We are nearing the completion of Phase 1- We have a few days of final work for the Operator then we'll be shifting to UI + Bug fixes & performance improvements before we officially enter phase 2.

We thank our community for their continued support and patience! Playing the game with you guys on Discord has been an absolute honor! We will be hosting public discord play sessions almost daily as we work to hunt down bugs and finish phase 1. So consider joining our discord!

Currently we have to port over the remaining abilities to the Operator going into Tuesdayish.

• Medic Healing Operator Ability (Done)

https://youtu.be/HYkh3SfzhdA

• Engineer Repair/Building Operator Ability (Next up)

• Throw Grenade Flash/HE Operator Ability (Done)

https://youtu.be/ci3hq062fmQ

Expect a patch on cerc-hq-public to add this in and Engineer building Operator Ability in the next 24-48 hours stay tuned and check Discord for the latest!

After we finish Engineer Repair/Building Derek will shift to UI/UX while Robert continues on Horde mode refinements/performance and bug fixes so we can wrap up Phase 1.

Next Podcast this week we'll be discussing on Saturday all of this and more!

Here is our mockup UI to modernize and finalize them.

HUB Progress

This episode dives deep into a massive weekly update, spotlighting the evolution of the Operator system and a brutal new horde mode overhaul. The team showcases Alcatraz hub progress, the growing arsenal of weapon attachments, and how Operator customization now ties directly into RTS and TPS gameplay. We hear firsthand feedback from playtesters on new abilities, squad loadouts, and the changing meta—including turrets, tower defense, and the increasing challenge of survival.

There's a strong focus on player roles, operator leveling, and long-term plans for integrating squad-based tactics and immersive UI improvements. The team also discusses how they're balancing Operator additions with core RTS gameplay and previews the next development phase, including vehicles, airstrikes, and UI streamlining.

Multiple co-op play sessions put new spawn rates and difficulty tuning to the test—resulting in some hilariously brutal failures. Finally, the devs take Q&A from the community and talk future priorities like clearer objective feedback, Operator ability polish, and whether the game’s genre identity is still intact. (Spoiler: It is.)

Key Topics:

• Operator ability system, progression, and customization

• Weapon attachment system & recoil tuning

• Alcatraz hub development and asset updates

• Horde mode rework with escalating difficulty

• Real-time balance adjustments based on player feedback

• UI overhaul plans and RTS accessibility improvements

• Co-op chaos: live testing with dev commentary

• Community Q&A on pacing, controls, and future updates

Listeners get an unfiltered look at the game’s evolving systems—and how feedback is shaping every phase.

https://youtu.be/ZWzgHWIN9d0

https://youtu.be/_--XV3ObZFE

We ran a 2-hour playtest last week! Curious about what we’re working on and where we're headed?

📘 Read about our Development Phases & Current Goals

1. Right-click Cepheus Protocol Experimental Branch (Granted when you buy the base game) in your Steam Library

2. Click Properties > Betas

3. Choose cerc-hq-public from the dropdown

4. Let Steam update the build and launch the game

🕔 When: July 26, 2025 – 3 PM EST (New Time!) 📺 Where to Watch:

• YouTube Livestream

• Discord Server[discord.gg]

• Steam Page

  

• 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.

• YouTube VOD Playlist

• Spotify Podcast Archive[open.spotify.com] (VODs may take 24 hours to appear)

This is just a shortlist of goals currently in motion—be sure to watch the last CERC HQ for a more detailed breakdown.

• Finalize Operator Ability System

• Expand Playable Classes

• Visual UI Polish

• Prepare for Phase 2: Airstrikes, Doctrines, Vehicles

Stay Frosty,— The Cepheus Protocol Dev Team

We are nearing the completion of Phase 1- We have a few days of final work for the Operator then we'll be shifting to UI + Bug fixes & performance improvements before we officially enter stage 2.

We thank our community for their continued support and patience! Playing the game with you guys on Discord has been an absolute honor! We will be hosting public discord play sessions almost daily as we work to hunt down bugs and finish phase 1. So consider joining our discord!

Currently we have to port over the remaining abilities to the Operator going into Tuesdayish.

1. Medic Healing

2. Engineer Repair/Building

3. Throw Grenade Flash/HE

Key Notes:

Press Tab to cycle right through Operator abilities

Press Z or X or cycle left or right

Press G to enable the currently selected ability

https://youtu.be/ZWzgHWIN9d0

1. Right-click Cepheus Protocol Experimental Branch (Granted when you buy the base game) in your Steam Library

2. Click Properties > Betas

3. Choose cerc-hq-public from the dropdown

4. Let Steam update the build and launch the game

   Patch Notes
   Infection Gas Towers & Zone Control Overhaul

   • Introduced Infection Gas Towers that automatically appear when a zone is lost in Horde Mode.

     • These towers emit toxic gas that punishes lingering forces and visually reinforce the spread of infection.

     • Includes new VFX and materials such as fog, blood drops, and gas particle effects.

   • Zones now progress through a new "Yellow" warning phase before full infection, giving players clearer visual feedback on imminent collapse.

   • LCAC (Landing Craft Barracks) now:

     • Spawns Engineers, Operators, and will issue Ammo Resupplies.

     • Is destroyed when the first zone is lost, increasing the tension and pacing of early engagements.

     • No longer requires power, allowing faster deployment at game start.

   Gameplay & Navigation Improvements

   • Zone collapse timer increased from 20s to 60s, giving players a fairer window to evacuate.

   • Trees and vegetation no longer block mouse clicks, making unit control smoother across forested terrain.

   • Zones now dynamically render as Red (Infected), Yellow (Collapsing), or White (Safe) to reflect infection status more clearly.

   • Fixed T2 and T3 large gates not allowing snapping

   • Power indicators are hidden in infected zones to reduce UI clutter and confusion.

   • Added blocking volumes to map edges to prevent units and the camera from exiting play areas.

   • Zone border visuals and mesh alignments polished across multiple Half Moon Bay sectors for improved immersion.

   • Continued polish on animations, muzzle attachments, and UI elements, including updates to crouch behavior and sprint handling with underbarrel weapons.

   • Inaccessible areas no longer allow CERC to attempt to pathfind through them greatly improving cross zone movement

• Opening the Pause Menu breaks the Quartermaster mouse

• Half Moon Bay is about 85% ready for full playtests. We're still refining a few areas to make sure the experience is smooth.

We have had Winters who has far more experience with UX/UI work with our concept artist while ive been working to wrap up phase 1 from a structural/Gameplay standpoint. Here is the latest "Draft" let us know what you think of the UI. The Operator and all menus will be getting a pass next from a design standpoint once this UI is approved by myself.

More at this week's CERC HQ!

https://youtu.be/ZifUT_qzSkE

We’re thrilled to share our vision for the future of Cepheus Protocol! With your continued support, we’re working tirelessly to refine the game and introduce exciting new features that elevate the experience.

• Experimental SP/Co-op Horde Mode Now live via the cerc-hq-public branch — up to 16 players in hybrid RTS/TPS.

• Operator System (Hero Units) Possess and control elite units in RTS/TPS mode with leveling, perks, and loadouts.

• Add more Operator weapons and equipment.; Michael is working through a backlog of 20 Operator weapons and more Operators/Skin variants atm.

  

• RPG Progression SystemOperators gain experience, unlock skills, and equip customizable weapons.

• UI Overhaul A new interface to support RTS/ Operators & Menu's

• Monterey Bay Horde Map
  Large-scale co-op testing with new wave mechanics and future extraction goals.

• Tracking down Desyncs, bugs & crashes!

• Finalize and polish Phase 1 by mid-July

• Launch Phase 2: Expanded DNA Research + Doctrine gameplay

• Prepare Phase 3: Pandemic Return

Check our stickied Roadmap post on the Steam forums

• Play the experimental SP/co-op mode!

• Try Operator mode using the in-game console command: PossessFirstOperator

• Report bugs, give feedback, and wishlist new content

• Join our Discord to engage with the team and community

Thank you for continuing to support the game — this is just the beginning. 🛠️

Head over to our Discord Server[discord.com] or Steam Discussions[gtm.steamproxy.vip] to connect with other players and the development team. Together, we’re building something truly special. Thank you for being part of this journey with us!

We also hosted a Playtest on Discord last week with 10 people check it out here!

https://youtu.be/JGQjU-UWl5Q