Cepheus Protocol News

Doctrine Preview on Experimental This Weekend (Dev Report Friday)

[p]Alright everyone, quick report based off Friday in terms of what’s going on.[/p][p]We’re releasing an early preview of some of the Doctrine changes on Experimental going into this weekend, and I highly recommend people jump in and try it out.[/p][p]This is an early drop to let you guys test the mechanics early, find issues, and help us validate performance before the UI goes live.[/p][p][/p][h2]Screenshot contest on Discord![/h2][p]We are doing a screenshot contest for updating our loading screens submit your art here-> Rebuild only![/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h2]🔥 What’s Included in This Experimental Preview[/h2][p]This build adds:[/p][h3]Engineer[/h3]

[p]Turret pets are back and better then ever! (the little deployable turrets from legacy)[/p]
- [p]Can only be built by Engineers and self destruct when their ammo hits 0. [/p]
[p]Deposable and meant for a quick "shore" up while backup is on the way.[/p][p]
[/p]

[h3]Radio Man Expansion / Airstrike System[/h3][p]Communications Tower lets you call in airstrikes remotely through your Radio Operator or Command Truck. Operators will gain access to this in the next few days via a new perk.[/p][p]Relay Nodes are buildable field extenders made only by the Radioman, designed to be placed in forward positions to expand your strike network.[/p][p]Airstrikes are now directly tied to your airstrike logistics units:[/p]

[p]Radio Operator is built from the Barracks[/p]
[p]Command Truck is built from the Motor Pool[/p]

[p]These units are your logistics managers for strikes. They can call in airstrikes anywhere you have Influence, which is defined as the AOE coverage from your base network and any extenders you have deployed. Their call in range is more limited while they are moving.[/p][p]To expand coverage into the field, you can place Relay Nodes as small, hideable forward structures. On top of that, you can build a Radar Tower at your base to enable remote support and airstrikes through your Radio Operators and Command Trucks. The goal is a connected, expanding network that behaves like mobile coverage, pushing your airstrike reach forward as you take ground.[/p][p][/p]

[p]Thunderbolt Bombing + Gun run is in[/p]

[p][/p]

[p]MOAB Bomb is in[/p][p][/p]
[p]White phosphorus airstrike is in
[/p]
[p]AC130 Dragon Gunship is in![/p][p][/p]
[p]Direct Strike is in[/p][p][/p]
[p]Ammo Box drop & Large Ammo Box drop is in[/p]
[p]Gas airstrike coming Sunday / Monday[/p]
[p]Effective range you can call in airstrikes are reduced by half when moving![/p][p][/p]

[h3]Assault[/h3]

[p]M203 ability[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Spec Ops[/h3]

[p]Demo Charge (throwable, very direct AoE blast)
[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Vehicles[/h3]

[p]Bradley TOW[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][h2] In Depth Patch Notes[/h2][h3]Pandemic Economy + Resupply Balance[/h3]

[p]Increased starting cash from 30k to 50k for Pandemic[/p]
[p]Adjusted cost of vehicle weapons[/p]
[p]Stray Ember is disabled for a week while we address really bad pathing issues in that map[/p]
[p]MLRS now costs 350 less to resupply[/p]
[p]Cerberus, Abrams, TOWs, and Mortars are 20% more expensive to resupply to account for recent buffs[/p]
[p]Increased money-on-kill for:[/p]
- [p]Police Infected[/p]
- [p]SWAT[/p]
- [p]Military Officer[/p]
- [p]Blowup Guy[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]FX + Visual Updates[/h3]

[p]Updated MOAB FX[/p]
[p]Removed Christmas lights from Gas Tower[/p]
[p]Updated Gate preview meshes and UI icons[/p]
[p]Fixed various incorrect UI icons[/p]
[p]Added placeholder airstrike icons from legacy[/p]
[p]Added UI icons for Dragon Gunship weapons[/p]
[p]Updated Gunship AOE visualization[/p]
[p]Fixed Airstrikes visual stacking bug[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where Airstrike visibility was getting culled only in gameplay maps[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Resupply System Improvements[/h3]

[p]Fixed Resupply logic that would block high cost weapons/bullets and only supply primary weapons[/p]
[p]Motor Pool now supplies helicopters fully[/p]
[p]Added [c]bSupplyTooLow[/c] to [c]ResupplyComponent[/c] to allow resupply attempts even when Supply has not hit zero, if a resupply attempt failed due to being too expensive (example: MLRS)[/p]
[p]Minor cleanup to supply math[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Armory + Map Containment Fixes[/h3]

[p]Made amendments to the Armoury so users could not jump out like people in abandoned parkour videos on YouTube[/p]
[p]Ammo box readded to Hub with new mesh[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Gates + Fortifications[/h3]

[p]Crash fix: gates being destroyed while closing could cause a crash[/p]
[p]Fixed infantry gate offset[/p]
[p]Adjusted razor wire collision[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]UI + Gameplay Presentation[/h3]

[p]Added it so screen messages are hidden by default[/p]
[p]Fixed various incorrect UI icons[/p]
[p]Minor UI fixes[/p]
[p]Fix for Custom Unit Settings not saving latest changes if you hit Return to Game while customizing an enemy[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Debug Cleanup[/h3]

[p]Wrapped FormationActor debug sphere call behind a debug bool (should stop magenta spheres for helicopter stuff)[/p]
[p]Locked HelicopterMovement landing debug sphere behind a debug bool so it will not show up in regular gameplay[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Vehicle Weapon + Damage Pass[/h3]

[p]Fixed Abrams CROWS metadata so it attaches properly to the main cannon instead of the root body[/p]
[p]Improved damage for:[/p]
- [p]Abrams cannon[/p]
- [p]MLRS cannon/mortar[/p]
- [p]Cerberus cannon/mortar[/p]
[p]AJAX TOW damage increased to outpace the SMAW[/p]
[p]Increased smoothbore damage slightly[/p]
[p]Sabot round balance pass:[/p]
- [p]Reduced damage from 20k to 3k[/p]
[p]Increased sniper damages[/p]
[p]Increased vehicle ranges[/p]
[p]Increased Abrams cannon damage against Juggs slightly[/p]
[p]Increased sabot damage[/p]
[p]Cut back some damage to infected structures using the MLRS[/p]
[p]Fixed brute sliding[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Targeting + AI Prep Work[/h3]

[p]Standardized some Find Target code in prep for Derek finalizing targeting issues sometimes with Horde objectives(Fixes Melee failing for Horde objectives)[/p]
[p]Fix for garrisoned units in Guard Towers failing to rotate to certain angles to shoot targets[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Call In System + Airstrikes Revamp[/h3]

[p]Revamped loading for Call In system[/p]
[p]Damage and radius pass on call in airstrikes[/p]
[p]Mule radius decreased to 750 from 1000[/p]
[p]Ammo crate call in prices adjusted and supply amounts adjusted[/p]
[p]MOAB balance changes with added DT[/p]
[p]Added Ammo and Large Ammo crate supply call ins[/p]
[p]Fixed support callins not working on clients[/p]
[p]Added vehicle support to airstrike extension[/p]
[p]Fixed crash:
[c]CepheusProtocol!AStrikeInstance::BeginFireBurst()[/c]
[c]StrikeInstance.cpp:375[/c][/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Radioman + Radio Network Expansion[/h3]

[p]Added ability for the Radioman to build the Radio Relay[/p]
[p]Added support for only allowing strikes around his radius or the structures radius[/p]
[p]Added Radio Tower and further polish to the shops for:[/p]
- [p]Radio Truck[/p]
- [p]Radio Operator[/p]
[p]Added Radio Truck as buildable under the Light category[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Turret + Rotation Overhaul (Initial Pass)[/h3]

[p]Initial commit on turret update: “wait to face target before shooting”[/p]
[p]AI and turret rotation updated to use an internal value in the Weapon instead of relying on the Turret Anim Instance as the authority (except coaxials)[/p]
[p]Coaxial guns given zero rotation speed so they rely on parent weapon rotation[/p]
[p]Turret rotation speed/limits moved into Weapon_Base instead of deprecated values in Turret Anim Instance[/p]
[p]Added initial turret customization and angle-of-fire customization for vehicles to improve turret behavior and visuals[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Doctrine XP + Progression Fixes[/h3]

[p]Setup initial XP gains from killing infected types and structures[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where airstrikes would not grant Doctrine XP[/p]
[p]Doctrine XP markers are no longer created in cinematic mode[/p]
[p]Fixed bug report: Engineers getting distracted by repair tasks[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Engineer Repair Mode + Operator Support[/h3]

[p]Initial pass on [c]EngineerRepairMode[/c] ability (functions, needs move target update)[/p]
[p]Abilities now support [c]AdditionalAbilitiesForOperator[/c], allowing abilities to define extra abilities Operators receive if they pick up that ability from customization[/p]
- [p]Used to give Vehicle Repair to Operators who have Engineer Construction lv1[/p]
[p]More tweaks to Engineer Repair Mode to make it easier to use in Operator mode[/p]
[p]Improved Operator mode “cursor over unit shows healthbar” logic to be more reliable[/p]
[p]Additional fixes to healthbar visibility checks[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Engineer built pet Sentries + Ammo Behavior[/h3]

[p]Fixed M2 and Mk19 sentry so they work in gameplay setup UI icons[/p]
[p]Added support so weapons can destroy themselves when they run out of ammo[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Abilities + Combat Features[/h3]

[p]Added Demo Charge ability to Spec Ops[/p]
[p]Added support for grenades to have a time display[/p]
[p]Added widget replication support as needed[/p]
[p]Added Tilt support to ADS[/p]
[p]Added backblast Niagara effect support to the AimedAbility bullet ability payload setup[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Helicopter Movement Fixes[/h3]

[p]Logic fix for helicopter movement “not flying high enough before flying forward”[/p]
- [p]Should resolve most or all remaining cases of flying forward too early when something is in the way[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Weapon Unlock System (Initial Pass)[/h3]

[p]Initial pass on Weapon Unlock system for the FactionManager[/p]
[p]Recruit Popup updated to read this info[/p]
- [p]Replicates properly so clients see options in Recruit Popup[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Spitter Behavior Adjustment[/h3]

[p]Spitter change:[/p]
- [p]Minimum spit range is now 3000uu[/p]
- [p]Max spit range is 4250uu[/p]
- [p]Should force them to come in closer before spitting[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Operator XP Weekend Event Time Fix[/h3]

[p]Removed TimeAPI checks for operator XP weekend events due to unreliability[/p]
[p]Switched to newer Steam API for getting UTC time from Valve[/p]
[p]Will need a better solution for EOS[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Audio[/h3]

[p]Added missing VO barks to all vehicles[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]🧪 Why This Is On Experimental First[/h2][p]We also added some XP gains tied to the Doctrine system.[/p][p]We put it in as an early incubator because right now we’re watching to see how expensive it is to run that on the network.[/p][p]So this is more of a test on Experimental.[/p][p]Important note:
Right now, you can’t do anything with Doctrine points yet.[/p][p]The entire goal this weekend is to run some sessions and see what the actual network cost looks like in real gameplay scenarios as we are spawning them![/p][hr][/hr][h2]🖥️ Doctrines UI Timing[/h2][p]Going into Monday / Tuesday, we’ll get you guys the UI for Doctrines.[/p][p]We’re aiming for Tuesday as the target.
If we get lucky, it might be sooner, but that’s roughly what we’re aiming for.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]📌 What’s In the Doctrine System (2 to 3 Dozen Items)[/h2][p]There’s about two to three dozen items in the Doctrines page, including:[/p][h3]Passives / Economy / Efficiency[/h3]

[p]Increasing ammo reserves[/p]
[p]Increasing XP gained from kills[/p]
[p]Decreasing structure cost by type[/p]

[h3]Ammo Reserves By Unit Type[/h3][p]Ammo reserve increases are based off type:[/p]

[p]Infantry[/p]
[p]Vehicles[/p]
[p]Helicopters[/p]

[h3]Gas Efficiency[/h3][p]Improving the efficiency of gas, or rather, how much gas units can hold by type.[/p][h3]Unlocks and Progression[/h3]

[p]Unlocking weapons[/p]
[p]Unlocking abilities[/p]
[p]Unlocking classes[/p]
[p]Unlocking airstrikes[/p]

[p]The idea is that everything is being wrapped up in this system, and the entire game is being rebalanced and reorganized around this Doctrine tree.[/p][p]So you can’t just rush to the Abrams or the Bradley or the MLRS or the striker mortar in the first 5 to 10 minutes of the game.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🏗️ New Structure: Logistics Requisition Center (Passive Doctrine XP)[/h2][p]We’re adding a structure into the game Logistics Requisition Center.[/p][p]The idea is that this structure built from the Engineer allows you to farm XP passively for doctrines.[/p][p]So not only can you get doctrine points by going out and killing, but you can also invest in these structures and build doctrine XP through infrastructure.[/p][h3]Key details:[/h3]

[p]Costs a lot of energy[/p]
[p]Costs a lot of money to build initially[/p]
[p]You can build up to 10 globally[/p]

[p]You’ll get a bigger picture on how everything works and how it operates going into Tuesday when we drop the UI.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]❤️ Community Update (Seriously, Thank You)[/h2][p]It’s been great seeing thousands of people flood into Cepheus Protocol over the last week or so since we merged Rebuild.[/p][p]We’ve seen a huge outpouring of love, caring, and trust in what we’re doing, and we genuinely appreciate all the people willing to contribute their time to:[/p]

[p]Find bugs[/p]
[p]Find issues[/p]
[p]Help us fix the game in different ways[/p]

[p]It’s been completely overwhelming in the best way.[/p][p]We’ve had to make hard decisions over the last year to prioritize long-term gains over short-term, and it’s been incredible seeing you guys understand the vision and support it.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🚁 Pathfinding Progress (Rebuild Results)[/h2][p]With the rebuild foundation in place:[/p]

[p]Vehicle pathfinding is better[/p]
[p]Helicopter pathfinding is better[/p]
[p]And we’ve pushed it even further on Experimental[/p]

[p]I’m not saying it’s bugless.
I’m not saying it’s perfect.[/p][p]There are still:[/p]

[p]Issues to hunt down[/p]
[p]Performance issues to improve[/p]
[p]AI bugs to resolve[/p]

[p]But we’re getting there day by day, minute by minute, working in collaboration with the community.[/p][p]Our devs are actively engaging with you guys on Steam forums and Discord to address tension points and concerns directly.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🎯 What We Want You To Do This Weekend[/h2][p]Jump into Experimental this weekend and try everything.[/p][h3]Please test:[/h3]

[p]Airstrikes[/p]
[p]Radio Operators[/p]
[p]Radio Trucks[/p]
[p]Radio Command Trucks[/p]
[p]Relay setups in the field[/p]
[p]Combat pacing with the new additions[/p]

[p]And tell us what you think:[/p]

[p]How does it feel?[/p]
[p]How do things play?[/p]
[p]Do you have suggestions for doctrine passives or upgrades we should look into long-term?[/p]

[p]What we have right now is pretty much baked in, but feedback is still massive for tuning and future direction.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]📈 Progression Philosophy (What’s Changing)[/h2][p]I mentioned last week the rebuild was basically the restart, centering the field, resetting the board.[/p][p]This upcoming week is taking everything you know about the game and throwing it out the window in terms of:[/p]

[p]Progression loop[/p]
[p]Game balance[/p]
[p]Shared progression and long-term scaling[/p]

[p]We want the player experience to feel like you and your friends are contributing toward a common goal.[/p][h3]Doctrine Points are shared[/h3][p]Doctrine points are shared amongst all players in the match.[/p][h3]Three-stage doctrine progression[/h3][p]At any time, you can jump to the next stage.[/p][p]There’s no prerequisite to go to Stage 2 or Stage 3 besides paying and going linearly from:[/p]

[p]Stage 1 → Stage 2 → Stage 3[/p]

[p]You can take upgrades from any stage, but some upgrades are chained.[/p][p]Examples:[/p]

[p]XP rates in Stage 1 → chained into Stage 2 → chained into Stage 3[/p]
[p]Ammo upgrades and gas efficiency upgrades can start in Stage 1 and reach full potential in Stage 3[/p]

[p]The goal is small stacked modifiers that let you upgrade with intentionality, and build your forces in a way that feels strategic over hours of play.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🔓 Weapon/Class Unlock Restructure[/h2][p]There are some new weapons, abilities, and classes being added.[/p][p]But there are also weapons that were basically free for everyone already that should have been locked previously.[/p][p]We intentionally had them unlocked in previous builds so you could:[/p]

[p]Play them[/p]
[p]Experience them[/p]
[p]See how they felt[/p]

[p]Now that we have doctrines inside the rebuild, we can reset the tempo and properly structure progression again.[/p][p]Now we can answer:
What do you actually have to work toward to get an Abrams, an MRS, a Bradley, etc.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]⚙️ Custom Game Options (Coming Next Week)[/h2][p]We’ll still add custom game options so people can customize the experience or cheese progression if they want to.[/p][p]We’re aiming to add a couple additional custom game options next week before we start the save system, to address pressure points like:[/p]

[p]“I want to start with all doctrine points”[/p]
[p]“I want to increase the rate I gain doctrine XP”[/p]

[p]Simple options that we’ll expose alongside the Doctrine UI.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]🗓️ Next Week Timeline (Current Target)[/h2][p]Here’s the current plan:[/p][h3]This Weekend[/h3]

[p]Experimental doctrine preview testing[/p]
[p]Airstrikes, relay systems, new abilities, and network-cost testing for XP[/p]

[h3]Monday / Tuesday[/h3]

[p]Doctrine UI goes live[/p]
[p]Full list of doctrine items revealed[/p]

[h3]Tuesday / Wednesday[/h3]

[p]Start work on the save system[/p]

[h3]Goal: Next Friday[/h3]

[p]Deliver a functional save system[/p]

[p]After that:[/p]

[p]Last week of January is bugs, quality of life, and cleanup[/p]
[p]Operator polish [/p]
[p]Civilian Evac[/p]

[p][/p][h2]If You’re Confused, Read These First (Pinned)[/h2][h3]Haven’t Played in a While? Start Here[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][hr][/hr][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]📢 Civilian Evacuation Livestream + Master FAQ Thread[/p][p]We’re planning on doing a Saturday livestream to address and go over everything planned for Civilian Evacuation. (TBD)[/p][p]I’m going to link a Steam thread that will act as a Master FAQ.[/p][p]Please post on it and give us the full TLDR:[/p]

[p]What you loved about Civilian Evacuation[/p]
[p]What you hated[/p]
[p]What you want to see improved[/p]

[p]I’ve got a lot of ideas, but I want to see what the community has to add too, so we can build this into something truly remarkable.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]✅ Final Note[/h2][p]Thank you again for the insane amount of support lately.[/p][p]It’s been overwhelming, and we’re going to keep hauling ass to meet our timeline and keep improving the game with you guys alongside us.[/p][p]Together, we’re going to build a truly remarkable experience in Cepheus Protocol that is unparalleled.[/p]

Patch Notes 2026.01.10.1

[p]The rebuild is now the default version of Cepheus Protocol, and the first 48 hours gave us exactly what we needed: a real stress test at scale.[/p][p]Discord playtests help, internal testing helps, but nothing compares to thousands of players stress testing the game in every possible way. That’s how you find the edge cases you never see in controlled sessions.[/p][p]The good news is we’ve already reproduced and fixed several of the biggest issues being reported, and we’re pushing those changes live right now.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]What We Learned (First 48 Hours)[/h3]

[p]The rebuild foundation is holding up well, but community play testing immediately exposed edge cases, mainly around vehicles, navigation, and some UI flow.[/p]
[p]A lot of confusion is still coming from missing systems (Civilian Evac, dynamic civilians, etc)[/p][p] See the FAQ below![/p]
[p]UI overlapping issues were resolved[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Patch Notes:[/h3]

[p]Fixed an issue with the server browser where there were so many people playing the scroll bar stopped working for hosted servers[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]What We’re Still Hunting[/h3][p]These are the kinds of issues that don’t always appear during internal testing, but show up immediately once the community gets hands-on.[/p][p]If you run into anything weird with:[/p]

[p]Vehicles doing something dumb[/p]
[p]Units ignoring obvious navigation[/p]
[p]UI menus acting strange[/p]

[p]A short clip or a quick Discord screenshare helps us reproduce and eliminate it fast. Feel free to hop on discord and we can jump into a voice call. Anything helps! As we are seeking to knock out the remaining pathing issues pronto![/p][hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h2]In Progress[/h2][p]We’re also actively working on several high-impact systems that affect moment-to-moment gameplay:[/p]

[p]Engineer repair behavior for vehicles[/p]
[p]Engineer Auto-repair for structures and vehicles[/p][p][/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Next Big Goal: Doctrines + Airstrikes (Targeting Week of 11th)[/h2][p]We’re shifting back to the next major pillar of the rebuild.[/p][p]Our goal is to get Doctrines back in and bring Airstrikes back with the full set of related systems and support options by next week.[/p][p]That’s the next big step toward restoring long-term progression and replayability in the rebuild.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Balance Passes (Ongoing)[/h2][p]Balance is still being tuned every day as more players jump in and we get real data.[/p][p]Michael is actively monitoring feedback and adjusting:[/p]

[p]Weapons[/p]
[p]Turrets[/p]
[p]Vehicles[/p]

[p]This is an ongoing process and we will keep tightening it as the rebuild stabilizes.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]If You’re Confused, Read These First (Pinned)[/h2][h3]Haven’t Played in a While? Start Here[/h3][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]What Still Needs To Be Finished[/h2][p]Here is the consolidated list, in one place, so there is no confusion.[/p][h3]Missing Or In Progress Systems[/h3]

[p]January Goals[/p]
- [p]Remaining Vehicle Abilities And Behaviors[/p]
  - [p]Bradley TOW[/p]
- [p]Doctrines[/p]
- [p]Save System for Pandemic[/p]
- [p]BUGS, BUGS and Bugs! We still are hunting down desyncs and bugs as they are reported![/p]
- [p]Game Balance - Is still ongoing and being tweaked. Michael is monitoring Steam/Discord for feedback[/p]
[p]February Goals[/p]
- [p]Any Remaining Bugs/Performance Tweaks/QOL Adjustments based on community feedback[/p]
- [p]Remaining Enemy Roster Needed For Angel to be unlocked[/p]
  - [p]Leviathan[/p]
  - [p]Birds[/p]
- [p]Additional Pandemic Regions Locked Until The Above Is Complete[/p]
  - [p]Angel Island[/p]
  - [p]San Francisco North[/p]
[p]TBD[/p][p]We are committed to not rushing to the "end" to ensure everything prior is working correctly. These are the ones currently in limbo that we will be tackling once the above list is "completely" done.[/p]
- [p]LHA6 & LCAC[/p]
[p]Civilian Evacuation & Dynamic Civilian Groups[/p]
- [p]We made two pinned threads so we can centralize answers and stop misinformation:[/p]
  - [p]Rebuild vs Legacy: which version you’re on, what’s missing, what to play (link)[/p]
  - [p]Civilian Evac 2.0 + Dynamic Civilians plan: why it’s delayed and what’s changing (link)[/p]
  [p]If you’re asking: “where is evac” “where are civilians” “what build am I on” Start there.[/p]

[p]That is the remaining gap we are closing through Q1. Anything else will be discussed only after the current list above is done.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Q1 2026 Target[/h2][p]Our target through Q1 2026 is to bring back the remaining missing pillars and have the rebuilt version fully represent the complete Cepheus Protocol experience again, but better.[/p][p]That means:[/p]

[p]More stability and performance[/p]
[p]Larger scale gameplay[/p]
[p]More and better maps[/p]
[p]Complete Pandemic mode pillars[/p]
[p]Operators expanding toward Doctrines[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Public Campaigns[/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 Single player has become.[/p][h3]Our Last Dev Campaigns:[/h3][p]📖 Operation: Island Sweep – Treasure Island Playtest Recap[/p][p]In one of our first large-scale playtests for Treasure Island, CERC forces deployed from the carrier deck and immediately split into two coordinated fireteams. One team moved quickly to secure the bridge linking Yerba Buena Island to the main landmass, establishing a forward barricade to stem any early infected movement. Meanwhile, the second team advanced on the military base, fortifying it as a staging area for deeper incursions into the city.[/p][p]Operators were dispatched on foot for reconnaissance, sweeping through nearby districts to identify infected activity and relay positions back to RTS players. These early scouts faced brutal resistance—several near-wipeouts forced emergency retreats to fallback outposts, where teams regrouped before launching counteroffensives.[/p][p]As intel solidified, CERC forces began a methodical push toward the carnival grounds, establishing forward operating bases (FOBs) block by block. Each zone cleared became a new resupply and logistics hub, allowing the team to maintain pressure and steadily expand their perimeter. The fighting intensified near the construction site and hospital district, where infected forces attempted multiple breakouts—but each was repelled by quick RTS responses and layered defenses.[/p][p]Key tactical strikes were launched against newly emerged gas towers, which the infected had built to irradiate CERC positions and force retreats. These were neutralized in time, allowing squads to resume their advance. The operation culminated in a coordinated sweep through the hospital zone, ending with the elimination of Chelsey after a protracted urban engagement.[/p][p]In a final act of desperation, the infected launched a last-ditch assault to retake the military base. It was shut down by a precision Blackhawk strafing run—securing victory and leaving only isolated remnants, which were tracked down and eliminated by roaming patrols and air support.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

Patch Notes 2026.01.10

[p]The rebuild foundation is holding up well, but community play testing immediately exposed edge cases, mainly around vehicles, navigation, and some UI flow.[/p]
[p]A lot of confusion is still coming from missing systems (Civilian Evac, dynamic civilians, etc)[/p][p] See the FAQ below![/p]
[p]UI overlapping issues were resolved[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Patch Notes:[/h3]

[p]Increased Max Server Search to 200 limit(Might have to look into pages long term)[/p]
[p]Optimized some loading screen elements that were causing VRAM to balloon at times[/p]
[p]Fixed incorrect UI icon for m240b[/p]
[p]Some Level Geo/Textures were optimized that were causing VRAM to balloon at times[/p]
[p]Tweaked hydra damage higher so the Apache feels more "worth it"[/p]
[p]Abrams smoothbore/Cerberus 105 increased damage towards certain units[/p]
[p]Guard Towers & Turrets are limited per zone now instead of the global pool![/p]
- [p]Set up server validation for clients setting down structures in a zone, to ensure 'build limits per zone' are respected even if a client does multiple structures at once during a lagspike[/p]
- [p]Set up CERC turrets to no longer have a global recruit limit of 12 (instead it's 6 per zone)[/p]
- [p]Build Limit per zone now respected by construction function: Guard Tower updated to 6 per zone instead of 6 total[/p]
- [p]Improvements to Structure 'build limit' registration to work when setting down a construction hologram, and to deregister as soon as the structure dies[/p]
[p]Fixed a flaw with formation position updating getting 'wrong direction' if update would take it past a particular path point (more egregious when starting up move orders for helicopter/ground vehicles only moves) [/p]
- [p]Fixes units sometimes stopping mid air when given a new formation move order[/p]
[p]Set up some formation logic for helicopter-only moves to 'start' the formation further ahead.[/p]
- [p]Result: Seems to fix 'helicopter stuttering' if you're issuing multiple move orders to a group of helicopters[/p]
[p]Some improvements to Command Widget shop handling for special case actions (like back button, resupply component, radio component, etc.) (should fix the Heavy Vehicle shop 'losing the back button')[/p]
[p]Made it so hub/main menu games display as "Hub" instead of Main_Menu. Other Pandemic maps were renamed on how they appear on the Main menu Server join page[/p]
[p]Increased brute speed[/p][p][/p]

[p]Vehicles doing something dumb[/p]
[p]Units ignoring obvious navigation[/p]
[p]UI menus acting strange[/p]

[p]Engineer repair behavior for vehicles[/p]
[p]Engineer Auto-repair for structures and vehicles[/p][p][/p]

[p]Weapons[/p]
[p]Turrets[/p]
[p]Vehicles[/p]

[p]January Goals[/p]
- [p]Remaining Vehicle Abilities And Behaviors[/p]
  - [p]Bradley TOW[/p]
- [p]Doctrines[/p]
- [p]Save System for Pandemic[/p]
- [p]BUGS, BUGS and Bugs! We still are hunting down desyncs and bugs as they are reported![/p]
- [p]Game Balance - Is still ongoing and being tweaked. Michael is monitoring Steam/Discord for feedback[/p]
[p]February Goals[/p]
- [p]Any Remaining Bugs/Performance Tweaks/QOL Adjustments based on community feedback[/p]
- [p]Remaining Enemy Roster Needed For Angel to be unlocked[/p]
  - [p]Leviathan[/p]
  - [p]Birds[/p]
- [p]Additional Pandemic Regions Locked Until The Above Is Complete[/p]
  - [p]Angel Island[/p]
  - [p]San Francisco North[/p]
[p]TBD[/p][p]We are committed to not rushing to the "end" to ensure everything prior is working correctly. These are the ones currently in limbo that we will be tackling once the above list is "completely" done.[/p]
- [p]LHA6 & LCAC[/p]
[p]Civilian Evacuation & Dynamic Civilian Groups[/p]
- [p]We made two pinned threads so we can centralize answers and stop misinformation:[/p]
  - [p]Rebuild vs Legacy: which version you’re on, what’s missing, what to play (link)[/p]
  - [p]Civilian Evac 2.0 + Dynamic Civilians plan: why it’s delayed and what’s changing (link)[/p]
  [p]If you’re asking: “where is evac” “where are civilians” “what build am I on” Start there.[/p]

[p]More stability and performance[/p]
[p]Larger scale gameplay[/p]
[p]More and better maps[/p]
[p]Complete Pandemic mode pillars[/p]
[p]Operators expanding toward Doctrines[/p]

First 48 Hours After the Rebuild Merge | Patch Notes 2026.1.9.2

[p]The rebuild foundation is holding up well, but community play testing immediately exposed edge cases, mainly around vehicles, navigation, and some UI flow.[/p]
[p]A lot of confusion is still coming from missing systems (Civilian Evac, dynamic civilians, etc)[/p][p] See the FAQ below![/p]
[p]UI overlapping issues were resolved[/p]

[hr][/hr][hr][/hr][h2]Hotfix Live Now (Vehicle + Gate Fixes)[/h2][p]This post is going live at the same time as the latest fixes.[/p][p]Two issues were big enough that we wanted them fixed immediately.[/p][h3]What’s Fixed in This Update[/h3]

[p]Vehicle structure detection and ramming edge cases[/p]
- [p]We found scenarios where vehicles could mis-detect or fail to detect player structures depending on the situation.[/p]
- [p]Result: vehicles could repeatedly crash into jersey barriers, walls, and certain player structures/landscape actors instead of treating them as solid obstacles.[/p]
- [p]This has been corrected so vehicles properly respect those structures and stop “brute forcing” into them.[/p]
[p]Gate navigation update bug[/p]
- [p]We reproduced a bug reported on Discord involving gates not updating navigation correctly.[/p]
- [p]If a gate was set to Auto, then swapped to Manual mode while opened and then closed, there were cases where the nav state would not refresh. Till you toggled that gate back to Auto and let a unit walk past it to "reset" the state[/p]
- [p]Result: units would still attempt to path through a gate that was visibly closed.[/p]
- [p]This is now fixed and gates properly update navigation when their state changes.[/p]
[p]Fixed Vehicle Turrets when fired to "empty" would fail to properly work after resupplied[/p]
[p]World Buildings (the preplaced structures) Nav Weight would confuse CERC into thinking they could squeeze through them making Path finding freak out. Like say you built a CERC wall and built it into a structure/building. Units would incorrectly still try to path find along the edges of that structure. Context[/p]
[p]Various Texture Optimizations across the project to further optimization Streaming / Out of memory warnings(Still ongoing!)[/p]
[p]Resolved a discord reported crash[/p]
[p]Fixed some assets in HMB (Half Moon) that weren't rag dolling when hit with a vehicle[/p]
[p]Fixed Shawnee not rolling on turns properly.[/p]
[p]Improvements to helicopter height-check handling to more reliably go up when helicopters otherwise would get stuck[/p]
[p]Fixes to BaseGarrisonComponent to resolve fast roping units failing to actually 'remove' themselves from their seats (which cause issues on the helicopter after first fast rope success)[/p]
[p]Speculative improvements to stuck detection for chaos vehicles[/p]
[p]Adjustments to helicopter-only formation movement to reduce chances of 'stuttering' from Formation Actor not moving far enough ahead[/p]
[p]Locked off the VisionGrid DeferredVisionUpdateTimedOut debug behind a cvar (VisionGrid.DeferredTimeoutDebug). Stops the draw debug text from appearing while play[/p]
[p]Fixed a Turret issue that would only occur for Vehicles where they would fail to initialize their eyes properly making it so low level objects could block their ability to shoot. [/p]
[p]Superheavy treaded vehicles tuned to have better steering and performance, including custom steering curve(Abrams, Atlas, MLRS & Bradley)[/p]
[p]Updated PauseMenu to properly treat the level selection subwidgets (for both Pandemic+Horde maps) as part of the Base_PlayerController's menustack, so ESC while in one of these menus will properly go back[/p]
[p]Fixed some collision logic issues relating to Gates not being responsive at certain angles/distances for their auto open feature[/p]
[p]Fixed a case where Exploding rounds would sometimes incorrectly damage the unit that fired them https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1458836944325709914/1458836944325709914[/p]
[p]Minor fix for Mortar smoke trail.[/p]
[p]Merlin can air drop and pickup vehicles again! The Abrams, Bradley and MLRS are restricted because of their weight[/p]
[p]Updated Localizations for all languages [/p]
[p]Fixed a call in Move To task that bypassed construction safeties for Engineers which resulted in them doing some stupid move orders in certain cases.[/p]
[p]Lowered Mule resupply limit to 3k[/p]
[p]Fixed night time being inconsistent on lower GlobalIlluminationQuality settings. Will be Dark at all times now across settings[/p]
[p]MLRS, Cerberus Motor, Tow, SMAW, MGL friendly fire now. [/p]
[p]Fixed Some physics reliably issues for Juggernauts and Vehicles for ramming [/p]
[p]Fixed Large Helipad not resupplying [/p]
[p]Juggernauts not moving bug fixed[/p]
[p]Fixed a typo on main menu[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where after a CERC structure was destroyed units would sometimes fail to see units on the other side because of an aggressive optimization check[/p]
[p]Added Logistics cost for resupplying weapons in the game[/p]
[p]Added "Supply" to the game. Which means everything that uses ammo/gas costs to resupply at the Motor Pool, Helipad, Ammo Tents etc. Its not just can i buy X unit its also can i afford to resupply X unit. As units like the MLRS and other super units cost a lot to resupply.[/p]

[p]Vehicles doing something dumb[/p]
[p]Units ignoring obvious navigation[/p]
[p]UI menus acting strange[/p]

[p]Chinook transport is now in[/p]
- [p]The Chinook can now ferry Light-Medium Vehicles.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Tonight’s Work (In Progress)[/h2][p]We’re also actively working on several high-impact systems that affect moment-to-moment gameplay:[/p]

[p]Engineer repair behavior for vehicles[/p]
[p]Engineer Auto-repair for structures and vehicles[/p]
[p]Per zone Guard towers & Turrets restrictions instead of the global pool[/p][p][/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Next Big Goal: Doctrines + Airstrikes (Targeting Next Week)[/h2][p]We’re shifting back to the next major pillar of the rebuild.[/p][p]Our goal is to get Doctrines back in and bring Airstrikes back with the full set of related systems and support options by next week.[/p][p]That’s the next big step toward restoring long-term progression and replayability in the rebuild.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Balance Passes (Ongoing)[/h2][p]Balance is still being tuned every day as more players jump in and we get real data.[/p][p]Michael is actively monitoring feedback and adjusting:[/p]

[p]Weapons[/p]
[p]Turrets[/p]
[p]Vehicles[/p]

[p]January Goals[/p]
- [p]Remaining Vehicle Abilities And Behaviors[/p]
  - [p]Bradley TOW[/p]
- [p]Doctrines[/p]
- [p]Save System for Pandemic[/p]
- [p]BUGS, BUGS and Bugs! We still are hunting down desyncs and bugs as they are reported![/p]
- [p]Game Balance - Is still ongoing and being tweaked. Michael is monitoring Steam/Discord for feedback[/p]
[p]February Goals[/p]
- [p]Any Remaining Bugs/Performance Tweaks/QOL Adjustments based on community feedback[/p]
- [p]Remaining Enemy Roster Needed For Angel to be unlocked[/p]
  - [p]Leviathan[/p]
  - [p]Birds[/p]
- [p]Additional Pandemic Regions Locked Until The Above Is Complete[/p]
  - [p]Angel Island[/p]
  - [p]San Francisco North[/p]
[p]TBD[/p][p]We are committed to not rushing to the "end" to ensure everything prior is working correctly. These are the ones currently in limbo that we will be tackling once the above list is "completely" done.[/p]
- [p]LHA6 & LCAC[/p]
[p]Civilian Evacuation & Dynamic Civilian Groups[/p]
- [p]We made two pinned threads so we can centralize answers and stop misinformation:[/p]
  - [p]Rebuild vs Legacy: which version you’re on, what’s missing, what to play (link)[/p]
  - [p]Civilian Evac 2.0 + Dynamic Civilians plan: why it’s delayed and what’s changing (link)[/p]
  [p]If you’re asking: “where is evac” “where are civilians” “what build am I on” Start there.[/p]

[p]More stability and performance[/p]
[p]Larger scale gameplay[/p]
[p]More and better maps[/p]
[p]Complete Pandemic mode pillars[/p]
[p]Operators expanding toward Doctrines[/p]

The Rebuild Is Now the Main Game (Build Switch Update)

[h3]TLDR[/h3]

[p]The Rebuild is now the standard installed version of Cepheus Protocol.[/p]
[p]The old version is now called Legacy, and it remains available as a Beta option.[/p]
[p]This rebuild was done to restore stability, improve performance, and modernize the foundation so the game can scale again.[/p]
[p]That same foundation also allows co-op to exist from the start, instead of being bolted on later.[/p]
[p]We are targeting end of Q1 2026 to bring back the remaining missing pillars, rebuilt and improved.[/p]

[h2]Which Build Should You Play?[/h2]

[p]Default (Standard Install)
This is now the rebuilt version of Cepheus Protocol and the main version we maintain going forward. Play this for the current supported game, best performance, and all new updates.[/p]
[p]Experimental (Beta Branch)
This is the testing branch ahead of Default, where upcoming features land first. Expect bugs, frequent updates, and possible save issues. Opt-in only if you want to help test new changes early.[/p]
[p]Legacy (Original) (Beta Branch)
This is the preserved prebuild version for older saves and the original gameplay foundation. Opt into this if you want to continue old saves or stay on the classic build. This branch will not receive future updates. You can see the "foundation" that we based the rebuild on for the newly merged into "default" here. [/p]
[p]Legacy (Pre Merge) (Beta Branch)
This is the last version from before the rebuild became Default. If you were playing the rebuild while it was still a Beta branch.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]The Big Change[/h2][p]Going forward, when you install Cepheus Protocol, you are installing the rebuilt version.[/p][p]For most of the last year, the rebuilt version existed as an opt in Beta branch while we validated the foundation in public tests. A lot of players never saw that Beta branch, which caused real confusion about what version was being worked on and why certain things felt inconsistent.[/p][p]So we are ending that confusion. The game is alive as ever and is still passionately worked on a daily basis by our team. We have been biding our time developing the rebuild on public/private betas slowly ticking away at the core mechanics missed from the rebuild readding them as we go. We now feel the current state of the game is enough to flip the builds.[/p][p]Going into next week we will be shipping Doctrines and start the save system. We expect to have an early doctrines to show by Friday and have it in UI wise by mid next week. We will update as we progress here and on our discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]A quick Catch up![/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]A few notable changes recently:[/p]

[p]Infected Military, Police and Swat will now roam the island with higher stats then standard infected. They start showing up early and increase in numbers as the days go on![/p]

[p][/p]

[p]Infantry Gates[/p]

[p]New Infected Variants replace legacy models[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]16 Player Coop RTS/TPS hybrid gameplay![/p]
[p]Firing Computer from the MLRS ported to the Cerberus Mortar with the rebuild[/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h3]Legacy Version[/h3][p]Legacy remains available as a preserved snapshot of the pre rebuild version.[/p][p]If you want to keep playing that older snapshot, or if you want to keep older saves, you can do that through Steam Betas.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]What This Rebuild Actually Was[/h2][p]This was not a content patch. It was a full foundation revamp.[/p][p]We rebuilt the core systems so the game can scale properly again, run better, and stop breaking under the weight of legacy technical debt. That benefits everything:[/p]

[p]Single player flow and stability[/p]
[p]AI behavior and consistency[/p]
[p]Vehicle systems and reliability[/p]
[p]Large scale performance[/p]
[p]Future content velocity[/p]
[p]Co-op support as a first class feature[/p]

[p]Co-op is not the point of the rebuild. Co-op is one of the benefits of doing the rebuild correctly.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]What You Can Play Right Now[/h2][h3]Horde Mode[/h3][p]We currently have two Horde experiences built in the rebuilt framework:[/p]

[p]Half Moon Bay (Horde Rush)[/p]
- [p]Forward progression style Horde[/p]
- [p]Push the map and keep momentum instead of only holding ground[/p]
[p]RTS Coop Test (Horde)[/p]
- [p]Traditional horde map experience[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Operators (Foundation Now, Expansion Later)[/h2][p]Operators were built in lockstep with the rebuilt foundation, not as a disconnected system.[/p][p]Current Operator baseline includes:[/p]

[p]Weapon customization (early version)[/p]
[p]Attribute points[/p]
[p]Appearance baseline[/p]
[p]Gunsmith/Operator UI is not final and will be improvement over the next few weeks as Winters mockups up a new design[/p]
[p]True RTS/TPS Hero Units you can customize[/p]

[p]Operators will expand significantly as we move into Doctrines, including:[/p]

[p]Driving vehicles[/p]
[p]Operating turrets[/p]
[p]Using new and ported abilities such as laser designation for support actions when we add in the ability to call in airstrikes and support options![/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Pandemic Mode Progress[/h2][p]Pandemic is now the next major phase, built on the foundation validated through Horde.[/p][p]Currently playable areas include:[/p]

[p]Calypso[/p]
[p]Half Moon Bay[/p]
[p]Treasure Island Open World Slice[/p]

[p]Additional areas planned but currently locked:[/p]

[p]Angel Island[/p]
[p]San Francisco North[/p]

[p]These areas will unlock later once missing enemy roster and mode pillars are complete.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]What Still Needs To Be Finished[/h2][p]Here is the consolidated list, in one place, so there is no confusion.[/p][h3]Missing Or In Progress Systems[/h3]

[p]January Goals[/p]
- [p]Remaining Vehicle Abilities And Behaviors[/p]
  - [p]Bradley TOW[/p]
  - [p] Merlin vehicle transport [/p]
- [p]Doctrines[/p]
- [p]Save System for Pandemic[/p]
- [p]BUGS, BUGS and Bugs! We still are hunting down desyncs and bugs as they are reported![/p]
- [p]Game Balance - Is still ongoing and being tweaked. Michael is monitoring Steam/Discord for feedback[/p]
[p]February Goals[/p]
- [p]Any Remaining Bugs/Performance Tweaks/QOL Adjustments based on community feedback[/p]
- [p]Remaining Enemy Roster Needed For Angel to be unlocked[/p]
  - [p]Leviathan[/p]
  - [p]Birds[/p]
- [p]Additional Pandemic Regions Locked Until The Above Is Complete[/p]
  - [p]Angel Island[/p]
  - [p]San Francisco North[/p]
[p]TBD [/p][p]We are committed to not rushing to the "end" to ensure everything prior is working correctly. These are the ones currently in limbo that we will be tackling once the above list is "completely" done. [/p]
- [p]LHA6 & LCAC[/p]
- [p]Civilian Evacuation[/p]
- [p]Dynamic Civilian Groups[/p]

[p]More stability and performance[/p]
[p]Larger scale gameplay[/p]
[p]More and better maps[/p]
[p]Complete Pandemic mode pillars[/p]
[p]Operators expanding toward Doctrines[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Final Notes[/h2][p]This build switch is about clarity.[/p][p]From now on:[/p]

[p]The installed version of the game is the rebuilt version[/p]
[p]Legacy remains available as a preserved snapshot[/p]
[p]The rebuild is what we maintain and grow from here[/p]

[p]If you want to help shape it, the biggest thing you can do is:[/p]

[p]Play the current build[/p]
[p]Give feedback on what feels good and what feels broken[/p]
[p]Report bugs and edge cases[/p]

[p]Thank you for sticking with us through this rebuild period. The foundation is finally where it needs to be, and now we are building the rest of Cepheus Protocol on top of it.[/p]