Cepheus Protocol News

Hey everyone,

Following our recent podcast, we wanted to share a quick development update! While we’re slightly behind schedule, progress is still moving forward. The next major milestone is internal playtesting on the RTS Coop Test map.

Also consider checking out the last Podcast to catch up on the context of this post on Youtube or Spotify
https://youtu.be/5fM7Y9U809k


[h2]🚀 Formation System Near Completion! [/h2]
We’re 3-5 workdays from finalizing the Formation System! Once completed, only minor tweaks will be needed when helicopters and ground vehicles return.

[h2]🎯 Playtest Timeline – 1-2 Weeks Away! [/h2]
Our current estimate places the playtest within the next 1-2 weeks. This initial phase will focus on infantry mechanics and co-op gameplay, while vehicles, helicopters, DNA, and Doctrines will be excluded for now.

The biggest hurdle remaining is replicating our custom ability system and performing stress testing to ensure a stable multiplayer experience. Once this is completed, we’ll be ready to move forward.



[h2]🛠️ Core Systems & Mechanics [/h2]

• Formation System (Infantry & Combined Assaults)
  
• RTS Ragdoll Optimization
  
• Silencer Toggle Replication
  
• Basic Combat System for CERC & Infected
  
• Implementing Our New Ability System with Replication Support
  
  
  
  • The current grenade system in this older prototype is being converted into an ability
    
  • Fire in the Air, Cone of Fire, Headshot Mechanics . These are the first ability to be reimplemented to "test" the system before we scale up in stage 2 of the Doctrines implementation.
    
  
  

[h2]📡 Tactical & UI Improvements [/h2]

• Minimap & Tactical Map Ping System
  
• Fire Mode Replication
  
• Weather System
  
• Patrol & Attack Move
  
• Rules of Engagement (ROE) & Visual Options
  

[h2]🏗️ Structures & Engineer Finalization (Tuesday-Wednesday) [/h2]

• Operators gain a blueprint-based building system
  
• Engineer Building Finalization
  
• Base Infected Structures (Logic Pending)
  

• Doctrines (Non-Vehicle) – Airstrikes, passive upgrades, structure changes
  
• DNA System – Research Tree
  
• Turrets
  
• Formation System for Vehicles (Air & Ground)
  
• Vehicles (Final Step in Stage 2)
  

• Pandemic Start & Late-Game Progression (Completed)
  
• Civilian Evacuation
  
• Crow Movement biological weapon attack (Alternative Mode) – Virus spreads naturally (No LT/Chelsey)
  
• Expanded Custom Game Options – Walk-Only, Health Scaling, Moddable Settings
  

Stay up to date with our weekly live podcasts every Saturday at 5 PM EST, where we discuss development progress, upcoming features, and answer community questions.

🎥 Missed the live stream? You can watch or listen anytime on YouTube or Spotify! Spotify now supports video, so you can tune in however you prefer.

📺 YouTube Playlist: Watch Here
🎧 Spotify: Listen Here

Thanks for sticking with us! The playtest is a big step forward, and we’re excited for your feedback. See you in the next update! 🚀

[h2]🎙️ Livestream Details[/h2]

We'll be covering progress since the last podcast!

Sneak peak at one of the male Operators

Alcatraz island (Hub/Main Menu) Early preview for Saturday


[h3]We also have general programming/coop updates to share as always. Hope to see you guys there![/h3]

🕔 When: February 8, 2025 5 PM EST
📺 Where to Watch:

• YouTube Livestream
  
• Discord Server
  
• The Cepheus Protocol Steam Page
  

[h2]📣 What to Expect[/h2]

During the livestream, we’ll:

• Recap this week of progress
  
• Answer your questions during a live Q&A session with the development team.
  

Your participation and feedback are key to shaping the future of Cepheus Protocol, and we’re eager to share our progress with you.

[h2]🔍 Next Steps[/h2]

With these initial refinements underway, we’re continuing to build on your feedback and enhance every aspect of the game. Stay tuned for further updates as we move forward together.

Stay Frosty,
The Cepheus Protocol Team

[h2]🛠️ A Reboot in Progress...[/h2]

Unit ownership is a key focus for our team, ensuring that hosts can maintain control of a session when needed. This allows for better delegation of duties during gameplay or to prevent abuse. To support this, we’re implementing two control modes:

• Open Mode: Free unit control for all players.
  
• Ownership Mode: A gifting system inspired by the Total War series.
  

Watch an early look at the gifting system in action:
https://youtu.be/Ba0MDc4TU2k

In addition, the Abort Move feature has been integrated with replication support! It served as a testing ground for scaling systems like Attack Move and Patrol, helping us establish a robust framework for future mechanics:
https://youtu.be/9tjB1u5wHRk

[h3]Shared Gameplay Elements Update[/h3]

Progress continues on core mechanics for both TPS and RTS modes. Here's a sneak peek:
https://youtu.be/l020RBv4oOQ

We’ve also made strides in implementing live dismemberment, reloading, and basic combat functionalities. Check it out here:
https://youtu.be/1BvcEMpdcA0

[h3]Operator Progress & Customization[/h3]

Work is underway to finalize Operators and Chelsey. These Operators will act as "heroes" on the ground, complete with weapon customization, skins, and unique outfits. You'll play as them in both TPS and RTS modes, similar to the "Create a Hero" system from Battle for Middle-earth 2.

Operators will bring depth to your squad with unique abilities and a personal touch!

Here’s a look at our progress:

• Veronica
  
  
• Unnamed Male Operator
  
  
• Allen
  
  
• Chelsey
  
  
  
• Kira
  
  
  
  

[h2]🚀 Doctrines Backlog Progress[/h2]

Our efforts on doctrines are nearing completion. Dimitry has finalized all required models aside from the MOAB’s remaining VFX. Here's a look at what’s been added:

GBU-12 Paveway II:
A bunker-buster designed to target underground threats(Levi and his tunnels).


GBU-43/B MOAB - Features:

• Extremely large radius: 10,000 UU.
  
• Mass destruction: Destroys all in range, including people inside buildings.
  
• Civilian consequences: Significant reputation loss per civilian casualty and hostile responses from groups nearby.
  
• Cooldown: 12-14 minutes (subject to change).
  
• Cost: $150,000 per strike (subject to change).
  

[h3]Alcatraz Island Blockout[/h3]

Our base blockout of Alcatraz Island is almost complete, though progress has been delayed due to wildfires in Los Angeles. Here are some early screenshots of the map:

Alcatraz will serve as your "hub" world for mounting deployments into new/old Pandemic sessions, viewing how your last ones have left the surrounding city, Customizing Operators & for launching the campaign when we get to that point.



[h2]🎯 Coop Test Arena & Roadmap[/h2]

To stress-test gameplay mechanics, we’ve created a Coop Test Arena. This environment allows us to evaluate key features in layers before implementing them in larger-scale maps.

Stage 1 Focus:

• Structure building.
  
• Death mechanics and damage systems.
  
• Engineer reliability and formations.
  
• Gifting systems (units, money, DNA).
  
• Combat logic for infected and CERC infantry.
  
• Airstrikes and non vehicle related doctrine upgrades
  
• Core Combat Logic for Infected and CERC ground Infantry
  
• DNA Gathering
  

Stage 2 Focus:

• Abilities
  
• Helicopters and ground vehicles.
  
• Abilities and vehicle-related upgrades.
  
• Vehicle related Doctrine upgrades/unit unlocks
  

[h2]🎙️ Stay Tuned for More Updates[/h2]

We’ll be sharing more details about these updates during our Podcast on January 11, 2025. Make sure to tune in via:

• YouTube Livestream
  
• Discord Server
  
• Steam Page

Stay Frosty,
The Cepheus Protocol Team

[h2]📅 Second Week Cleanup Progress - A Fresh Start[/h2]

After deep introspection and careful consideration, we’ve decided that the best course of action is to follow in the footsteps of what Rust did back in 2013—recode the game from scratch. Instead of attempting to salvage the current codebase, this bold move will allow us to build a more streamlined and robust experience from the ground up.

The results so far? Remarkable progress! We already have progress in terms of "Coop" code for both RTS and TPS modes, laying the foundation for a seamless multiplayer experience.

[h3]Coop Progress & Upcoming Features[/h3]
Here’s where we stand:

https://youtu.be/NcZ3CB7mkbk

• Formations: Formations are now entry level replicated in multiplayer, though still in the early stages. We aim to complete this feature next week ideally.
  
• Death Logic for Coop: Death isn’t fully replicated yet, but work will resume Saturday to finalize this critical system.
  
• Dismemberment Sync Fix: Live dismemberment between clients isn’t syncing yet. This will also be addressed Saturday alongside the Coop death logic.
  

https://youtu.be/AQfJHqAyIhc

Both RTS and TPS modes share the same codebase, so progress in one directly impacts the other. Currently, testing and optimizations are focused on TPS for easier visual and gameplay tuning.

We’ll be showcasing all of this progress, including our new approach and what’s on the horizon, during our Podcast on Saturday. Make sure to tune in!

Here’s the plan moving forward:

• January: CERC systems reimplementation. Doctrines/DNA Research /Structures/ Airstrikes/Abilities utilizing Replication/Coop from the start
  
• February: Focus shifts to reworking the Infected systems and their replication
  
• March: Civilian systems will be tackled as with their Replication , wrapping up our Q1 cleanup.
  

[h3]Doctrines/General Team Updates[/h3]

• Progress on Chelsey
  
  
• Legacy Operator Progress
  
  
• EFrain spent the week learning Photogrammetry so we can use it on San Francisco North & Alcatraz island. Unfortunately he is affected by the recent Wildfires in Los Angeles greatly so we didnt get that much progress this week.
  
• Dimitry had some personal family health issues so we dont have anything to show for that. Please check back for the new airstrikes VFX next week here!
  

[h2]🎙️ Livestream Details[/h2]

Don’t miss this in-depth look at our first week of progress and the road ahead. Here’s where and when to tune in:

🕔 When: January 11, 2025 5 PM EST
📺 Where to Watch:

• YouTube Livestream
  
• Discord Server
  
• The Cepheus Protocol Steam Page
  

[h2]📣 What to Expect[/h2]

During the livestream, we’ll:

• Recap our first week of cleanup, focusing on core systems and optimizations.
  
• Showcase the new Chelsey AI improvements and discuss the design philosophy behind the changes.
  
• Highlight the development of the alternative start mode and how it will affect gameplay.
  
• Answer your questions during a live Q&A session with the development team.
  

Your participation and feedback are key to shaping the future of Cepheus Protocol, and we’re eager to share our progress with you.

[h2]🔍 Next Steps[/h2]

With these initial refinements underway, we’re continuing to build on your feedback and enhance every aspect of the game. Stay tuned for further updates as we move forward together.

[h2]🔍 Review the Final Poll Results[/h2]

We’re actively reviewing the final results from the Year in Review Poll 2024. Check out the results yourself to see what the community prioritized as we plan the next stages of development!

Stay Frosty,
The Cepheus Protocol Team
```

We’re excited to update you as we conclude the first week of our post-holiday cleanup! This week, we focused on core systems that set the foundation for a smoother and more customizable experience in Cepheus Protocol. Join us in a special livestream to discuss what we’ve achieved and where we’re headed next!

[h2]📅 First Week Cleanup Progress - Core System Refinements[/h2]

This week, we tackled several key areas based on your feedback and our development goals. Here’s a breakdown of what we accomplished:

[h3]Programming Related Tasks[/h3]

• RTS Fog of War Optimization: Streamlined the Fog of War system for better performance and simplified its setup for future content.
  
• Custom Game Settings Expansion: Began mapping out the total amount of adjustments we will be expanding next week for Custom game settings after more of the new core is established on the C++ side of things.
  
• Chelsey AI Redesign: Overhauled Chelsey’s AI to make her less frustrating and more balanced, addressing long-standing community concerns. A few examples would be her Pod state and being able to sometimes attack people in that state , how she handles falling from helicopters and removed all teleporting logic for bug fixes and implemented a newer system.
  
• Alternative Start Mode: Introduced the groundwork for a new mode—voted in by the community—that allows players to start without Chelsey and her Lieutenants, offering a fresh gameplay experience. This alternative start mode initiates the virus via the "CROW" movement detonating 6-10 explosives to release a weaponized form of the Pangu Virus.
  

[h3]Doctrines/General Team Updates[/h3]

• Chelseys final model is still W.I.P . He needs to focus a bit more on the Cheeks & Nose to make it fall more in line with the Concept. He should be done sometime this weekend
  
  
• The Radiomans "Relay" ability mesh was done and imported into the engine
  
  
• EFrain is still working on details on new grenade types
  
  
• We are starting the process of finishing the Airstrikes going into next week
  

These updates reflect our ongoing efforts to refine the gameplay experience and incorporate your suggestions.

[h2]🎙️ Livestream Details[/h2]

Don’t miss this in-depth look at our first week of progress and the road ahead. Here’s where and when to tune in:

🕔 When: January 4, 2025 5 PM EST
📺 Where to Watch:

• YouTube Livestream
  
• Discord Server
  
• The Cepheus Protocol Steam Page
  

[h2]📣 What to Expect[/h2]

During the livestream, we’ll:

• Recap our first week of cleanup, focusing on core systems and optimizations.
  
• Showcase the new Chelsey AI improvements and discuss the design philosophy behind the changes.
  
• Highlight the development of the alternative start mode and how it will affect gameplay.
  
• Answer your questions during a live Q&A session with the development team.
  

Your participation and feedback are key to shaping the future of Cepheus Protocol, and we’re eager to share our progress with you.

[h2]🔍 Next Steps[/h2]

With these initial refinements underway, we’re continuing to build on your feedback and enhance every aspect of the game. Stay tuned for further updates as we move forward together.

[h2]🔍 Review the Final Poll Results[/h2]

We’re actively reviewing the final results from the Year in Review Poll 2024. Check out the results yourself to see what the community prioritized as we plan the next stages of development!

Stay Frosty,
The Cepheus Protocol Team
```