- v1.05a Weapon Switching Hotfix - 5 October 2026
Weapon switching has, since launch caused all sorts of issues that should now be resolved. A list of things that should no longer be a problem.Switching would cause you to very, very slowly sink into the ground and potentially fall through the world.At the exact moment that the weapon switches, visibility queries would also freak out and cause enemies to suddenly spot you when they really shouldn't be able to. There may be something else causing this but the majority of cases will have been from this bugMost recently, because the bug injected a NaN into the Bullet collision world, it could even cause the game to crash!Big thanks to Cos and Mephiles on the steam forums for reporting this. I didn't actually learn anything from the reports that I didn't already know, I've been trying to squash this bug since before launch and there are even mechanics present to work around it! But simply l…
- Version 1.05 + Bundle with Hedon - 30 September 2026
This update has been sitting around waiting to be uploaded all month now but I wanted to pair it up with a new bundle: you can now get Ctesiphon in a bundle with the indie boomer shooter masterpiece Hedon!Just in time for the autumn sale too so you can even double dip on discounts again!NEW FEATURESThe boss healthbar now also shows the boss's armor as a separate red bar with the regular health super-imposed over the top. Although guns like the SMG and Shotgun aren't very powerful, it should now be more obvious that you're at least chewing through armor.Like in Quake 4, the SMG is now semi-auto while using the scope. A new switch has been added to game settings to turn this off and keep it full-auto all the time. Though it's harder to tell, this setting also applies to the railgun.MSAA is now configurable in Video settings instead of using whatever the OS defaults to. Given the intended…
- Cyberpunk Fest + Bundle With Zortch - 30 July 2026
Announcing that Ctesiphon will be in Cyberpunk Fest!The game hasn't gotten much attention for the last month beyond some new artwork, my focus as always is on the next project. So consider a 60% discount an apology for not having a more substantive update.And speaking of new artwork, check out the banner I made for the new bundle with Zortch!
- Ctesiphon will be at AVCon 2026! - 16 June 2026
Version 1.04e Patch NotesAnother small update:Removed v3Expo's Squilchan dialogue from the secret spot in the Outskirts. I've moved the portrait into the fanart room instead.That central building in the Multiport will be the death of me, I've modified it yet again to make it harder to break the level as there was still a way to get right on top of it if you were good with blast-jumps. This isn't the only place you can sequence break this level but it's the one that's been constantly bothering me.AVCon 2026Ctesiphon is going to be at AVCon 2026! If you happen to be in Adelaide, South Australia during the weekend of July 4th-5th come on down to the Showground to hang out! I'll have a lightly customized debug build at the Indie Games Room with some altered dialogue and all the dev cheats available.
- Version 1.04d + Future Plans - 6 June 2026
First of all, go check out the v3Expo showcase for 2026. It should be airing a few hours after this update goes live. Ctesiphon has only short spot in a montage but if you look carefully there's a hint on how to get to a new secret being added in this update. The game will also be 50% off for a week after the showcase starts!ChangelogLet's get version 1.04d's additions out of the way first:The Railgun and the Gyrobuster have had their projectile damage greatly increased. Should make them much more useful against the big mechs. Rockets are still the workhorse anti-mech weapon but you should no longer be completely screwed if you run out.A couple of extra secrets have been added to the Outskirts levelSome of the buildings in the Multiport level have been made taller to prevent sequence breaking. Several spots where this used to be really easy have been converted to secrets instead.The pla…
- Version 1.04c - 11 March 2026
Really tiny patch this one. A commenter on itch pointed out you can jump way higher if you bind jump to the scroll wheel. I have a little timer for extra coyote time and it wasn't clearing on jumping which meant it could applied multiple times in quick succession. Sorry anyone who was exploiting this to do sick jumps but I don't want it to be as easy as rebinding to a different key!
- Version 1.04b - 4 January 2026
Steam Auto-Cloud has now been enabled, so saves should sync between devices (even cross-platform).Version 1.04b itself is only for Linux builds as it fixes a major performance problem. I'd gotten the report a few times but had no idea what was going on as I primarily develop on Linux and wasn't having any issues.It turns out that when you're not using a controller, I was accidentally polling evdev for new controllers to detect every single frame. On my Manjaro setup this wasn't a problem but after switching to Arch I forgot to bring over a configuration patch for my keyboard (it's a long story) and so that device would now seemingly time out when polled, making each frame take 20-30ms!!Now the check will only happen if the timestamp on /dev/input indicates there's actually been some sort of device change, or if you manually press the button to detect controllers in options. It's still p…
- Patch Version 1.04a - 15 December 2025
Somewhere in uploading a new build to Steam, asset changes described in the patch notes for v1.04 had ended up not being packaged in.
- If you need a new retro boomer shooter check out Ctesiphon - 15 December 2025
Released in November, Ctesiphon puts you in the role of a Galactic Bounty Hunter extraordinaire in a fresh retro styled futuristic boomer shooter. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/12/if-you-need-a-new-retro-boomer-shooter-check-out-ctesiphon/
- Ctesiphon is now Steam Deck Verified! - 9 December 2025
Surprise! Ctesiphon is now Steam Deck Verified!ːsteamhappyː This comes with the caveat that on the Deck you'll get the Windows version by default launching through Proton, as stated in the previous update. The situation on native Linux hasn't changed yet and may not for a good while so it's not recommended to run the game with the native runtimes on the Deck, though you may have better results using a plugged-in controller rather than the integrated controls.Additionally, version 1.04 is going live right now with the following changelog:BugfixesResolution options were showing the wrong tooltipGamma slider was a little buggy, especially when using buttons to adjust itThe Game Options screen was lacking a scrollbarSome of Jens Vide's songs had not been attributed in the creditsHad to remove a possible sequence break right at the start of the Multiport (map no. 5). I normally prefer to at…
- Steam Deck Support Plans - 29 November 2025
I want to make an official announcement I can reference for Steam Deck compatibility so I can link it from the store page. As of writing, most controllers will work on Native Linux even if they don't on Windows, but there is a big exception for the Steam Deck and Steam Controller.Steam's peripherals are designed to be accessed through the Steamworks API which I haven't implemented. The intention had been so I can have the same build available on multiple storefronts and Steamworks by design doesn't work properly if Steam isn't running. On Linux this presents an annoying problem because these peripherals don't play by the same rules other controllers do and I don't have a Steam Deck handy to work with.In the short term, the solution is to just not play the native Linux build on Steam Deck and instead launch the Windows version using Proton. In the long term I plan to eventually just have…
- Patch Version 1.03a - 27 November 2025
I'm launching a game on Steam for the first time, I can have a little day one patch as a treat.Added a little clipping in the Tutorial level to avoid getting stuck on the indoor palmsFixed up the level descriptions in the level select hub, most of them still had changelogs from playtestingFixed up loadouts when you restart a level from the End Level screen (after you hit the button). It had been restoring your current loadout as that's what happens when you're going to the next level and the logic is mostly the same for restarting.
- CTESIPHON IS LIVE - 27 November 2025
Launch Day!The time has finally come, Ctesiphon is live!The launch version is set to 1.03 to keep parity with the demo. This does mean there's been a few changes and so previous saves will cause artifacts so it's recommended you only load autosaves from the end of a level so you can immediately push the button and progress.Alternatively, the release version also has a Level Select option that lets you equip yourself however you like and skip ahead to whichever level you like with as much firepower as you can carry.Changelog for v1.03Gamma slider has been added to Video settings.Look speed resolution options have been increased for better fine-tuning.Options to hide the HUD and player model have been added to game options. To avoid confusion, these will not be saved with the other options and so won't persist between launches.Level 2 (The Highway) has had additional clip colliders placed…
- CTESIPHON is coming November 26th! - 12 November 2025
Hey everyone,I'm hard at work finishing up the final touches on the game but wanted to make a formal announcement that CTESIPHON is coming November 26th. Be sure to wishlist the game if you haven't and check out the demo! Thanks!
- Demo Version 1.02c - 18 October 2025
Behaviors(Can't call it AI anymore)Grunts can now shoot over obstacles a bit easier. I want to do a dedicated animation for this eventually but for now if the grunt's muzzle is obscured the projectile will spawn up at eye height.Cut down the pathfinding cooldown for the headless Cyborg Chargers so now they'll actually run straight at you even from a short distance. Originally they only updated their destination every second or so for out of fear all the navigation queries would have a performance impact.The mechs now angle their arms independently to track you so they'll be a lot harder to exploit up close.
- Demo Version 1.02b - 2 October 2025
BugfixesAll sound clips tied to entities are now cleared on map load, meaning you shouldn't hear Ethelyn's elaborate death scream anymore after hitting restart.Fixed Windows build picking up R-Control as R-Shift, a typo meant this wasn't being handled properly.
- Demo Version 1.02 - 28 September 2025
The third level from the full game has now been added to the demo in time for Next Fest. It had always been the intention to have three of the seven levels in the demo but I wanted to give do another pass over it to remove a couple of placeholders.The game autosaves every time you hit the button to end a level, and while there was a hard compatibility break from v1.00 to v1.01, any saves made in level two on v1.01 can safely be loaded in v1.02 and all you have to do is hit the end level button again and you can immediately play the third level.It's unlikely that there will be further changes to these three levels before release, and saves between the demo and the final version will be fully inter-compatible so provided there are no compatibility breaks you'll be able to load saves made in the demo within the full game and continue where you left off.
- Demo Version 1.01 - 21 September 2025
Changes in version 1.01Compatibility BreaksDue to updating to a more recent version of Trenchbroom, many models had to have their default orientation changed. Because of this, all saves made with the previous build of the game are invalid and the game will prevent you from loading them. This won't be necessary for every update but it was unavoidable this time.BugfixesChanged gamepad detection on Linux to query capabilities instead of searching for keywords in the file system. This should allow Steam Deck controls to be detected, but due to the weird way the deck reports its inputs to evdev it still isn't going to work properly for now. I don't have a Steam Deck of my own so it's pretty difficult to get it to work right.Notifications are no longer visible when HUD is hiddenThe theme song Island Hopping is now correctly played at full volume. Sound stream crossfading had only been being a…
- Brutal Indies Showcase - 13 September 2025
I was a little too busy to properly announce anything ahead of time, but Ctesiphon got a spot in Zlimbratski's awesome Brutal Indies Unleashed Showcase!Edit: The demo is now out right here on Steam!Alas my humble trailer made a liar out of me and the demo isn't playable as of writing. However, the build was uploaded a few days ago and is merely awaiting approval from Steam. I will make it live as soon as I've gotten the green light, most certainly early next week.Progress is steadily being made on Ctesiphon's full release. I'll need to crunch and will probably have to take some time off work but I'm committed to releasing the game in November or December at the latest. In the meantime watch the VOD, subscribe to ZlimBratSki on Youtube, and try some of the many, many demos already featured in the showcase!
