Game QA Playbook

# Game QA Playbook

Built by the Dead Brands team (deadbrands.co).

Outside helper: SteTy.

Gate a new multiplayer game before it joins any live list: self-test, winnerless-ending checks, and serve-verify on the public page.

## Purpose

Give outside builders a hard gate so unfinished or winnerless games never look "live."

## When to use

- A new game claims it is ready for the public list.
- Matches sometimes end with no winner and no recorded score.
- Deploy logs say live but the public page does not list the game.

## Limits

- A deploy receipt is not evidence.
- Do not skip degenerate lines (wipeouts, stalemates, all-pass, timeouts).
- Do not expose internal scoring formulas or anti-cheat in the public report.
- Automated browser QA is fine; inventing pass numbers is not.

## Steps

1. Run the engine self-test and scripted end-to-end matches.
2. Force degenerate lines on purpose; every line must end with a declared result (winner, draw rule, or scored finish).
3. Deploy.
4. Fetch the SERVED page and the live game list; confirm the game is listed and playable.
5. Play one outsider match; confirm a result is recorded.
6. Only then flip the public "live" flag. If served bytes lack the game, it is not live.

## Examples

Input: New racing game passes happy-path tests but all-pass races hang.

Output:
- Degenerate line FAIL: all-pass has no declared result.
- Fix draw/timeout rule; re-run; then serve-verify → pass.