Cepheus Protocol

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Dev Update

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

Developer Update This Week

We shipped the second pass of the Pandemic Save System, which adds the Save and Load UI on Experimental.

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.

  • Save + Load UI is live on Experimental right now

  • We are cleaning up the UI, removing negative space, and tightening the flow

  • The Load menu will show which Custom Game Options were used for each save so you can tell runs apart

  • Configurable autosave intervals are being added

  • The system will always keep the most recent 3 saves

  • We are actively hunting down Save and Load bugs reported by testers

Early game balance (Sparrow and Engineer changes)

  • Engineer is getting a LAW added to help address T1 counters against the Juggernaut. More details on this soon!

  • Sparrow is gaining a hellfire missile in the next week that will allow you better counter juggernaut’s in T1

Operators

  • P90 (SMG) and HCAR (LMG) are both in the game now

  • You can start leveling SMG and LMG progression to unlock and use them

  • 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

Pathfinding Sit Down

Experimental includes systemic vehicle pathfinding fixes, but if you still see issues, we want to see them live.

Friday at 7:00 PM Eastern we are hosting a Discord sit-down for pathing and formation issues.

  • The programmers will not be playing

  • You must share your screen live and reproduce the issue or load a save

  • Screenshots will not be accepted

We will have more to share on Saturday during CERC HQ as we continue pushing toward Civilian Evacuation mid to late February.

New Operator Skin for Honzo Lee called Urban

Patch Notes

  • Fixed background audio toggle not working under audio settings thanks!

    https://steamcommunity.com/app/979640/discussions/0/3422186614307268124/

  • CepheusProtocol!UPanelWidget::GetChildrenCount() Fixed crash on widget from

    https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1471026570310189066/1471026570310189066

  • Fixed a failure in the cleanup pass where offline games could fail to load because of a overzealous cleanup pass for preplaced LDD assets

  • Fixed scout drone rotor blur staying on when engines are off.

  • Crash fix for !bPostEvaluatingAnimation

  • 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.

  • Added a dynamic scaling + custom render depth to the patrol object to make it more obvious when they are used.

  • Reworded Patrol to make it more clear how to use it and how it works

  • 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

  • Fixed spitter flying away whenever they are killed .

  • Fixed the main menu incorrectly resetting the Pandemic activity log to give hosts time to backup their log if they want

  • 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

  • Removed debug Cerberuss from map Bay area beta

  • Unarmed Units on Patrol/Attack order no longer “pause”

    https://discord.com/channels/469412014427602944/1328461311599968318/1470980752421290079

  • Updated tooltips under visual options to be more clear on when and how they work

  • Added a ban system that is managed via a JSON file under Cepheus Protocol\CepheusProtocol\Saved\Moderation because of reported trolling

    • 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

      • We added the ability to ban users permanently from any game session you ever host. Users also show up in the “activity log”

      • 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

      • 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.

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  • Set up a fix for Population Tents failing to restore their population limit increase on loading a save

  • Set up custom game settings to properly save/load per-file

  • 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

  • Fixed up Engine Component to save/load its engine speed and load it more safely

  • Applied a fix to SOC construction points disappearing if the SOC attached to them gets destroyed

  • Committed some pathing improvements to gate interactions, refined some landscables that vehicles would malfunction when impacting.

  • Tweaked the cost of pathing for vehicles a bit more so they path find better

  • Adjusted the sizes of infected far-distance markers and colors so all infected have unique colors

  • P90 added to operator,

  • Mini tweak to ar recoil,

  • increased p90 damage.

  • Fixed pooling issue with unit overhead icons

  • Fixed various projectile trail effects disappearing instantly on hit.

  • Reduced the intensity of infected markers in Night vision.

  • Reduced the intensity of lit world buildings’ windows in Night vision.

  • UPDATED HCAR RECOIL for Operators

  • Improved Backdrop mountain materials.

  • Crash fix for https://steamcommunity.com/app/979640/discussions/0/760680362677623094/?ctp=2

  • Fixed Structures sometimes failing to match their load data

  • Fixed up walls getting the ‘wrong mesh’ when loading from a save

  • Skycrane loading greatly improved so it no longer resets back to the carrier on load

  • Fixed a rare power component crash in FinalizeMeshAfterConstruction

  • Replication- and savegame-related fixes so Supply values (ammobox, barracks, etc.) save properly, and display properly on clients when loaded

  • Fixed destroyed landscape objects not syncing their state if they were destroyed previously

Known Limitations with save system

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.

Current priority list:

  • Mortars: rounds in flight and pending impacts

  • Airstrikes: active strike projectiles and queued strike events

  • Grenades: thrown explosives mid air or mid fuse

  • Flares: active flares and deployed effects

February Roadmap and Short-Term Priorities

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.

Immediate priority going into next week

  • Finalizing remaining Pandemic save support, specifically transient gameplay objects

  • Cleaning up any remaining edge cases surfaced by live usage

  • Locking down save stability so it becomes a dependable baseline going forward

Following that addressing feedback from this poll

  • Pathfinding improvements and fixes

  • Bug fixing across Pandemic and core systems

  • Small quality of life changes that improve flow and usability

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.

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.

Link to Civilian Evacuation Steam thread

🎙️ Next CERC HQ – Livestream Details

🕔 When: Weekly Saturdays – 3 PM EST (New Time!)

📺 Where to Watch:

💬 Topics We’ll Cover:

  • Co-op Progress

  • Total Revamp based on Community Feedback

  • Level Design Updates

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

📺 Missed a Stream? No Worries!