Cepheus Protocol News

2026.2.20.1 – Difficulty and Pacing Controls Now Live

[p][/p][h2]Developer Update This Week[/h2][h3]Save and Load System[/h3][p]This week was overwhelmingly focused on Save and Load.[/p][p]A significant amount of time went into stabilizing the system, resolving reported issues from Discord and Steam, and expanding coverage across edge cases. The Operator in particular required more time than expected due to the complexity of his systems.[/p][p]Operators are highly dynamic. If an Operator levels up during a run and you later load a save, the system replaces the saved instance with the most recent version of that Operator. If an Operator no longer exists, they are properly deleted and refunded.[/p][p]In multiplayer, the logic mirrors this behavior. When a save is loaded:[/p][p]• Operators are reassigned back to their original RTS players when possible
• If a corresponding client cannot be found within a reasonable time window, the Operator is refunded[/p][p]A substantial amount of R&D went into making sure this flow behaves predictably and does not create duplication, loss, or ownership issues. We continued expanding Save and Load support across systems and hardening the logic.[/p][p]We are actively working through reported bugs and feel we are approaching a point where the Save and Load system can be functionally marked complete within the next few days. Once that milestone is reached, we can shift focus back to larger gameplay priorities.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]Networking and Client Side Prediction[/h3][p]Client side prediction for vehicles of all calibers is now implemented.[/p][p]In internal and external testing, including high ping scenarios between players in the United States and overseas regions such as Poland, vehicle movement is significantly smoother and more visually stable in cross region sessions.[/p][p]We are continuing to monitor this closely and will iterate further over the next couple of patches. The goal is consistent responsiveness and visual fidelity regardless of geographic latency differences.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]Upcoming Focus: Civilian Evac and Core Fixes[/h3][p]With Save and Load nearing completion, attention is shifting toward preparing for Civilian Evac.[/p][p]This includes:[/p]

[p]Pathfinding fixes [/p]
[p]Performance optimizations [/p]
[p]General bug cleanup [/p]
[p]Infected Birds[/p]
[p]Additional quality of life improvements[/p]

[p]One example currently being reviewed is improving building upgrade logic. Upgrading a long wall segment into a vehicle gate is one example we are looking at but also simple stuff like Operator scopes so they can zoom in and out.[/p][p]We appreciate the continued patience while we push through this stabilization phase.[/p][h2]Patch Notes[/h2][p]Also in this patch[/p]

[p]Cleaned up description for Custom attack interval to make it more clearer what it does[/p]
[p]Fix for turrets failing to spawn their weapon if they were saved while still under construction, then you finish constructing them after loading the saved game[/p]
[p]Added Hellfire Missile to Sparrow as a T1 counter towards armor[/p]
[p]Added LAW as to the Engineer as a T1 counter towards armor[/p]
[p]Fixed a Loading issue that could duplicate Chelsey and/or her pod[/p]
[p]Fixed a MLRS visual sync bug where after reload sometimes they would desync[/p]
[p]Fixed Zone Widgets, when loading a save, not properly displaying the Infection Level % that they were at immediately after load (loading a zone that was at 100% might have caused it to never display the % again, but no more!)[/p]
[p]Updated handling of Unit destruction to turn on 'can be damaged' for structures that are loaded as 'invulnerable' from old saves due to rubble mode bug[/p]
[p]Fixed up rubble mode walls to properly load in rubble mode[/p]
[p]Updated structure upgrading to send out a warning when trying to upgrade a structure that's in Rubble Mode, instead of silently failing[/p]
[p]Updated destroyed player walls to be selectable (so you can clear them)[/p]
[p]Updated 'DestroyStructure' button to work on rubble walls, and to not refund their price (since they're destroyed)[/p]
[p]Adjustments to Custom Game Settings widget (and children sliders/toggles) =Scale/size/wrap-at values adjusted to make them fit better in thinner resolutions via either scaling or wrapping earlier instead of 'overlapping' one another[/p]
[p]Fix for the Custom Game Settings 'Starting Doctrine Points' slider initializing incorrectly from the Custom Starting Money value[/p]
[p]Fixed Sparrow broken after hellfire upgrade bug report [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1474227783248121991/1474227783248121991[/p]
[p]Added Custom Game options of Infection Spread Rate 0.5->3.0[/p]
[p]Added Save/Load support for weapons so if you save during a reload they will resume that load at the exact frame they were on previously[/p]
[p]Added CERC Population Max up to 200. Exercise caution in lower spec machines as this will "push" your system to the edge and require higher spec machines if you are hosting. [/p]
[p]Resolved a source of the 'client Fog of War not initializing correctly when loading saves/late-joining' (i.e. GameStateRef not being valid when clients receive OnCERCChanged)[/p]
[p]Set up Exit Saving to exit TacPause, if you were in that state, so the game won't be in a 'frozen' limbo state until you remove TacPause after exit-saving[/p]
[p]Set up the Load Game button on the Pause Menu to not function (and have a hovertip describing why) while loaded into a game in multiplayer[/p]
[p]Updated Operator save/load for 'client operators' at save time to properly track and load their weapon attachments[/p]
[p]Fix for clients seeing 'more than one' of Recruits when loading into a save that had recruitment tickets already[/p]
[p]Fix for Operator loading for clients so that the mesh for their Operator will sync up[/p]
[p]More improvements to Operator recruitment save/load: recruitment ticket for an Operator will now 'remember' who it belonged to, and if that player is there when loading the map, the ticket will 'reassign' to that player, and properly behave[/p]
[p]Updated Operator recruitment tracker to try to reconnect with the recruiting Player on load, if that player is present at load time. If they are not, the recruitment tracker will refund instead[/p]
[p]Updated the Pause Menu/Main Menu to support an 'are you sure' popup, with a 'Save and Exit' button available on it when appropriate[/p]
[p]Set up savefiles to track their autosave count, so they'll keep iterating autosaves where they left off (instead of relying on a global autosave incrementor)[/p]
- [p]Autosaves are now 'per-campaign' rather than global, so if you have the Autosave Count set to 3, every campaign will have up to 3 autosaves for it (so if you play some multiplayer in between your solo sessions, you'll still have an autosave to return to, but you'll need to clear your old saves more often)[/p]
[p]Set up grenade save/load: grenades (or demo charges from Spec Ops) now save/load![/p]
- [p]Grenades 'in-air' now remember that they were, and reinitialize after game loads[/p]
[p]Also set up aimed abilities to not try to re-activate when loading/syncing, so 'extra grenades' don't appear when loading a save if you saved while someone was in the throw-animation[/p]
[p]Set up call-in cooldowns to save/load for the ability system[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where the juggernaut would fail to throw a car or it improperly falls out of his hand when not stunned[/p]
[p]Updated Motor pool preview to require open airspace above.[/p]
[p]Added a predictive gate opening system for vehicles that opens gates early based on each vehicle’s projected trajectory.[/p]
[p] Lowered Mutt and Mule max move speed by half[/p]
[p]Added base client side prediction for helicopters and ground vehicles to help solve visual jitter when clients have high ping[/p]
[p]Fixed drivers not getting XP from vehicles they are controlling, [/p]
[p]Tripled Unit leveling requirements for all units outside Operator[/p]
[p]Added rallypoint save/load (currently only host player saves data right now, but it is set up to support other players later when we get to that)[/p]
[p]Set up Zones to start saving/loading their last population count[/p]
[p]Started on 'unit custom settings' reader, set up a different hovertip button on loading games to list out the custom unit settings in that save[/p]
[p]Updated save/load menu 'custom infected options' display to show disabled enemies [/p]

[h3]Known Limitations with save system [/h3][p]Most combat in Cepheus Protocol is hitscan, 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]Queue attack order[/p]
[p]Call in system (airstrikes and support)[/p]
[p]Tow[/p]
[p]Flare[/p]
[p]Stun system[/p]
[p]Save other player data (rally points)[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]February Roadmap and Short-Term Priorities[/h2][p]As we move through February, the focus is on getting everything caught up to where the rebuild is intended to be, while continuing to stabilize and improve the core experience.[/p][p]Immediate priority going into next week[/p]

[p]Finalizing remaining Pandemic save support, specifically transient gameplay objects[/p]
[p]Cleaning up any remaining edge cases surfaced by live usage[/p]
[p]Locking down save stability so it becomes a dependable baseline going forward[/p]

[p]Following that addressing feedback from this poll[/p]

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

[p]Once those pieces are in a good place, we will shift focus toward Civilian Evacuation, targeted for late-February. This work is already underway, and the goal is to address the feedback and discussion outlined in the existing Steam thread below.[/p][p]We will be sharing more details soon, including a live stream announcement about a week in advance. Keep an eye on Steam and our Discord for updates as we move through February.[/p][p]Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread[/p][hr][/hr]

🎙️ 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]

2025.2.13.1 – Pandemic Save UI Live + Pathfinding AMA Tonight

[p][/p][h2]Developer Update This Week[/h2][p]Second pass of the Pandemic Save System is now live on all branches, including the full Save and Load UI.[/p][p]The first pass went live last Friday through a console command. This update moves saving and loading into a proper UI across all branches so everyone can use it normally while we continue hardening the flow.[/p]

[p]Save + Load UI is live on all branches[/p]
[p]Load menu shows which Custom Game Options were used for each save so you can tell runs apart[/p]
[p]Configurable autosave intervals are now in[/p]
[p]The system keeps the most recent 3 saves you can configure this[/p]
[p]We are actively hunting down Save and Load bugs as they are reported[/p]

[h3]Early game balance (Sparrow and Engineer changes)[/h3]

[p]Engineer is getting a LAW added to help address T1 counters against the Juggernaut. More details on this soon![/p]
[p]Sparrow is gaining a hellfire missile in the next week that will allow you better counter juggernaut's in T1[/p]

[h3]Operators[/h3]

[p]P90 (SMG) and HCAR (LMG) are both in the game now[/p]
[p]You can start leveling SMG and LMG progression to unlock and use them[/p]
[p]We are continuing at 1 to 2 weapons per week through February to finish the Operator from a base weapon standpoint. They still need refinement and polish after Civilian Evac[/p]

[h3]Pathfinding Sit Down[/h3][p]Experimental includes systemic vehicle pathfinding fixes, but if you still see issues, we want to see them live.[/p][p]Friday at 7:00 PM Eastern we are hosting a Discord sit-down for pathing and formation issues.[/p]

[p]The programmers will not be playing[/p]
[p]You must share your screen live and reproduce the issue or load a save[/p]
[p]Screenshots will not be accepted[/p]

[p][/p][p]We will have more to share on Saturday during CERC HQ as we continue pushing toward Civilian Evacuation mid to late February.[/p][p]New Operator Skin for Honzo Lee called Urban[/p][h2]Patch Notes[/h2][p]Also in this patch[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Fixed drivers not getting XP from vehicles they are controlling[/p]
- [p]Also tripled unit leveling requirements for all units outside Operator[/p]
[p]Save improvements and new coverage:[/p]
- [p]Rallypoint save and load is in[/p]
  - [p]Host only saves this data for now, but it is structured to support other players later[/p]
- [p]Zones now save and load their last population count[/p]
- [p]Ammobox save and load fixes[/p]
  - [p]No more floating ammoboxes[/p]
  - [p]Parachutes should despawn properly, or fall and disappear on load[/p]
[p]Save and Load menu improvements:[/p]
- [p]Overwrite in place behavior fixed when selecting an existing save and confirming overwrite[/p]
- [p]Cleaned up overwrite logic when Create Save uses an existing name[/p]
- [p]Custom infected options display now shows disabled enemies[/p]
- [p]Text formatting improvements for displaying custom unit settings[/p]
- [p]Started on unit custom settings reader[/p]
  - [p]Added a dedicated hovertip button on Load to list custom unit settings in that save[/p]
- [p]Additional UI cleanup, including focus fixes and scaling improvements for thin resolutions[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where loading a game could cause the UI to steal focus and leave you unable to control the game after loading[/p]
[p]Custom game options display initial pass:[/p]
- [p]Only detects options on saves made after this update[/p]
- [p]Older saves still work, but custom options will not be detected for display until you save again[/p][p][/p]
[p]Autosave improvements:[/p][p][/p]
- [p]Autosave count is now customizable in the options widget and properly respected[/p]
- [p]Autosave timer dynamically adjusts if you change the interval mid game[/p]
- [p]Initial autosave system pass is in[/p]
  - [p]Runs on host only[/p]
[p]Unit Group Widgets now populate at game start and no longer disappear when a group goes empty. Previously the group boxes would not appear until you manually created a group, which caused confusion and led some players to think a grouping system did not exist. The interface is now visible from the start so it is clear that grouping is available. As always use CTRL + number key to group any selection of units[/p][p][/p]
[p]Save list sorting: Save and Load list can now sort by timestamp and is now ordered by save date properly[/p]

[p]Queue attack order[/p]
[p]Call in system (airstrikes and support)[/p]
[p]Reload status for animation catchup[/p]
[p]Tow[/p]
[p]Grenades[/p]
[p]Flare[/p]
[p]Cloak[/p]
[p]Stun system[/p]
[p]Hit reaction (TBD)[/p]
[p]Cone of fire ability[/p]
[p]Delayed grenade explosion save support[/p]
[p]Save other player data (rally points)[/p]
[p]Save Operator data for clients for reloading them (after saving basic other player data)[/p][p][/p]

[p]Finalizing remaining Pandemic save support, specifically transient gameplay objects[/p]
[p]Cleaning up any remaining edge cases surfaced by live usage[/p]
[p]Locking down save stability so it becomes a dependable baseline going forward[/p]

[p]Following that addressing feedback from this poll[/p]

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

[p]Once those pieces are in a good place, we will shift focus toward Civilian Evacuation, targeted for mid-February. This work is already underway, and the goal is to address the feedback and discussion outlined in the existing Steam thread below.[/p][p]We will be sharing more details soon, including a live stream announcement about a week in advance. Keep an eye on Steam and our Discord for updates as we move through February.[/p][p]Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread[/p][hr][/hr]

🎙️ 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]

2025.2.12.1 Pandemic Save UI Live on Experimental + Pathfinding Sit-Down

[p][/p][h2]Developer Update This Week[/h2][p]We shipped the second pass of the Pandemic Save System, which adds the Save and Load UI on Experimental.[/p][p]The first pass went live Friday through a console command. This pass moves it into a real UI so you can actually use it without commands, and we can start hardening the full user flow.[/p]

[p]Save + Load UI is live on Experimental right now[/p]
[p]We are cleaning up the UI, removing negative space, and tightening the flow[/p]
[p]The Load menu will show which Custom Game Options were used for each save so you can tell runs apart[/p]
[p]Configurable autosave intervals are being added[/p]
[p]The system will always keep the most recent 3 saves[/p]
[p]We are actively hunting down Save and Load bugs reported by testers[/p]

[h3]Early game balance (Sparrow and Engineer changes)[/h3]

[p]Engineer is getting a LAW added to help address T1 counters against the Juggernaut. More details on this soon![/p]
[p]Sparrow is gaining a hellfire missile in the next week that will allow you better counter juggernaut's in T1[/p]

[h3]Operators[/h3]

[p]P90 (SMG) and HCAR (LMG) are both in the game now[/p]
[p]You can start leveling SMG and LMG progression to unlock and use them[/p]
[p]We are continuing at 1 to 2 weapons per week through February to finish the Operator from a base weapon standpoint. They still need refinement and polish after Civilian Evac[/p]

[p]The programmers will not be playing[/p]
[p]You must share your screen live and reproduce the issue or load a save[/p]
[p]Screenshots will not be accepted[/p]

[p]Fixed background audio toggle not working under audio settings thanks! [/p][p]https://steamcommunity.com/app/979640/discussions/0/3422186614307268124/[/p]
[p]CepheusProtocol!UPanelWidget::GetChildrenCount() Fixed crash on widget from [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1471026570310189066/1471026570310189066[/p]
[p]Fixed a failure in the cleanup pass where offline games could fail to load because of a overzealous cleanup pass for preplaced LDD assets[/p]
[p]Fixed scout drone rotor blur staying on when engines are off.[/p]
[p]Crash fix for !bPostEvaluatingAnimation[/p]
[p]Fixed an instance where grenades would fail to garbage collection/be deleted. Will fix clients seeing the satchel countdown when they join a game too long after its no longer relevant.[/p]
[p]Added a dynamic scaling + custom render depth to the patrol object to make it more obvious when they are used.[/p]
[p]Reworded Patrol to make it more clear how to use it and how it works[/p]
[p]Refactored some Mortar logic that disallowed units too aggressively from firing if allied helicopters were overhead. Cleaned up some failsafe's that could block firing sometimes[/p]
[p]Fixed spitter flying away whenever they are killed .[/p]
[p]Fixed the main menu incorrectly resetting the Pandemic activity log to give hosts time to backup their log if they want[/p]
[p]Fixed Abrams and bigger vehicles being able to shoot while parachuting which would allow them to "flip" over from the force applied to shoot https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1328461311599968318/1470988237530071092[/p]
[p]Removed debug Cerberuss from map Bay area beta[/p]
[p]Unarmed Units on Patrol/Attack order no longer "pause" [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1328461311599968318/1470980752421290079[/p]
[p]Updated tooltips under visual options to be more clear on when and how they work[/p]
[p]Added a ban system that is managed via a JSON file under Cepheus Protocol\\CepheusProtocol\\Saved\\Moderation because of reported trolling [/p]
- [p]Added a ban list to the player list when a host presses F1 and a local JSON database for server hosts to keep a persistent ban record[/p]
  - [p]We added the ability to ban users permanently from any game session you ever host. Users also show up in the "activity log" [/p]
  - [p]so if you decide you want to ban someone later on you can look them up in ActivityLog.ini under Cepheus Protocol\\CepheusProtocol\\Saved . As all player actions are logged here! for the last Pandemic session only on the host machine[/p]
  - [p]Ban lists can be shared easily online and users can maintain their own blacklists. We will look into an official ban list in the future that servers can opt into so we can track bad actors and allow hosts to filter them out by default. [/p]

[p][c]{[/c][/p][p][c] "Bans": \[[/c][/p][p][c] {[/c][/p][p][c] [/c][/p][p][c] }[/c][/p][p][c] ][/c][/p][p][c]}[/c][/p]

[p]Set up a fix for Population Tents failing to restore their population limit increase on loading a save[/p]
[p]Set up custom game settings to properly save/load per-file[/p]
[p]Updated gate-loading to properly re-enable the 'automatic check for units' loop if automatic was on, instead of having to toggle it on/off =Gate-loading will also fast-forward the open/close animation on load[/p]
[p]Fixed up Engine Component to save/load its engine speed and load it more safely [/p]
[p]Applied a fix to SOC construction points disappearing if the SOC attached to them gets destroyed[/p]
[p]Committed some pathing improvements to gate interactions, refined some landscables that vehicles would malfunction when impacting. [/p]
[p]Tweaked the cost of pathing for vehicles a bit more so they path find better[/p]
[p]Adjusted the sizes of infected far-distance markers and colors so all infected have unique colors [/p]
[p]P90 added to operator, [/p]
[p]Mini tweak to ar recoil, [/p]
[p]increased p90 damage. [/p]
[p]Fixed pooling issue with unit overhead icons[/p]
[p]Fixed various projectile trail effects disappearing instantly on hit.[/p]
[p]Reduced the intensity of infected markers in Night vision.[/p]
[p]Reduced the intensity of lit world buildings' windows in Night vision.[/p]
[p]UPDATED HCAR RECOIL for Operators[/p]
[p]Improved Backdrop mountain materials.[/p]
[p]Crash fix for https://steamcommunity.com/app/979640/discussions/0/760680362677623094/?ctp=2[/p]
[p]Fixed Structures sometimes failing to match their load data[/p]
[p]Fixed up walls getting the 'wrong mesh' when loading from a save[/p]
[p]Skycrane loading greatly improved so it no longer resets back to the carrier on load[/p]
[p]Fixed a rare power component crash in FinalizeMeshAfterConstruction[/p]
[p]Replication- and savegame-related fixes so Supply values (ammobox, barracks, etc.) save properly, and display properly on clients when loaded[/p]
[p]Fixed destroyed landscape objects not syncing their state if they were destroyed previously[/p][p][/p]

[p]Mortars: rounds in flight and pending impacts[/p]
[p]Airstrikes: active strike projectiles and queued strike events[/p]
[p]Grenades: thrown explosives mid air or mid fuse[/p]
[p]Flares: active flares and deployed effects[/p][p][/p]

[p]Finalizing remaining Pandemic save support, specifically transient gameplay objects[/p]
[p]Cleaning up any remaining edge cases surfaced by live usage[/p]
[p]Locking down save stability so it becomes a dependable baseline going forward[/p]

[p]Following that addressing feedback from this poll[/p]

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

2025.2.7 Update: Pandemic Saves, Rehostable Co-op, Rebuild Proof

[h2]Developer Update This Week[/h2][p]This week was about momentum and payoff.[/p][p]Coming straight off the Doctrines release, we were able to get a workable first pass of Pandemic saves running within about a week. That speed is a direct result of the rebuild work done throughout 2025. The foundation now allows us to ship meaningful systems quickly, efficiently, and without destabilizing the game.[/p][p]Pandemic saves are built around a unified authoritative world state. That is what allows:[/p]

[p]Starting a run solo and continuing it later with friends[/p]
[p]Starting a run with friends and continuing it solo[/p]

[p]The system is currently exposed through a console command while we finalize the UI and finish expanding save coverage. Over the next several days we will be focused on:[/p]

[p]Finalizing transient object save support[/p]
[p]Hunting down any remaining edge cases[/p]
[p]Polishing the user facing flow before making this fully accessible[/p]

[p]We want you to push it. Try weird scenarios. Start solo, bring friends in later. Start co-op, finish it solo. That feedback is exactly what helps us lock this in properly.[/p][p]Thanks again for the collaboration we have had with our community. You guys are the best, and we cannot wait to show you what else we have planned going into mid-February through the end of February for Civilian Evacuation. [/p][p]We will be hosting a live stream and announcing it one week out, so keep an eye on Steam and our Discord for the latest.[/p][h3]Operator Weapons[/h3][p]More weapons will be dropping for the RTS/TPS operators at 1-2 a week for February as we work to fill out his toolset! There are currently 20 weapons planned for the base release.[/p][p]Next up is the P90 which you'll get next week![/p][p]This patch added a new LMG weapon for Operators called the HCAR.[/p][p]New Operator Skin for Honzo Lee called Urban[/p][h2]Patch Notes[/h2]

[p]Added an initial console command based Pandemic save and load system[/p]
- [p]This is a functional first pass so you can start saving runs immediately. A full UI based save system, similar to Legacy, is in progress and will replace this over the next few days going into early next week.[/p]
- [p]Commands (single word): [c]savegame[/c] and [c]loadgame use the ` key to access the console[/c][/p]
  - [p]Examples:[/p]
    - [p]Save: [c]savegame Test1[/c][/p]
    - [p]Load: [c]loadgame Test1[/c][/p]
- [p]Host only rules:[/p]
  - [p]Only the host can save. Clients cannot save.[/p]
  - [p]Only the host can load. Clients cannot load.[/p]
- [p]Where loading works:[/p]
  - [p]Co-op: the host must return to the hub first, then run [c]loadgame[/c] from the hub. If you try to load while still in a map with other players connected, nothing will happen. This is not a bug.[/p]
  - [p]Offline: you can load a save at any time from any map.[/p]
- [p]The save system also makes it easier to resume sessions and rehost lobbies later, including kicking players, changing passwords, and maintaining more control over your sessions.[/p]

[p]Mortars: rounds in flight and pending impacts[/p]
[p]Airstrikes: active strike projectiles and queued strike events[/p]
[p]Grenades: thrown explosives mid air or mid fuse[/p]
[p]Flares: active flares and deployed effects[/p]

[p]These cases are actively being worked on, with fixes targeted for early next week.[/p]

[p]Material fix for generic glass translucent one sided and two sided instances on the hub[/p]
[p]Fixed TOW missile overshoot. If it loses target or overshoots, it now steers into the ground and explodes.[/p]
[p]TI Road navigation adjustments in the police station so they are less likely to use it for cross level transits [/p]
[p]Reduced intensity of AOE markers in Nightvision so its not as blinding[/p]
[p]HCAR LMG added to the Operator[/p]
[p]Clamped Gunsmith viewer input to reduce rotation flipping with fast mouse movement.[/p]
[p]HCAR added for the Operator. Tuned weapon XP for all live weapons.[/p]
[p]Shawnee nerf and Sparrow nerf, but buffed rocket pod damage.[/p]
[p]A10 gun run blast radius tweaked to better match AOE.[/p]
[p]Set RAM damage type so it barely damages Chelsey[/p]
[p]Nerfed C4 damage against CERC buildings.[/p]
[p]Updated TI marsh and park water to a static mesh setup instead of water components. to resolve the issue where it disappears sometimes[/p]
[p]Updated main menu to do and news ticker to latest to do's[/p]
[p]Changed networking settings to use Steam Sockets backend instead of the legacy method.[/p]
[p]Fixed achievements not working in the rebuild[/p]
[p]Lowered the gas tower growth rate by 1/3[/p]
[p]Fixed LOD issues on Honzo [/p]
[p]Moved pilot mesh glowstick location on Operator skin[/p]
[p]Reduced money on kill for certain infected types[/p]
[p]Added Patrol and Attack Move support to vehicles.[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where units sometimes did not stop properly in Patrol or Attack Move when they saw an enemy.[/p]
[p]Fixed a case where BaseFilter GetCopy could crash on certain formation orders.[/p]
[p]Fixed Guard tower and per zone limits breaking on low quality internet connections or after you crashed and tried to reconnect[/p]
[p]Fixed up some issues with gates reporting the wrong state color when built in zones with no power.[/p]
[p]Fixed a client bug where sometimes you could buy items for free[/p]
[p]Fixed a client bug where you couldn't open the doctrines window[/p]
[p]Network traffic optimizations for all units[/p]
[p]Ironed out camera zooming to be more graceful and less janky.[/p]
[p]Made zooming in at high camera heights faster.[/p]
[p]Added in a major change to how vehicle AI operate for medium to long move orders where they no longer destroy objects and are only allowed to use roads/dirt. If they knock something over its completely on accident now. Example[/p]
[p]Fixed units fixating on units in vision range but not weapon range. This caused sometimes units to malfunction and stop shooting[/p]
[p]Construction sites on HMB and TI have been revamped to improve pathing so infected can reach them and vice versa.[/p]
[p]Half Moon bay horde rush now properly blocks helicopters from going out of bounds[/p]
[p]Fixed HMB issue where units sometimes caused multiple fences to go flying[/p]
[p]Fixed crash on Base Character UpdateThreatLevel.[/p]
[p]Fixed achievement bug for cache failing to resolve to Steam backend.[/p]

[p]Finalizing remaining Pandemic save support, specifically transient gameplay objects[/p]
[p]Cleaning up any remaining edge cases surfaced by live usage[/p]
[p]Locking down save stability so it becomes a dependable baseline going forward[/p]

[p]Following that addressing feedback from this poll[/p]

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

2026.01.30.3 Doctrines Have Arrived (Shared Progression Is Now Live)

[h3]Patch Notes Summary (Jan 16 → Jan 30)[/h3][p]AI + Vehicle Pathing[/p]

[p]Improved ground vehicle pathing to reduce crashes and unnecessary driving through landscape objects. They should be a lot more intentional for when they decide to kool-aid man through walls[/p]
[p]Fixed large vehicles attempting to route through infantry-only gates[/p]
[p]Cleaned up navigation and collision in key zones (HMB + Treasure Island choke areas)[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]Performance + Stability[/p]

[p]Fixed Niagara StackWalkAndDump micro-stutter issue in heavy combat[/p]
[p]Fixed replicated DOT crashes under strain[/p]
[p]Multiple crash fixes (ResourceComponentSOC, closing-game timing crash, GetAlliedUnits crash)[/p]
[p]Projectile and spitter net traffic optimizations to reduce rubber banding[/p]

[hr][/hr][p]Airstrikes + Call-In System[/p]

[p]Airstrike balance pass with cooldowns ranging from 5–7s up to 360s (MOAB) Global Cooldown system![/p]
[p]Updated Call-In visuals and graphics[/p]
[p]Added Ammo Crate call-ins[/p]
[p]Added Gas Strike to airstrike system[/p]
[p]Dragon Gunship duration increased to 60s[/p]
[p]MOAB now deals absolute damage (cover no longer blocks)[/p]

[p]Juggernaut + Special Infected Fixes[/p]

[p]Fixed Juggernaut roar causing car drop/glitch behavior[/p]
[p]Applied fixes for Juggernaut rubber banding[/p]
[p]Slowed down gas tower expansion speed by 50% and doubled survivable time inside gas zones by 50%[/p]
[p]Scientist and Spitter immune to gas call in strike[/p]

[p]Doctrines UI + Progression[/p]

[p]Major Doctrine UI polish: resizing, spacing, margins, icon updates, localization updates[/p]
[p]Added starting Doctrine Points option in Custom Game Settings[/p]
[p]Increased Doctrine level cap from 500 → 800 to resolve some bugs reported during experimental of people running out of points to spend after we made some upgrades a bit more expensive[/p]
[p]Fixed multiple doctrine unlock issues (walls, barbed wire, cannon turret, guard tower M107)[/p]
[p]Some text was updated like Flashbang cooldown reduction percent to make it more clearer it applies to Winters/ Spec ops and Operators if they have that ability. [/p]

[p]Economy + Balance Adjustments[/p]

[p]Adjusted airstrike pricing and doctrine costs based on playtests lowered overall to make them more enjoyable[/p]
[p]Reduced Operator XP grind by ~34–40%[/p]
[p]GC36 + New Operator Skin added under Allen Walker called "Onslaught"[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
[p]Greatly reduced weapon XP requirements per level for Operators[/p]
[p]Custom game starting money increased up to 4 million[/p]
[p]Added the ability to set Starting Doctrine points for those that just want to bypass progression in a more casual game[/p]
[p]Half Moon Bay (Stray Ember was rebalanced based on weeks of communicating with the community to address turret limits, guard tower limits and power issues). Making it a lot more forgiving in your sessions![/p][p][/p]

[p]Weapons + Combat Updates[/p]

[p]M203 grenade launcher ability added to Assault and as a new perk for the Operator[/p]
- [p]Assault can only get it from the Doctrine unlock[/p]
[p]Spec ops throw demo charge added to Operators as a new ability[/p]
[p]Demo Charge strengthened and retuned[/p]
[p]Infantry explosives buffed vs Juggernaut[/p]
[p]Vehicle cannon turn speed and pop cost balance pass (Bradley, Abrams, Cerberus)[/p]
[p]Turrets lights now properly rotate when they "Look around" at night[/p][p][/p]

[hr][/hr][p]Visual + Audio Updates[/p]

[p]Updated loading screens from contest submissions[/p]
[p]Fixed nights being too dark, added Moonlight lighting support[/p]
[p]Medium GI now uses Screenspace GI, Low disables GI entirely[/p]
[p]Fixed weapon flashlight attachment pivots and turret visual desync issues[/p]

[p]Camo + Cosmetic Systems[/p]

[p]Vehicle camo system implemented with replication support[/p]
[p]Recruit Popup + Weapon Market camo selector initial pass[/p]
[p]Added "signs" from legacy (Online support too!)[/p]
[p]Support Pack camo unlocks are now back in the rebuild! supports online play too![/p][p][/p]

[p]Quality of Life + Restrictions[/p]

[p]Fixed exploit bypassing Doctrine restrictions via upgrade buttons[/p]
[p]Added sky validation to block invalid building placement where you could build production structures over say a bridge and units would not land correctly[/p]
[p]Added preset landing points to the Motor pool, barracks and main tent to resolve long standing issues with units landing in stupid spots[/p]
[p]Ammo boxes no longer grant unintended LOS[/p]
[p]Ammo crates no longer explode when destroyed[/p]
[p]M / P and other "live" keys no longer trigger the action associated\\ with them when you are focusing a type box.[/p]

[p]Calypso is under going a revamp and is removed from the rotation for the next week [/p]

[p]To improve vehicle pathing for ground vehicles and airborne.[/p]
[p]Resolve some rough patches for bad collision where units would get stuck.[/p]
[p]We had this map in rotation around early January and we decided to pull it alongside improving pathing for Stray and Blacktide so we could rework parts of the map. [/p]

[p]Very still W.I.P we expect to readd this map sometime next week![/p][carousel][/carousel][hr][/hr][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][carousel][/carousel][hr][/hr]

Cepheus Protocol Dev Report

[h3]Friday, January 30[/h3][p]Alright everyone, quick report on where we are today.[/p][p]This is not a short update.[/p][p]This is a full development report.[/p][p]The rebuild reset the board.[/p][p]Doctrines are the start of the real long-term game.[/p][p]This post is meant to clearly document:[/p]

[p]What is now released[/p]
[p]Why it exists[/p]
[p]What problems it is solving[/p]
[p]What is still being tuned[/p]
[p]What we need from players this weekend[/p]
[p]What options are coming so people can shape the game to how they want to play[/p]

[p]This is the foundation going into February.[/p][hr][/hr]

Doctrines Are Now Live

[p]As of today:[/p][p]Doctrines are released.[/p][p]This is the new progression system for Cepheus Protocol going forward.[/p][p]In Legacy builds, we effectively gave players top-end tools too early:[/p]

[p]Abrams[/p]
[p]Bradley[/p]
[p]MLRS[/p]
[p]Apache[/p]
[p]Endgame weapons within minutes[/p]

[p]There was no real ladder.[/p][p]No structured tempo.[/p][p]No meaningful progression loop.[/p][p]That is now fundamentally changing.[/p][p]Doctrines are the backbone for:[/p]

[p]Unlocks[/p]
[p]Economy scaling[/p]
[p]Long-term pacing[/p]
[p]Team progression[/p]
[p]Strategic identity over hours of play[/p]

[p]The rebuild was the restart.[/p][p]Doctrines are the actual game structure being rebuilt on top of it.[/p][hr][/hr]

Why We Built This System

[p]The goal is simple:[/p][p]We want Cepheus Protocol to feel like you and your friends are building toward something together over time.[/p][p]Not rushing the entire tech tree in the first 10 minutes.[/p][p]Not having every weapon available instantly.[/p][p]Not having progression be meaningless.[/p][p]Doctrines exist so the game has:[/p]

[p]Early game pressure[/p]
[p]Midgame growth[/p]
[p]Late game payoff[/p]
[p]Real strategic choices[/p]
[p]A shared campaign-like loop in co-op[/p]

[p]This is how the game becomes sustainable long-term.[/p][hr][/hr]

Shared Doctrine Progression (Team-Based)

[p]Doctrine Points are shared across the match.[/p][p]This is not individual grinding.[/p][p]All players contribute toward the same tree.[/p][p]That means:[/p]

[p]Your team progresses together[/p]
[p]Your upgrades are part of a shared strategic plan[/p]
[p]Co-op sessions feel like collective effort, not disconnected builds[/p]

[hr][/hr]

Three-Stage Doctrine Structure

[p]The Doctrine tree is split into three stages:[/p][p]Stage 1 → Stage 2 → Stage 3[/p][p]Important design rules:[/p]

[p]There is no prerequisite besides paying into the next stage[/p]
[p]You can take upgrades from any stage[/p]
[p]Some upgrades chain forward across stages[/p]

[p]Example:[/p]

[p]XP upgrades scale from Stage 1 into Stage 2 into Stage 3[/p]
[p]Ammo reserve upgrades begin early and reach full power late[/p]
[p]Gas efficiency follows the same progression[/p]

[p]The intent is stacked modifiers and long-term strategy.[/p][p]Not instant power spikes.[/p][hr][/hr]

What’s In Doctrines Right Now

[p]The current tree contains roughly two to three dozen items, including:[/p][h3]Economy and Efficiency Passives[/h3]

[p]Increased ammo reserves[/p]
[p]Increased XP gained from kills[/p]
[p]Reduced structure costs by category[/p]

[h3]Ammo Reserves by Unit Type[/h3][p]Upgrades are split by:[/p]

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

[h3]Gas Efficiency Scaling[/h3][p]Doctrines improve how much gas units can hold by type.[/p][p]This directly supports longer operations and late-game pacing.[/p][h3]Unlocks and Progression[/h3][p]Doctrines now govern unlock structure for:[/p]

[p]Weapons[/p]
[p]Abilities[/p]
[p]Classes[/p]
[p]Airstrikes[/p]

[p]This is the system that finally allows progression tempo to exist in Rebuild.[/p][p]You should not be rushing Abrams, Bradley, MLRS, or other endgame tools immediately anymore.[/p][hr][/hr]

New Structure: Logistics Requisition Center

[p]We are introducing a major infrastructure component:[/p][p]Logistics Requisition Center[/p][p]Built by Engineers.[/p][p]Purpose:[/p]

[p]Passive Doctrine XP generation through infrastructure[/p]
[p]Helps maintain Stage 2 to Stage 3 pacing[/p]
[p]Provides an alternative to purely kill-based progression[/p]

[p]Key details:[/p]

[p]High energy cost[/p]
[p]High upfront money cost[/p]
[p]Up to 10 globally[/p]

[p]This is designed to reward strategic buildup, not just frontline farming.[/p][hr][/hr]

UI Status

[p]Doctrines are live.[/p][p]The UI is being finalized right now.[/p][p]Target window:[/p]

[p]Monday to Tuesday[/p]

[p]Some placeholder icons may still exist briefly while final assets are swapped in over the next couple of days.[/p][hr][/hr][hr][/hr]

Balance Status: This Weekend Is Data Collection

[p]Let me be extremely clear:[/p][p]We are not pretending balance is “done.”[/p][p]Doctrines are a foundational restructure.[/p][p]Now we tune.[/p][p]A lot of major balance pressure points have already been progressed significantly, but we need more real match data.[/p][p]We need to know:[/p]

[p]What feels off[/p]
[p]What feels too easy[/p]
[p]What feels too punishing[/p]
[p]What feels unfair[/p]
[p]What upgrades feel mandatory[/p]
[p]What pacing feels too fast or too slow[/p]

[p]This weekend is where we gather that data in real sessions.[/p][p]This is how the system becomes solid.[/p][hr][/hr]

Custom Game Options Expansion (Player-Controlled Difficulty)

[p]One of the biggest goals going forward is flexibility.[/p][p]Not everyone wants the same experience.[/p][p]Some players want a sweaty hardcore strategy grind.[/p][p]Some players want a casual pandemic sim where they mess around for hours.[/p][p]We want to support both.[/p][p]Custom game options are going to expand heavily before Civilian Evacuation.[/p][p]Examples of what we are working toward:[/p]

[p]Starting with all Doctrine Points[/p]
[p]Increasing or decreasing Doctrine XP gain rate[/p]
[p]Turning Supply systems on or off[/p]
[p]Turning Gas mechanics on or off[/p]

[p]The goal is that players can shape the experience:[/p][p]Hardcore tactical progression, or relaxed sandbox apocalypse.[/p][p]Both are valid.[/p][p]We want Cepheus Protocol to accommodate the full range.[/p][hr][/hr]

Save System Update (How It Will Work)

[p]We started active Save System work on Wednesday and we’ll have more to show early next week. Full details will keep getting posted as we progress.[/p][h3]How saves work in most games[/h3][p]In a typical game, a save is tied to one mode of play:[/p]

[p]You save your session[/p]
[p]You load it later[/p]
[p]It usually stays single-player, or it becomes a completely separate “multiplayer server save” system[/p]

[h3]What we’re building for Cepheus Protocol[/h3][p]Our goal is to let you treat a session like a real campaign that can move between offline and online play.[/p][p]The intended flow is:[/p]

[p]Start a session offline if you want[/p]
[p]Save it whenever you want[/p]
[p]Later, you can take that same save and host it online so friends can join and continue the same world[/p]

[p]This is built specifically for co-op groups who cannot always start and finish a long session in one sitting.[/p][h3]What this enables long-term[/h3]

[p]Pandemic co-op sessions you can pause and resume across multiple days or just by yourself if you want[/p]
[p]Start a run solo, then bring friends in later without restarting[/p]
[p]A clearer structure for future systems like Civilian Evac and long-form progression[/p]

[hr][/hr]

What We Need From You This Weekend

[p]Please play Doctrines in real sessions.[/p][p]Test:[/p]

[p]Progression pacing[/p]
[p]Shared Doctrine Points feel[/p]
[p]Stage advancement timing[/p]
[p]Upgrade relevance[/p]
[p]Difficulty curve[/p]
[p]Network performance under match load[/p]
[p]Any bugs, desyncs, or edge cases[/p]

[p]And tell us directly:[/p][p]What do you love?[/p][p]What do you hate?[/p][p]What feels wrong?[/p][p]What feels right?[/p][p]This feedback is massive right now because this is the foundation the entire game scales around going into February.[/p][hr][/hr]

Forward Timeline

[p]This Weekend[/p]

[p]Doctrine release testing[/p]
[p]Balance feedback collection[/p]
[p]Data gathering[/p]

[p]Monday to Tuesday[/p]

[p]Doctrine UI finalized[/p]
[p]Placeholder elements replaced[/p]

[p]Tuesday to Wednesday[/p]

[p]Save system rollout[/p]

[p]Following Weeks[/p]

[p]Bug fixing[/p]
[p]Quality of life[/p]
[p]Operator polish[/p]
[p]Civilian Evac groundwork[/p]

[p]Mid February:[/p]

[p]Livestream covering Civilian Evacuation direction and next-stage expansion[/p]

[hr][/hr]

Final Note

[p]The rebuild reset the board.[/p][p]Doctrines are the real progression game now.[/p][p]This is the long-term structure:[/p]

[p]Shared progression[/p]
[p]Structured unlocks[/p]
[p]Strategic scaling[/p]
[p]Player-controlled customization[/p]
[p]Persistent co-op sessions through saves[/p]

[p]Thank you again for the overwhelming support lately.[/p][p]Together, we are building something truly remarkable in Cepheus Protocol[/p]