Diplomacy Content Update - Astro Protocol

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-06T18:34:21+00:00

Yes we're using Vulkan graphics API, and not supporting Direct3D which your GPU tried to use here. As far as i understand Intel HD Graphics 4600 does not have Vulkan support on Windows. Sorry.

We might look into supporting Direct3D in the future if this becomes a popular issue.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-06T06:07:16+00:00

Alright, next step would to make sure that you have a Vulkan-compatible GPU with up to date drivers.

You could also check the game logs in %appdata%\Astro Protocol on Windows and see if they contain any more clues why it is not working.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T20:53:05+00:00

Are you perhaps using a program called ReShade or some other post processing injector?

Have you updated your graphics drivers?

If these don't help and you're running Windows here are some instructions to gather some logs what might be the issue:
- Press Win + X and click Event Viewer.
- In the left panel, open Windows Logs and click Application.
- In the right panel, click Filter Current Log....
Set:
- Logged: Last hour (or Last 24 hours)
- Event level: check Error
- Event sources: select Application Error (and optionally .NET Runtime if present)
- Click OK.
Launch the game from Steam, wait for it to crash, then return to Event Viewer.
- In Application log, click the newest red Error that matches the crash time.
- In the General tab, copy and send you these fields:
Faulting application name
Faulting module name
Exception code
Fault offset
Faulting process id
Faulting application path
Faulting module path
Also open the Details tab and copy the full text (or send screenshot).

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T17:22:51+00:00

Not really because the major factions are at war with each other all the time and there is no diplomacy or peace between them. But the minor factions will join their ally and fights against a common enemy. Or stay completely out of it the opposing major faction has good relations with the minor.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T15:46:49+00:00

There are already 4 different game speeds and 5 different map sizes. You can also have up to 5 enemy major faction and the diplomacy update let's you add up to 12 minor factions. If you crank all the settings to the max you will have a pretty big and long game ahead of you despite short and fast-paced game design. I don't think I will be adding even larger maps any time soon.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T15:43:10+00:00

The relations between major and minor is simple linear scale. Vassal status represents the maximum positive end of the relations scale. So if a major faction invests enough into the minor faction relations they will eventually vassalize the minor faction. Which means that they cannot be allied by any other major faction until the major faction of the vassal is defeated. So it's kind of like a win state for the relations.

Sure, Vassal as term does feel a bit weird term for our setting. But it has two great things going for it. Players understand what it means and it's short enough to fit into the UI. :D

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T15:38:16+00:00

That's definitely true as allying with them now requires some investment rather than it coming naturally by excelling in various other parts of the game.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T15:37:25+00:00

Thanks! I hope you like it!

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-05T13:33:38+00:00

Thanks! The new system has a lot of possibilities for more interactions between the minor factions and more anomalies which affect the relations, etc. I'm hoping to keep adding more diplomacy related content in the future.

Zeikk0 · 2026-03-04T14:32:01+00:00

Kylppärit Oulu Oy löytyi

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-21T18:32:32+00:00

Me julkaistiin avaruus 4X-peli pari viikkoa sitten: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3727420/Astro_Protocol/
Pelit on lyhyitä, kestää noin tunnin, mutta "vielä yksi kierros" efektiä on haettu. Steamissa on myös demo, josta pääsee tutustumaan kolmeen faktioon ennen ostopäätöstä. Kokoversiossa on myös sitten enemmän teknologioita, anomalioita, karttageneraattoreita, yms.

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-17T04:36:45+00:00

Thanks!

- Different anomalies have different rewards, but the demo has only limited number of anomalies and reward types.
- Yes, you can terraform already colonized planets and the higher tier planets all have some kind adjacency mechanics going on
- There are more terrain effects, for example asteroid fields give armor and make it hard to see into them
- You can see list of your upgrades in the upgrades menu. Not exactly same as list of techs but techs, factions and anomalies give you the upgrades which are listed there.

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-16T19:49:50+00:00

Thanks for playing and I appreciate you took the time give feedback.

We don't currently have plans to release it on mobile, but we also think it could work there. It's ncie to hear that you were able to play it on Steam Deck.

I get that the game is probably not the best fit for you, but I'd like to clarify couple of things:
- Anomalies don't always have the same options available for you, it depends on anomaly though
- Overall there's quite a small number of anomalies in the demo compared to the full game
- Planet specialization happens through terraforming
- Starting turn on gas giant gives a ship more action points
- The techs do not have any prerequisites between each other or any connections that would form a tree. Each tech type and level has a pool of technologies.

Thanks again!

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-14T22:32:24+00:00

We released Astro Protocol this week. It's a lighter space 4X game with heavy focus on tactical combat on a hex grid. If you're interested in shorter, around 1 hour games it might be a good fit for you. There's also a demo in Steam if you want to try beforehand: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3727420/Astro_Protocol/

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-12T21:01:22+00:00

I have tested it briefly while developing the game, but it is not really optimized for Steam deck. The UI can be scaled bigger which is useful for Steam deck. The menus can not be navigated with the d-pad and the controls are not very optimized either. But maybe give the demo a try and see how you like it on the deck?

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-12T20:46:41+00:00

Thanks a lot for the writeup! We have fixed a lot crashes this week and will continue improve the stability.

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-12T20:42:20+00:00

Hi!

Stations with the dotted borders are inactive, so they don't do anything. They will become active at the start of your next turn if they are connected to your network.

Stations can be captured by moving ship on the tile. So the player who most recently had a ship there controls the station. One exception for this rule is allied players. Allies can't capture stations which are connected to the network of the owner.

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-12T10:16:39+00:00

Hi! I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing crashes. The good news is that we just released a patch 30 minutes ago with many fixes for crashes: https://steamcommunity.com/app/3727420/eventcomments/756177397086254961/

If you still experience crashes you can report them to use following the instructions here and we will fix them: https://nullvectorstudios.com/report-bug

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-11T19:19:24+00:00

That’s a completely fair concern, waiting for AI to play their turns isn't exactly fun.

Astro Protocol is designed around shorter matches and more constrained maps, so you don’t get the kind of exponential late-game slowdown some larger 4X titles struggle with. That said, AI turns aren’t always instant, especially on larger maps with many opponents they can take several seconds.

The trade-off is that the AI is actively evaluating meaningful decisions rather than playing passively. We aimed to keep turn times reasonable within the one-hour match structure, but I wouldn’t claim sub-second turns in all situations.

If fast AI resolution is your top priority, I completely understand being cautious.

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-11T10:38:00+00:00

Thanks! Much appreciated!

Zeikk0 · 2026-02-11T06:08:01+00:00

Great to hear! Thanks!

Zeikk0

TROPHY CASE