- Steam Community Update: Steady Progress, Squad Presets, and Expedition Mode - 18 September 2026
Players,I want to give you a quick, transparent update on where things stand this week. Over the last little while, some major real-life transitions have been requiring a lot of my time and energy, which means development has been moving a bit slower than my usual pace.However, slower does not mean stopped. I am deeply committed to this project and the long-term vision for this universe, so while my development windows are a bit tighter right now, I'm focusing my time on the things that will make the biggest impact on your gameplay.Here is what I’ve been working on behind the scenes:Quality of Life - Squad Presets: I’m taking time to build out the smaller, but highly important features that make playing the game feel seamless. I'm currently implementing Squad Presets, which will allow you to save your favorite loadouts and deploy your units much faster without having to manually reconfi…
- Echoes of Steel Dev Update: Expedition Mode & The Road to Release - 2 September 2026
Hey everyone! It’s been a little while—I took a brief two-week break from posting updates to keep my head down and focus heavily on development. I'm back today with some major milestones to share as we get closer to the finish line.Here is a breakdown of what’s been completed and what’s coming up next:Expedition Mode is (Mostly) Done! The core coding for our first major game mode, "Expedition," is fully functional. While it still needs some rigorous testing to iron out the edge cases, the main gameplay cycle is alive and working exactly as intended.How Expedition Works: This mode is a survival-progression loop. You drop in with a fresh start, build up your squad of mechs, and improve your loadouts as you push deeper into the run. Your squad will keep getting stronger, and you'll see how far you can survive until your HP finally gives out.Up Next: Endless Mode & Graphics With Expedition'…
- Echoes of Steel - Dev Update: Building the Foundation (again) - 15 August 2026
Hi everyone, Nir here.You might have noticed I skipped last week's update. August is in full swing, and with the kids home for the summer, most of my time has been dedicated to family! Because of that, I haven't had as much visual eye-candy to show off recently.Sometimes, the most critical work in game dev is entirely invisible. I actually spent about six solid months building the backend architecture for the base game before I ever started making posts to show things off. We're in one of those "under the hood" phases right now, but I have still been heavily focused on planning and improving the core gameplay loop.Here is what is officially up and running this week:Squad Setup: The squad configuration for the game modes is fully ready to go.First Combat Map: We have one completed combat map integrated and ready for tactical testing.The Resorting Phase: This is the big one! I’ve built ou…
- Weekly Dev Update: Cooking Blueprint Spaghetti - 22 July 2026
Just a quick check-in from the code mines this week! (trying to hold my weekly post promise!)While I would love to show off some shiny new visual assets or flashy combat effects, the reality of solo development is that sometimes your screen looks like this for days on end. I am currently buried deep in the backend, building out the foundational logic for the new Endless and Expedition modes.Believe it or not, what you are looking at is just a "simple" function.All of this tangled blueprint spaghetti is strictly responsible for the Mech gearing up screen and presenting stats. Every one of those crossing wires is calculating the math and the complex crossover synergies between your Mech, your chosen Pilot, the AI-Core, and your equipped Gear.It might look like pure chaos, but this density is necessary to make sure the backend stat calculations and new mechanics play flawlessly before I st…
- Weekly Dev Update: The Logic Cycles & New Game Modes - 17 July 2026
Welcome back! If you’re looking for shiny new screenshots this week, I have to ask for a little patience. I’ve been deep in the backend trenches, wrestling with endless logic cycles and code. When you are building every piece of the puzzle yourself, creating the hidden foundations takes time before the paint goes on.While there isn't much visual flair to show yet, I have a lot to share regarding what I am actually building and what you can expect from the future of Echoes of Steel.Expanding the Horizon: Why New Modes?The main campaign is a rich, story-driven experience that I am fully invested in. But the nature of a linear narrative is that once you’ve experienced all the surprises, you know exactly what’s coming. While I do plan to expand the campaign later with a heavier focus on player choice and less linearity, I wanted to tackle replayability right now.Enter the new game modes. Th…
- Weekly Dev Update: A Strategic Shift, New Modes, and Expanding Echoes of Steel - 12 July 2026
Hey everyone, Nir here!As I push forward with development on The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel, I want to keep things entirely transparent with you all. Today’s update is a big one—it involves a shift in the release timeline, but for a very exciting reason.The Strategic PivotAfter some incredibly valuable consultations with fellow game developers and great feedback from a few streamers, I’ve made the decision to postpone the official release of the game by another 2 to 3 months.I know delays can be a bummer when you are eager to play, but this extra time is being put to immediate, highly requested use. The overwhelming advice I received was to expand the replayability and add competitive laddering before launch. Taking this extra time allows me to do exactly that, ensuring that when the game drops, it has the depth and volume you deserve beyond the main story campaign.Expanding the Ar…
- Weekly DevLog: The Sounds of Steel, Lore Breakthroughs, and Reaching the Players - 8 July 2026
Hey everyone, time for another weekly update. It’s been a long week with a lot of deep thoughts about the road ahead, but I am pushing forward.Building a game solo is a marathon, and while the wishlist grind can be daunting, the focus remains on delivering the best, most polished experience possible. Launch day is only the beginning of the journey. Here is a look at what got done this week in the world of Echoes of Steel:Finding Our Voice (and Lasers): The game finally has sound! I’ve moved beyond just having background music and started implementing actual SFX. You can now hear the monsters go "grlrlrl," the "pew pew" of weapons, and "target locked" alerts. Alongside the audio, I’ve done some visual work, including setting up Niagara particle systems and refining the shooting VFX.The Tutorial Journey Begins: I have officially started building the in-game tutorial. I'm only a few days i…
- Weekly Dev Update: Mission 33, Final Polish, and an Honest Dilemma - 26 June 2026
Hey everyone,It’s time for the weekly dev update from 8an Studio.This week has been an absolute grind in the best way possible. I’ve been entirely focused on wrapping everything up toward a finalized version of The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel. I’ve spent the last few days pushing hard on animations, Niagara VFX, visual polish, and a massive amount of UX improvements. The goal was to have a mostly finalized, run-ready version for testing by next week.But game development rarely goes exactly as planned, which leads me to a dilemma I want to share with you all.The Mission 33 Reality CheckYesterday, after playing for hours just to reach the late game, a massive bug reared its head in Mission 33. When the level loaded, it spawned with absolutely no player-side actors on the field. The game immediately registered this as an instance loss. When it tried to automatically reload, it threw th…
- Weekly Dev Log: Ammo Systems, Sleek UI, and Subtitles! - 19 June 2026
Hey everyone, Nir here.I’m running a little behind on this week's update, but it's for a good reason—I've been deep in the trenches getting Echoes of Steel polished up! To quote a classic: TOO SOON EXECUTUS!!! but, I am awake, fueled up, and working hard to bring you the full game by the end of July.This week was all about massive improvements across the board. Here is a look at what got done:💥 Tactical Depth: AoE and Ammo SystemsAoE is Locked: The Area of Effect system is fully set and ready to bring the heat to the battlefield.Specialized Ammo: The new ammo system is almost fully connected! You'll soon be loading out with Standard, Incendiary (bring the burn!), and Armor Piercing (AP) rounds. I'm still on the fence about adding Explosive ammo to the mix—let me know if you think it's needed!Consequences of Caliber: These ammo types aren't just for show. They bring new buffs, distinct…
- Echoes of Steel - Weekly Dev Log: Deepening the Core & Tactical Overhauls - 10 June 2026
Hey everyone, Nir here! Welcome back to another weekly development update.This week has been a massive learning experience. Recently, I pushed the current build out to my dedicated group of beta testers. My main goal for this phase was straightforward: make sure the game works and see if a player could actually reach the end.The reality? They didn't make it to the end.Some testers got bored, while others just lacked the time to push through. I won't lie, taking that feedback was tough, but it’s exactly why we do beta testing. It was a massive wake-up call. The current state of the game was functional and ready for testing, but it clearly wasn't the final version. The foundation was there, but the depth needed to keep players hooked through a full campaign was missing.So, I dove right back in to give the tactical layer the complexity it desperately needs. Here is what I’ve been working o…
- Weekly Dev Update #10: Beta is Live, Beta Feedback, a New Release Window - 3 June 2026
Hi everyone,First off, apologies for the radio silence last week! I actually had an update all typed out and saved, but in the whirlwind of processing closed beta feedback, I completely forgot to hit the publish button.To make up for it, I have quite a few major updates to share with you this week regarding the current state of the game, our upcoming release, and what the future holds.Beta Feedback & Release Date Update First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful for the feedback pouring in from the closed beta testers. The testing process has highlighted several areas where I can improve the game, ranging from visual polish to core game mechanics.Because of the sheer volume of fantastic feedback and the number of issues I want to address, I've made the difficult decision to push the release date from the end of June to the end of July. In last week’s update, I was confident I could ca…
- Dev Log #9: Alpha Resubmitted, New Gameplay Trailer, and Research UI visuals - 21 May 2026
Welcome back to another weekly update for Echoes of Steel!If you read last week's log, you might remember I was submitting the Alpha build to Steam. Well, round one was a learning experience! Steam bounced the build back to me due to a few technical hurdles: my initial trailer didn't feature enough raw gameplay, my screenshots contained text, and I missed listing the mandatory Visual Studio redistributables required to run the game.I spent some time clearing up those issues, and the biggest win from this detour is that I have officially uploaded a brand-new gameplay trailer! The Alpha build has been successfully resubmitted, and I am back to waiting for the green light so I can distribute keys to my testing group.While navigating the Steam review process, I spent the last four days doing a massive overhaul of the UI/UX, specifically focusing on the Research Tree.Originally, my tech tree…
- Week 8 Dev Log: Milestone Reached & The Road to Testing - 15 May 2026
Major Milestone: First Playable Alpha UploadedThe core game mechanics are officially set, and the first playable alpha version of the game has been successfully uploaded to Steam! I am currently waiting for Valve’s approval. Once cleared, this build will serve as the foundation for the upcoming testing phases.Preparing for TestingBehind the scenes, preparation is underway to handle and distribute testing codes. As soon as Steam approves the build, keys will be deployed to the dedicated group of players who volunteered to help break, test, and polish the game.Current Focus: Bug Hunting & Content ExpansionWhile waiting for the build approval, development hasn't slowed down. The current focus is split between aggressive bug squashing and continuing to build out deeper content to enrich the overall experience:Narrative & Design: Writing and implementing side missions and their accompanying…
- Dev Log #7: The Alpha Survived! Moving into Beta - 9 May 2026
Hello, Gamers!It’s been an intense week at 8an Studio. If you’ve been following (or just joined) the journey of Echoes of Steel, you know that this week was the "moment of truth"—the official Alpha testing phase.I’ll be honest: I went into this week expecting a mountain of game-breaking bugs and tactical crashes. Instead, the tactical grid held firm, and the campaign flow stayed intact. The Alpha build didn't just survive; it thrived.🛠️ The Alpha Report Most of the major technical hurdles have been cleared. While there are still a few minor polish items in the works, the core logic is feeling more stable than ever. This allows me to shift my focus from "making it work" to "making it look and sound amazing."✨ The Beta Push With Alpha in the rearview mirror, construction on the Beta version has officially begun. This is where the game truly starts to look like the final product. Here is…
- Dev Update #6: Game-Ready & Alpha Bound! - 30 April 2026
Dev Update #6: Game-Ready & Alpha Bound!Hey everyone!Welcome to Week 6 of the dev updates. I can hardly believe it, but I am coming up on 6 months of development for Echoes of Steel. It has been an incredible, grind-heavy journey as a solo dev, and today I have some massive news to share:The Alpha is officially cooked! The build is now game-ready and fully playable. There are still some missing pieces and polish needed, but the core experience is alive. I’ve spent the last few weeks working hard to tie up all the loose strings, and I'm thrilled to announce that the entire campaign is now fully connected from start to finish. Every cinematic, story beat, and narrative arc flows right into the next.Here is a breakdown of where the game is at and what I'm working on right now:Alpha Testing Started: I am shifting gears into the alpha testing phase, and soon I'll be getting the build into th…
- Devlog #5: Unique Bosses, Smarter Enemies, and Deepening the Lore! - 23 April 2026
Hey everyone! Week 5 of the development log (6 months of dev so far) for Echoes of Steel just flew by. It feels like there aren't enough hours in the day, but we've hit some massive milestones this week that I'm incredibly excited to share with you.Here is what’s been happening behind the scenes:Boss Fights Implemented & Modeled: A lot of brainstorming went into this! I just finished planning and implementing all the boss fights. My main goal was to ensure every single encounter feels completely unique and non-repetitive. Alongside the mechanics, the 3D meshes for these bosses are fully built and ready to go.Smarter Monster AI: After some initial combat testing, I realized the enemies needed a bit of an upgrade, so I completely rebuilt the monster AI. They are a lot smarter and more tactical now. I’m not sure if that’s good news or bad news for your survival chances... hahaha!Cinematics…
- Weekly Dev Log: Campaign Triggers, Boss Phases, & The Basehub - 17 April 2026
Hey everyone, time for the weekly update! (+/- a day)This week has been all about wiring the core systems together and making the world of Echoes of Steel feel cohesive. The biggest news is that most of the tactical levels are now fully complete, which is another massive milestone for the project!Here is a breakdown of what got knocked out over the last several days:Campaign & Mission Triggers: I've been deep in the logic, connecting both the overarching narrative events and the specific in-mission action triggers. The flow from story to grid-based combat is really locking into place.Boss Fights: I finished building out three distinct boss fight phases and their associated visual effects. There are still a few more phases to go, but these encounters are shaping up to be seriously intense.Basehub Visualization: Between deployments, you need a place to regroup. I made a lot of progress se…
- Echoes of Steel - Week 3 Update: Setting the Tone & Doing the Math - 9 April 2026
What I accomplished this week:The Sound of Combat: I hit a massive milestone this week, getting 95% of the narration, pilot banter, and campaign mission briefings recorded and prepped for the engine. To give you a taste of the atmosphere, I’m dropping the Main Combat Theme today, paired with a fresh screenshot from one of the combat levels. Turn your volume up and let me know what you think!Cinematics Locked: Spent some quality time fixing up and finalizing the cinematic sequences so the story hits exactly how it should when you play.Under the Hood (The Math): A turn-based game lives and dies by its balance, and this week was all about the raw math. I've been laying the groundwork for the combat economy, pilot sync mechanics, roster limits, and resource management. This is the foundational numbers phase before actual playtesting begins, making sure the core logic is solid.Classified Lor…
- Echoes of Steel – Dev Update #2: Setbacks, Secrets, and Soundscapes - 9 April 2026
Welcome back to the second weekly update! Development is moving fast, and as a solo developer at 8an Studio, every week is a mix of big leaps forward and unexpected hurdles. Here is a look at what has been happening behind the scenes over the last few days.1. A Minor Cinematic Setback (and a Secret...) Game development is a constant learning process. Recently, I ran into a minor copyright snag with some of the third-party effects I used in the opening cinematics. Because I wasn't cleared to use those specific effects in a commercial release, I had to roll up my sleeves and remake those sequences from scratch.The good news is that rebuilding them gave me a chance to make them look even better. The bad news? I can't actually share the new footage with you yet! The intro sequences are packed with heavy story spoilers, so you'll just have to wait to experience them firsthand when the game l…
- Lore Intro, story progress - 25 March 2026
Weekly update time! I'm targeting a release toward the end of June. It's ambitious, but that's the goal!Huge milestone this week: the complete story is set in stone. To mark the occasion, I’m releasing the official Lore Intro.The road ahead is all about gameplay feel. I'm focusing heavily on combat balance to ensure every encounter stays fresh, challenging, and never repetitive.On the visual front, I'm currently working hard to level up the art. The images on the page are just early Alpha footage—wait until you see the updated graphics in action.If you're just discovering the game, welcome! I hope you enjoy the new lore.
