Development Update
Hey everyone,
We wanted to update you on some unexpected issues that hit us over the last 72 hours, pulling us away from finalizing the vehicle interface:
Unreal Engine 5.4 Crash
We encountered a critical crash that would occur after a heavy civilian evac playthrough and saving the game. It also happened during longer in-game sessions. After an intensive 24-hour work session, where each programmer picked up where the last one left off, we believe we've resolved the issue.
SteamCMD Tool Issue
We also faced a problem with the SteamCMD tool incorrectly updating the game on upload. We've spent significant time troubleshooting this and are still in contact with Valve to ensure it doesn’t happen again. To mitigate this, we’ve reorganized the game into multiple .pak files. This change aligns with newer engine standards and should improve load times and reduce patch sizes, though we initially planned to implement it closer to the 1.0 release. In the future, we intend to adopt a newer packaging format to better conform with Unreal Engine 5 loading standards, but that will come later as a result of our research into this issue.
This might also be a growing pain with Steam’s interaction with Unreal Engine 5.4.2, which, as many of you know, comes with bugs/issues when using the latest versions of software. Rest assured, we will continue to sort these out and work tirelessly until any remaining issues are eradicated.
As of now, the first issue should be resolved, and we've mitigated the Steam download bug by adjusting how we package the game. We're still awaiting a definitive answer from Valve, but we’ve made the necessary changes to keep things moving forward.
Unfortunately, these setbacks caused us to lose 1-2 days, so our estimate for the vehicle interface release has been pushed to early next week—assuming no further stability issues arise.
Bonus Update
One of our technical artists added a new "line" highlight system to make it easier to tweak settings. Take a look here! Live now
Thank you for your patience and understanding!
— The Halcyon Winds Dev Team
Patch Notes
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Bug Fixes & Improvements:
Late Load Crash:
- Implemented a speculative fix for a crash related to a Discord forums post reported by a user during late load.
- Added additional safeties for loading crashes, including `LateLoadUnit` midway checks in case a unit is destroyed during load.
Goldencrest
- Placed move proxies around the area. While this doesn't fully resolve backtracking issues, it helps mitigate some ignored move orders. Fully fixing this will require further work after we finish the interface work in a few days.
- Edited cranes in the construction site for better alignment.
Helipads:
- Updated Helipads with a larger vertical 'clear landscape object' presence. This change should prevent evac choppers from getting stuck under cranes in the construction zone.
Character Handling:
- Added `IsActorBeingDestroyed` checks to `LoadCharactersDelayFinish`, `GetTargetGarrisonTag` in `Base_Character`, and `HasTagWithSubstring` in `CPFunctionLibrary`.
Memory Management:
- Cleaned up `memcopy` issues.
Shaders:
- Speculative fix for a water shader recompile issue that would occur on first load of the game where the water would be invisible for up to 10-20 seconds while it "compiled" live
Save-Load System:
- Committed a fix for `UPROPERTY()` that addresses save-load issues.
User Interface:
- Added a mouse-over highlight to settings in the options menu.
- Introduced a speculative fix for the next patch to resolve the 'jittering on load menu when paused' problem.
Please note the following going forward: Restart your game/steam to get the update if needed
General Development Updates
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zz49hElQa8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZA_1INK--ILetter from the Producer
https://steamcommunity.com/games/979640/announcements/detail/3718325557390407190New Roadmap system
We now have a new system for our community to follow along on development. This website will break down all the major systems that are coming each patch. It will not include hotfixes/bug fixes. Sections inside TBD can be included randomly if we are ahead of schedule. View the RoadmapWays to Support Our Development
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Your support helps us grow the team and create a better game for everyone!Support Us on Patreon
Join our Patreon community to gain exclusive access to behind-the-scenes content, early builds, and other perks.Check Out Our Merch Store
Show your love for Cepheus Protocol with our official merchandise! Every purchase directly supports the development of the game.
Cepheus Protocol Anthology
Immerse yourself in the gripping narrative of the Pangu Virus outbreak through multiple perspectives. Follow the dedicated heroes of the Center for Epidemic Research and Control as they battle to contain a devastating alien virus that transforms innocents into terrifying creatures of unimaginable power. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1707120/Cepheus_Protocol_Anthology_Season_1/Watch the First 40 Minutes of Cepheus Protocol Anthology Season 1
Get a sneak peek at the intense and dramatic opening of Season 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eWbDibGMrUIf you're experiencing crashes/instability, please try a Steam Verify/Display Drivers update before contacting us.