Phase 3 is fully underway, and the end is in sight

🎧 Last Time on CERC HQ…

[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]

Developer Update This Week

[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]

Civilian Evacuation, Zone Reputation, and DNA Research

[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 your civilian system is 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]

What Comes Next

[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: Independent groups 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]

🎙️ Next CERC HQ – Livestream Details

[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]🎤 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]