and produce 1 random resource when killing an enemy ship.[/p][h2]New Alliance System[/h2][p]You can now form alliances with minor factions by excelling in the specific area they value most. For example, Cultivators will ally with the major faction that generates the highest net gas income. Each minor faction has its own priority, and they will always side with the major faction that leads in that domain.[/p][p]Alliances grant powerful strategic benefits, but they are not permanent. If another major faction surpasses you in the relevant area, the minor faction may switch allegiance. You can also break an alliance manually at any time if your plans change.[/p][p]If a minor faction is defeated, the major faction that controls its home planet has the option to liberate it and restore its presence in the system.[/p][p]Minor factions bring both opportunity and risk, whether as allies or adversaries. Choose your relationships wisely.[/p][h2]Map Generation Improvements[/h2]

• [p]The map shape has been changed to accommodate minor factions.[/p]
• [p]Added map seed which guarantees the same map over multiple games [/p]
• [p]Improved placement of the planets, terrain and anomalies[/p]
• [p]Added new map generation settings such as planet, anomaly and terrain density[/p]
• [p]Removed planetary defences[/p]

[h2]Other Highlights[/h2]

• [p]Added two new victory conditions and rebalanced some of the already existing ones[/p]
• [p]Improved the players colors on the map.[/p]
• [p]Improved tooltips.[/p]
• [p]Improved performance.[/p]
• [p]Menu buttons now darken when there are no options available in the menu[/p]
• [p]The Research Lab sprite is now larger for better visibility.[/p]

[h2]Try the Update and Shape the Future[/h2][p]Whether you choose to exploit, ally, or destroy the new minor factions, they’re now an integral part of your journey toward galactic dominance. Let us know how these new systems affect your matches, and which factions you find most compelling to engage with. The feedback will help developing the game further.[/p][p]Thanks for playing and supporting Astro Protocol.[/p][p]See you among the stars![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]Version 0.10 introduces the Research Lab, a new station type that changes how technologies and artifacts are handled in Astro Protocol.[/p][p]Each Research Lab can hold up to 3 technologies and/or artifacts. From now on, every tech you research and every artifact you acquire must be placed into one of your Research Labs.[/p][h2]Gameplay Effects[/h2][p]If a Research Lab is captured by another player, its stored techs and artifacts are captured with it. This means your technology and artifacts are no longer completely safe once acquired, they are now strategic assets on the map. Players can now gain access to techs they had to pass on the tech tree or did not even have the possibility to research due to the randomized nature of the tech tree. Or acquire artifacts by taking control of enemy research labs instead of getting them from anomalies.[/p][p]This also makes it possible to fulfil artifact or tech victory conditions by capturing research labs [/p][p]Whether you’re defending critical stations or launching a raid to steal what others have discovered, Research Labs bring new tactical options and risks to every match.[/p][h2]Other Updates[/h2]

• [p]Added two new music tracks[/p]
• [p]Minor user interface improvements[/p]

[h2]Try the Update and Join Development[/h2][p]We’d love your feedback on the Research Lab system, especially how it impacts your strategy, tech planning, and the pursuit of victory conditions. Thanks for playing and supporting Astro Protocol.[/p][p]See you among the stars![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[h2]New Victory Conditions System[/h2][p]Version 0.9 introduces a brand-new way to win the game. Instead of passively accumulating points over time, you now earn victory points by fulfilling victory conditions:[/p]

• [p]The victory conditions require you to posses a certain number of planets, stations, units, techs, ascendancy cores or artifacts[/p]
• [p]Each game randomizes the set of 5 conditions worth 1-3 victory points[/p]
• [p]Victory points are not permanent, if you no longer meet the requirement, you lose the point(s)[/p]
• [p]The first player to reach 6 victory points wins the game![/p]

[p]This system creates more tension, dynamic strategic objectives, and makes territory control feel meaningful and contested throughout the match.[/p][p][/p][h2]More Strategic Station Building[/h2][p]Stations now begin in an inactive state when built or captured. While inactive:[/p]

• [p]They don’t produce resources[/p]
• [p]They don’t provide line of sight or other effects[/p]

[p]If the station is connected to your network, it will automatically activate at the start of your next turn. This makes network connectivity and defending more critical and prevents using captured starports immediately.[/p][p][/p][h2]AI Improvements[/h2][p]We've made big steps forward in improving the AI:[/p]

• [p]The AI now understands and scores victory conditions, victory points, and anomaly rewards[/p]
• [p]Better station capture behavior, extermination planning, and movement scoring[/p]
• [p]Improved Starport placement logic[/p]

[p][/p][h2]New Visuals and Audio[/h2]

• [p]Replaced tropical planets with a more fitting lava planet type[/p]
• [p]Improved barren planet textures[/p]
• [p]Added more sound effects[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Other Fixes and Tweaks[/h2]

• [p]Tech costs have been increased across the board[/p]
• [p]Fixed randomization of anomaly reward options[/p]
• [p]Fixed AI issues with station placement[/p]
• [p]Added support for saving tutorial progress and ship rotation state[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Try the Update and Join Development[/h2][p]Want the latest features early? Join the beta branch on Steam to access experimental updates. Join our Discord to access the beta branch changelog on each update.[/p][p]We’d love your feedback, especially on the new victory system and AI behavior. Thanks for helping shape Astro Protocol.[/p][p]See you among the stars![/p]