Cepheus Protocol News

[hr][/hr][p]Cepheus Protocol | CERC HQ | #84[/p][p]Civilian evacuation is finally coming together, and it’s reshaping how every system in the game connects.[/p][p]Phase three kicks off with a full evacuation framework. You can now purge or relocate entire buildings, shift populations between zones, and manage reputation based on your decisions. A new civilian hold system tracks infected, dead, and evacuated counts in real time, while evacuation orders and zone flow create a dynamic map-wide population movement.[/p][p]DNA systems are getting a major upgrade. Enemies now drop DNA, scientists can collect it, and a new DNA collector passively generates resources based on infection levels. This ties directly into upcoming research systems, letting you invest in detection tools, upgrades, and long-term progression.[/p][p]There’s also a wave of improvements across the board. New weapons are being added, vehicles and time-to-kill are rebalanced, and infected AI like birds are being tuned for better behavior and performance. Some bugs are still being worked through, including pathfinding quirks and visual issues with DNA collection.[/p][p]Next up is finishing the evacuation loop with buses, intake systems, and full civilian processing. After that, focus shifts to operator polish, smarter infected AI, and expanding into larger maps with more complex scenarios.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][p]Phase 3 is already in motion. We are several weeks into implementation, and the next major push is Civilian Evacuation. We are aiming for an experimental patch in the next week or two, and when it lands, we are going to need strong testing and actionable feedback. [/p][h3]NOTE:[/h3][p]Non Infected Civilian Meshes are in + Operator Weapon drop is coming soon![/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][p]2 New maps are live for testing on Experimental. Angel Island will be joining the roster as a standalone map in the next 1-2 weeks before we resume work on San Francisco North.[/p][h3]Operation Iron Wake & Operation Stray Ember[/h3][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]The virus is loose across the Bay Area. Flashpoints are erupting across the peninsula as entire districts fall into chaos and infected swarms push deeper into civilian zones.[/p][p]CERC forces are already in the field.[/p][p]Embedded military reporters and frontline operators are transmitting battlefield coverage directly from active operations. The images you are about to see were captured during recent combat deployments across the region.[/p][p]These transmissions come directly from the front.[/p][p]The battle for the Bay Area has begun.[/p][p]Civilian Evacuation is one of the biggest new ways to engage with the game.
It is not just another side system. It is a new gameplay lane that changes how you make money, how you move people, how you secure territory, and how your decisions reshape the map over time.
[/p][h2]What Civilian Evacuation Adds[/h2]

• [p]Civilian Evacuation creates a new way to play the game by turning population control into a real strategic layer. Taking away the Biomass resource from Infected[/p]
• [p]You will be able to generate income through evacuation.[/p]
• [p]Martial law can be declared in any zone to slow infection but doing so will piss off civilians depending on the level you employ ruining your reputation in that zone.[/p]
• [p]You will be able to move populations between zones through buses and normal movement.[/p]
• [p]You will be able to route civilians into intake centers and process them based on the rules you set. That means deciding who gets evacuated, who gets screened further, and who gets shot.[/p]
• [p]The goal is to add replay value and give players another way to approach the war beyond direct combat. It creates more room for logistics, more room for decision making, and more ways to trade safety, efficiency, and profit against each other. [/p]

• [p]Players can run camps together or alone its up to them in Coop or SP sessions[/p]

[p][/p][carousel][/carousel][h2]How Intake and Screening Work[/h2][p]The intake side of the system is built around letting you control what happens to civilian populations once they are brought in. Depending on your rules and screening process, civilians can be:[/p]

• [p]Evacuated[/p]
• [p]Caged for DNA[/p]
• [p]Caged for containment (Isolation till confirmation)[/p]
• [p]Euthanized [/p][p][/p]

[p]This gives the player a lot more control over how strict or how ruthless they want their response to be. It also means interactions with the civilian systems are no longer passive. It becomes something you actively shape through policy, logistics, and security. [/p][h2]Transit, Buses, and Zone Waypoints[/h2]

• [p]A major part of this update is the ability to move civilian populations from zone to zone in a more structured way.[/p]
• [p]The bus system is being added so civilians can be transported across the map and brought into admin intake centers.[/p]
• [p]At the same time, a new structure is being added that lets you choose a waypoint inside a zone. That matters because civilians will not always need to go straight to a building or straight to the admin center. Instead, they can be routed to a controlled entry point inside the zone first, which gives you a stronger way to establish security, stage movement, and control how populations enter an area. [/p]

[h2]Zone Reputation[/h2][p]Zone reputation is the pressure system tied to how you treat civilians.[/p]

• [p]It is directly affected by atrocities and evacuation.[/p]
• [p] If you keep killing civilians in any form, your reputation in that zone drops and affects other nearby zones.[/p]
• [p] If you successfully evacuate people, your reputation rises. The system is intentionally simple in its base form, because the goal right now is to get it in, see how it feels, and then tune it from there. [/p]
• [p]The consequence for low reputation is civilian retaliation. If your reputation continues to collapse, civilian militia groups can begin launching raids against your outposts and bases. The worse your reputation gets, the larger those groups can become, and the more often they can appear. That means brutality is no longer just a throwaway action. It can create an escalating security problem that pushes back against the player. [/p][p][/p]

[h2]DNA Research[/h2][p]DNA research ties directly back into Civilian Evacuation and the wider combat loop.[/p]

• [p]On the civilian side, it improves the efficiency of evacuation and intake systems.[/p]
• [p]On the combat side, it improves the reliability and resilience of some of your units.[/p]
• [p]Shrewder Rounds will be readded plus Chelsey's Cocoon state so she will be unkillable till you get this upgrade through learning the Pangu virus. [/p]
• [p]This is part of the broader push to make DNA matter more as a real gameplay system instead of a background mechanic.[/p]
• [p]We will be going into this in more detail over the next one to two weeks as the base intake systems come online.[/p]

[h2]Why This Matters[/h2][p]Civilian Evacuation is not a side feature. It changes the core gameplay loop. Matches are no longer just about holding ground and killing infected. They are also about screening civilians, moving them, containing infection risk, securing evacuation routes, and managing the consequences of your decisions.[/p][h3]Experimental Testing[/h3][p]We are aiming for an experimental patch in the next week or two. When it lands, we need as many players as possible to stress test the new gameplay loop and give us actionable feedback. That feedback will directly shape how fast we can stabilize this system and push it further. [/p][h2]Current Order Of Operations[/h2][p]Right now, the immediate implementation focus is: [/p]

• [p]Reputation penalties that can trigger civilian militia raids on your bases[/p]
• [p]The bus system for moving civilians from zone to zone[/p]
• [p]New waypoint structures that let you control where civilians enter a zone[/p]
• [p]Admin intake flow for processing civilian populations[/p]

[p]That is the current foundation. Once those parts are in and functioning, we can keep tuning the feel of the system and expand from there. There is already 2/3's of the system in as it stands and we've been showing them off weekly at the CERC HQ's. [/p][p]Civilian Evacuation comes first.
After that, we close out the last remaining gameplay pillars of the rebuild.

Carrier and deployment systems[/p]

• [p]Get the LHA 6 moving again.[/p]
• [p]Restore elevator functionality.[/p]
• [p]Bring back the LCAC as the deployable hovercraft transport. [/p]

[h3] Operator finalization[/h3]

• [p]Operator driving [/p]
• [p]UI pass for Gunsmith + Base UI[/p]
• [p]Shooting polish.[/p]
• [p]Interoperability with RTS Elements (Opening Gates, building units etc)[/p]
• [p]Being able to build bases on their own[/p]

• [p]Airstrike/Support "Laze" support[/p]

[h3]AI polish[/h3]

• [p]Infected AI refinement to improve attacking/defending logic[/p]
• [p]Leviathan reintegration(See Legacy)[/p]
• [p]Lieutenant reintegration for the infected faction. [/p]
  • [p]LT's take up control of sub zones for Chelsey and influence mutations on the infection in those zones to make combating them slightly different. I.E a Spitter that can cloak or a Blowup guy that leaves a huge infection cloud when he dies.[/p]
  • [p]LT AI push with Chelsey to make them more deadly[/p]

[h3]Dynamic Civilian Groups[/h3][p]After AI polish, the last remaining part of the wider core gameplay loop moves into Quarter 2 of 2026.[/p][p]This stage focuses on the world simulation layer through dynamic civilian groups, the Police faction AI , Natalie’s Anarchists AI , and one civilian factions.[/p][p]What this includes[/p]

• [p]AI Police faction: A non playable faction that helps simulate law, order, containment, and local response across the world.[/p]
• [p]AI Natalie’s Anarchists faction: A non playable faction force meant to create pressure, disorder, and conflict across the map.[/p]
• [p]AI Civilian faction: A non playable faction that help make the world feel more reactive, more alive, and less centered purely around the player.[/p]

[p]What these factions do[/p][p]These factions are not traditional player factions.
They exist to simulate the world around you and add another layer to the strategic environment.[/p]

• [p]Some may help you.[/p]
• [p]Some may hate you.[/p]
• [p]Some may shift over time depending on how the match develops and how you deal with them.[/p]

[p]How you will interact with them[/p][p]The most basic elements being able to coordinate with them, buy units from them, and use their support to reinforce your own forces when it makes sense.[/p][p]You will be able to work with these groups at a basic level more will be revealed in Q2.[/p][p]Why this matters[/p][p]This is one of the last major steps in pushing the game beyond the rebuild and into a more reactive world simulation.[/p][p]Instead of every force existing only as a direct extension of the player, these groups will act as independent actors inside the world and help shape the larger conflict around you.[/p][hr][/hr][p]🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 7 PM EST (New Time!)[/p][p]💬 What is CERC HQ:[/p][p]Welcome to Cepheus Protocol HQ, your ultimate weekly briefing on all things Cepheus Protocol! Join the Halcyon Winds team as we explore the latest updates, reveal behind-the-scenes development stories, and answer community questions about the game. From exciting new features to design challenges, this is your all-access pass to the evolving world of Cepheus Protocol. Tune in every week and stay ahead of the outbreak![/p]

• [p]Co-op Progress[/p]
• [p]Total Revamp based on Community Feedback[/p]
• [p]Level Design Updates[/p]

[p]📺 Where to Watch:[/p]

• [p]YouTube Livestream[/p]
• [p]Discord Server[/p]
• [p]Steam Page[/p]

[p]🎤 Don’t miss our Live Q&A! We’ll be answering questions from the community during the stream.[/p][h2]📺 Missed a Stream? No Worries![/h2]

• [p]YouTube VOD Playlist[/p]
• [p]Spotify Podcast Archive (VODs may take 24 hours to appear)[/p]

[p]Phase 2 is coming to a close within the next 24 hours as we finish the final adjustments to the bird systems. With that work wrapping up, development is already moving forward into the next major system update. Civilian Evacuation 2.0 Civilian Evacuation 2.0 is a complete revamp of legacy systems built on several years of community feedback. The upcoming development cycle is focused on delivering this system from implementation through completion.

Alongside this, the first pieces of the new DNA systems will begin appearing early next week. [/p]

• [p]DNA drops will begin appearing in infected areas[/p]
• [p]Scientists will be able to collect DNA[/p]
• [p]A new DNA farming structure will allow passive DNA generation
  [/p]

[p]
The DNA farming structure can be placed inside infected zones where it will generate DNA passively based on the infection level of that area. Higher infection zones will produce more DNA over time.

However, deploying these structures will attract horde responses as infected attempt to destroy them, and the number of structures that can be built will be globally limited.

DNA will feed into research that improves unit resilience and supports Civilian Evacuation research as players continue learning more about the virus.

CERC HQ Podcast Tonight
Tonight we will be covering:
[/p]

• [p]The design direction for Civilian Evacuation 2.0[/p]
• [p]How the DNA systems work[/p]
• [p]How these mechanics connect together
  [/p]

[p]If you want an early look at what we are building next for Cepheus Protocol, I recommend dropping into the broadcast. Watch the Stream

YouTube
Watch Live on YouTube

Discord Event
Join the Discord Event

Next Saturday we will show an incremental update demonstrating the progress made following the systems discussed in tonight’s stream.[/p]

[carousel]CERC Command Dispatch[/carousel][p]The virus is loose across the Bay Area. Flashpoints are erupting across the peninsula as entire districts fall into chaos and infected swarms push deeper into civilian zones.[/p][p]CERC forces are already in the field.[/p][p]Embedded military reporters and frontline operators are transmitting battlefield coverage directly from active operations. The images you are about to see were captured during recent combat deployments across the region.[/p][p]These transmissions come directly from the front.[/p][p]The battle for the Bay Area has begun.[/p][carousel][/carousel][hr][/hr][h3]This week was focused on stability, balance, and finishing key systems before the next big push.[/h3][p]Last week we laid the foundation with client side prediction for projectiles. This week we finished the remaining save system work tied to that update and continued pushing through bugs, reports, and gameplay concerns raised by the community.[/p][h3]Save System Completed[/h3][p]The save and load system now properly supports the major abilities and effects that were still being finalized.[/p][p]This includes the MOAB, gas attack, dragon gunship, napalm, and other related systems. These now save and load correctly, which was an important step in making the current build more stable and complete.[/p][h2]Balance Changes and Power Cost Revisions[/h2][p]A large part of this week was spent working directly with feedback from players on Steam and Discord.[/p][p]We took longer than expected to push this build because we used the week to review balance concerns in detail, especially around power costs and the overall pacing of expansion and control. We have been lowering values, adjusting them, and testing different directions throughout the entire week to get things closer to a state that feels right.[/p][p]The current direction slows the game down a bit and adds more thought to building, expanding, and securing zones. That extra layer of planning is intentional, but we are still actively reviewing it and we want to hear how it feels once more players get time with it this weekend.[/p][h2]Releasing to the Public This Weekend[/h2][p]We still believe releasing this build to the public this weekend will give us the final push needed to solidify the current balance pass.[/p][p]Please jump in, test it, and let us know what feels good and what still needs work. The feedback we get going into this weekend and into next week will directly influence the next round of changes.[/p][p]Michael and Leon will both be reviewing what players are saying and using that feedback to decide what should be adjusted further.[/p][h3]Also expect 2 more guns into the weekend for the Operator as shadow patches[/h3][p][/p][h2]Community Feedback Threads[/h2][p]To help keep balance discussions organized, Leon will be setting up a master feedback thread on Steam, along with a matching thread on Discord.[/p][p]The goal is to create a clear place for players to post concerns, thoughts, and suggestions about the game’s balance as a whole. Cepheus Protocol is a complicated game and it is only getting more involved, so having a focused place for feedback will help us respond more effectively.[/p][h2]Bug Fixes and Stability Work[/h2][p]Outside of balance, we spent a lot of time this week working through bug reports and community feedback.[/p][p]Right now our short term focus is on the last vehicle pathfinding bugs, helicopter pathfinding issues, freezes, desyncs, and remaining performance concerns. The goal is to get these final issues under control as we continue stabilizing the build.[/p][h2]Network Optimization Progress[/h2][p]At this point, we believe the current round of network optimization is largely complete.[/p][p]There may still be edge cases here and there, but compared to the previous week, we were able to reduce network traffic by roughly 80 percent across the board. That improvement came largely from working closely with the community and collecting logs from active testing.[/p][p]We expect to revisit networking again later as new mechanics come online, but for now things are in a much stronger place.[/p][h2]CERC HQ Time Change[/h2][p]CERC HQ now has a new start time.[/p][p]The weekly podcast and Q and A will now begin at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time instead of 3 PM Eastern Standard Time.[/p][h2]Closing[/h2][p]Thank you again to everyone testing, reporting issues, and sharing feedback on Steam and Discord.[/p][p]A lot of the progress this week came directly from that back and forth with the community, and it is helping us tighten up both the game’s technical foundation and its overall balance.[/p][h2]March Roadmap and Short Term Priorities[/h2][p]March is about locking the rebuild foundation and finishing the remaining carryover items. Some February work is continuing into early March by design. We are prioritizing long term stability over rushed deadlines. To be direct, we rushed major systems in Legacy and it created instability, and we are not repeating that mistake. It is fair to be excited for Civilian Evacuation, but we need the next week or so to iron out what is already in place. We appreciate the continued patience while we work through the remaining items below.[/p][p]First up: Player Concerns feedback from this poll[/p]

• [p]Pathfinding improvements and formation system fixes[/p]
• [p]Bug fixing across Pandemic and core systems[/p]
• [p]Small quality of life changes that improve flow and usability[/p]

[p]Runner up: Remaining Roadmap Elements Before Civilian Evac[/p]

• [p]Infected Birds to improve mid and late game Infected counters so sessions do not overly rely on Juggernauts[/p]

• [p]AJAX Avenger[/p]
• [p]SAM Site Turret[/p]

[h3]Civilian Evacuation Roadmap[/h3][p]Once the above stability work and Infected Birds are complete, we will shift fully into Civilian Evac.[/p]

• [p]Each player to manage their own evacuation camps[/p]
• [p]Full multiplayer compatibility[/p]
• [p]Single player parity[/p]

[p]Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Patch Notes[/h2]

• [p]Ground Vehicle AI Pathing improvements.[/p]
  • [p]When Vehicles were given move orders off the navigation I.E on top of rooftops/on top of CERC structures their pathing would break down. Used this filtering to let ChaosVehicleAI try to 'cut out' any move orders to the top of skyscrapers/etc to avoid this when needed.[/p]
  • [p]Also set up ChaosVehicleAI to Halt if given a move command request that completely fails (so if the vehicle was moving, it won't 'stop pathfinding' while still holding throttle/turn at current values, which is really bad) caused them to phase into objects etc[/p]
• [p]Helicopter Vehicle AI Pathing improvements.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a fast rope pathing bug where if you were nested between 2 buildings and gave a fast rope order sometimes you could get them to slam into the structure instead of going around or over it. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue with helicopter nav where units would not understand they needed to "gain" altitude when given a move order on a rooftop for a building they are next to[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where Mortar class weapons could incorrectly ignore Attack ground orders and instead auto target units live in the map based on proximity. [/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where the Central point of your base could be incorrectly calculated in highly complex layouts confusing Attack parties. [/p]
• [p]Vision Grid/Line of Sight bug fixed related to all units sometimes seeing objects they have no business seeing allowing them to "lock" on to targets outside their range effectively causing them to freeze up or stop responding to stimuli[/p]
  • [p]Ex: Guard Towers are tall. If you set a Guard Tower behind an in-world wall, then build something short in between that Guard Tower and the wall, units outside the wall will see whatever's between them and the Guard Tower even though a wall is blocking the short object. Juggernauts and other units were seeing sandbags/etc. that were 'in front' of the Guard Tower but 'behind' the concrete wall[/p]
    • [p]Result: Units are far less likely to see things they ought not and malfunction.[/p]
  [h3]We are not done yet and pathing fixes will continue into Monday-Tuesday![/h3]

[hr][/hr][h2]🎙️ Next CERC HQ – Livestream Details[/h2][p]🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 7 PM EST (New Time!)[/p][p]💬 What is CERC HQ:[/p][p]Welcome to Cepheus Protocol HQ, your ultimate weekly briefing on all things Cepheus Protocol! Join the Halcyon Winds team as we explore the latest updates, reveal behind-the-scenes development stories, and answer community questions about the game. From exciting new features to design challenges, this is your all-access pass to the evolving world of Cepheus Protocol. Tune in every week and stay ahead of the outbreak![/p]

• [p]Co-op Progress[/p]
• [p]Total Revamp based on Community Feedback[/p]
• [p]Level Design Updates[/p]

[p]📺 Where to Watch:[/p]

• [p]YouTube Livestream[/p]
• [p]Discord Server[/p]
• [p]Steam Page[/p]

[p]🎤 Don’t miss our Live Q&A! We’ll be answering questions from the community during the stream.[/p][h2]📺 Missed a Stream? No Worries![/h2]

• [p]YouTube VOD Playlist[/p]
• [p]Spotify Podcast Archive (VODs may take 24 hours to appear)[/p]

[p]
[/p][hr][/hr][h3]This week was focused on stability, balance, and finishing key systems before the next big push.[/h3][p]Last week we laid the foundation with client side prediction for projectiles. This week we finished the remaining save system work tied to that update and continued pushing through bugs, reports, and gameplay concerns raised by the community.[/p][h3]Save System Completed[/h3][p]The save and load system now properly supports the major abilities and effects that were still being finalized.[/p][p]This includes the MOAB, gas attack, dragon gunship, napalm, and other related systems. These now save and load correctly, which was an important step in making the current build more stable and complete.[/p][h2]Balance Changes and Power Cost Revisions[/h2][p]A large part of this week was spent working directly with feedback from players on Steam and Discord.[/p][p]We took longer than expected to push this build because we used the week to review balance concerns in detail, especially around power costs and the overall pacing of expansion and control. We have been lowering values, adjusting them, and testing different directions throughout the entire week to get things closer to a state that feels right.[/p][p]The current direction slows the game down a bit and adds more thought to building, expanding, and securing zones. That extra layer of planning is intentional, but we are still actively reviewing it and we want to hear how it feels once more players get time with it this weekend.[/p][h2]Releasing to the Public This Weekend[/h2][p]We still believe releasing this build to the public this weekend will give us the final push needed to solidify the current balance pass.[/p][p]Please jump in, test it, and let us know what feels good and what still needs work. The feedback we get going into this weekend and into next week will directly influence the next round of changes.[/p][p]Michael and Leon will both be reviewing what players are saying and using that feedback to decide what should be adjusted further.[/p][h3]Also expect 2 more guns into the weekend for the Operator as shadow patches[/h3][p][/p][h2]Community Feedback Threads[/h2][p]To help keep balance discussions organized, Leon will be setting up a master feedback thread on Steam, along with a matching thread on Discord.[/p][p]The goal is to create a clear place for players to post concerns, thoughts, and suggestions about the game’s balance as a whole. Cepheus Protocol is a complicated game and it is only getting more involved, so having a focused place for feedback will help us respond more effectively.[/p][h2]Bug Fixes and Stability Work[/h2][p]Outside of balance, we spent a lot of time this week working through bug reports and community feedback.[/p][p]Right now our short term focus is on the last vehicle pathfinding bugs, helicopter pathfinding issues, freezes, desyncs, and remaining performance concerns. The goal is to get these final issues under control as we continue stabilizing the build.[/p][h2]Network Optimization Progress[/h2][p]At this point, we believe the current round of network optimization is largely complete.[/p][p]There may still be edge cases here and there, but compared to the previous week, we were able to reduce network traffic by roughly 80 percent across the board. That improvement came largely from working closely with the community and collecting logs from active testing.[/p][p]We expect to revisit networking again later as new mechanics come online, but for now things are in a much stronger place.[/p][h2]CERC HQ Time Change[/h2][p]CERC HQ now has a new start time.[/p][p]The weekly podcast and Q and A will now begin at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time instead of 3 PM Eastern Standard Time.[/p][h2]Closing[/h2][p]Thank you again to everyone testing, reporting issues, and sharing feedback on Steam and Discord.[/p][p]A lot of the progress this week came directly from that back and forth with the community, and it is helping us tighten up both the game’s technical foundation and its overall balance.[/p][h2]March Roadmap and Short Term Priorities[/h2][p]March is about locking the rebuild foundation and finishing the remaining carryover items. Some February work is continuing into early March by design. We are prioritizing long term stability over rushed deadlines. To be direct, we rushed major systems in Legacy and it created instability, and we are not repeating that mistake. It is fair to be excited for Civilian Evacuation, but we need the next week or so to iron out what is already in place. We appreciate the continued patience while we work through the remaining items below.[/p][p]First up: Player Concerns feedback from this poll[/p]

• [p]Pathfinding improvements and formation system fixes[/p]
• [p]Bug fixing across Pandemic and core systems[/p]
• [p]Small quality of life changes that improve flow and usability[/p]

[p]Runner up: Remaining Roadmap Elements Before Civilian Evac[/p]

• [p]Infected Birds to improve mid and late game Infected counters so sessions do not overly rely on Juggernauts[/p]

• [p]AJAX Avenger[/p]
• [p]SAM Site Turret[/p]

[h3]Civilian Evacuation Roadmap[/h3][p]Once the above stability work and Infected Birds are complete, we will shift fully into Civilian Evac.[/p]

• [p]Each player to manage their own evacuation camps[/p]
• [p]Full multiplayer compatibility[/p]
• [p]Single player parity[/p]

[p]Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Patch Notes[/h2]

• [p]New Gas Tower VFX[/p]
  • [p]Added Infection Motes that pollute the screen. They get visually stronger the closer you get to the center of said gas zone[/p]
  • [p]Added a vignette effect for when Operators/RTS units move their camera into gas zones [/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]Lowered medical tent power requirement on 75[/p]
• [p]Lowered cost of T1-T3 walls[/p]
• [p]Increased the cost of Hesco T1 a bit [/p]
• [p]Ammo count fixed on the MDR [/p]
• [p]Reduced recoil for the MDR and reduced spread[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the Juggernaut Ground Stomp would not affect Vehicles [/p]
• [p]Fixed some Juggernaut issues where could drop their car on accident or just move while throwing[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Juggernauts would walk on certain CERC structures, [/p]
• [p]Fixed Projectiles for clients not going through allied objects correctly[/p]
• [p]Fixed Guard Towers not properly blocking CERC shooting. Made it so the guard tower windows "lock up" when power is lost[/p]
• [p]Converted SpringBok to a light vehicle instead of Heavy[/p]
• [p]Adjusted Motor pool/barracks no build radius to make it more accurate to the actual safe margin they need to operate [/p]
• [p]Removed Save system from Todo on pause menu[/p]
• [p]Improvements to movement logic and debugging to fix Juggernaut 'stuck' issues[/p]
• [p]Fixed an AI bug where units could break out of "Stun" due to a C++ Race Condition [/p]
• [p]Improved Juggernaut Throwing Calculations to improve their accuracy and lower their failure rate[/p]
• [p]Guard tower power decreased to 50 over 100[/p]
• [p]Fixed a logic issue when adding a weapon to a garrisoned unit that failed to hide said weapon if the unit was in a visible-but-not-shooting-enabled seat[/p]
• [p]Fixes for Structure location save/load, related to saving when Skycrane was en route back to the Carrier[/p]
• [p]Set up save/load of unit groups for host/clients (if they're present at loadgame time, for now: does not yet remember when rejoining after being in-match)[/p]
• [p]Fixed CERC units turning oddly in vehicles they were garrisoned inside that they could fire from [/p]
• [p]Fixes to AA12 and TAC21 unlocks to properly unlock for all infantry instead of only for specific units: this fixes Winter not being able to access these weapons after unlocking them[/p]
• [p]Fixed Clients recruiting to groups not working sometimes from the recruit menu[/p]
• [p]Fixed up Operators not obeying the Group selection dropdown on the Recruit Popup[/p]
• [p]Made it so switching between Operator/RTS remembers your zone render status so u don't have to fix it every time you switch between modes[/p]
• [p]Lowered the Power requirements of Double gates T1-T3 to range from 20-60[/p]
• [p]Added basic description to the Engineer Decoration Shop button (so it doesn't say the generic back-button description when highlighted)[/p]
• [p]Updated the CERC Custom Sign decoration to save/load its text[/p]
• [p]Fixed Squads creating "ghost" units when someone was killed[/p]
• [p]Field Medics (Infantry) Not Treating Injured Troops "Hold Fire on" [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1477704551258783934/1477704551258783934[/p]
• [p]Fixed Money splitting error where you would lose money randomly when splitting equally amongst all players[/p]
• [p]Fixed Guard towers not counting kills correctly, same with occupied AJAX's for units that shot from it [/p]
• [p]Fixed Crash [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1476808942477774939/1476808942477774939[/p]
• [p]Fixed [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1477665468318744606/1477665468318744606[/p]
• [p]Braking logic to 'stay in formation' now tries to scale braking instead of always putting brake to full strength as soon as we're 'too far ahead': also no longer applies if we're not 'speeding' relative to other members[/p]
• [p]Vehicles in an incomplete formation move (i.e. still moving to target with teammates) will no longer temporarily think they 'finished moving' and turn on handbrake: this fix greatly mitigates 'stuttering' from heavy vehicles moving with soldiers[/p]
• [p]Adjustments to HealthComponent XP/Doctrine XP/kill crediting to only work if target is not on same faction[/p]
• [p]Adjustments to Instigator-setting for projectiles that spawn Environmental Hazards (and for saving/loading said hazards) so kill-credit goes through correctly for them[/p]
• [p]Fixed Helicopters on HMB Horde Rush not being able to enter the area. They now spawn over the helipad they are built at to respect that maps unique setup[/p]
• [p]Save/load improved for call-ins so MOAB doesn't 'disappear' if you save right after calling it in, before it's detached from the plane[/p]
• [p]Added a darkened background to the custom game description as well [/p]
• [p]Set up the Input Rebinding Widget to have a darkened background, to make it easier to read[/p]
• [p]Crash fix for TickComponent() \[C:\\Main-Repo\\Unreal Projects\\CepheusProtocol\\Source\\CepheusProtocol\\Core\\Components\\MovementComponents\\HelicopterMovement.cpp:1007][/p]
• [p]Additional safeties added to client side prediction for helicopters for crashes reported[/p]
• [p]Fixed Charon weapon pylons being visible without weapons equipped.[/p]
• [p]Fixed SOCs being able to be built anywhere via an exploit[/p]
• [p]Added SOC's to engineer build bar for T2 and T3 so you can skip the process of building a T1 first.[/p][p]Also in this patch![/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][h2]🎙️ Next CERC HQ – Livestream Details[/h2][p]🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 7 PM EST (New Time!)[/p][p]💬 What is CERC HQ:[/p][p]Welcome to Cepheus Protocol HQ, your ultimate weekly briefing on all things Cepheus Protocol! Join the Halcyon Winds team as we explore the latest updates, reveal behind-the-scenes development stories, and answer community questions about the game. From exciting new features to design challenges, this is your all-access pass to the evolving world of Cepheus Protocol. Tune in every week and stay ahead of the outbreak![/p]

• [p]Co-op Progress[/p]
• [p]Total Revamp based on Community Feedback[/p]
• [p]Level Design Updates[/p]

[p]📺 Where to Watch:[/p]

• [p]YouTube Livestream[/p]
• [p]Discord Server[/p]
• [p]Steam Page[/p]

[p]🎤 Don’t miss our Live Q&A! We’ll be answering questions from the community during the stream.[/p][h2]📺 Missed a Stream? No Worries![/h2]

• [p]YouTube VOD Playlist[/p]
• [p]Spotify Podcast Archive (VODs may take 24 hours to appear)[/p]

[p]
[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Save and Load System Expansion[/h2][h3]Continued System Coverage[/h3][p]This week was heavily focused on expanding Save and Load support across additional systems.[/p][p]Save and Load support has now been implemented for:[/p]

• [p]Projectiles[/p]
• [p]Grenades[/p]
• [p]TOW systems[/p]
• [p]Flares[/p]
• [p]Select airstrikes[/p]

[p]Not all airstrikes are currently supported.[/p][p]The following are not yet saving and loading correctly:[/p]

• [p]MOAB[/p]
• [p]Gas Attack[/p]
• [p]Dragon[/p]

[p]These remain excluded for now and will be addressed next. Please refer to the list at the bottom of the Save and Load tracker for full status details.[/p][p]A significant portion of development time also went into fixing desync issues, multiplayer inconsistencies, and general stability problems discovered during live testing.[/p][h2]Multiplayer Stress Testing[/h2][p]We ran several gameplay balance tests sessions with up to 10 players over this week on discord publicly.[/p][p]Between Day 5 and Day 10 of those sessions, we identified network degradation under sustained load. What began as balance observation turned into a deep replication and bandwidth stress test.[/p][p]We collected from those present in the balance test:[/p]

• [p]Player logs[/p]
• [p]Save files[/p]
• [p]Replication behavior data[/p]

[p]Using that information, we recreated the failure points internally and identified where replication cost was ballooning. Several community suggestions were also implemented and are reflected in the patch notes.[/p][h2]Network Optimization Results[/h2][p]After restructuring key replication paths, overall network traffic cost was reduced by approximately 70 to 80 percent.[/p][p]For players, this should translate into:[/p]

• [p]Increased stability at higher player counts[/p]
• [p]Reduced late game desync escalation[/p]
• [p]Improved host performance under heavy load[/p]

[p]Replication cost scales with player count. Every additional client increases outbound state replication from the host. Reducing baseline replication overhead was critical for scalability and large sessions![/p][h2]Client Simulated Projectiles[/h2][h3]Architectural Shift[/h3][p]Projectiles are now client simulated while remaining fully server authoritative for damage.[/p][p]The flow now operates as follows:[/p]

• [p]The server calculates and validates damage[/p]
• [p]Clients deterministically simulate projectile visuals locally[/p]
• [p]Authority remains strictly on the server[/p]

[p]Clients do not determine outcomes. They only reconstruct visuals from server instructions. This significantly reduces bandwidth while maintaining security and integrity.[/p][p]This is the first implementation of this system and is currently available only on Experimental.[/p][p]Because this system also integrates with Save and Load, it requires live stress testing before public release. We will be monitoring for issues involving:[/p]

• [p]Saved projectile state[/p]
• [p]Late join synchronization[/p]
• [p]Cross client consistency[/p]

[p]Internal testing has not produced breakage so far.[/p][h2]Infrastructure and Power Rebalance[/h2][h3]Increased Strategic Weight[/h3][p]This Experimental patch also introduces structural balance adjustments centered around power and logistics.[/p][p]Previously, expansion could occur with minimal infrastructure consideration. Power functioned more as a soft requirement than a strategic constraint.[/p][p]Changes now include:[/p]

• [p]SOC's require active power[/p]
• [p]Increased power costs across major structures[/p]
• [p]Tier 2 and Tier 3 generators carry real strategic value[/p]
• [p]Barracks, Motor Pool, and related structures require stronger planning[/p]

[p]The intent is to increase the weight of:[/p]

• [p]Builders[/p]
• [p]Infrastructure[/p]
• [p]Logistics chains[/p]
• [p]Territorial expansion planning[/p]

[p]Expanding into new zones now requires deliberate infrastructure rather than opportunistic placement.[/p][p]We are specifically looking for feedback on pacing and pressure introduced by these adjustments.[/p][h3]Ongoing Stability Work[/h3][p]In addition to Save and Load expansion, we continued working on:[/p]

• [p]Multiplayer desync reduction[/p]
• [p]Replication optimization[/p]
• [p]Save and Load bug fixes[/p]
• [p]General performance improvements[/p]

[p]The Save and Load system is approximately 3/4's complete. The target is to reach functional completion by Monday or Tuesday of next week. Once that milestone is reached, development focus will shift fully toward pathfinding, desync cleanup, and systemic polish.[/p][h2]March Roadmap and Short Term Priorities[/h2][p]March is about locking the rebuild foundation and finishing the remaining carryover items. Some February work is continuing into early March by design. We are prioritizing long term stability over rushed deadlines. To be direct, we rushed major systems in Legacy and it created instability, and we are not repeating that mistake. It is fair to be excited for Civilian Evacuation, but we need the next week or so to iron out what is already in place. We appreciate the continued patience while we work through the remaining items below.[/p][p]After we wrap up the save/load early next week ->[/p][p]First up: Player Concerns feedback from this poll[/p]

• [p]Pathfinding improvements and formation system fixes[/p]
• [p]Bug fixing across Pandemic and core systems[/p]
• [p]Small quality of life changes that improve flow and usability[/p]

[p]Runner up: Remaining Roadmap Elements Before Civilian Evac[/p]

• [p]Infected Birds to improve mid and late game Infected counters so sessions do not overly rely on Juggernauts[/p]

• [p]AJAX Avenger[/p]
• [p]SAM Site Turret[/p]

[h3]Civilian Evacuation Roadmap[/h3][p]Once the above stability work and Infected Birds are complete, we will shift fully into Civilian Evac.[/p]

• [p]Each player to manage their own evacuation camps[/p]
• [p]Full multiplayer compatibility[/p]
• [p]Single player parity[/p]

[p]Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Patch Notes[/h2][p]Also in this patch[/p]

• [p]MP5 was added to the Operator (Under the SMG specialization)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]
• [p]MDR was added to the Operator(Under the DMR specialization)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]
• [p]More Save Load support for the Direct Strike, White Phosphorus ( MOAB, Gas Dragon not done yet)[/p]
• [p]Client Side Prediction added for Projectiles (Lowers network traffic by a HUGE amount)[/p]
• [p]Tons of Network traffic Optimizations overall network traffic was cut by 70-80%. (Faction XP, Gibbing Data, Impact FX, and other various elements were heavily network optimized)[/p]
• [p]Airstrike optimizations[/p]
• [p]Nerfed smaw and Hellfire damage to Chelsey and Increased enraged DR when she gets below 50% health[/p]
• [p]Increased base hellfire damage slightly[/p]
• [p]MLRS projectile speed increased + Damage Radius[/p]
• [p]Fixed up weapons to restore a relative 'last fire time' when saving/loading (so weapons with noticeable fire intervals, like spine turrets, don't get to fire instantly on loading save)[/p]
• [p]Updates to client building placement to reduce or fully block attempts to 'set down multiple buildings on same spot' by spam clicking[/p]
• [p]Updated Cannon turret weapon icon.[/p]
• [p]Updated SOC icons and Doctrine descriptions.[/p]
• [p]Updated VADS turret weapon icon.[/p]
• [p]Updated Scout drone move preview.[/p]
• [p]Muzzle Flash System reworked to solve desyncs & Stutter (Operator might have some issues going into Monday its a known issue we are looking into)[/p]
• [p]Fixed Turret Flashlight dancing bug on clients at night time[/p]
• [p]Fixed Flashlight attaching to the wrong location on turrets[/p]
• [p]Fixed Muzzle FX attaching to the wrong location on Turrets[/p]
• [p]Fixed Engineer/ Medic sometimes canceling a sprint order when they saw an enemy[/p]
• [p]Fixed Projectiles after the client simulation update causing bogus collision at impact points[/p]
• [p]Fixed Engineer Auto repair not working for CERC structures[/p]
• [p]Adjusted some Power costs for the CERC Generator[/p]
• [p]Updated garrison sockets for the Medical Ajax[/p]
• [p]T1-T3 power audited to make them cost effective based on physical size + costs[/p]
• [p]Updated Ajax non-driver seats to be angle-locked for now, to stop 'rotating seats' issues[/p]
• [p]Resolved a fog of war issue where infected seeing a CERC structure would force that structure to "wake up".[/p]
• [p]Added arrow key movement for RTS[/p]
• [p]Fixed ToggleAutoRefillAmmo and RefillAmmo commands (for turrets) not functioning[/p]
• [p]-Fixes for PlayerFaction-related 'race conditions' for clients: for clients this should greatly reduce instances of FOW vision, unit overhead UI, or unit visibility being 'incorrect' on late-joining or being a lobby that then loads a save[/p]
• [p]Slightly increased visibility of Gas tower AOE markers.[/p]
• [p]Updated A-10 gun run effects to spawn decals at Low settings.[/p]
• [p]Increased Gas Tower health from 7500 to 12000.[/p]
• [p]Gas Tower Reduced build speed by 50%[/p]
• [p]Half Moon Bay and Treasure Island Zone borders were redrawn to better support the turret/guard tower build restrictions.[/p]
• [p]Blocked Radioman being ferried on helicopters from expanding the call in area[/p]
• [p]Made the minimum Attack faction 1 as setting it to 0 makes it revert back to stock numbers and removes the override[/p]
• [p]Fixed another reported crash on the Operator[/p]
• [p]Fixed visual bug on unit details panel for Power requirements[/p]
• [p]Fixed toggle sprint not working[/p]
• [p]Fixed MGL not working properly on Operators when you have AI use the weapon. They would always never account for the grenade drop[/p]
• [p]Increased cooldown for Infection Pods & Gas Towers to 90 and 180 after they are destroyed to bring down the "wack a mole"[/p]
• [p]Increased Requestion center XP tick by 50%.[/p]
• [p]Rebalanced power requirements for T3 walls/gates[/p]
• [p]Made Ammo tents cost power as with medical tents to Operate![/p]
• [p]Ammo Tent renamed into supply centers for all unit types for Gas/Ammo/Supply now supplies universally.[/p]
• [p]Added new Power and infrastructure costs to all CERC structures including SOCS.[/p]
• [p]Made SOCS T2-T3 require teching up through the Doctrine Tree[/p]
• [p]Lower Bounties on Pandemic for killing all Infected types by 50%[/p]
• [p]Lowered M2 Sentry reserve ammo by 50%[/p]
• [p]Attack Move support added for Save/Load[/p]
• [p]Bradley TOW now works for Save/Load[/p]
• [p]Projectiles now Save/Load[/p]
• [p]Increased Turret limit per zone to 12 like in legacy[/p]
• [p]Fixed logic bug that allowed juggernauts to keep adding spawns after Day 6+. It could get up to crazy numbers[/p]
• [p]Fixed a logic bug that could cause infected to freeze in combat[/p]
• [p]Adjusted Chelsey's Spawn/Location placement code to stop her from sometimes going into the ground[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with Structure getting the wrong Wall variant when save/loading[/p]
• [p]Updated Guard Tower loading to properly spawn Tower Guards when construction is completed after being loaded from a save while still in the 'construction hologram' state[/p]
• [p]Combat Flare Save/Loads[/p]
• [p]Rally Points for clients Save/Load now (only if you're there at join time)[/p]
• [p]Adjusted Custom Game Options and the Options Widget to have a darkened background behind the 'hover tip info' section, to make it more readable[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where save/loading while a Skycrane was delivering a structure it would teleport back to the carrier and stay there[/p]

[h3]Known Limitations with save system[/h3][p]Most combat in Cepheus Protocol is hit scan, so the majority of gameplay is unaffected by saving mid-action. A small number of transient objects still require additional handling if you save at the exact wrong moment.[/p][p]Updated save TBD list:[/p]

• [p]Call in system (Only MOAB, Gunship & Gas don't Save/Load)[/p]
• [p]Stun system[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 3 PM EST (New Time!)[/p][p]💬 What is CERC HQ:[/p][p]Welcome to Cepheus Protocol HQ, your ultimate weekly briefing on all things Cepheus Protocol! Join the Halcyon Winds team as we explore the latest updates, reveal behind-the-scenes development stories, and answer community questions about the game. From exciting new features to design challenges, this is your all-access pass to the evolving world of Cepheus Protocol. Tune in every week and stay ahead of the outbreak![/p]

• [p]Co-op Progress[/p]
• [p]Total Revamp based on Community Feedback[/p]
• [p]Level Design Updates[/p]

[p]📺 Where to Watch:[/p]

• [p]YouTube Livestream[/p]
• [p]Discord Server[/p]
• [p]Steam Page[/p]

[p]🎤 Don’t miss our Live Q&A! We’ll be answering questions from the community during the stream.[/p][h2]📺 Missed a Stream? No Worries![/h2]

• [p]YouTube VOD Playlist[/p]
• [p]Spotify Podcast Archive (VODs may take 24 hours to appear)[/p]