Patch Notes 2025.10.23.2 - public-playtest

Patch Notes:

[p]Radio System UI now in FAQ here![/p][p][/p]
[p]Radio System UI Supports Scrubbing (Coop working)[/p]
[p]Radio System UI Supports Play/Pause (Coop working)[/p]
[p]Radio System UI Supports Track Sync (Coop working)[/p]
[p]Radio System crash related to the host having a song and a client not[/p]
[p]Improved the Construction system for Engineers/Assaults to be a lot more efficient at scale in terms of "cost"[/p]
[p]Improved Construction system for Engineers/Assaults to improve how they detect when to go ground objects. They should now only go around a fence when they physically cant reach that point. Previously there were a lot of cases of unnecessary cases of them decided to walk to the other side of a structure. [/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where the Infected Faction Manager would sometimes get fed bogus investigations locations by a stale reference to an attacking party [/p]
[p]Fixed a case where Spine throwers could trigger investigations by their Infected Faction Manager by friendly fire[/p]
[p]Fixed an case where Infected would get confused sieging CERC bases and sometimes "dance" between openings[/p]
[p]Activity Log optimized a bit more to write async instead of in the moment(Frees up some CPU calls)[/p]
[p]Fixed Kicking not working after a recent UI revamp to player lists[/p]
[p]Added some safeties to Weapon to fix Niagara queries [/p]
[p]Some improvements to the helicopters landing system. Holding it makes them land in place. tapping it once allows you to choice a land location[/p]
[p]Client side cool down added to Radio Music track selection[/p]
[p]Fixed ADS client side desyncs where it would only rotate for the host[/p]
[p]Fixed barbed wire having a collision setting that blocks FOW[/p]
[p]Fixed a math issue where the newer smaller helipad would malfunction when placed down sometimes[/p]
[p]Radio System also supports a volume slider[/p]
[p]New Helipad variants added (Small and Normal) The older legacy ones got a lot of feedback of being hard to place and we've struggled for years to get the pathing right so we made some changes. The circle one was removed and replaced with this version. [/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]
[p]Small Heliad only can recruit the Pilot, Sparrow and Drone. Has a smaller resupply radius[/p]
[p]Normal sized one has access to all aerial units. Has a larger resupply radius[/p]
[p]Speaker button added to all Helicopters, Radioman and Speaker tower[/p]
[p]Fixed juggernauts pausing randomly in the middle of combat, working on some helipad edits [/p]
[p]Fixed Horde Half Moon made using the wrong nav type for helicopters[/p]
[p]Updated GateStructure 'auto open' to not open for helicopters[/p]
[p]Adjusted some grenade aiming logic to be a bit more forgiving when the 'hit' is not an allied unit[/p]
[p]Updated GateStructure 'auto open' logic to exclude units who are garrisoned from being considered for 'opening the door' (so Guard Tower guards won't force nearby gates to remain open)[/p]
[p]Added Weapon/Gun Penetration. Wil affect all units in the entire game . Michael will be configuring chance to pen/damage reduction and max penetration amount on a per weapon basis[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]
[p]T3 walls now only apply Damage Retaliation when power is "active"[/p]
[p]Damage Retaliation is a returning system from legacy that when an attacker hurts someone else it can hurt them back. A few examples were T3 Electric Walls, Barbed Wire and Double Barbed Wire when they were meleed ONLY.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]
[p]Fixed some CERC structures collision so they are a bit more receptive to certain angles of attack[/p]
[p]Speed up Stun animation so it doesn't look silly anymore [/p]
[p]Added new Command actions for the ADS. [/p]
[p]lowered standard infected base health from 125 to 100. blowup guy health 200 from 600. nerfed spine turret. buffed flamethrower damage by 15% to all units[/p]
[p]lowered price of pilot, sniper and heavy[/p]
[p]Lowered soc build time on all tiers. lowered price for the assault, engineer, medic and spec ops[/p]
[p]decreased dot duration on spitter acid to 3s and ground acid to 5s and turned off override from ground acid to give players a chance to get out of acid pool after getting hit by initial acid attack[/p]
[p]decreased sparrow mg spread[/p]
[p]increased ar range and decreased [/p]
[p]increased lmg range[/p]
[p]spitter range nerf to ground units. increased damage of the ak105 to pods and jug. added slight damage fall off to mgl for long range[/p]
[p]Toggle Run readded from Legacy[/p]
[p]sparrow mg spread increased and added increased reload time for m260[/p]
[p]ffar reload time increased and increased auto auto cannon reload speed[/p]
[p]Added Merlin preview mesh.[/p]
[p]More improvements to Land Helicopter: should resolve a rare 'lockup' situation[/p]
[p]Fixed up an AI check that stopped units from being able to shoot if in Sprint speed state even if not moving [/p][p][/p]

[h2]Current State of the Rebuild[/h2][p]A few times each week, our developers host public multiplayer sessions where we jump into the chaos ourselves—testing, refining, and showcasing the true state of the game. These sessions are open for everyone to join, chat, and experience the evolving sandbox that Cepheus Protocol Multiplayer and Singleplayer has become.[/p][h3]The Battle of Half Moon Bay[/h3][p]This particular session started with twelve players splitting into multiple fireteams, each setting up forward operating bases (FOBs) across the city. One team established their base in the center, another fortified the soccer field, while a third entrenched themselves near the construction site. Once Chelseys location was discovered, the teams coordinated to divide the map—back-capping the right side and containing her forces to the left.[/p][carousel][/carousel][p]The first major engagement came at the soccer field, where Chelseys infected army launched repeated assaults. Waves of brutes and juggernauts clashed against entrenched defenses while operators and RTS-controlled infantry fought street-to-street. When Chelsey shifted her focus toward the Bayfront Administration Center, the central fireteam held firm, repelling the push and stabilizing the front lines.[/p][p]Meanwhile, Moro’s team conducted daring hit-and-run strikes deep in infected territory—keeping Chelsey off balance and forcing her to defend on multiple fronts. A few close calls nearly broke our lines, but through coordinated air support and precision strikes, we turned the tide. Soon after, our combined forces launched a decisive counteroffensive that pushed her back to the import-export district.[/p][carousel][/carousel][h3]The Final Push[/h3][p]At the climax of the battle, Chelsey unleashed everything she had—massive infected hordes, explosive variants, and juggernauts charging the southern front. The push almost succeeded, but a quick call for reinforcements from Ford’s squad brought helicopters and operators roaring across the skyline. The ground units regrouped for a final unified assault, sweeping across the neighborhoods toward the lighthouse and satellite communications sectors.[/p][p]In a storm of gunfire, missiles, and chaos, we finally pushed Chelseys forces back into the sea—securing a hard-fought victory. The battle ended with every surviving player lined up across the pacified coastline for a well-earned group screenshot.[/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][h3]A Milestone Moment[/h3][p]This match marked one of our most successful multiplayer playtests yet—no crashes, minimal bugs, and over 90 minutes of pure, unscripted RTS/TPS mayhem. You can watch the full 1 hour and 28 minute playthrough below. Every week, sessions like this bring us closer to the vision of what Cepheus Protocol is meant to be: an RTS unlike anything else in the genre—alive, unpredictable, and built on the stories that emerge when real players face impossible odds together.[/p][p]Thank you for your continued support as we rebuild Cepheus Protocol from the ground up. Every match, every bug fix, and every chaotic moment helps shape the future of the game.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]How to Opt In[/h2][p]Here’s how to opt into the Cepheus Protocol public playtest on Steam:[/p]

[p]Open Steam and go to your Library.[/p]
[p]Right-click Cepheus Protocol and select Properties.[/p]
[p]In the left panel, click on Betas.[/p]
[p]From the dropdown menu, choose public-playtest.[/p]
[p]Close the window. Steam will automatically begin downloading the playtest branch.[/p]

[p]Once the download is finished, you’ll be running the public playtest version.[/p][p][/p][p]Recap for those late to the party[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

What’s Coming Next

[p]Immediate priorities are:[/p]

[p]Balancing the new Builder Drone and Juggernaut AI[/p]
[p]Wrapping helicopter polish (directed landings, pads, operator features, desync fixes)[/p]
[p]Fixing AI issues with enemy prioritization and tactical decisions[/p]
[p]Frequent bug fixes as we get reports[/p]
[p]Chelsey’s AI[/p]
[p]Juggernauts are undergoing testing at the moment[/p]
[p]Population Meter re-implemented at the bottom-left of the UI for tracking infection strength[/p]

[p]Once helicopters and AI stability are locked in, focus will shift to Custom Game Options so players can tune pacing and difficulty. Vehicle driving AI and pathfinding are next in line, but we may hold off depending on the volume and severity of bug reports.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]October Goals[/h3][p]We are aiming to flip the rebuild into the default experience by the Halloween Sale, with older versions still available as an opt-in. The exact timing will be based on stability, bug reports, and community feedback — our goal is to get as many people as possible playing on the rebuild once it’s ready.[/p][p]October priorities include:[/p]

[p]Implement the AJAX(HUMVEE) as a test bed for vehicle driving. Work with the community to establish a good "core" vehicle driving. After its "done" we start porting over all the wheeled vehicles and follow up with the Abrams and co.[/p]
[p]Extensive Bug hunts / Performance tweaks[/p]
[p]A save/load system for Pandemic[/p]
[p]Bay Area map updates: Treasure Island and Angel Island are under renovation, with rollout expected around Halloween. Stay tuned! We will aim to release this map in segments going into XMAS. Starting in stages[/p]
1. [p]Treasure Island-> [/p]
2. [p]Angel & Alcatraz Island ->[/p]
3. [p]San Francisco North[/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel]
[p][/p][carousel][/carousel]

[p]On top of these big-ticket items, there are many smaller details and fine-tuning tasks underway — some not listed here but discussed in recent CERC HQ broadcasts. October will be a mix of large features and constant iteration as we refine the fundamentals.[/p][hr][/hr]

🎧 Last Time on CERC HQ…

[p]Cepheus Protocol | CERC HQ | #69[/p][p]This week’s update is a no-holds-barred breakdown of Pandemic mode’s evolution, centered around the rebuild of Treasure Island and a total systems overhaul. Robert walks through the new layered rollout strategy for map expansion, beginning with a playable slice of Treasure Island set to launch around Halloween. With Unreal Engine 5’s precision fixes, the team can finally realize their original vision for a scalable, destructible, and immersive RTS battlefield.[/p][p]Level design gets serious upgrades, including foliage placement, bridge logic, and terrain verticality—while the devs debate whether to support multi-tiered underpasses for gameplay. On the AI side, huge strides are made in how infected evaluate targets, spread, and adapt to player fortifications. Pathfinding gets tighter, blowup enemies are rebalanced, and new debug systems give devs visibility into AI logic mid-match.[/p][p]Operators get more integration with RTS elements—riding helicopters, building structures, and coordinating in full co-op squads. Helicopter physics and weapon balance receive a full pass, alongside early work on ground vehicle deployment starting with the Ajax. Meanwhile, discussions begin on evolving infected variants and bringing dynamic civilian factions back with better AI direction systems.[/p][p]Chelsea’s overhaul is still coming. Juggernaut and Builder units continue to be tested. And yes, feedback from Discord and Steam is actively shaping next steps.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🔥 Highlights[/h2]

[p]Treasure Island rebuild set for Halloween rollout with layered map expansion[/p]
[p]Fully revamped AI threat logic, pathfinding, and zone targeting[/p]
[p]Debate over under-bridge traversal and visibility in RTS gameplay[/p]
[p]Helicopter balancing complete: physics, flight feel, and weapon tuning[/p]
[p]Operators now ride, build, and interact deeply with RTS mechanics[/p]
[p]Juggernaut and Builder infected updated with smarter behaviors[/p]
[p]Upcoming work on vehicle AI, bridge destruction, and custom doctrines[/p]
[p]New debug tools help devs analyze AI decisions during play[/p]
[p]Feedback-driven dev cycle with live balance adjustments[/p]
[p]Community Q&A covers everything from faction AI to turtling tactics[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]🛠️ Patch Preview[/h2][p]Expect nerfs to blowup units, tweaks to helicopter refueling, and tighter threat evaluation logic. The Ajax vehicle rollout begins soon, and feedback is requested for bridge logic, underpass use, and unit camera control. It’s shaping up fast—get ready to test hard and break things.[/p][hr][/hr][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

🎙️ Next CERC HQ – Livestream Details

[p]🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 3 PM EST (New Time!)[/p][p]📺 Where to Watch:[/p]

[h3]💬 Topics We'll Cover:[/h3]

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

[p]🎤 Don’t miss our Live Q&A! We’ll be answering questions from the community during the stream.[/p][hr][/hr][p][/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]