1---2name: 09-game-test-and-player-evidence-plan3description: Use when planning game QA, playtesting, balance, deterministic simulation, save migration, multiplayer network conditions, device performance, accessibility, localisation, security, certification, and release-candidate evidence.4---5# Game Test and Player Evidence Plan6<!-- dual-compat-start -->7## Use When8- A game milestone needs technical tests and observed-player evidence.9## Do Not Use When10- Programme testing policy is the task; use `01-test-strategy`.11- Do not substitute opinions for correctness or device evidence.12## Required Inputs13| Artefact | Source or provider | Required? | Behaviour when missing |14|---|---|---|---|15| Requirements, architecture, build manifest, targets and gates | Product, engineering, QA and release | Yes | Stop and issue a readiness gap. |16| Research, learning, culture, wellbeing, ads/privacy, network, accessibility, localisation and threat cases | Specialist owners | Conditional | Mark coverage not assessed. |17## Workflow181. Build a risk matrix across unit, integration, simulation, content, device, network, security and access layers.192. Specify seeds, clocks, tolerances, replay and save corruption/migration/interruption.203. Test latency, loss, jitter, reorder, duplication, disconnect, crash and version mismatch online.214. Profile release builds on named hardware for pacing, CPU/GPU, memory, loading, storage and thermal behaviour.225. Separate correctness, comprehension, appeal, balance, learning, cultural acceptance, wellbeing/stopping, ad interruption/trust, commercial and release questions; no evidence class substitutes for another.236. Test critical verbs with alternative input and redundant feedback.247. Test every ad placement for expectation, disclosure, focus/input, decline/close, reward, cap/pace, save/recovery/stopping/exit, child treatment, accessibility, no-fill/offline/SDK failure and kill switch on real devices.258. Stop on missing build identity, oracle, consent or accountable reviewer; recover with an evidence plan.26## Outputs27| Artefact | Consumer | Acceptance condition |28|---|---|---|29| Game test and player evidence plan | QA, design, engineering and release | Cases map to requirements, environments, oracles, evidence and decisions. |30## Evidence Produced31| Evidence | Reviewer | Acceptance condition |32|---|---|---|33| `GTEST-*` matrix | QA reviewer | Build, device, scene, seed, network and outcome are reproducible. |34## Capability and permission boundaries35Read and search are allowed; planning is read-only. Shared-service, player-data or security tests require authority and consent.36## Degraded mode37Return the narrowest qualified plan, mark unavailable checks `not assessed`, and retain blocked gates.38## Decision Rules39| Choice or condition | Action | Failure or risk avoided |40|---|---|---|41| Oracle absent | Redesign or classify exploratory. | False confidence. |42| Capture lacks identity | Reject release evidence. | Irreproducibility. |43| Core accessibility blocker | Block or approve explicit exclusion. | Menu-only claims. |44## Quality Standards45- Retain failed-path evidence; distinguish preference, comprehension, balance and correctness.46## Anti-Patterns47- Tautological tests. Fix: assert invariants.48- Editor-only testing. Fix: packaged builds.49- Average FPS only. Fix: frame pacing.50- Localhost multiplayer only. Fix: hostile profiles.51- Anecdotal playtests. Fix: question, cohort and disposition.52- Ad renders so it passes. Fix: test interruption, accidental tap, coercion, privacy, regret, trust and all failure paths.53## References54- [Test evidence matrix](references/game-test-evidence-matrix.md)55- [Playtest learning evidence](references/playtest-learning-evidence.md)56<!-- dual-compat-end -->